“Stranger Things” Playlist Is 80’s Rock Heaven
With the final season of “Stranger Things” dropping in less than a week, classic-rock fans are gearing up like it’s 1986 all over again. And let’s be honest, this show didn’t just revive nostalgia… it brought some of the greatest rock tracks of the ’70s and ’80s roaring back onto the charts. If you’re planning a watch party, or just want to crank up the mood in your living room Hawkins-style, you need a playlist that hits as hard as a Demogorgon through drywall.
Start with the song that redefined slow-burn anthems for a new generation: Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” Thanks to Max’s iconic scene, it became the unlikely rock comeback story of the decade. Then things get heavy, real heavy, when Dustin and Eddie tear into Metallica’s “Master of Puppets,” shredding their way straight into TV history.
But classic rock isn’t just about volume; it’s about drama – Cue Journey’s “Separate Ways” with those pounding synths and Steve Perry’s force-of-nature vocals. Add Bon Jovi’s “Runaway,” fresh from Jon’s early-career fire, and you’ve got the perfect soundtrack for outrunning creatures from the Upside Down or Houston traffic.
Here are some of the must-have tracks the show has featured over the years:
- “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” — Kate Bush
- “Master of Puppets” — Metallica
- “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” — Journey
- “Runaway” — Bon Jovi
- “Never Ending Story” — Limahl
- “Rock You Like a Hurricane” — Scorpions
- “Moving in Stereo” — The Cars
- “Should I Stay or Should I Go” — The Clash
- “Every Breath You Take” — The Police
- “Tarzan Boy” — Baltimora
- “Psycho Killer” — Talking Heads
- “Africa” — Toto
- “Islands in the Stream” — Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton (RIP Bob Newby!)
- “Just Another Day” — Oingo Boingo
- “Hazy Shade of Winter” — The Bangles
- “Time After Time” — Cyndi Lauper
- “Pass the Dutchie” — Musical Youth
- “Sunglasses at Night” — Corey Hart
- “Whip It” — DEVO
- “Girls on Film” — Duran Duran
Check out more on the official Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXc3KPAjGyPdm?si=818fa70b33ab40ac
So dust off the leather jacket, dim the lights, fire up the waffles, and let this playlist take you back to a decade when monsters were practical effects, malls were sacred, and rock ruled absolutely. The Upside Down may be terrifying, but with this soundtrack, you’re rolling into it like a champ.
Doug O’Brien
