10 songs from the '80s we need to hear in 'Stranger Things' season 4

It’s hard to believe that, had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic, we likely would’ve already seen season 4 of Stranger Things play out. As it stands, though, the series only just resumed in October and has yet to confirm a release date.

As anxious as we are to see what comes next, the break’s given us significant time to muse about our favorite theories. And now with Netflix validating some of our pressing suspicions, we can’t help but let our creative juices flow a step further. Of course, given the prevalent role of ’80s pop culture in the series, dreaming up a soundtrack is the only logical progression.

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Here are 10 hits from the ’80s that we’d love to hear in season 4. Spoilers ahead.

“Bizarre Love Triangle” – New Order

Granted, New Order‘s “Bizarre Love Triangle” is a song we’ve been waiting to hear since season 1. With all the romantic twists and turns throughout the (notably bizarre) plot, it feels like it would fit in perfectly. We have a feeling that the show producers would agree too, given that “Elegia” soundtracked Will Byers‘ funeral. Here’s hoping we get to hear Bernard Sumner‘s voice in the next iteration.

“Hungry Like The Wolf” – Duran Duran

We’re honestly surprised that Duran Duran‘s “Hungry Like The Wolf” hasn’t been featured already. The sinister air masked by a pop delivery feels on brand for a Stranger Things montage. We may have let this one slide had it been released any later, but it was already charting by the time the plot started in 1983…

“Shout” – Tears For Fears

Tears For Fears are a quintessential ’80s band, so you’ll likely be as shocked as we were to learn that they’ve never soundtracked the series. “Shout” would be the obvious first choice if they were to feature in season 4. Dark and brooding, though still markedly fun, the track has Stranger Things written all over it.

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“You Might Think” – The Cars

One of the most iconic love songs to come from the decade, the Cars‘ “You Might Think” is a serious mood. Given the vague toxicity present in the lyrics, we can’t help but feel like this would be the perfect track to back Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper‘s tumultuous, budding romance. Now that we know that Hopper survived the season 3 finale, we’re holding out hope for this one.

“I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” – Whitney Houston

Season 3 left off in 1985, but a number of fans suspect that we’ll see a time-hop into the next installment. If that’s the case, then we may land in prime time for Whitney Houston. Her 1987 chart-topping hit “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” still persists as one of the most popular songs from the decade. It would be criminal to overlook it, right?

“Magic Dance” – David Bowie

Season 3 brought us a killer reference from The NeverEnding Story in an iconic musical rendition by Dustin Henderson and his girlfriend, Suzie. So why should David Bowie‘s Labyrinth be off limits? We’d kill for just about any of the characters to jam out to “Magic Dance.” Although if we’re being honest with ourselves, Steve Harrington would be the preferred performer. Side note: Can you believe that Bowie hasn’t been featured at all on the series? The closest they’ve come was with a cover of his song “Heroes” by Peter Gabriel.

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“Walking On Sunshine” – Katrina And The Waves

We don’t throw out the term “must-play” often in these capacities. After all, art is subjective, and we trust the Stranger Things producers to make the best decisions for the show. That said, it feels wrong not to include Katrina And The Waves‘ “Walking On Sunshine” in a show founded on ’80s pop culture references. No lie, we’d love to see it used in some sort of comedic fight scene.

“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” – The Proclaimers

Flash forward to Hopper trudging through the Russian tundra, hell-bent on making it home to Joyce. The Proclaimers‘ “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” plays loudly overhead… All right, the context is a bit of a stretch, but if it plays out, you heard it here first. Alternatively, it would make the sweetest backing track to any of the on-screen romances.

“All We Ever Wanted Was Everything” – Bauhaus

We already know that season 4 is heading for some dark territory. So why not toss in some goth-laced post-punk tunes to set the mood? Naturally, Bauhaus‘ atmospheric 1982 track “All We Ever Wanted Was Everything” is a prime candidate. Just imagine venturing into the Upside Down with this song playing loud and clear… Yeah, we just got some serious chills.

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“We Didn’t Start The Fire” – Billy Joel

Don’t think we were going to round off this list without mentioning the Piano Man. Formalities aside, though, there’s nothing we wouldn’t give to see a full-cast rendition of Billy Joel‘s “We Didn’t Start The Fire.” Maybe we’re getting our hopes up, but we’d gladly take an upbeat montage or character rendition of the legendary track.

Which ’80s hits would you like to see incorporated into the fourth season of Stranger Things? Sound off in the comments!