We all know how important background songs in a film or a series are. The right music has the power to connect the audience more intimately with the characters and evoke emotions while setting the tone for the scene. It is not just the power to connect, but the start of an entire trend that the internet witnesses. And Stranger Things 4 was no different from this. The show’s music garnered the Gen Z audience and climbed up the rankings. 

As we reminisce about these two songs of Stranger Things 4, the music supervisor comes and discusses their journey and inspiration behind choosing these songs.

The metal song that took center stage as Plan A

We have all definitely heard ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)’ as the background music in Instagram reels and TikTok videos. This 1985 track made it back to the current generation in a show that was viewed at 1.35 billion hours in just its first 28 days. But this was not the song that was the sure-shot favorite of the music supervisors. In an interview with Queue, music supervisor Nora Felder talked about this one Metallica song that made them go, “’It has to be this song!’ moments. No other song was discussed further.”

The ‘Master of Puppets’ by Metallica highlighted Eddie Munson’s victorious moment that gave birth to another Stranger Things cast fandom. This was also exciting, as Metallica was winning the hearts of a much newer generation. And this BTS scene shows when Eddie and Dustin were enacting the famous “most Metal concert ever” scene. The pop-culture fans were bringing back the metal song in trend with “metal is back”. Felder exclaimed, “Metal has never left!”  

Felder added that the Metallica song was the top choice owing to its high-octane sonic elements that not only accentuated Eddie’s character but also gave the scene the power it deserved. The misunderstood character of Eddie draws a parallel with the aggressive nature of metal music. And these classics hit the charts again, becoming Gen-Z favorites.

The revival of 80’s music in ‘Stranger Things’

When it comes to bagging wins and touching hearts, Stranger Things has created its own league and fandom. ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)’ became the 12th most-listened song in 2022. It ranked in the top 10 in 34 countries too. 

And not only this, but the Metallica song invoking the 80s nostalgia in the famous Dustin-Eddie scene also topped the charts. It climbed Billboard’s Hot 100 again after all these years since its release. 

But that’s not all. In the professional awards realm, the scores from Stranger Things bagged two Hollywood Music Awards with one win, three Grammy award nominations, and one Emmys to take home.

What do you think of the first song choice for Stranger Things season 4? Share your thoughts in the comments.