Time to Cut Loose: ‘Footloose’ Turns 40

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It’s now 40 years since the movie musical Footloose was released in theaters. The smash film about a Chicago teenager (played by Kevin Bacon) who moves to a small town and attempts to overturn its ban on dancing, arrived on February 17, 1984. Footloose was made for a reported $7.5 million and captivated audiences, earning $80 million at the box-office, good enough to make it the year’s seventh highest-grossing film. Its soundtrack included six Top 40 hits, two of which reached #1: Deniece Williams’ “Let’s Hear It For the Boy” and Kenny Loggins’ recording of the title track. (Among the other hits was a duet by Heart’s Ann Wilson and Loverboy’s Mike Reno, “Almost Paradise.”) The movie and singles’ success paved the way for the album to reach #1 on April 21, staying at the top for two months, with cumulative sales of over nine million copies in the U.S. alone.

Paramount Home Video is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the movie with a remastered edition for its first time as a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in standard and steelbook packages.

Footloose was directed by filmmaker Herbert Ross (The Turning Point, Steel Magnolias) and helped turn Kevin Bacon into a star. He appeared opposite Lori Singer, the daughter of the town’s uptight Reverend played by John Lithgow. Others in the cast include Dianne Wiest, Chris Penn and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Watch the film’s original trailer

The “Footloose” single exploded on radio and MTV, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and in 2018 was placed in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry as being “culturally, historically or artistically significant.”

“Being a part of Footloose has been one of the biggest highlights of my life,” says Loggins. “Working with [co-writer] Dean Pitchford was definitely special for me. I can still remember singing some of the first lyrics to Dean in the laundry room of my house. Everything came together so organically. I’ve had a blast performing ‘Footloose’ for decades, and I still enjoy watching audiences jump out of their seats to dance every time they hear the first guitar riff.”

Loggins has sold more than 25 million albums and has won two Grammy Awards. In addition to his string of successful recordings, both solo and as a member of the famed duo Loggins & Messina, Loggins became the first major rock star to dedicate himself to recording music for children and families. His album Return to Pooh Corner remains the best-selling children’s album of the last 20 years.

The so-called “Soundtrack King” also had movie hits with “I’m Alright” (Caddyshack) and “Danger Zone” (Top Gun). The latter was featured once again in Top Gun: Maverick, which became 2022’s biggest release, earning over $1.5 billion globally.

That same year, Hachette Books published Still Alright, Loggins’ long-awaited memoir, a candid and entertaining perspective on his life and career as one of the most noteworthy musicians of the 1970s and ’80s. He and Jim Messina had a brief on stage reunion that year.

Throughout 2023, Loggins crisscrossed the U.S. on his sold-out “This Is It” tour celebrating his six-decade career as a hit songwriter and performer. On Nov. 4, 2023, he staged the closing show of his final concert tour in grand style – in his hometown of Santa Barbara at the Santa Barbara Bowl.