Best Uses Of Music In Stranger Things

Ever since it first aired on Netflix in 2016, "Stranger Things" has skyrocketed in terms of popularity. With notes of Stephen King stories, John Carpenter movies, and the Spielbergian-inspired antics of the young stars, "Stranger Things" delivers the perfect blend of laughs, scares, and pure nostalgia. Set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana during the 1980s, the supernatural series brings us the very best — and sometimes the worst — of the decade in terms of fashion, pop culture, and, of course, music.

From the very beginning, music has been a vital part of "Stranger Things," with the carefully selected needle drops complimenting Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein's unforgettable, pulsing synth score. Emmy-nominated for her role as music supervisor on the show, Nora Felder's background in the thriving New York City music scene in the '80s provided her inspiration. In an interview with Deadline, Felder said, "It is especially rewarding to come full circle with bands that I personally saw, experienced, and worked with in their heyday, now complementing the journey of 'Stranger Things.'"

Such is the power of "Stranger Things" that the right song used at the right moment can send it soaring to the top of the charts, opening up the extraordinary music of the '80s to a new audience. In the same Deadline interview, Felder acknowledged this incredible phenomenon. "Knowing that the use of music in 'Stranger Things' can reignite music and introduce it to a whole new audience — well, you just can't beat that," she told the Hollywood trade. While there are plenty of songs to choose from, we've taken a look at some of the very best uses of music in "Stranger Things."

While more heavily featured in Season 4, the idea of a song being a talisman is not a new concept to "Stranger Things" and can be traced back to the first season of the show. "Should I Stay or Should I Go" from British punk band The Clash is established as being particularly special to Will and his older brother Jonathan early on, and we see them sharing a sweet bonding moment as they listen to the track together.

This is a very relatable concept for anyone with an older sibling, as they so often play a key part in shaping your own musical tastes. While Will and Jonathan spend much of Season 1 separated, the repetition of the song throughout the season highlights their closeness. "Should I Stay or Should I Go" provides Will's link to the real world when he is stuck in the Upside Down, and there is a reasonably strong theory that it is this song that keeps him safe from the monsters that dwell there.

Music is a powerful tool that can reach us and comfort us in our darkest moments. When Eleven uses the walkie-talkie to prove to Mike that Will is still alive, it is this song that we hear Will singing. Whether he does it in the hope that someone on the other side will hear him, or whether he is just singing it to soothe himself while scared, this song clearly means a lot to Will and it gives the classic track an unexpected emotional resonance.

"Stranger Things" isn't exactly a festive story, but Christmas lights are a big part of the plot in Season 1, and it's definitely the kind of binge-worthy show that can be enjoyed over the holiday period. The final episode of the first season cements this with its use of the iconic song "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby. This festive classic plays as the Byers family — now reunited following Will's rescue from the Upside Down — are sitting down to enjoy dinner together. While the debut season is packed with many dark and scary moments, this scene offers a brief moment of respite and some much-needed joy. Or so you would think.

This being "Stranger Things," even the most joyful of songs can have a sinister edge, and as Will excuses himself from the table, there is the creeping feeling of dread that this might not be over. As he stands over the bathroom sink, Will coughs up a strange slug-like creature and experiences hallucinations of the Upside Down version of the Byers' house. As this is happening, the cheerful tones of "White Christmas" become distorted and warped in the background, providing a stark reminder that Will's nightmare perhaps isn't over just yet.

It's through Hopper's relationship with Eleven that we really start to warm to the stoic police chief, and Season 2 even gives him his own theme song in the form of Jim Croce's peppy "You Don't Mess Around with Jim." Usually referred to by his last name alone, Jim Hopper proves to be a formidable force in defending Hawkins and protecting Eleven, making this song feel like it was made for him.

In Season 2, we learn that Eleven survived the showdown with the Demogorgon at Hawkins Middle School, but Hopper is keeping her protected in his cabin and not allowing her back into the outside world alone. Desperate to see Mike and the others, El decides to defy Hopper and leave the cabin. As she does this, we see a flashback to Hopper bringing her to safety, and, as they clean up the decrepit cabin, this song plays. Hopper gleefully picks out the record himself ("This is music," he tells El) and shows his playful side by dancing along to it.

The perfect marriage of song and character, "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" was used again in the second episode of Season 3. This time, rather than battling to keep El in the house, Hopper is struggling to keep the lovesick Mike out of it. When his scheme to keep him away proves successful, Hopper triumphantly sings along to his favorite song in his truck to celebrate.

While Dustin, Lucas, and Will get offered a dance to Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," Mike's moment in the spotlight comes when Eleven arrives late to the Snow Ball, just as "Every Breath You Take" begins to play. Having spent much of this season apart, absence has definitely made the heart grow fonder for Mike and Eleven, and as they dance they share a tender kiss. This isn't their first kiss, as Mike rather haphazardly kissed El in the final episode of Season 1, the only way he could express that he liked her as more than a friend. But it's definitely one of the young couple's most memorable moments to date, and the music is a big part of that.

While the track does provide the perfect romantic backing to El and Mike's dance, the surprisingly sinister meaning of the song is also oddly appropriate given what comes next. Famously, The Police's hit is about a possessive relationship, with singer Sting writing it amid his separation from his then-wife, Frances Tomelty, following his very public affair with her best friend, Trudie Styler.

If "Stranger Things" has taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected, and on the flip side of this touching moment between our loved-up characters, the Mind Flayer looms large over the Upside Down's version of the school, watching this brief moment of happiness completely unbeknownst to our heroes.

While most of the songs used in "Stranger Things" are from the '80s, there are a couple of exceptions to this, and it is often particularly jarring when the music deviates from the familiar. Perhaps the best example of this is the haunting rendition of Vera Lynn's classic "We'll Meet Again" from Season 3, Episode 4.

As the series progresses, the lines between the Upside Down and the real world become increasingly blurred. Season 3 sees the Mind Flayer infiltrating Hawkins by possessing Billy, who in turn lures some of the townspeople to an abandoned steel mill where they too are taken by the monster. When the kids begin to suspect Billy has been possessed, they trap him in a sauna, but he escapes and fights with Eleven before retreating to the steel mill.

Released in 1939, "We'll Meet Again" was particularly popular during World War II, resonating with those whose loved ones had left to fight. The lyrics are full of hope and promise that "the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away," yet it has never sounded more sinister than when it is used in the closing moments of this episode. Rather than being a hopeful assurance of reunion following a conflict, it suggests that this won't be the last time Billy and Eleven square off. As the song swells, it even sounds as though the zombie-like horde who have become "the flayed" are joining in with the rousing chorus, and it is terrifying.

The "Stranger Things" effect has never been felt more keenly than the unforgettable moment the show used "Running Up That Hill," the ethereal 1985 hit by English singer Kate Bush. Following the earth-shattering events at the end of Season 3, Max is distant from her friends and haunted by what happened to her step-brother Billy. As well as meeting with the school counselor, Max finds solace in music, particularly her favorite artist Kate Bush.

"Running Up That Hill" is first heard in Episode 1 as Max walks to her latest counselor appointment with her headphones on, but the truly memorable moment occurs in Episode 4, "Dear Billy." Forced to face the demons of her past, Max's life is at risk from the curse of the new series villain, Vecna. As it appears all hope is lost, the characters deduce that Max's favorite song might just be able to pull her out of the darkness, and "Running Up That Hill" plays as she desperately runs towards the light.

Using music as a plot device is clearly something that deeply resonates with "Stranger Things" viewers. It's proof of the power that music has to save and comfort people in their most desperate moments. Almost 40 years since the song was released, it also speaks to the potency of Kate Bush's music, which is now reaching a new audience. After "Running Up That Hill" soared back into the charts in multiple countries, the singer released a statement on her official website, acknowledging that the track "is being given a whole new lease of life by the young fans who love the show."

He may have only been introduced in Season 4, but Eddie Munson quickly became a fan-favorite character. The president of Hellfire (Hawkins High's Dungeons and Dragons club), Eddie is a lovable, heavy-metal-loving nerd. While he befriends Mike and Dustin, he is misunderstood by others in the community and becomes the target of a hate campaign when he is connected to the death of cheerleader Chrissy.

Determined to prove his innocence, our heroes take Eddie in, and he quickly becomes involved in their plans to destroy the evil Vecna and save Hawkins. In Episode 9, Eddie not only gets the chance to become a hero but takes center stage for "the most metal concert in the history of the world." Grabbing his guitar from the Upside Down version of his trailer, Eddie and Dustin are tasked with luring the "bats" away so that the others can safely find and kill Vecna, and Eddie's auditory weapon of choice is Metallica's monster hit "Master Of Puppets."

It is possible that no character has ever looked as badass as Eddie shredding a guitar solo while surrounded by winged monsters, delivering an epic musical scene to rival the Kate Bush moment from earlier in the series. Season 4 stands above all the other seasons in terms of the best use of music, with the songs forming a major part of the story itself. Because of this, "Stranger Things" has never been better.