Written by Isabel Grace. Header illustration courtesy of Danielle Johnson (@dani_design04).
“Stranger Things” has been such a pivotal and riveting show over the past 10 years. It is crazy to think that it has come to an end. Besides incredible acting, crazy special effects, seamless transitions, and so many lines that live rent-free in our minds, “Stranger Things” is known for its use of 80’s music. 80’s music is one of the biggest creators of nostalgia for the decade — the other being movies — which are also honored in this show.
There are over seventy 80’s classics throughout this five-season series. Of course, some songs stand out more than others, and because of this series, certain songs have had a resurgence in popularity. I think one of the main things “Stranger Things” did, as a whole, was create a new love for 80’s music and media within the younger generation. I, personally, already loved a lot of the music incorporated in this series. However, I know some never would have found or listened to these songs on their own if not for “Stranger Things.”
Every character has a song or genre that you can connect to them. For Will, since Season 1, you always think of “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash. In Season 5, Robin takes on the radio moniker “Rockin Robin”, clearly inspired by the popular song of the same name by Michael Jackson. Max’s favorite song, “Running Up That Hill (Deal with God)” by Kate Bush became her lifeline and gained a large resurgence in popularity in 2022 when Season 4 was released. This song has the most appearances compared to any other one on the entire series soundtrack. A close second is probably “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” “Stranger Things” fans even brought a Prince classic back to the Billboard 100 charts when “Purple Rain” played a pivotal part in a very emotional scene in the Season 5 finale.
“Stranger Things” did a great job when it came to keeping the music accurate to the year and making sure the tone of the songs fit the tone of the scene. Something I liked was learning that Winona Ryder had to help correct them when it came to certain song release dates. I think the actor-director relationship is misrepresented at times; it is a collaboration, which sometimes means telling each other when they are wrong. Moreover, while the Duffers were born in the 80’s and spent most of their childhood in them, Winona Ryder was a teen and young adult during the decade, giving her a knowledge about the era of this show that not many, if any at all, of the cast and crew have. This is such a good example of actor-director collaboration.
“Stranger Things” will be missed by all of its fans. Especially those who, like me, grew up alongside the core kids in the show. They said goodbye to their childhood at the same time we did. And while we may be getting new spin-offs, The Duffers had said that we will never see these characters again. While that does make me, and probably others, sad, I cannot wait to see what the next project in the “Stranger Things” universe is.
