The series finale of Netflix's Stranger Things, released on New Year's Eve, featured pivotal uses of Prince's 'When Doves Cry' and 'Purple Rain,' leading to a dramatic boost in the artist's Spotify streams. The two-hour episode also drew strong theater attendance, earning between $25 million and $28 million domestically. Creators Matt and Ross Duffer discussed the challenges of securing the songs and the ambiguous fate of key character Eleven.
Netflix's long-running sci-fi series Stranger Things concluded its five-season run with a supersized finale episode that premiered on Dec. 31, 2025, both on the streaming platform and in select theaters. The episode, titled 'The Piggyback,' centered on the Hawkins ensemble's final battle against the Upside Down's Vecna, blending high-stakes action with emotional farewells.
A standout element was the soundtrack's inclusion of Prince's 'When Doves Cry' and 'Purple Rain' from the 1984 album Purple Rain. The songs played during a critical sequence where heroes set explosives to collapse the Upside Down gate, with 'Purple Rain' underscoring Eleven's apparent sacrifice as she shares a goodbye with Mike. Music supervisor Nora Felder described the clearance process as a 'Rubik's Cube,' requiring the tracks to bookend a vinyl album side while fitting the 1980s setting. Prince's estate rarely licenses the songs outside the original film, but approvals came after detailed 'theses' outlining their narrative fit. Felder noted, 'If there’s anything that they might clear it for, it would be Stranger Things.'
The finale's impact extended to streaming metrics. Since its debut, 'Purple Rain' saw a 243% increase in global Spotify streams and a 577% surge among Gen Z listeners, while 'When Doves Cry' rose 200% globally and 128% for Gen Z. Prince's overall catalog climbed 190%, with an 88% Gen Z uptick.
Theatrical screenings, a Netflix rarity, sold 1.1 million vouchers, generating $25-28 million in box office revenue. Chains like AMC reported $15 million from concessions alone, with over 3,500 showtimes. Netflix crashed during the premiere, marking the second outage this season.
In interviews, Gaten Matarazzo reflected on Dustin's valedictorian speech, emphasizing themes of friendship forged through adversity. He noted Eleven's fate remains ambiguous, with fans split 50/50 on her survival. Creators Matt and Ross Duffer confirmed the episode's length exceeded two hours, debating key kills and teasing a spinoff tied to a mysterious rock from a briefcase.
The finale caps a phenomenon that began in 2016, blending 1980s nostalgia with supernatural horror. Its release aligns with Netflix's strategy to extend popular content to theaters, amid talks of acquiring Warner Bros.
