Stranger Things Music From The Netflix

Trying to portray a supernatural situation in a typical Midwestern US town in the mid-Eighties involves not only calling upon the fact that some of the most iconic thriller/horror movies were made in that period (Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Gremlins, Goonies and others), but  recreating the musical background that characterizes the period that was particularly marked by the rise of MTV, and still include some of the music/musical elements that suit the atmosphere. In this case, it seems to be one of contrast between the ordinary daily small town life and one of horror.

In the case of Stranger Things, it sounds like a complete success. From the expected rock FM radio of the era such as Bon Jovi, Cyndi Lauper, and The Scorpions et al., through tracks that practically brought MTV to its rise, such as Duran Duran’s “Girls on Film” and The Police’s “Every Breath You Take”, to some that might not have been so widely exposed at the time but certainly do fit an atmosphere of mild (or not so mild) terror, such as Echo and The Bunnymen’s “Nocturnal Me”, Joy Division’s “Atmosphere” or Peter Gabriel’s orchestral version of David Bowie’s “Heroes”.

What underlines the thoughtfulness and even hipness of the selection process is shown in the inclusion of tracks like The Bangles’ version of the Simon & Garfunkel classic “Hazy Shade of Winter”, and New Order’s “Elegia”. Certainly, The Romantics’ power pop tune “Talking in Your Sleep” and The Psychedelic Furs’ “Ghost in Me” were minor hits, but obviously fit into the series atmosphere, showing how meticulous the selection process was.