‘Stranger Things’ Hits Massive Milestone With Billions in Economic Impact and Netflix Views

As “Stranger Things” prepares to end with its final episode set to air on New Year’s Eve, new numbers show just how big the show has become, not just for Netflix, but for the U.S. economy as well.

According to data shared by Netflix, the full run of “Stranger Things” has now passed 1.2 billion total views worldwide. Netflix calculates this number by dividing total watch time by the full runtime of all episodes. This puts the series ahead of every other show in the platform’s history. Even major hits like “Wednesday” and “Squid Game” only beat individual seasons, not the entire series.

The fifth and final season pushed the numbers even higher. Volume 1 of Season 5 crossed more than 100 million views in less than a month. Netflix reports that the season topped weekly viewing charts in almost every country it tracks.

The final episodes have not even been released yet, meaning the numbers are expected to grow much more in the coming months.

Beyond streaming, the show has also had a strong impact on the real economy. Netflix says “Stranger Things” has created more than 8,000 production jobs in the United States since it began in 2016. The series has added an estimated $1.4 billion to the U.S. economy.

Georgia benefited the most, since much of the show was filmed there. The production brought in about $650 million to the state and worked with thousands of local vendors. California followed with roughly $500 million added to its economy.

The show’s influence has also helped revive older music, which boosted streaming platforms and artist royalties. Spotify reports major jumps in streams for classic songs used in the series, with some tracks seeing increases of several hundred percent. Spotify also says fans have created more than 200,000 playlists inspired by the show.

Netflix credits “Stranger Things” for driving interest in related brands and industries as well. From food partnerships to live events, the series has led to massive marketing campaigns that reached billions of people online. Netflix confirmed that one food collaboration tied to the final season generated more than 11 billion impressions.

The numbers also explain why Netflix is giving the show a rare sendoff. The final episode will screen in select movie theaters in the U.S. and Canada, a move that highlights how valuable the franchise has become.

Variety summed up the show’s success in a past feature, writing that “it has — more than any of Netflix’s other series — demonstrably proven the streamer’s fearsome power.” The publication pointed to the show’s ability to grow larger with every season and pull in a global audience.

Looking at the figures alone, it is clear that “Stranger Things” became more than a TV series. It turned into an economic engine, a streaming giant, and a major force in modern entertainment.

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