Recommended Free Tools
Stranger Things used “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain” in its series finale after the Duffer Brothers pursued permission to use two songs from Prince and the Revolution’s 1984 album Purple Rain. Netflix’s account says clearance seemed like a long shot. Matt Duffer credited the earlier Stranger Things-driven resurgence of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” with helping the team secure the rights, though the public account does not reveal the rights holders’ full reasoning or the deal’s terms.
Where the two Prince songs appear
The songs bookend two different emotional turns in the finale. “When Doves Cry” plays as the group escapes the interdimensional bridge after Hopper and Murray trigger the bomb. Later, “Purple Rain” accompanies the more somber sequence at the MAC-Z gate, as the Upside Down falls apart and the story leaves Eleven’s fate open to interpretation, according to Netflix Tudum.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Very Best Of | $14.26 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
The Very Best Of | $24.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
The Hits 1 | $9.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
The Hits / The B-Sides | $23.64 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
4Ever (2CD) | $7.29 | Buy on Amazon |
Both tracks come from Prince and the Revolution’s 1984 album Purple Rain. Universal Music Publishing Group also identifies the song “Purple Rain” as part of the series’ ending.
Why the Duffers chose them
The music choice grew out of the scene’s mechanics: the record was meant to trigger the bomb, so the creators wanted a prominent song for the moment. Ross Duffer said the team needed an “epic needle drop” once they developed the idea. They looked for an album that could supply both an opening burst of celebration and a closing song with emotional weight. “Prince lined up perfectly for us,” he said in the Netflix interview.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
That structure explains why the two songs serve different purposes. “When Doves Cry” drives the escape; “Purple Rain” shifts the finale toward a more reflective, unresolved moment.
Why getting permission seemed unlikely
Ross Duffer said the team had discussed the song choice extensively and described a specific obstacle: Prince’s estate “does not generally allow that song to be licensed outside the Purple Rain movie.” He did not say the song had never been licensed elsewhere. Matt Duffer recalled that the team was told approval was “a real long shot,” so they crossed their fingers.
Rank #2
Matt Duffer then credited the earlier success of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” in Stranger Things: “And then, thanks to Kate Bush, we were able to acquire the rights.” Netflix connects his remark to the renewed attention Bush’s 1985 song received after appearing in season four; it reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 2022, according to Netflix’s 2026 account.
That supports the conclusion that the Bush resurgence helped the Prince-song effort. It does not establish that it was the sole reason for approval or reveal how any particular rights holder weighed the earlier success.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Rank #3
What the public account does not disclose
The Netflix and Universal Music Publishing Group accounts establish which songs were used and describe the creators’ explanation of the clearance effort, but they do not publish the deal’s price, duration, territory, media scope, precise timeline, or a full list of negotiating parties. They also do not explain whether Kate Bush’s success changed the decision of a specific rights holder. The available accounts do not support claims about those terms or the detailed mechanics of the clearance.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Shrink-wrapped
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
