Hollywood, Calif. — Composer and producer Jason Nesmith will compose the theme for the upcoming animated Netflix series “Stranger Things: Tales from ’85”, premiering April 23, 2026.
“Stranger Things: Tales from ’85”, is a new animated adventure
series scheduled to premiere on Netflix on April 23, 2026.
Developed by Matt and Ross Duffer and show-runner Eric
Robles, focusing on new journeys for the original characters set
between seasons 2 and 3, in Hawkins – during the winter of 1985.
The horrors of The Upside Down are finally fading. But beneath the
ice, something terrifying has awakened. The heroes must race to
solve this mystery and save Hawkins in this new story set in the
Stranger Things universe. Featuring the original heroes (Eleven,
Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, Max) battling new, mysterious
creatures. The show is created by Flying Bark Productions and
executive produced by the Duffer Brothers, Shawn Levy, and Eric
Robles.
Jason worked closely with Robles to craft a theme that honors the legacy of the original series while establishing a fresh musical identity for the animated world. The Voice Cast includes voice acting from 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). But you really will have to wait to hear the theme, it is under lock and key until its release date.
Jason Nesmith has extensive credits to his name. Recently
Jason has partnered with Ahmet Zappa to co-produce the music
for a new musical feature film, developed from Zappa’s original
concept and featuring songs by Tony-nominated composer
Andrew Lippa. He recently finished the theme for the 2025/26
season of Extra Entertainment News, as well as the theme for
TMZ Live.
Jason also currently composes for Teen Titans Go and
the Jennifer Hudson Show on Fox. He has also co-written a
slasher romantic comedy musical feature with three-time Emmy
Award–winning comedy writer Jason Blackman, which is currently
in development. He has also had the pleasure of being one of 8
people chosen to participate in BMI’s Conducting Workshop in 2019.
In recent years, he has composed scores for multiple
independent films, television movies, and a handful of short films.
Among them is Holly Slept Over, a romantic comedy from Sony
starring Ron Livingston, Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones),
and Britt Lower (Severance).
For the last 19 years, Jason has worked with Warner Brothers/Tele-pictures as one of the primary composers for The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He has also written the themes for Anderson Live, CNN New Day, The Tyra Banks Show, Judge Jeanine Pirro, Let’s Ask America, Jessy and Jessy Food Tech, Ellen’s Design Challenge, Play with Caution, and
many more. Since its launch in 2013, Jason has composed music
for the Microsoft Surface tablet national commercial spots. He has
also done extensive scoring for documentaries on the History
Channel, Discovery Channel and the National Geographic
Network.
In his rock and roll days, he was signed by music industry legend, Seymour Stein to the iconic Sire Records as a member of 90’s famed Brit pop group Nancy Boy.
Beyond his work in entertainment, Jason Nesmith is actively
involved in philanthropy through The Gihon Foundation, a nonprofit
he runs with his siblings that supports musicians, writers, and artists
across multiple disciplines. Recent contributions have
included Musicares, and Homeboy Industries.
Today Jason Nesmith continues to write and produce for some of
the longest running and most successful TV franchises, and can
be heard literally 24/7, syndicated worldwide, under his own
music company name, JEL Music Group.
www.jelmusicgroup.com
“The first time I can remember hearing music, I
remember thinking, I want to make that. Before I
fully understood it, I was already trying to compose.
When I began learning guitar and piano, writing music
became the natural extension of that curiosity.
“Over the years I’ve worked across symphonic music as well
as film and television scoring. Writing the theme for
Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 was particularly
exciting because the music helps define the
atmosphere and identity of the show,” Jason Says.
Jason knows music, it is in his blood, he was raised with many
legendary musicians and writers in the hills of Laurel Canyon. As
they say, ‘the fruit did not fall far from the tree,’ and in this case
this tree has bared very talented fruit. Jason Nesmith is not
stopping anytime soon. With his own 2 children he hopes to keep
his family’s legacy out there for the younger generation to enjoy
the music.
Keeping in line with his musical heritage, Jason is just excited to see how audiences will react to this latest upcoming project, and the huge brand of the “Stranger Things,” franchise.
jasonnesmithmusic.com
www.jelmusicgroup.com