17 Best Songs Featured In Stranger Things Ranked By Rewatch Impact
Music has the power to transport us back in time, and nowhere is this more true than in Stranger Things.
The show’s iconic soundtrack blends nostalgic 80s hits with emotional storytelling, creating moments that stick with you long after the credits roll.
When you watch the series again, these songs hit differently because you know what’s coming next, and that changes everything.
Disclaimer: This article reflects subjective editorial perspectives on songs featured in Stranger Things and should not be interpreted as definitive fact or universal consensus.
17. Africa by Toto (Season 1)
Steve and Nancy’s study session in his bedroom features this classic Toto track playing softly in the background.
First-time viewers just enjoy the fun 80s vibe without thinking much about it.
However, rewatching reveals how innocent Steve was back then, before his incredible character transformation.
His journey from shallow popular kid to beloved babysitter makes this early moment bittersweet.
The song becomes a time capsule of Season 1’s simplicity.
16. Material Girl by Madonna (Season 3)
Max whisks Eleven away for an epic shopping spree at Starcourt Mall, discovering independence together.
This Madonna anthem perfectly captures the carefree Summer of 1985 aesthetic the show nails so well.
Watching them laugh and dance feels completely different after Season 4’s heartbreaking events.
Their pure happiness here becomes almost painful knowing the tragedy ahead.
It’s a reminder of how precious those simple, joyful moments truly were.
15. Rock You Like a Hurricane by Scorpions (Season 2)
Billy Hargrove steps out of his blue Camaro in slow motion while this Scorpions anthem blasts.
The song perfectly captures his dangerous, unpredictable energy from the very first second.
Knowing his eventual redemption arc makes this villainous introduction feel tragic rather than threatening.
His whole story becomes a cautionary tale about cycles of abuse and broken families.
The rewatch transforms him from antagonist to sympathetic character before our eyes.
14. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) by Journey (Season 4 Remix)
The gang splits into teams for the final battle against Vecna as this Journey remix explodes.
This remixed version is incredibly cinematic, building tension like a blockbuster movie trailer.
It signals that Stranger Things has officially entered its high-stakes endgame phase.
The dramatic arrangement makes you feel the weight of their mission.
13. You Don’t Mess Around with Jim by Jim Croce (Season 2)
Hopper dances and cleans the cabin while Eleven watches, creating the definitive Dad Hopper moment.
This Jim Croce classic radiates pure warmth and domestic happiness.
After watching their relationship strain and break in later seasons, this scene hits completely differently.
It’s nostalgic comfort food for fans who miss their simple father-daughter bond.
12. Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper (Season 2)
The Snow Ball dance finally gives the kids a moment of pure, earned normalcy.
Watching Dustin dance with Nancy after getting rejected by other girls remains incredibly kind storytelling.
Cyndi Lauper’s gentle ballad wraps the scene in tenderness and hope.
It’s one of those rare TV moments where everything just feels right with the world.
11. California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas (Season 4)
Eleven struggles to fit in at her new California school as this classic folk-rock tune plays.
Though the song sounds sun-drenched and optimistic, it mirrors Eleven’s internal struggle perfectly.
She’s pretending everything is fine when it absolutely isn’t.
The contrast between the dreamy melody and her painful reality creates haunting irony.
10. Elegia by New Order (Season 1)
Will’s funeral in Season 1 features this haunting instrumental track that captures cold, specific grief.
New Order’s somber composition makes the town’s mourning feel deeply real and affecting.
However, knowing Will is actually alive makes the entire funeral scene eerily misplaced.
It’s like watching people grieve a ghost while the real person fights for survival elsewhere.
9. The NeverEnding Story by Limahl (Season 3)
Dustin and Suzie perform an impromptu duet during the height of the Starcourt Mall battle.
It’s a legendary tonal pivot that pauses life-or-death stakes for pure musical comedy.
On rewatch, you appreciate the sheer audacity of the Duffer Brothers for this bold choice.
The scene is simultaneously hilarious, adorable, and absolutely nerve-wracking.
It became one of the most talked-about moments in the show’s entire run.
8. Psycho Killer by Talking Heads (Season 4)
Jason whips the town of Hawkins into a dangerous vigilante mob against the Hellfire Club.
Talking Heads’ anxious lyrics brilliantly mirror the 1980s Satanic Panic hysteria.
The song highlights how easily fear transforms ordinary people into something monstrous.
It’s a chilling commentary on mob mentality and moral panic.
7. Hazy Shade of Winter by The Bangles (Season 1)
The end credits of Episode 2 blast this cover right after Barb disappears into the Upside Down.
It’s the first time Stranger Things really rocks out at the end of an episode.
The Bangles’ energetic version signals that the horror is only just beginning.
It transforms from closing credits music into an ominous warning.
6. Every Breath You Take by The Police (Season 2)
The camera pulls back from the Snow Ball to reveal the Mind Flayer looming in the Upside Down.
The Police’s lyrics about watching someone take on a literal, terrifying meaning.
It’s the perfect bridge between innocent 80s romance and eldritch cosmic horror.
The juxtaposition creates an unforgettable sense of dread.
5. When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die by Moby (Season 1 & 4)
Hopper desperately revives Will in Season 1, then Eddie Munson dies in Season 4 to this same haunting track.
Using identical music for both a life saved and a life lost is absolute genius.
Moby’s ethereal composition is arguably the most tear-jerking song in the series.
The emotional weight it carries across both moments is staggering.
4. Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash (Season 1)
Jonathan plays this for Will, who later sings it to himself while trapped in the Upside Down.
This is the defining song of Season 1, representing the Byers brothers’ unbreakable bond.
It established music as a tether to reality, a theme that would culminate years later with Max.
The Clash’s punk energy becomes a lifeline across dimensions.
3. Heroes by Peter Gabriel (Season 1 & 3)
Finding Will’s fake body in Season 1 and reading Hopper’s letter in Season 3 both feature this haunting cover.
Peter Gabriel’s version makes every sacrifice feel monumental and world-changing.
The Season 3 usage devastates because it reminds us of Hopper and Eleven’s core relationship.
It’s a love letter to father-daughter bonds everywhere.
2. Master of Puppets by Metallica (Season 4)
Eddie Munson shreds this metal masterpiece on top of his trailer in the Upside Down.
He calls it the most metal concert in the history of the world, and he’s absolutely right.
Knowing Eddie doesn’t survive makes his guitar solo feel like a heroic final stand.
Metallica’s thrash metal anthem defines his entire character in one explosive moment.
1. Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush (Season 4)
Max escapes Vecna’s Mind Lair in the most integrated song-plot moment television has ever created.
Kate Bush’s synth masterpiece became a cultural phenomenon, reaching number one decades after its release.
On rewatch, every faint sound of the song earlier in the season builds toward that explosive climax.
It’s the gold standard for rewatch impact, transforming simple scenes into emotional landmines.
No other song has ever been woven so perfectly into a show’s narrative fabric.
