Prince sees significant increase in Spotify streaming in his catalog thanks to key syncs in the ‘Stranger Things’ series finale.
Since the episode debuted on New Year’s Eve, “Purple Rain” has seen a 243% increase in global streams on Spotify and a 577% increase in global Gen-Z streams in particular, Variety can exclusively reveal. “When Doves Cry” also saw a 200% increase in global streams, as well as a 128% increase in Gen Z streams. Overall, Prince catalog streams soared 190%, with an 88% increase for Gen Z streams.
“When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain” were featured at crucial moments in the finale. When the heroes of “Stranger Things” set up the explosives to destroy the Upside Down once and for all, they put on side two of “Purple Rain,” which begins with “When Doves Cry” and ends with the title track. It’s “Purple Rain” played by Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown) who seems to sacrifice herself when she conjures up Mike (Finn Wolfhard) in her mind to say one last goodbye.
Notably, the two songs haven’t been used in a television series since Prince included them in the soundtrack to his 1984 film “Purple Rain.” “We were told it was really long, so we kept our fingers crossed,” series creator Matt Duffer told Tudum after the premiere finale.
Co-creator Ross Duffer said they had “never talked as much about choosing a song as they did in that moment. What’s also really exciting is that it just wasn’t used. [Prince’s] the domain generally does not allow the licensing of this song outside of the film ‘Purple Rain’.
