A good theme song transports us, pulling us from our safe and cozy couch into a world of unlimited possibility. On the Netflix mega-hit Stranger Things, that world is a place of nostalgia and horror— where nerds become heroes and monsters lurk within our minds. The show is an enchanting and gripping tale that continues to revive ’80s fashion and music seven years after its debut. Explore the haunting theme song and learn how the composers leaned on vintage synths, including the Roland JUPITER-8 and SH-2.
Small Town Shadows
The sleepy town of Hawkins, IN, will feel familiar to anyone who grew up a misfit, running with a pack of fellow geeks searching for adventure. Yet Hawkins has a sinister shadow side, full of mad scientists, and the Upside Down, a supernatural alternate dimension. These factors combine to make Stranger Things one of the most addictive and endearing programs on television.
From the top of every episode, viewers get sucked into the Stranger Things universe via its Emmy-winning theme. The song’s pulsing arpeggio, mesmerizing synth lead, and portentous heartbeat were meticulously crafted by the show’s composers, Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein. While the theme sounds ominous, its C major key hints at a ray of youthful hope shining through the darkness.
Circa S U R V I V E
Creators Matt and Ross Duffer set their Stranger Things pitches to Dixon and Stein’s synthwave act, S U R V I V E. After Netflix greenlit the project, the Duffers contacted the pair to score the real thing. For Dixon and Stein, the request was a dream come true. The two friends always hoped to score a TV show or film. They even had a host of demos to prove they were up to the task.
"Creators Matt and Ross Duffer set their pitches to synthwave act, S U R V I V E. When Netflix greenlit the project, they contacted the pair to score it."
A Rescued Demo
The composition process was freeform from the start. “There was not much of a brief from the directors for what the theme needed to be,” Stein told Sound on Sound. “After the Duffers sifted through some old and new compositions, they really liked the mood of a demo I’d made for S U R V I V E that probably never would have seen the light of day.”
That composition got the ball rolling. “I set up the sampler to re-sequence all of the parts live in the room so I could rewrite the arrangement and come up with additional parts,” Stein explains. “After about three renditions, there was something in the ballpark of what you know as the theme.”
Classic Tone and Classic Synths
The pair utilized a plethora of vintage synths for the theme’s retro-tinged vibe. “We discussed having a classic tone and feel to the music for the show,” Stein told Indiewire. For the duo, the trick was blending the past and future into a seamless whole. “Being reserved enough that it wasn’t ’80s cheese while offering a refreshing quality so that it felt modern as well.”
While the mood may seem straightforward, its composition—like the story’s plot—is more complex than meets the ear. The track consists of approximately 25 synthesizers, with multitracked arpeggios, choir stabs, and pads slathered across as many tracks. Stein played the theme’s signature arpeggio by hand on an original Oberheim, and those “heartbeats” are plucked out on a Sequential Pro-One. And that haunting synth lead? It’s a Roland JUPITER-8, which Stein and Dixon personally retrofitted with MIDI components.
"That haunting synth lead is a Roland JUPITER-8, which Stein and Dixon personally retrofitted with MIDI components."
Layers Upon Layers
“There is a lot of layering of the same part, which is a very common technique I use for mood and depth,” Stein reveals. “A key element to the production of the theme was having the right amount of ‘murk,’ which is commonly considered a negative thing in production.” He feels this hazy quality contributes to the sonic mystery. “It’s a mingling of subtle nuances that makes this surprisingly major-key theme work in a mystery sci-fi drama context.”
The theme’s moody, rolling bassline emerged from a Roland SH-2. “I think the aggressive bass tone of the SH-2 helped set the dark tone,” Stein says. “It has a balance of hope haunted by the weirdness element. In my opinion, this is why it works to reinforce the story.”
A Winning Formula
With a theme song in place, the chilling intro sequence grew around it. The now-iconic glowing red letters come straight from the palettes of Stephen King and John Carpenter, horror legends who inspired the Duffers and Dixon and Stein. In fact, the theme and its pitch-perfect soundtrack have propelled the show into the pop cultural stratosphere on its own merits. Nominated for 51 Emmys, Stranger Things has taken home 12, including “Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music” in 2017.
"With a theme song in place, the chilling intro sequence grew around it. The now-iconic glowing red letters come straight from the palettes of Stephen King and John Carpenter."
Eerie Impact
The track is popular with both content creators and musicians. Blink-182 has used the Stranger Things theme in its live performances, while Deadmau5 once spent two-and-a-half hours recreating and remixing it on a Twitch livestream that racked up over 180,000 views.
This one-minute musical motif is now ubiquitous. We hum its melody when things feel spooky and put it on playlists to set a creepy mood. Yet, the theme is, first and foremost, the gateway to Hawkins and the Upside Down. It’s a musical piece that plucks at our heartstrings, brings fears to life, and ultimately rekindles hope.
