Music has always represented one of the narrative pillars of “Stranger Things”, but in the fifth and final season its role takes on an even more decisive weight. No longer a simple nostalgic mechanism or trigger for viral phenomena, the soundtrack becomes an integral part of the emotional farewell of the series, accompanying characters and spectators towards the definitive closure of an imaginary that has marked contemporary seriality.
Since its debut, Stranger Things has demonstrated a rare awareness in the use of pop and rock music: iconic songs are never used as simple decoration, but as elements capable of redefining the meaning of a scene, amplifying its impact or rewriting its collective memory. This is what happened with “Running Up That Hill” or with “Master Of Puppets”, brought back to life thanks to a narratively targeted and culturally precise insertion.
The fifth season, however, chooses a different path. Rather than chasing a new media exploit, he prefers to work by subtraction and stratification, using music as an emotional thread. The selected songs dialogue with the past of the series, but above all with its present: a story that is approaching its conclusion, crossed by melancholy, memory and a sense of loss.
The first episode, “The Crawl,” immediately harkens back to the show's origins. Songs such as those by Philip Glass or the orchestral incursions of Elmer Bernstein contribute to making the atmosphere more restless and suspended, while the recurring returns of Kate Bush take on an almost symbolic value, as if that song had become a sort of internal voice of the series itself.
The finale, “The Rightside Up”, is instead constructed as a true musical epilogue. The choices made by the Duffer brothers no longer look only at the 80s as an imaginary ideal, but as a shared emotional space, capable of holding together emotion, power and memory. The fifth season's epilogue focuses on Prince in particular. The inclusion of “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry” in the final episode had an immediate impact on streaming platforms. In the days after it aired, “Purple Rain” saw a ratings increase of more than 200% globally, with an even bigger surge among younger users. “When Doves Cry” is following a similar trajectory, while Prince’s entire catalog has benefited from renewed interest.
The end of the episode with “Heroes” in David Bowie's original version, after the use of Peter Gabriel's version in the first season, ideally closes the circle, restoring a rare narrative coherence to the series. Here is the complete list of “Stranger Things” season 5 songs episode by episode.
Chapter One: The Crawl
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Should I Stay or Should I Go – Stranger Things Cast (by The Clash)
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Rockin' Robin – Michael Jackson
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Pretty In Pink – The Psychedelic Furs
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Upside Down – Diana Ross
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May 25th – Matthew Cardinal
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Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) – Kate Bush
Chapter Two: The Vanish of Holly Wheeler
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Fernando – ABBA
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Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) – Kate Bush
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Notes On A Scandal – Philip Glass
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Someone in Your Garden – Philip Glass
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Mr. Sandman – The Chordettes
Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap
Chapter Four: Sorcerer
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Higitus Figitus – Karl Swenson
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Premature Plans – Elmer Bernstein
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Betrayal – Elmer Bernstein
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Sh-Boom – The Chords
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Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) – Kate Bush
Chapter Five: Shock Jock
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Heart and Soul – Floyd Cramer
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The Fight – from Nightmare on Elm Street 3
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Snake Pit, Pt. 1 – from Nightmare on Elm Street 3
Chapter Six: Escape from Camazotz
Chapter Seven: The Bridge
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Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) – Kate Bush
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When It's Cold I'd Like to Die – Moby
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Human Cannonball – Butthole Surfers
Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up
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Sh-Boom – The Chords
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When Doves Cry – Prince
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Purple Rain – Prince
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Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
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Here Comes Your Man – Pixies
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The Trooper – Iron Maiden
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Sweet Jane – Cowboy Junkies
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Heroes – David Bowie
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
