Stranger Things Playlist - Blog Posts
Songs I Think Stranger Things Characters Would Listen To (The Party + Erica: Edition)
Note: For these lists, I tried to include songs that we haven't really seen in canon for the characters. We know that Max likes "Running Up That Hill", we know Mike likes "Small Town Boy", and we know Will likes "Boys Don't Cry". I love those songs and they are included in these playlists but I'm more interested in using music as a way to expand on and flesh out these characters.
I have also linked to Spotify playlists for each character. If you agree or disagree with any of my picks, please let me know!
Will Byers
Will has inherited a lot of his music taste from Jonathan but it's evolved in a way that's distinctly his own. Unlike his brother, Will's music tends to be more pop-focused. He likes new wave, post-punk, and moody songs that he can listen to while he paints. I think Will really pays attention to the lyrics of the music he listens to and it serves as a kind of therapy for him.
In Between Days by The Cure
Elegia by New Order
Mad World by Tears For Fears
Lost in the Supermarket by The Clash
It's A Sin by Pet Shop Boys
Major Tom (Coming Home) by Peter Schilling
Without You by David Bowie
This Charming Man by The Smiths
Mike Wheeler
Mike is always trying to appear slightly cooler than he is. He likes classic rock in a very Eric Forman way (if that makes any sense). By the time he joins Hellfire Club, he's trying to emulate Eddie's style and music taste because he just thinks Eddie's that cool. At his core, Mike enjoys sappy songs about love, life, and heartbreak because he's a dork who likes to jam out in his room.
Never Surrender by Corey Hart
Dream On by Aerosmith
Suburbia by Pet Shop Boys
Punishment For Love by Bronski Beat
Hold Me Now by Thompson Twins
Hells Bells by AC/DC
Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams
Eighteen by Alice Cooper
El "Jane" Hopper
El is just finding her own music taste. She’s only been shown music by her friends or Hopper so she picks and chooses what she likes. Mostly that’s a lot of pop music and ballads. She also watches a lot of MTV so her taste tends to skew pretty mainstream. When Max teaches her how to put together mixtapes her’s tend to be pretty upbeat or dramatic depending on her mood. While she’s contemplating her relationship with Mike she listens to a lot of gaudy break-up ballads.
Hey Mickey by Toni Basil
She Bop by Cyndi Lauper
The Promise by When In Rome
Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler
Talk Talk by Talk Talk
Could've Been by Tiffany
Destination Unkown by Missing Persons
Two of Hearts by Stacey Q
Max Mayfield
Max’s music taste is kind of hard to pinpoint. It’s really a grab bag of pop, rock, experimental, and softer punk. The only way I can describe it is like “spunky”. There are also moments when the music she listens to becomes more introspective and brooding. In “Runaway Max” she mentions liking The Go-Go’s and The Beach Boys.
Dreaming by Blondie
We Got The Beat by The Go-Go’s
Kids In America by Kim Wilde
The Girl U Want by DEVO
Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
Hounds of Love by Kate Bush
California Dreamin by The Beach Boys
White Wedding - Pt.1 by Billy Idol
Dustin Henderson
Dustin is the nerdiest of nerdiest teenage boys (we wore a "Weird Al" t-shirt on his first day of high school I mean come on). He thinks that "Weird Al" is a genius for his use of parody and critique of pop culture (which, he's not wrong). He's always liked metal but it's only become more prominent for him since hanging out with Eddie so much. Being in Hellfire though has caused him to be more stealthy about his love for novelty records and one-hit wonders. He makes mixtapes full of love songs and saves up his money to send them to Suzie in Utah.
She Blinded Me With Science by Thomas Dolby
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
The Safety Dance by Men Without Hats
Weird Science by Oingo Boingo
I’m Gonna Be by The Proclaimers
As The World Falls Down by David Bowie
Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley
I Lost On Jeopardy by “Weird Al” Yankovic
Lucas Sinclair
Lucas’ music taste is pretty diverse. He likes rock music but not as hard as Mike and Dustin’s taste. I imagine he’s picked up a lot of soul and r&b music from his parents, specifically his mom. In “Lucas On The Line” Lucas is introduced to Run-D.M.C. and really takes a shine to it so I imagine he’d be listening to some rap and hip hop. My qualifications for my picks were “would Lucas sing this infront of his bedroom mirror while using a hairbrush as a microphone?”.
Another One Bites the Dust by Queen
Walk This Way by Run-D.M.C.
Dirty Diana by Micheal Jackson
Juke Box Hero by Foreigner
Easy Lover by Philip Bailey & Phil Collins
Everything She Wants by Wham!
You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine by Lou Rawls
Never Too Much by Luther Vandross
Erica Sinclair
Erica is eleven so she tends to gravitate towards music that's popular or that she hears on the radio. Pop and R&B make up most of her cassette collection. The music she likes tends to be very upbeat and kick-ass (these songs are all bangers so she has amazing taste). Like Lucas, she also does dorky lipsyncing in her bedroom but unlike him, she's never been caught.
Head to Toe by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
I Feel For You by Chaka Khan
What Have You Done For Me Lately by Janet Jackson
Got to Be Real by Cheryl Lynn
Let’s Hear It For the Boy by Denise Williams
Rhythm of The Night by DeBarge
Cool It Now by New Edition
Swept Away by Diana Ross