The very fact that the good-natured romantic comedy The Wedding Singer is set in 1985 means that the accompanying soundtrack is a perfect vehicle for a host of early-'80s new wave classics. Although the album, like the movie, gets the time period slightly wrong -- new wave was finished by 1985, but the entire project barrels ahead as if it were the glory days of 1983 -- the end result is thoroughly enjoyable. There are only two remakes and two Adam Sandler showcases on the 14-track album, leaving ten tracks of great new wave and post-punk from Culture Club ("Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"), the Police ("Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"), the Psychedelic Furs ("Love My Way"), Elvis Costello ("Everyday I Write the Book"), the Thompson Twins ("Hold Me Now"), David Bowie ("China Girl"), New Order ("Blue Monday"), Musical Youth ("Pass the Dutchie"), the Smiths ("How Soon Is Now?"), and Billy Idol ("White Wedding"), who also appears in the film. The Presidents of the United States of America do a surprisingly good job with the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" (the track turned out to be the last thing the group recorded), and the Sandler's tracks are better and funnier than his comedy records, but Ellen Dow's rappin' granny on "Rapper's Delight" is either the funniest thing you've ever heard or annoys the hell out of you. Even if the latter case holds true for you, it's not enough to ruin one of the most entertaining pop soundtracks in a while. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rovi