As “Stranger Things” closed out its five-season run with its grand finale, the two-hour conclusion boosted Spotify streams of Prince’s catalog, namely “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry,” as fans relived the show’s magic.
“Purple Rain,” which was featured in the finale as Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) bid farewell to Mike (Finn Wolfhard) before her sacrifice, saw a whopping 243% increase in global streams, according to Spotify data from the finale premiere on Dec. 31 through Jan. 1. The scene might’ve introduced younger “Stranger Things” viewers to the song, with “Purple Rain” seeing a 577% increase in global Gen Z streams specifically.
“Purple Rain” wasn’t the only Prince song that saw a boost in streams following the finale, with “When Doves Cry,” which plays as the crew decides to destroy the Upside Down, seeing a 200% increase in global streams and a 128% increase in global Gen Z streams.
Beyond “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry,” Prince’s overall catalog saw a substantial boost following the “Stranger Things” finale, which saw a 190% uptick in global streams and, among Gen Z, an 88% increase in global streams.
The same effect took place for other ’80s needle drops in Season 5, Volume 1, with Diana Ross’ “Upside Down” seeing a 1,250% increase in global Gen Z streams specifically, as well as a 510% increase in global streams and a 3,538% increase in global searches, while Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now” saw a 880% increase in global Gen Z streams, a 490% boost in global streams and a 1,288% increase in global searches, according to Spotify data from the day before the Season 5 premiere to a week after the premiere on Dec. 3.
Also seeing boosts from Volume 1 was The Chordettes’ “Mr. Sandman” (1954) and ABBA’s “Fernando” (1976), which saw a 740% boost and 645% increase, respectively, in global Gen Z streams.
