Remember when Stranger Things quietly turned Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill into the biggest song on the planet again? That surprise was not a one-time thing. The show has a habit of reaching into the past, pulling out a track, and turning it into the soundtrack of the moment.
Now it is Michael Jackson’s turn.
Rockin’ Robin, his 1972 bubblegum pop cover from the Got to Be There era, lands right in Episode 1 of Season 5, The Crawl. You can listen to it at exactly 8:40 in the frist episode of season 5, Stranger Things.
The show already proved that emotional scenes plus timeless songs equal chart shockwaves. Running Up That Hill and Master of Puppets were not “new” songs. They just needed the right moment, on the right show, with the right emotion behind them.
Rockin’ Robin has all the same ingredients. It is short, catchy, and family-friendly. It fits 80s nostalgia, TikTok dance trends, and “feel good” playlists at the same time.
Nora Felder, Music Supervisor #StrangerThings interviewed at the 2017 Creative Arts Emmys Red Carpet
To understand why Rockin’ Robin could go viral next, it helps to look at Running Up That Hill. Kate Bush’s 1985 track began as a cult favorite. It topped charts worldwide, boosted Bush’s streaming numbers by millions, and brought an art-pop classic back into everyday listening.
It hit the top of charts around the world, poured millions into Bush’s streaming royalties, and turned a vintage art-pop song into everyday listening again.
THESE SONGS WILL GO VIRAL IN ‘STRANGER THINGS’ SEASON 5
Stranger Things music supervisor Nora Felder is the one who fights for “dream songs,” works around blocked estates, and makes sure every track feels honest to the 80s kids on screen. In this behind-the-scenes conversation, she explains how she clears tricky catalogs like Michael Jackson’s, why some songs are worth the battle, and how a single needle-drop can quietly change the charts.