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Prince streaming surges 243% after Stranger Things finale
The emotional finale of Netflix's Stranger Things has ignited a massive surge in streams for Prince's iconic tracks on Spotify, particularly following its New Year's Eve airing. "Purple Rain" saw global streams leap by 243%, while "When Doves Cry" climbed 200%, according to exclusive data from Variety. Younger listeners drove much of the spike, with Generation Z streams for "Purple Rain" exploding 577% and "When Doves Cry" rising 128%. Overall, Prince's catalog experienced a 190% worldwide increase, including an 88% uptick among Gen Z audiences.
This boom stems from a rare licensing triumph by series creators Matt and Ross Duffer, who secured rights to feature two Prince songs in pivotal final scenes a first for television outside the 1984 film Purple Rain. Ross Duffer told Netflix's Tudum that the estate rarely allows such licensing. Matt Duffer credited the breakthrough to Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill," which became a cultural hit after appearing in Stranger Things Season 4, proving the show's power to revive classic music for new generations.
In the two-hour finale episode "The Rightside Up," the tracks heightened the drama. Characters used a Purple Rain vinyl record starting with Side Two's "When Doves Cry" and culminating in the title track as a bomb trigger to destroy the Upside Down. "Purple Rain" underscored a heartbreaking farewell between Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown, and Mike, portrayed by Finn Wolfhard, as she appeared poised for sacrifice. Ross Duffer noted that nothing matched Prince's epic scale for the moment.
The finale's influence rippled beyond Prince, boosting other 1980s hits from Season 5. Diana Ross's "Upside Down" recorded a 510% global stream increase, while Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now" surged 490%.
