Netflix is set to revisit Hawkins from a new angle this spring — and helping define that return is composer and producer Jason Nesmith, who has been tapped to create the official theme music for Stranger Things Tales from ’85, the franchise’s upcoming animated series premiering April 23, 2026.
Developed by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer alongside showrunner Eric Robles, the series unfolds between Seasons 2 and 3, placing viewers back in the winter of 1985. While the immediate chaos of the Upside Down appears to be receding, a new threat begins to surface — one that once again pulls Hawkins’ core group into a high-stakes mystery.
The animated series brings back familiar characters — Eleven, Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, and Max — this time navigating a fresh storyline that expands the universe beyond its live-action roots. Produced by Flying Bark Productions and executive produced by the Duffers, Shawn Levy, and Robles, the project aims to blend nostalgia with a reimagined visual and narrative style.
Nesmith’s role is central to that tonal reset.
Working directly with Robles, Nesmith composed the series’ theme music, shaping the sonic identity that will introduce audiences to this new chapter. His contribution is focused specifically on the theme — not the full series score — placing added weight on the opening composition as the defining musical statement of the show. The track is expected to echo the atmospheric DNA of the original while carving out its own identity within the animated format.
The voice cast includes Brooklyn Davey Norstedt (Eleven), Jolie Hoang-Rappaport (Max), Luca Diaz (Mike), Elisha “EJ” Williams (Lucas), Braxton Quinney (Dustin), Ben Plessala (Will), and Brett Gipson (Hopper). The theme itself remains unreleased, with details being kept tightly under wraps ahead of the premiere.
For Nesmith, the project adds to a career that has quietly shaped the sound of modern television. With a résumé spanning decades, his work has ranged from broadcast themes to film scoring and commercial composition, consistently balancing accessibility with emotional precision.
Jason Nesmith pictured as a child with Groucho Marx in a rare archival photograph capturing a meeting of generations.
Recent credits include collaborations with Ahmet Zappa on a musical feature project featuring songs by Tony-nominated composer Andrew Lippa, along with theme compositions for Extra Entertainment News and TMZ Live. He continues to contribute music to shows such as Teen Titans Go and The Jennifer Hudson Show, reinforcing his presence across both entertainment and broadcast spaces.
Earlier in his career, Nesmith was signed by industry heavyweight Seymour Stein to Sire Records as part of the Britpop band Nancy Boy, grounding his later work in a foundation shaped by performance as much as composition.
His extensive television work includes nearly two decades as a primary composer for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, as well as themes for CNN New Day, The Tyra Banks Show, Anderson Live, and Judge Jeanine Pirro, among others. His music has also been featured in national campaigns for Microsoft Surface and across documentary programming for networks including Discovery Channel and National Geographic.
Outside of entertainment, Nesmith is involved in philanthropic efforts through The Gihon Foundation, supporting artists across multiple disciplines and contributing to organizations such as MusiCares and Homeboy Industries.
Speaking on the project, Nesmith reflects on the creative process:
“Writing the theme for Stranger Things Tales from ’85 was particularly exciting because the music helps define the atmosphere and identity of the show. That first impression is everything.”
Raised in the creative ecosystem of Laurel Canyon, Nesmith’s musical instincts were shaped early — a lineage that continues to inform his work across mediums.
As Stranger Things Tales from ’85 prepares to launch, the spotlight turns to its opening moments — where Nesmith’s theme will serve as the audience’s first entry point into this reimagined world, bridging the legacy of the original with a new animated future.
1. How has your family inspired you as a musician?
JN: My mom always had records around the house like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and The Beach Boys. Also, a lot of musicals like My Fair Lady, Grease, and West Side Story—stuff like that. My dad had a very wide variety of tastes. I was exposed to a lot of the classics and blues, like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, and John Lee Hooker. He also loved country music and artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Etta James.
2. What do the next 5 years look like musically?
JN: I have just finished writing a musical feature film with a partner I worked with for years on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. So, I hope to be making that film and would love to do some scoring on series for Netflix and Amazon, etc.
3. Where do you get your ideas for subject matter for your project development?
JN: Just look around—there is literally material everywhere.
4. What charities are you aligned with and why?
JN: I run a foundation called the Gihon Foundation with my three siblings. The foundation supports the arts. We recently donated to Homeboy Industries and the MusiCares Foundation.
5. What music projects will you be involved with in the future?
JN: I just recently wrote the theme for the new animated series on Netflix called Stranger Things: Tales from ’85. I hope to stay involved with that show, and of course I will continue with Extra, TMZ Live, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and Teen Titans Go! all of which I currently compose for—and two of which I have rewritten the themes for.
6. Who are your biggest influences?
JN: I would say my biggest influences are all over the map—from classical composers like Vivaldi, Bartók, Grieg, Mahler, and Debussy, to film composers like Jerry Goldsmith, James Newton Howard, and Gustavo Santaolalla, Michael Giacchino, Bernard Herrmann, Ennio Morricone, Henry Mancini. Then all the classic musicians and bands like Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Simon & Garfunkel.
7. What advice would you give to a recording artist or composer starting out?
JN: Learn to work across many genres and be able to compose in many styles. That gives you the best chance, because music supervisors, directors, and producers are always looking for different kinds of music. If you stay in one lane, it limits what you’ll be able to do dramatically.
8. Talk about your training in your early career—who have you trained with and why?
JN: I started playing guitar at a very young age and studied with local teachers, learning all the stuff a young kid wants to learn—Beatles, etc. I then moved on to classical guitar, which was a love of mine from my earliest memories, and studied with a classical guitarist named Jack Sanders. From there, I went on to study music theory, classical composition, and arranging on my own. Setting my sights on attending a music college, I went to Berklee College of Music in Boston for one year before leaving to pursue my career.
9. How do you take care of yourself—your health regimen?
JN: My health regimen is very straightforward. I try to eat as clean as I can. I go to the gym two to three times a week and try to walk or exercise a little every day.
10. Talk about your music on your current projects.
JN: My most recent project is Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, and the theme music on that was a very challenging exercise. I worked closely with Eric Robles, Dan Cohen, and John McGrew at Netflix. We were tasked with creating a new recognizable opening theme for a franchise that already had a very recognizable theme. We wanted to honor the original theme, which is amazing, while also bringing a new piece of music to represent this new take on an incredibly successful worldwide franchise.
11. Who are your favorite composers right now and why?
JN: Some modern-day composers I love right now are Chris Bowers, Teddy Shapiro, and Ramin Djawadi. I think these guys are bringing new and interesting hybrid scores to today’s shows. I like the use of orchestral instruments blended with different types of percussive and synthetic elements—it creates a very unique and compelling sonic environment.
12. When did you know you wanted to be a composer?
JN: I feel like I knew from a very early age. One of the things that fascinated me most about music was how it was made; and I was almost instantly compelled to try to figure it out. The minute I had five chords on the guitar; I started writing chord progressions. I would play them back on my cassette player and then play melodies over them—either on piano or guitar. Even though I didn’t fully understand it at the time, I loved what I was hearing harmonically. It was exciting when it worked and frustrating when it didn’t. I would work hard to improve it, and I could focus in a way that took me out of everyday life.
13. What types of music would you like to work on in the future?
JN: I really love film and TV scoring—that’s my favorite type of music. A very close second would be concert music for orchestra. The level of sophistication in those genres allows you to do so much with harmony and layering—it feels endless to me.
14. What do you do to relax?
JN: My absolute favorite thing to do when I’m not working on music is to go fishing with my two boys. It’s a completely different world—very relaxing and very exciting at the same time.
15. What would you be doing if you were not a composer?
JN: I think if I wasn’t a composer, I would probably work in finance. I know that’s a completely different world from where I’ve lived my whole life, so maybe I’m wrong, but it seems interesting to me. There are so many different avenues one can explore.
16. What are your first steps in creating new music?
JN: When I sit down to create music, it always comes from a slightly different place. Sometimes it starts with a chord progression, sometimes with a melody, and sometimes with rhythm. When something pops into my head, I try to get to the piano as quickly as I can. It feels like a signal from somewhere telling me to go and write at that moment. A lot of times I don’t hear anything specific—I just sit down and start playing. Often, something emerges that I like, and that sets me on a particular path.
17. How do you overcome challenges in your career?
JN: I learned at a very young age that there will be challenges at almost every turn. For every 30 opportunities you pursue, you might get one—that’s a tough ratio. There’s a lot of rejection and criticism. For me, I just love doing it, so I keep coming back regardless of success or failure—both of which I’ve experienced plenty of.
18. Is there anything in your career that you wish you could do again?
JN: I wish that in my 20s I had taken my career more seriously. I think there were missed opportunities, especially in the bands that I was in. It was a fun time—being in a rock band, touring the world—but there were distractions. If I could do it again, I would focus more on the craft and less on the extracurriculars.
19. What are your hobbies?
JN: Fishing, reading, working out, and swimming in the ocean.
20. What is your fondest memory as a child with your family?
JN: I don’t have one single memory that sums it all up, but I had a wonderful childhood. My mother was one of the greatest moms you could ask for. My dad wasn’t around when I was young; but he became another wonderful influence in my life when I got to know him later.
21. How have you grown musically in the last 10 years?
JN: When I’m not working on a project, I’m either writing for, practicing, or studying music—often through online courses. I’ve completed many and continue to educate myself. I believe you should never stop learning. With music, it’s a lifelong pursuit.
22. How do you get your jobs composing?
JN: It really comes down to relationships. It’s important to build trust and be reliable. When you do get a job, deliver your best work—because second chances are rare. If people can count on you, they’ll keep coming back. That’s been my experience.
23. How do you see singer/songwriters/composers changing in the future?
JN: I can’t say exactly how it will change, but it definitely will. Music has gone through many evolutions and will continue to do so. For me, it’s important to stay current with technology and integrate it into my work.
24. Do you have a mentor?
JN: Yes, I would say my mentor right now is Adam Schoenberg—he may not even know it, but he is. He’s a very prolific American concert composer.
25. What’s it like to work on the new Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 show?
JN: It was thrilling and exciting—but also intimidating. Even after 20 years of composing professionally, this project carried unique pressure because of how beloved the franchise is. Writing music to define the animated series required careful thought. Eric Robles was incredibly helpful—we had many discussions that guided the direction. His feedback was invaluable when I sat down to compose.
26. What are your strengths as a composer?
JN: It’s hard for me to say, but one strength is listening. As a media composer, you’re helping bring someone else’s vision to life. You can have your own ideas, but it’s crucial to understand what’s needed.
27. What was the last live show you went to?
JN: AJR at the Hollywood Bowl—they were amazing.
28. Talk about all the different instruments you play.
JN: Guitar, piano, bass, and a bit of percussion. I’m not much of a virtuoso—I prefer to bring in great players.
29. How do you balance your music and your family?
JN: I made a decision years ago not to become a workaholic. I try to keep a schedule similar to a regular job—Monday through Friday, daytime hours—and avoid nights and weekends when possible.
30. How do you maintain longevity in this business?
JN: Keep growing, avoid repetition, and treat people well. Being kind and professional matters, just as much as skill.
31. How do you stay relevant?
JN: Learn, practice, repeat.
32. What was it like hearing your music on a show for the first time?
JN: It was unforgettable. It was on Celebrity Justice, a dramatic hip-hop cue during a real-life moment. Hearing my music in that context was incredibly exciting.
To explore more of Jason Nesmith’s work and stay updated on his latest projects, visit his official website at Jason Nesmith Music official website and discover his full catalog through JEL Music Group official website.