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The finale of “Stranger Things” not only moved millions of fans, but also left a measurable mark on the streaming charts. Prince and David Bowie classics are making massive comebacks. But surprisingly an actor from the cast himself receives the biggest boost “Billboard.”
The last episode of the Netflix series caused a real boom in demand for songs used at the end of the series at the turn of the year 2025/26.
At the same time, several actors who are also active as musicians benefit from the enormous attention surrounding the end of the series.
Soundtrack effect: classics experience a streaming explosion
For years, “Stranger Things” was considered one of the most valuable series for music dubs. The series has already catapulted songs by Kate Bush and Metallica back into the charts. With the big finale, Netflix continues this effect one last time – and surpasses itself in the process.
Particularly prominent is Prince, whose estate licensed two central songs from the album “Purple Rain”: “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain”. Both titles saw massive streaming growth in the US immediately after the finale aired.
Prince, Bowie and Fleetwood Mac benefit massively
“When Doves Cry” reached almost 1.8 million streams in the first four days after the finale, an increase of 254 percent compared to the previous week. The effect was even stronger for “Purple Rain”: around 4.3 million streams, an increase of 648 percent. This means that a return to the Billboard Hot 100 is even possible.
David Bowie also benefits significantly. His 1977 classic “Heroes,” which can be heard during the episode’s closing credits, grew 198 percent and surpassed 1.7 million streams. The nostalgic soundtrack is complemented by Fleetwood Mac: “Landslide” had almost 4 million streams (+61 percent).
From Pixies to Iron Maiden: Broad musical impact
In addition to the big names, the finale also features alternative and harder sounds. Pixies (“Here Comes Your Man”), Cowboy Junkies (“Sweet Jane”) and Iron Maiden (“The Trooper”) each recorded triple-digit growth rates in views.
There is also a general retro effect. Songs by The Clash or The Police, some of which appeared in earlier seasons or are featured in official playlists, also benefit from a renewed enthusiasm for music from the early MTV era. The end of the series is therefore an economic gain for catalog artists and publishers.
Biggest winner: Joe Keery aka Djo
As strong as the soundtrack effect is, the biggest streaming winner of the finale is not a veteran star, but a series face. Joe Keery, known as Steve Harrington, releases music under the name Djo and is currently experiencing his biggest career push.
Other cast members also benefit: Maya Hawke increases her streams by 76 percent, Finn Wolfhard even by 107 percent. But no one reaches the dimensions of Djo.
“End of Beginning” celebrates chart comeback
Djo’s entire music catalog increased by 114 percent to 18.7 million streams. At the same time, digital sales rose by 364 percent. The main driver is the song “End of Beginning”, which climbed to number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024.
Due to the renewed “Stranger Things” effect, the title returned to the charts at number 16. In just four days, the song collected 9.8 million streams (+114 percent) and over 4,200 downloads (+430 percent). A jump into the top 10 for the first time is considered realistic.
Zara Larsson uses tailwind for US breakthrough
Aside from “Stranger Things,” another trend can be seen in the current streaming data: Zara Larsson is increasingly becoming a fixture in the US pop market. Her song “Midnight Sun” has been recording steady growth for weeks, reaching over 1.4 million streams in four days at the beginning of January.
The collaboration with PinkPantheress on “Stateside” is also gaining momentum rapidly. Within five weeks, views increased by almost 95 percent. In addition, Larsson’s older hit “Lush Life” is experiencing a revival – boosted by tour appearances and viral TikTok clips.
Series finale also fuels “Heated Rivalry” soundtrack
It’s not just Netflix that benefits from the series conclusion effect. The finale of “Heated Rivalry” also caused massive streaming increases for individual songs. Ellisa Sun increased her views with “Unravel” by over 187,000 percent.
The effect was similarly strong for Cailin Russo: “Bad Things” jumped to 851,000 streams after the finale and also achieved over 1,100 downloads. With upcoming TV appearances by the main actors, the hype is likely to continue.