When the curtain finally fell on Netflix’s beloved sci-fi series Stranger Things with the release of its two-hour finale, "The Rightside Up," on January 1, 2026, fans were treated to a musical moment as rare as it was electrifying. In a move that sent shockwaves through both television and music circles, the Duffer Brothers secured the rights to not one, but two of Prince’s most iconic tracks—"When Doves Cry" and "Purple Rain"—for the climactic conclusion to the saga. According to Netflix’s Tudum and The Post, this marked the first time these songs had ever been licensed for use in a TV series, a feat considered nearly impossible given Prince’s notoriously protective estate.
The finale’s plot, as detailed by Entertainment Weekly and Syracuse.com, saw the Hawkins gang facing their greatest threat yet. As Hopper (David Harbour) and Murray (Brett Gelman) set off the bomb’s remote trigger, the group’s escape from the interdimensional bridge was punctuated by the opening notes of "When Doves Cry." The upbeat, urgent energy of the track underscored the peril and hope of the moment, while the record itself served a practical purpose in the plot: the bomb was set to detonate as the needle reached the end of side two of the vinyl. This clever integration of music and narrative design was no accident. "Once we came up with the idea that the record was going to be the trigger for the bomb, we knew we needed an epic needle drop, and so many ideas were thrown around," Ross Duffer explained to Netflix’s Tudum. "I think there’s nothing really more epic than Prince."
The emotional crescendo arrived as "Purple Rain" played during Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) apparent sacrifice at the MAC-Z gate, set against the collapsing Upside Down. The gravity of the moment was heightened by Prince’s soaring vocals—a deliberate choice by the show’s creators, who, according to Ross Duffer, "never talked about a song choice as much as we did for that moment." The brothers wanted a musical bookend: an album that started with a celebratory tone and finished with a track of immense emotional weight. Prince’s 1984 masterpiece fit the bill perfectly, with "When Doves Cry" opening side two and "Purple Rain" closing it. As the show’s heroes let the record spin, the soundtrack shifted seamlessly from escape to bittersweet farewell, amplifying the finale’s impact.
Securing these songs was no small feat. Prince’s estate is famously selective, rarely granting permission for his music to be used outside of the original Purple Rain film. As Ross Duffer told Tudum, "What is also very exciting about it is it just has not been used. [Prince’s] estate does not generally allow that song to be licensed outside the ‘Purple Rain’ movie." The Duffer Brothers were initially told that obtaining the rights was a long shot at best. "We were told that it was a real long shot, so we just crossed our fingers," Matt Duffer admitted to Entertainment Weekly. The breakthrough, it turns out, was thanks in large part to the show’s earlier musical triumph: Kate Bush’s "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)," which became a cultural phenomenon after its use in Season 4. The song’s resurgence on the charts and its role in the show’s narrative proved to Prince’s estate the power—and respect—Stranger Things brought to its musical choices. "Thanks to Kate Bush, we were able to acquire the rights," Matt Duffer revealed.
Primary Wave’s President of Global Sync, Marty Silverstone, speaking on behalf of Prince’s estate, told The Post: "We’re thrilled that we could play a part in bringing these very special uses to life and have Prince’s music included in the phenomenon that is Stranger Things. You have to admire the unique connection the show has with its fanbase, its brilliant music curation over its entire run, and its spotlight on the cosmic importance of music in the lives of young people, and all people!"
The choice of Prince was not without its internal debates. In a lighter moment, the finale itself references the behind-the-scenes wrangling over the soundtrack: Mike (Finn Wolfhard) pushes for the Butthole Surfers, while Robin (Maya Hawke) suggests The Replacements. "I built the bomb, I should be able to pick the record," Mike insists—echoing the real-life conversations that played out in the writers’ room. But when the Duffer Brothers finally landed on Prince, "it just felt right," Ross Duffer said. "And the fact that it’s been so rarely licensed, I don’t think it’s ever been licensed for television, just made it that much more special. But hopefully people like it."
For longtime fans and music aficionados, the use of "Purple Rain" carried additional resonance. The album, which has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, won multiple Grammy Awards and an Oscar, and was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, is widely regarded as one of the greatest in pop history. Prince’s legendary performances—most notably at the Super Bowl XLI halftime show in 2007, where he played "Purple Rain" in a literal downpour, and his 1985 concert at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse—have only added to the song’s mythos.
The finale’s soundtrack was a veritable feast for music lovers, featuring not only Prince but also Fleetwood Mac’s "Landslide," the Pixies’ "Here Comes Your Man," Iron Maiden’s "The Trooper," David Bowie’s "Heroes," and Cowboy Junkies’ "Sweet Jane." Still, it was the Prince tracks that stood out, both for their narrative significance and the rarity of their inclusion. As Syracuse.com noted, younger viewers might not realize just how unusual it is to hear two Prince songs back-to-back in a Netflix series. The Duffer Brothers’ careful curation and the estate’s willingness to bend its usual rules resulted in a television moment that felt both historic and deeply personal.
As for the fate of the show’s beloved characters, the finale offered closure with a twist. Despite the high stakes, none of the main cast perished. Eleven’s fate remained ambiguous—while she appeared to sacrifice herself, Mike speculated that she might have faked her death, living peacefully elsewhere with the help of Kali’s powers. This open-ended conclusion, paired with the emotional punch of "Purple Rain," allowed fans to say goodbye while still holding out hope.
With all five seasons of Stranger Things now streaming on Netflix, and the finale’s musical choices already sparking conversation, the series has cemented its legacy not just as a pop culture juggernaut, but as a show that understood the power of a perfect song at the perfect moment. Sometimes, the right record really can change everything.
