The impact Netflix’s Stranger Things has had on television is undeniable. Mainly because it’s been discussed ad nauseam. On the other hand, the show’s musical impact has been covered but deserves a deeper exploration. Any song Stranger Things touches turns to streaming gold, and the final season is no different. Here are the five songs that got a massive streaming boost.
5. Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) – Kate Bush
When it comes to Kate Bush and Stranger Things, let’s just say this isn’t her first rodeo. In the fourth season of Stranger Things the song was a driving factor in Max’s (Sadie Sink) fight for survival. More than a simple soundtrack addition, ‘ Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) ‘ became a narrative cornerstone. This catapulted the track to new heights of popularity nearly 40 years after its release. The trend continues with the final season of the show once again weaving the hit song into the story.
4. Upside Down – Diana Doss
The legendary disco diva Diana Ross’ dance track ‘ Upside Down’ was released on June 1, 1980. The song spent four weeks occupying the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 during that same year. Since its release, ‘Upside Down‘ has been featured in countless shows and movies, but none compare to hearing the first couple bars of the song on Stranger Things and knowing you’re in for a good time. It was a necessary needle drop that was long overdue. And with a 510 percent increase in streams, it’s safe to say disco’s not dead, baby!
3. “Heroes” – David Bowie
David Bowie’s ‘”Heroes”‘ has experienced a massive surge of nearly 500 percent in streams brought about by its inclusion in Stranger Things‘ end credits. A fitting closer, the spike in popularity coincided with the late legend’s birthday and the 10-year anniversary of his critically acclaimed final album, Blackstar, on January 8.
2. Purple Rain – Prince
Yet another 80’s hit is experiencing a renaissance thanks to Stranger Things Season 5’s well-curated soundtrack. A huge undertaking that was entrusted to music supervisor Nora Felder since the sci-fi show’s inception. Prince’s transcendent ‘Purple Rain’ has been racking up streams at an exponential rate. The rock record has amassed 2.27 million streams since the Stranger Things finale and is ranked at #29 on the Global Spotify Chart.
1. End of Beginning – Djo
‘End of Beginning’ is the only song on this list to not be featured on the Stranger Things official soundtrack. Known primarily as the beloved Steve Harrington, Joe Keery moonlights as a musician under the stage name Djo. Though the song was released in 2022 as part of multi-hyphenate Keery’s sophomore album, Decide, ‘End of Beginning‘ didn’t gain traction until 2024. That year the song peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, a feat that can be attributed to TikTok. The conclusion of Stranger Things has given the thematically apt track a second wind. ‘End of Beginning’ has secured the #1 position on the global Spotify charts.
Stranger Things may be over, but we still carry the story, the characters, and the music with us.