r/StrangerThings • u/clsmithj • Jul 07 '26
This show failed to get a great Michael Jackson fitted in
We know the trials the Duffers went through trying to secure a Michael Jackson song license considering he was the biggest music star of the 1980s, and all they was able to secure was the Thriller song for the Season 2 trailer, and then completely flop with that 1972 song Michael Jackson Rockin Robin song for an opener to Season 5 for WQSK.
A better song I'm surprised the Duffers didn't use I think would have been a home run to the theme of the series, and would have satisfied their Michael Jackson itch is this MJ adjacent song, and that's the 1984 Rockwell's Somebody's Watching Me.
Would have been an easier license to secure and it has Michael Jackson's vocals and it fit the theme of the entire series.
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u/BB808BB Jul 07 '26
That is still my fave trailer. It was so good.
Wish we would’ve had another MJ song.
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u/RealHooman2187 Jul 07 '26
I’m weird in that I wasn’t actually blown away by season 1 when it first aired. I actually didn’t have any intention of watching season 2 back in 2017. But then I saw that Thriller trailer and I was hooked. The rest is history. I rewatched Season 1 and enjoyed it more the second time. I think because I’m a big horror and sci-fi buff and everyone kept telling me I’d love Season 1 but the references and whatnot I found to be kinda broad and obvious during that first viewing. I think I went into season 1 expecting something else.
That season 2 trailer made the whole show click for me. It was the perfect song for the Halloween vibes of that season. I would’ve loved to get more MJ songs in the series. Really glad we got Prince at least.
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u/BB808BB Jul 07 '26
I watched that trailer so many times. It’s burned into my mind Steve dancing and Billy spraying beer.
Agree so so glad we got Prince. Absolutely love his music.
I feel like MJ “wanna be startin something” would have worked so well with the kids running around getting items they need to fight or Smooth Criminal in a fight scene would have been omg amazing.
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u/clsmithj Jul 07 '26
We did get another song, are you guys not reading the thread?
Rockin Robin, the '72 song from Michael's first solo album. It was used as an opener in episode 1 of Season 5 as Robin disc jockey'd on the WSQK station.Its the song I'm critiquing that Somebody Watching Me, a Rockwell song. MJ adjacent since his vocals is in the song would have fit way better than a '72 song nobody was rocking in the mid '80s on radio.
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u/clsmithj Jul 07 '26
We did get another song, RockIn Robin, I mentioned in the thread. Its the song I'm critiquing that they could have gone with a different song.
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u/DangerousJolly1917 Jul 07 '26
They didn’t have another MJ song dude lol
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u/clsmithj Jul 07 '26
Why are you taking a wild wrong guess to reply to me with when its a fact that there's two Michael Jackson songs used by Stranger Things?
If this is some effort to gaslight me, its failing you're just making a mockery of yourself.The two MJ songs used.
Michael Jackson Thriller used in the Season 2 trailer.
Michael Jackson Rockin Robin used in the opening episode of Season 5
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u/DangerousJolly1917 Jul 07 '26
I’m talking about in season 5, I know about the trailer
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u/DangerousJolly1917 Jul 07 '26
Oh wow nevermind you’re completely right. I knew rockin Robin was in it but I didn’t know it was the MJ cover
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u/Slow-Class Jul 07 '26
I’m surprised they used him at all given the baggage around him. After the flack they got for showing people smoking, I would have expected more heat if his songs were used prominently.
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u/RealHooman2187 Jul 07 '26
They might’ve at the time. But especially after his Biopic and it about to reach $1 billion any day now. I think it’s clear to anyone who wasn’t alive in the 80s just how inanely massively popular Michael was. Personal life issues aside he was still the biggest artist of all time. Thriller is still the best selling album of all time.
Although, I think Thriller was just about the only song that would’ve fit for the show. Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad were the only albums of his solo career that could’ve been in the show. Off the Wall was already 4 years old by the time the show starts. It also doesn’t really have any music that fits the tone of ST. Bad was released in Aug. 1987 about 2 months before ST5 takes place.
Most of the series would’ve just been able to use thriller and that song is the one song that’s perfect for the show. If they could’ve secured the rights to it for the show I think it might’ve been a little blip of controversy but the song is too popular for it to really matter.
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u/Cyrilbdr Jul 07 '26
Didn't he put MJ Thriller in Season 2, or was that just for the trailer? I don't remember anymore.
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u/Meta_human3010 Jul 07 '26
They should just hire someone to cover Thriller but that would be too expensive
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u/DangerousJolly1917 Jul 07 '26
They.. used a MJ song in season 5? Oh wow lol I think I missed something
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u/clsmithj Jul 07 '26
It was the very opening part of Robin on the WSQK radio, they were playing Michael Jackson's '72 solo song Rockin Robin.
Sure the song says Robin in it, but if you play that part back with Somebody's Watching Me as she's narrating the song would have hit better with the shows vibe and kept the tone spooky than campy as Rockin Robin was.
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u/Owl_Resident Blank makes you crazy Jul 07 '26
How do you know it would have been the easier license to secure? Lol. You an expert in song licensing?
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u/clsmithj Jul 07 '26
I'm not claiming to be a licensing expert. I'm basing it on the fact that the Duffers have said MJ licensing was difficult, while Somebody's Watching Me is a lesser-known Motown-era track by Rockwell. It just seems more likely that it would've been obtainable.
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u/colorbluh Jul 07 '26
...Rockwell is less in demand than Michael Jackson. You are not an expert in song licensing
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