Stranger Things Season 5 finale soundtrack guide: A complete list of the music in the Netflix supernatural drama's final chapter

Stranger Things Season 5 installs a heavy music score in the narrative for the end of the chapter of the Netflix interdimensional spiritual series, which is very much music-oriented as well.

When the final episode gets to the point of emotional resolution rather than showing off, it does so by means of a very deliberate and artfully selected soundscape. The music has been one of the narrative tools in Stranger Things Season 5, as well as in the previous seasons. The influential decade-licensed tracks and original synth-driven scoring have been the defining sounds for the series in its entirety.

The Season 5 finale is prolonging this tradition in a way that is almost totally dependent on the memory aspect of the songs, i.e, the songs are bringing us back to the past and helping us to understand and accept the time that has passed since the end.

Stranger Things Season 5 finale

The last episode of Stranger Things Season 5 carries the title 'The Rightside Up.' This episode signals the end of the journey that started in Hawkins, Indiana, and connects the characters’ arcs that have been developed throughout the five seasons.

The finale has several licensed songs that are strategically placed in the most emotional moments of the story. This music is not meant for building tension or for surprising the audience, but it is only meant to strengthen the notions of the themes of the epilogue, which are resolution, loss, and continuity.

All the songs featured in the Stranger Things Season 5 finale

The Wrap has reported that the following tracks were used in the Stranger Things Season 5 finale, Episode 8, 'The Rightside Up' as per the list provided:

Sh-Boom – The Chords
When Doves Cry – Prince
Purple Rain – Prince
Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
Here Comes Your Man – Pixies
The Trooper – Iron Maiden
Sweet Jane – Cowboy Junkies
Heroes – David Bowie

The aforementioned songs cover a variety of genres and moods, which, in turn, mirror the mixed feelings of the characters as the series comes to a close.

How does the finale use licensed music?

In the case of Stranger Things Season 5, music licensing was done very selectively and not as a constant source of background music throughout the season. Each piece of music comes with a distinct narrative that often reflects the character involved or is related to a transitional moment rather than action.

The finale has always been this way, which makes it consistent with how the series has been handling these finale episodes. Instead of one main track, the finale spreads musical moments throughout the entire episode, giving each song the chance to take on a different emotional role.

Prince’s music in Stranger Things Season 5

Stranger Things' Season 5 finale has two tracks of Prince, When Doves Cry and Purple Rain, in the limelight. The inclusion of Prince's music has been pointed out by Netflix's Tudum as a significant factor, and at the same time, the painstakingly long-winded process of licensing these songs has been noted.

Their presence in the episode contributes to the emotional pull of the sequence and aligns with the reflective and shifting moments in the narrative rather than conflict.

The role of the original score in Stranger Things Season 5

Stranger Things Season 5, apart from its licensed tracks, places significant reliance on the original score created by the duo of Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein. The latter has been composing for the series since the very first season, thus defining the show's musical character with the help of vintage synthesizers and ethereal textures.

The case of the disallowed songs could be made for them to be done separately, but still, the original score gives a bond, thus making the finale feel like it was shot in one go with the previous seasons.

Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein’s musical approach

In various interviews with publications, the duo Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein have said that their way of doing Stranger Things is continuously not narrative-driven but rather emotionally based.

The music they created is intended to be perspective and mood support for characters rather than scene stealers. This concept is still highly visible in Season 5 of Stranger Things, where the score takes the place of the music in the background and does not overpower it.

Why does the song selection matter in the final episode?

The selected songs in Season 5 of Stranger Things are a portrayal of a blend of accessibility and limitation. The finale does not present any surprising new music; instead, it relies on the tracks that are in harmony with the established atmosphere and time of the show. This approach emphasizes the feeling of resolution, letting the audience concentrate on the ending of the story instead of the refreshment through music.

Stranger Things Season 5 and the series’ musical legacy

During its five seasons, Stranger Things has been regarded as a series that applied music cleverly. Season 5 is no exception; it emphasizes music as an emotional resolution tool, not the plot-twisting one. The final music score is a reminder of how crucial the music element has been to the series from the start.

The entire collection of Stranger Things Seasons 1–5 is currently available on Netflix, with the last episode'The Rightside Up' included.

The sound of the Stranger Things Season 5 finale is one with the series’ music. It means slowly, emotionally, and through the character. The final episode that merges the original score with a selective list of licensed songs releases the show slowly and cohesively.

The Wrap reports that the soundtrack is not trying to change the series but rather reinforces it, making it one of the atmosphere-driven pieces where music subtly influences the audience's experience of the ending.

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