The Music of the Stranger Things Cast
While the “Stranger Things” cast may play our favorite group of misfits on-screen, many of them are also budding musicians off-screen. Here’s how their on-screen characters might feel about that.
Written by Minnah Zaheer
One of Netflix’s most popular original series, “Stranger Things” has captivated audiences of all ages and backgrounds with its ‘80s nostalgia, creepy supernatural plot, and comedic chops displayed by its younger cast members. But the actors who play Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Steve (Joe Keery), Robin (newcomer to the show Maya Hawke), and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) also play music off-screen. How does that music compare to their on-screen personas?
Warning: Spoilers for “Stranger Things” Season 3 Ahead!
Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), lead singer and guitarist for Calpurnia
Photo courtesy of NME Magazine
Finn Wolfhard is the lead singer and guitarist for the band Calpurnia, likely named after the last wife of Julius Caesar (a surprisingly mature decision, given that the band was formed when Wolfhard was only 14). Their sound is very traditional indie rock, with simple layered vocals, breezy guitars, drums, the occasional synthesizers, and even string accompaniments. Wolfhard’s on-stage presence is about what you’d expect from a 16-year-old — a little awkward and involving many steps away from the mic in between phrases. But his vocals don’t show an overabundance of nerves, which is impressive for a kid as young as he is with no formal music training.
Mike Wheeler, one of the main protagonists of “Stranger Things,” is similarly surprising for his age — he is bold, opinionated, and fiercely loyal to his friends. He embodies the typical teenage emotions of young love, reluctance to have more than one female friend, and unfounded stubbornness.
But would he listen to Calpurnia, Wolfhard’s indie rock band?
Calpurnia cites Mac Demarco and Weezer as inspirations. The band has covered the Mac DeMarco song “My Kind of Woman” at a few of their live shows. They also appeared in the music video for the Weezer cover of a-ha’s “Take On Me” in 2019 after covering “Say It Ain’t So” at Rivers Cuomo’s request in 2018. Between the indie rock sounds of Mac Demarco and Weezer, it seems highly likely that Mike would listen to Wolfhard and Calpurnia.
Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), contributing musician for Post Animal and solo artist
Photo courtesy of Post Animal via YouTube
Even though Joe Keery is no longer a touring member of Post Animal, he contributed vocals and guitar to their most recent album before his departure from the group.them. Post Animal, a Chicago-based garage-rock psychedelic band, had six members including Keery before he left in 2018. Formed in 2014, the band featured Keery as a guitarist and occasional vocalist. He shares lead vocals with bassist Dalton Allison in the song “Ralphie,” a groovy tune with the lyrics, “Baby guess I'll go home whether that's with or without you,” and a minute-long instrumental outro that kicks off with a key change. Keery also makes music on his own, releasing two songs under the moniker “Djo.” The more recent release “Chateau (Feel Alright)” is dreamy and ethereal, similar to an Arctic Monkeys B-side.
Keery plays Steve Harrington, who quickly became a fan favorite after his meteoric rise from the typical jock/douchebag archetype to the kind and lovable “mother” of the “Stranger Things” kids. Promoted to season regular after one season as a recurring character, Steve isn’t the brightest kid in the world, but his heart of gold and growth into compassion reflect his true personality.
But would he listen to Post Animal, or Keery’s solo endeavors?
We don’t get much insight into Steve’s music taste during the show. However, we know he’s a bit of a dork and a big fan of “Back to the Future” (despite being high while he watched it and likely not understanding it at all). We also know that he’s instantly supportive when he finds out the girl he had a crush on (Robin, played by Maya Hawke) is a lesbian. Although he’s experienced a significant development in his personality, however, he’s still got a lot of dumb jock at heart. His music taste probably leans towards the more radio-friendly hits of the ‘80s. But being as kind and kiddish as he now is, he would at least try to appreciate the easy and fun songs made by Post Animal and Joe Keery.
Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), independent artist
821.6k Likes, 3,640 Comments - Maya Ray (@maya_hawke) on Instagram: "Look out my music video for To Love A Boy directed by @_tess_lafia_ debuting on pitchfork on Monday..."
Courtesy of @maya_hawke on Instagram
The daughter of film legends Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, Maya Hawke grew up in a family of seasoned professionals in the entertainment industry. Her stage presence and music style, however, are very relaxed and totally genuine. Her most recent songs “To Love a Boy” and “Stay Open” consist of simple lyrics, soft and intimate vocals, and a quiet atmospheric feeling.
Hawke’s character on “Stranger Things,” the witty and sharp Robin Buckley, has a very no-nonsense exterior. She often teases Steve for his lack of skills in the dating department, and proves herself instrumental to cracking some of the toughest mysteries of Hawkins in season three. One of the highlights of the season is the scene in which she comes out as a lesbian to Steve, displaying a rare level of vulnerability for her character.
But would she listen to Hawke’s music?
Robin’s whip smart mind and sexuality resonated with a lot of female fans of “Stranger Things.” Her scenes displaying her (platonic) chemistry with Steve made her quickly stand out as a force to be reckoned with, and proving herself as indispensable to her friends skyrocketed her to popularity among “Stranger Things” fans, as seen on social media. As for her music taste, her uncompromising, unique personality makes her seem like a fan of indie artists. Her sexuality and forward-thinking worldview mean she definitely sees the value of supporting female artists in particular. She would likely appreciate the soft, yet confident, tones of Hawke’s work.
Gaten Matazzaro (Dustin Henderson), vocalist for Work in Progress
Courtesy of Scott Long on Youtube
Gaten Matarazzo started his entertainment career on Broadway, most notably playing Gavroche in “Les Misérables.” His current seven-member band Work in Progress, however, is heavily rock-inspired. They only have two singles out right now, the guitar-heavy songs “Dream Eater” and “Waste My Time,” but Matarazzo’s vocals and harmonies with his fellow lead singer and older sister Carmen Matarazzo show both a significant grunge-rock influence and promise for what’s to come.
Dustin Henderson, Matarazzo’s character on “Stranger Things,” is a wide-eyed and unapologetic nerd. The Duffer Brothers, writers and creators of “Stranger Things,” wrote Dustin to have the same bone-degenerative birth defect as Matarazzo, giving him an extra layer of childlike optimism about himself (a particularly hilarious line in season three has Dustin telling Steve to let him try to navigate a narrow air vent because he has no collarbone). He also curses quite a lot, like the other kids his age on the show.
But would Dustin listen to Work in Progress?
This question is a little tougher to answer than previous ones, since “Stranger Things” is set in the ‘80s and Work in Progress is very clearly inspired by the grunge sound of the ‘90s as proven by Matarazzo’s raspy vocals and the band’s showcasing of guitar licks and basslines. Dustin, who is up-to-date on all the latest nerdy cultural phenomena of his day, doesn’t display any interest in anything outside of the decade. But his affinity for the older Steve that sparks in season two (and resultantly Robin in season three) implies that he’s a tad bit mature for his age, so it’s very likely that he would have no problem getting into the next generation of what’s new.
The cast of “Stranger Things” contains some pretty talented musicians. Their on-screen personas may not match up exactly to the people they are in real life, but their taste in music definitely has some overlap. Maybe season four will give us more insight into what kinds of music Mike, Steve, Robin, and Dustin actually listen to, but until now we can safely assume that they’d all appreciate the music of their real-life counterparts.