What songs do the Stranger Things characters use to resist Vecna?

Will Byers: “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash

I don’t think I realized how much music they featured in Stranger Things until I started writing this. Will Byers’ favorite song isn’t hard to pick out, either; in the first season of the show, his older brother Jonathan introduces him to “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash. Later, when he’s trapped in the Upside Down, Will listens to the song to keep himself calm. For him, it’s basically already a talisman to ward off evil! If he uses this, Vecna can’t touch him.

Jonathan Byers: “Radio Free Europe” by R.E.M.

Speaking of Jonathan, the elder Byers brother is depicted as a music fan from the start. He’s a bit of a rebel and an outcast, so naturally he has his finger on the pulse of the underground music scene. He’s had an R.E.M. poster on his wall since the first season, which means he’s been in on the ground floor for this band.

Since Jonathan is always first on the scene, we’re gonna say his favorite song is “Radio Free Europe,” R.E.M.’s first-ever single. By admission of singer Michael Stipe, the lyrics are deliberately unintelligible, so the song is more about the vibe. And that suits Jonathan — an alternatively minded teenager finding himself — just fine.

Dustin: “Master of Puppets” by Metallica

This one’s a tearjerker. Dustin is generally a pretty cheery kid, so it was heartbreaking to watch him suffer through the loss of Eddie Munson, with whom he’d grown very close over the course of the season. After shredding on “Master of Puppets” as part of the kids’ plan to take down Vecna in the season finale, Eddie sacrifices himself to buy their friends more time. He dies in Dustin’s arms.

Like I said, heartbreaking. Before this incident, I suspect Dustin’s favorite song was something more fun and nerdy, like “Yoda” by “Weird Al” Yankovic. After the season finale, I think Dustin’s gonna get a lot more into metal, starting with “Master of Puppets” as a way to honor Eddie’s sacrifice.

Steve: “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi

We’re going by vibes on this one. We don’t know a ton about Steve Harrington’s taste in music, but we do know about him. He’s a nice guy with traditional ambitions: family, job, maybe six or seven little nuggets in the back of an RV seeing the country. He’s got an edgy side, as well — his perfectly coifed hair is his pride and joy — but mostly he’s on the straight and narrow.

Bon Jovi is the perfect middle-of-the-road artist for him. He’s fun, he’s got a bit of an edge to him, and he’s producing popular, listenable rock songs that everyone can enjoy. And the lyrics to “Living on a Prayer,” about a working class hero just trying to make it in a tough world and finding a solace in his friends, fit Steve’s struggle.