Inside Stranger Things Stars Musical Pursuits, From Finn Wolfhards Bands to Sadie

Earlier this month, it was revealed that a Stranger Things stage play is in the works and Netflix might as well make it a musical, because nearly every cast member of the beloved sci-fi series is musically inclined.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that a “Stranger Things” stage play is in the works — and Netflix might as well make it a musical, because nearly every cast member of the beloved sci-fi series is musically inclined.

Among the four Hawkins, Ind., boys viewers were introduced to in 2016 — Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin) and Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) — two of the actors got their start on Broadway, while another has proved his chops as a guitarist and singer. Even the performers behind high schoolers Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) and Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) have histories in alt-rock groups.

And as more actors were added throughout the seasons, like Sadie Sink and Maya Hawke, the show’s musical prowess only grew — Sink played the title role in Broadway’s “Annie” revival and Hawke is a rising singer-songwriter preparing to release her sophomore record. Seriously, the “Stranger Things” cast should start a band.

Below, find out more about the musical pursuits of “Stranger Things” stars — and maybe you’ll even discover a song that could save you from the Upside Down.

  • Finn Wolfhard

    After rising to fame playing Mike on “Stranger Things,” Finn Wolfhard also gained quite a following as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for rock band Calpurnia. Formed in 2017 in Wolfhard’s native Vancouver, the group also consisted of Malcolm Craig (drums), Ayla Tesler-Mabe (lead guitar and vocals) and Jack Anderson (bass and vocals). The teenage band caught the ear of the music world with their cover of “Wanted You” by Chicago band Twin Peaks and eventually signed with Canadian indie label Royal Mountain Records, releasing the EP “Scout” in June 2018. The band earned praise from the likes of Weezer, who requested they cover “Say It Ain’t So” on Spotify’s Under Cover podcast and later featured them in the music video for their cover of A-ha’s “Take on Me.” However, Calpurnia announced in November 2019 that the band had parted ways.

    After Calpurnia dissolved, Wolfhard and drummer Craig formed alt-rock outfit the Aubreys and debuted their first single, “Getting Better,” on the soundtrack of Woflhard’s film “The Turning.” The Aubreys have since collaborated with fellow indie band Lunar Vacation on “No Offerings” and released their debut album, “Karaoke Alone,” in November 2021.

    Click the photo above to listen to the Aubreys’ “Smoke Bomb.”

  • Caleb McLaughlin

    Before he was Lucas on “Stranger Things,” Caleb McLaughlin began his career on Broadway playing young Simba in “The Lion King” from 2012 to 2014. Though he took a break from music to focus on television, McLaughlin launched his solo music career last year with R&B song “Neighborhood.” Despite the track receiving some negative feedback on social media, McLaughlin released another single, “Soul Travel,” in May, giving fans a more upbeat taste of his artistry.

    Click the photo above to listen to McLaughlin’s “Soul Travel.”

  • Gaten Matarazzo

    Gaten Matarazzo has a long list of musical theater credits that began at just 9 years old. From 2011 to 2012, Matarazzo made his Broadway debut as Benjamin in “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.” He then went on to play the role of Gavroche in “Les Miserables,” starting on the 25th anniversary U.S. national tour in 2013 and eventually nabbing the part in the Broadway revival from 2014 to 2015. He has continued to make theater a priority during “Stranger Things,” playing Jack in the Hollywood Bowl production of “Into the Woods” in 2019, and taking over the role of Jared Kleinman in the final run of “Dear Evan Hansen” on Broadway this year.

    Click the photo above to listen to Matarazzo singing “Michael in the Bathroom” from “Be More Chill.”

  • Joe Keery

    No, Steve Harrington doesn’t just look like he belongs in a band. In fact, actor Joe Keery’s music career started taking off before “Stranger Things,” as he formed the Chicago psych-rock band Post Animal in 2014 as a guitarist and drummer. Post Animal put out its debut album, “When I Think of You in a Castle,” in 2018, but Keery departed the band shortly after in 2019 due to his acting schedule.

    However, Keery began slyly releasing music under the moniker Djo that same year, with his first single, “Roddy,” gaining traction on TikTok and streaming services. In September 2019, Keery released his debut album as Djo, which earned positive reviews. He is currently preparing to drop his second album, “Decide,” and has recently debuted synth-heavy singles “Change” and “Gloom.”

    Click the photo above to listen to Djo’s “Gloom.”

  • Charlie Heaton

    Charlie Heaton, who plays Will Byers’ older brother Jonathan in “Stranger Things,” also has a few bands up his sleeve. The English actor was the drummer for noise-rock band Comanechi in the early 2010s, releasing the album “You Owe Me Nothing but Love” during his tenure. He has also been linked to psychedelic group Half Loon, though they haven’t released any music since 2017.

    Click the photo above to listen to Comanechi’s “Love Is the Cure.”

  • Sadie Sink

    After playing the title role in a regional production of “Annie,” a 10-year-old Sadie Sink got the part in the Broadway revival, which she starred in from 2012 to 2014. Though Sink hasn’t put out anything musical since, she recently collaborated with pop star Taylor Swift by starring in her “All Too Well” short film — so if she ever wants to re-enter the music world, she’s got some good contacts.

    Click the photo above to see Sink performing “Tomorrow” from “Annie.”

  • Maya Hawke

    Maya Hawke, who entered the “Stranger Things” world in Season 3 as Robin Buckley, is also a blossoming singer-songwriter. In August 2019, she released her first two singles, and her debut album “Blush” soon followed. Hawke recently debuted the first single from her upcoming sophomore album, “Thérèse,” which certainly caught the attention of the internet as its music video depicts Hawke and her friends in a forest orgy. In a statement, Hawke said the dreamy song “is about the secret spaces we build where we are free to be ourselves, in a world that is always intentionally or systematically misunderstanding us.” Her album, “Moss,” is due out Sept. 23.

    Click the photo above to listen to Hawke’s “Thérèse.”

  • Jamie Campbell Bower

    Jamie Campbell Bower, who was new to the most recent season of “Stranger Things” as villain Vecna, is also a talented musician. Bower grew up in a musical household; his mother was a music manager and his dad worked for guitar company Gibson. He played violin from a young age and was trained in the Suzuki method. As a teenager, Bower appeared as Anthony Hope in the 2007 musical film “Sweeney Todd,” in which he sings “No Place Like London.” He was also the frontman of punk band Counterfeit, which gained a following in the U.K. after their debut album “Together We Are Stronger” in 2017. However, Counterfeit announced in November 2020 that the band had decided to split up. More recently, Bower launched a solo career, releasing two country-rock singles this year.

    Click the photo above to listen to Bower’s “Run On.”

  • Joseph Quinn

    Though he has yet to launch a musical career, Season 4 breakout Joseph Quinn, who played heavy metal hero Eddie Munson, certainly has potential. In the season finale, Eddie plays the guitar solo in Metallica’s “Master of Puppets,” and though Quinn told Collider he brought in a hand double for some of the trickier fingering, he’s played guitar since he was young.

    “Joseph did take time to learn the guitar riff and was actually playing along to a guide track,” music supervisor Nora Felder told Variety of Quinn. “Everyone thought he did a great job.”

    And, thanks to this clip posted on Twitter by the “Stranger Things” writers’ room, fans are able to witness what may be the birth of yet another “Stranger Things” musical prodigy.

    practice makes perfect pic.twitter.com/yjv63A1pfp

    — stranger writers (@strangerwriters) July 10, 2022

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

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