Murray Bauman just became the coolest character in Hawkins—and it’s all thanks to a purple vinyl record.
In the explosive finale of “Stranger Things” season 5, the beloved conspiracy theorist played by Brett Gelman orchestrates one of television’s most memorable musical moments.
His weapon of choice? Prince and the Revolution’s legendary 1984 album “Purple Rain.”
But this wasn’t just another needle drop—it was a brilliantly crafted plot device that turned a turntable into a detonator and gave fans an emotional gut-punch they won’t soon forget.
The Record That Became a Bomb Trigger
About halfway through the two-hour finale episode, Murray drops the needle on his turntable, and viewers catch a quick vertical shot revealing the iconic “Purple Rain” album spinning beneath.
As “When Doves Cry” begins playing, the Hawkins gang flees from the Upside Down while Prince’s haunting vocals fill the scene.
How can you just leave me standing / Alone in a world that’s so cold?
The setup was ingeniously simple yet deadly effective. Murray rigged an elaborate mechanism where explosives would trigger when the needle approached the end of side 2, with an attachment wire set to strike a Dungeons & Dragons figure spinning on the record’s center.
This meant the record had to play completely through from “When Doves Cry” (the first track on side 2) to “Purple Rain” (the final song on that same side). Every second of music became a ticking clock.
Why Prince? The Duffer Brothers Explain Their Most Epic Choice
Series co-creator Ross Duffer told Netflix’s Tudum that choosing the right album sparked more discussion than any other musical moment in the show’s history.
Once we came up with the idea that the record was going to be the trigger for the bomb, we knew we needed an epic needle drop, and so many ideas were thrown around. I think there’s nothing really more epic than Prince.
The Duffer Brothers needed an album that perfectly matched their narrative requirements: starting with a celebratory song and ending with an emotionally weighty track.
“Purple Rain” delivered exactly that structure. “When Doves Cry” provided the energetic escape anthem while the title track created a devastating emotional crescendo for a character’s semi-ambiguous goodbye.
The Butthole Surfers Almost Made the Cut
In an earlier episode, Mike Wheeler (played by Finn Wolfhard) pitched a wildly different option: the Butthole Surfers.
Robin, portrayed by Maya Hawke, suggested The Replacements instead. Mike insisted he deserved album-picking privileges since he built the bomb.
Thankfully for viewers everywhere, Murray’s taste prevailed. Can you imagine “Purple Rain” replaced by punk rock chaos?
Breaking Prince’s Strict Licensing Rules
Getting permission to use Prince’s music was no small feat. The late artist, who died in 2016, was notoriously protective about how his songs were licensed.
Ross Duffer revealed that both “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain” had never been used in a television series before—only in Prince’s 1984 movie of the same name.
What is also very exciting about it is it just has not been used. [Prince’s] estate does not generally allow that song to be licensed outside the ‘Purple Rain’ movie.
So how did “Stranger Things” pull off this unprecedented licensing coup?
Kate Bush Opened the Door
Matt Duffer credited an unlikely assist from another music legend.
And then, thanks to Kate Bush, we were able to acquire the rights.
Prince was reportedly a massive Kate Bush fan. After “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” exploded in popularity following its season 4 feature in 2022, Prince’s estate apparently became more open to “Stranger Things” using his music.
Bush’s unexpected resurgence created a domino effect that brought Prince’s music to Netflix screens—a connection nobody saw coming.
The Legacy Behind the Purple Album
“Purple Rain” isn’t just any album. It’s a cultural landmark that sold over 25 million copies worldwide and consistently ranks among the greatest albums ever recorded.
The record spawned multiple chart-topping hits:
- “Let’s Go Crazy”
- “When Doves Cry”
- “Purple Rain”
- “I Would Die 4 U”
- “Darling Nikki”
- “The Beautiful Ones”
It won multiple Grammy Awards, an Oscar, and earned a spot in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry—reserved for recordings deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
Prince’s legendary 2007 Super Bowl XLI halftime performance featured “Purple Rain” performed in actual rain, cementing the song’s place in pop culture immortality. He also performed the album with a 10-minute guitar solo at a 1985 Syracuse Carrier Dome concert, broadcast live to over 12 million European viewers through Eurovision.
Playing Syracuse is just one of those memories I’ll never forget.
Those words from Prince and the Revolution drummer Bobby Z. capture how certain musical moments transcend their context—much like what happened in Hawkins.
More Than Just a Soundtrack Choice
The finale featured an impressive musical lineup including Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” the Pixies’ “Here Comes Your Man,” Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper,” David Bowie’s “Heroes,” and Cowboy Junkies’ cover of “Sweet Jane” (written by Syracuse University alumnus Lou Reed).
Yet none carried the narrative weight of Prince’s contributions. The title track played over flashbacks to key moments throughout the entire “Stranger Things” series, turning a character’s farewell into an absolutely heartbreaking moment.
By letting the vinyl play naturally from start to finish on side 2, the Duffer Brothers created something rare: a plot device that honored both the medium of vinyl records and the artistic integrity of Prince’s album sequencing.
Murray didn’t just play a record. He weaponized nostalgia, turned analog technology into modern drama, and gave “Stranger Things” fans one final reason to remember why this show became a phenomenon—by celebrating the music that defined a generation.