From the beginning, fans have loved the nostalgic effect of the 80s setting in Stranger Things. Of course, part of what made the 80s so unique, loud, theatrical, and utterly entertaining, was its music.
In the past few years, several shows and movies, like Ryan Murphy’s AHS 1984, have incorporated an 80s setting to either explore one of the wild stories of the time or to appeal to the nostalgic feelings of the audience. One thing that all of these shows and films have in common is that their storylines all incorporated recognizable music from the decade to help take viewers back to that time.
From season one with Will and Jonathan’s favorite song being “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”, Stranger Things has been praised for its success in incorporating the music of the time and making the series feel like it’s really set in the 80s. Not only were the needle drops reflective of the time, but the songs also spoke perfectly to the situations at hand in the story. While Kate Bush was easily the spotlight artist of the fourth season, and the music composed for the series is certainly what makes it recognizable every season, there were a number of other needle drops in volume 1 that shouldn’t go overlooked:
1). “California Dreamin” by The Beach Boys (Ep 4.1)
2). “Object of My Desire” by Starpoint (Ep. 4.1)
3). “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush (Ep. 4.1, 4, 5, 7)
4). “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” by The Cramps (Ep. 4.1)
5). “Chica Mejicanita” by Mae Arnette (Ep. 4.1)
6). “Play with Me” by Extreme (Ep. 4.1)
7). “Detroit Rock City” by Kiss (Ep. 4.1)
8). “The Red Army is the Strongest” by The Red Army Choir (Ep. 4.1)
9). “Got your Number” by The Lloyd Langton Group (Ep. 4.1)
10). “Fever” by The Cramps (Ep 4.1)
11). “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” by Dead or Alive (Ep 4.2)
12). “Rock Me Amadeus (The Gold Mix)” by Falco (Ep. 4.2)
13). “Tarzan Boy” by Baltimora (Ep. 4.2)
14). “Wipe Out” by The Surfaris (Ep. 4.2)
15). “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads (Ep 4.2)
16). “Monologue de Ibn-Haki-Scene 5” by The National Bolshoi Orchestra (Ep 4.2)
17). “Diamonds and Emeralds” by The Interior Castle (Ep 4.2)
18). “Burning Up” by Donnell Pitman (Ep 4.2)
19). “Tons of Wet - Surf Time” by Noma (Ep 4.2)
20). “Guardian Angel” by Fergus MacRoy (Ep. 4.3)
21). “In Transit to Bermuda” by Dorian Zero (Ep. 4.3)
22). “Pass the Dutchie” by Musical Youth (Ep. 4.4, 6)
23). “Dream a Little Dream of Me” by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (Ep. 4.4, 7)
24). “March of the Defenders of Moscow” by The red Army Choir (Ep 4.4)
25). “Legless” by Hipbone Slim (Ep. 4.4)
26). “Hard Feelings” by Al Kerby (Ep 4.4)
27). “Travelin’ Man” by Ricky Nelson (Ep 4.5)
28). “Nina, o sia la Pazza per Amore” by Cecilia Bartoli (Ep. 4.5)
29). “David Searches” by Arthur B. Rubinstein, from the Wargames Soundtrack (Ep. 4.5)
30). “Time’s Up” by Arthur B. Rubinstein, from the Wargames Soundtrack (Ep 4.5)
31). “Violin Concerto in D Major Op 35 III Finale: Allegro Assai Vivace” by Erich Wolfgang Korngold (Ep. 4.6)
32). Snow Maiden, Op. 12-Chorus of the Courtiers - Act 1 - Russian State Orchestra “Cavatine et Rondo d’Antonida” (Ep. 4.6)
33). “Cutthroat” by S U R V I V E (Ep. 4.6)
34). “Prophecies” by Philip Glass (Ep. 4.7)
35). “Akhnaten Act 1, Scene 3: The Window of Appearances” by Philip Glass (Ep. 4.7)
36). “Akhnaten, Act II, Scene 2, Akhnaten and Nefertiti” by Philip Glass (Ep. 4.7)
While all of these songs may not strike audience members as “bangers”, they add to the scene they’re in by assisting the story that’s being told. The whole point of having music in film and television is to help set the tone and to emphasize the emotion or what is happening in the scene. However, what makes the use of needle drop songs especially impressive is that they aren’t designed for the purpose of assisting that story, rather, they’re carefully selected to match up with what’s happening in the story. Sometimes a song holds so much weight in its message, or the emotion it evokes, that scenes are commonly written specifically for it, which reveals just how impactful music can be.
Though each of the songs in this list may not make audience members want to rush to their phones to look them up, they likely did evoke in viewers the intended emotions for the scenes they’re a part of. “Running Up that Hill” is easily the best example from this season of a song that serves a purpose in the storyline, as the tune literally saved Max’s life, making the viewers and (according to Lucas) the characters sentimental about the power and emotion of the song. It perfectly mirrors the struggle that Max was going through in her personal life and in the upside down, making it a memorable piece of the season, especially to those hearing it for the first time. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this far into the franchise, fans are still impressed by the 80s hits that they discover or reconnect with through the show.
The creators of Stranger Things have continually proven their ability to create a story that is not just watched, but experienced. From the compelling performances of the cast, to the dark, realistic, and sometimes terrifying visual effects, to, of course, the music and sound effects, this series knows how to create a well-rounded show that incorporates every element of sensory communication. By focusing on all of these details, the viewers are able to absorb the message in more ways than one, giving it a more impactful and long-lasting impression on viewers than shows that lack these elements. If fans can expect anything from volume 2, it’s this consistency in attention to the details that make up the series– like the soundtrack– that make it so worth watching.