The Stranger Things theme was composed by Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon of the electronic band Survive for the Netflix series created by the Duffer Brothers, which premiered in 2016. Built around a pulsing analog synth arpeggio inspired by 1980s film scores, it became instantly recognizable as the show's sonic signature. The intro audio spread beyond the series into YouTube edits, TikTok theories, and Halloween compilations, where the first few notes alone signal mystery. Its continued use comes from that instant association with suspense, nostalgia, and the Upside Down.