41 Years Ago: 'Don't You (Forget About Me)' Hits No. 1 After The Breakfast Club's Release
We've seen many examples of a song from a movie reaching similar heights in popularity as the film itself. One song in this category is Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me)," which was the soundtrack headliner from the iconic 1985 coming-of-age movie The Breakfast Club.
Simple Minds had been around for nearly a decade before releasing "Don't You (Forget About Me)," but while the Scottish group had experienced some success in the UK and elsewhere, they had failed to breakthrough in America.
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" changed all of that
Released in the United States on Feb. 20, 1985, just days after "The Breakfast Club" premiered, "Don't You (Forget About Me)" played during the opening and closing credits of the film. The song began a rise up the Billboard Hot 100, culminating with a No. 1 ranking 41 years ago today, May 18, 1985.
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" was replaced at No. 1 one week later by Wham's "Everything She Wants." The song would later go reach the top spot in Canada in June 1985, and remains Simple Minds' biggest overall hit.
"It's an ‘80s masterpiece, an American teen anthem and Judd Nelson's fist in the air," wrote Catherine Marshall of American Songwriter in 2020. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" cleverly trumpets all of these sentiments in one timeless bundle."
The Breakfast Club also stands the test of time
The Breakfast Club is one of director John Hughes' influential 1980s teen movies, along with Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Pretty in Pink.
Set on Saturday, March 24, 1984 at fictional Shermer High School in Illinois, The Breakfast Club tells the story of five teens in detention:
- Emilio Estevez as Andrew Clark, a "jock" at the school
- Anthony Michael Hall as Brian Johnson, the "nerd" of the group
- Judd Nelson as John Bender, the quintet's juvenile delinquent
- Molly Ringwald as Claire Standish, classically popular and well-to-do
- Ally Sheedy as Allison Reynolds, the shy, quiet loner
While it originally seems like the five adolescents have little in common, they come to realize they are way more alike than they thought.
Regarded as one of the top films of the 1980s, The Breakfast Club grossed over $51 million worldwide at the box office. As of May 2026, it is now available to stream on Netflix.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 8:19 AM.