Stranger Things Thought It Could Buy a ‘Stairway to Heaven’

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Be warned, minor spoilers ahead for the ending of Stranger Things! When the creators hinted at a unique song choice for the finale – a song never before used in TV – many fans guessed it would be from either Prince or Pink Floyd, both of whom had connections to Kate Bush. It turned out to be Prince, with “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain” playing during the climactic scenes of the group destroying the Upside Down and Eleven seemingly making a sacrifice. In an interview with Variety, music supervisor Nora Felder revealed that getting permission to use Prince’s songs wasn’t easy, even though one had appeared in Black-ish years earlier. She also admitted they considered other iconic options, including Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” but it didn’t quite fit the emotional arc of the scene. She also thought about using Pink Floyd’s The Wall.

Led Zeppelin is notoriously protective of their music, and they’ve never permitted the use of “Stairway to Heaven” in movies or TV shows. Robert Plant explained that all four band members – with a particular astrological mix of Capricorns and a Leo – must unanimously agree on any use of their songs. They feel most requests don’t meet their standards, and truly exceptional opportunities, like those from shows such as The Bear, The Big Short, and School of Rock, are extremely rare. Plant believes their music deserves to be paired with films that have depth and meaning, but finding those projects is difficult, as many are simply lacking in taste. Considering how selective they are, it seems unlikely they would have approved the use of their song in a scene with a CGI monster.

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2026-01-05 22:54