Written by When Stranger Things used Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill in season 4, it wasn’t just a needle drop but a cultural reset. The moment introduced an entire generation to Bush’s music and proved just how powerful it could be to pair up the right song in the right scene. By the series finale, Bush’s earlier success helped the Duffer Brothers attain the rights to Prince’s Purple Rain (via Entertainment Weekly).
I think because of Kate Bush, we were able to get the rights. Under normal circumstances, they would not have allowed us to get those rights. So I think that’s an epic needle drop, but you gotta wait all the way to the final episode.
The Duffer Brothers teased the song before the finale, and after the episode aired, it was clear that the duo had created another perfect moment by using music as a narrative device. So, let’s look at why this sequence and song were important in the show and how Purple Rain elevated everything!
The Duffer Brothers on Selecting Stranger Things’ Needle Drop
For the Duffer Brothers, needle drops in Stranger Things haven’t been about nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. The creators always knew how pivotal the mid-finale scene would be, and they’d ask everyone about what song they should choose (via Entertainment Tonight).
Here’s an overview of the show:
TitleStranger ThingsCreatorsThe Duffer BrothersMain castMillie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Maya HawkeJoe Keery, Cara BuonoNo. of Seasons5NetworkNetflixIMDb8.6/10Rotten Tomatoes90%
The challenge wasn’t emotional but logistical because the finale required two songs from the same artist, played from a single vinyl record. One, when the bomb is triggered, and the group leaves the upside-down, and another when Eleven seemingly sacrifices herself.
Why Prince’s Purple Rain Was Perfect for Stranger Things Finale
Finn Wolfhard and Millie Bobby Brown in Stranger Things | Credits: Netflix
Nora Felder, president of Picture Music Company and a veteran music supervisor, is responsible for all the epic musical moments in Stranger Things. When she was given the task of having two songs from the same record, on the same side, she suggested Prince’s Purple Rain album (via Variety).
When Doves Cry is an energetic and forward-moving track, and at the end of the same side, Purple Rain is a slow, emotional, and cathartic release. The latter song is about blood and tears mixing in the sky, and how faith and love are the only thing that guides you through the chaos, which aligns beautifully with Milli Bobby Brown’s El sacrificing herself and meeting Mike for the last time.
So, what emotions did this needle drop evoke in the mid-finale for you?
Stranger Things is currently streaming on Netflix (USA).
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
