Whatever happened to Kate Bush, singer of Stranger Things hit song Running Up That Hill? From her US$60 million net worth and reclusive lifestyle, to her 1985 hit making a chart comeback
- Stranger Things fans are pushing Bush and her 1985 song up the charts, with a 9,900 per cent increase on Spotify, and a No 8 position on Billboard’s Hot 100 – a first for the singer
- This isn’t Bush’s first taste of success: the veteran was nominated for Brit, Grammy and Billboard Music Awards, and her song was even used in the 2012 London Olympics
Not just some barely audible backing track, Bush’s emotionally stirring hit was incorporated as a critical component in the hit Netflix sci-fi show’s fourth season’s storyline.
The song enables the character Max (played by Sadie Sink) to escape the horrifying clutches of the villain, Vecna. In fact, the episode and frightening scene in which Max is held captive by Vecna in the so-called Upside Down and her subsequent escape back to her friends has been rated as one the season’s best.
Because of Stranger Things’ global appeal and following, the song – and the artist – have now been discovered by a new generation of fans who had not encountered the singularly talented musician before now.
So how much of an impact did the show actually have on Bush? We take a closer look at the Stranger Things effect, Bush’s reaction and more.
The Stranger Things effect
Thanks to the Stranger Things-fuelled interest in Running Up That Hill, the song has, since the launch of the show’s fourth season, been smashing previous records and music chart rankings. As reported by Billboard, over the memorial day weekend in the US alone, the song saw an increase in streaming on Spotify by a whopping 9,900 per cent. The song also reached a highest entry in the No 8 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 – the first time Bush has ever had a song in the list’s top 10. She’s also climbed her way back into the UK Top 40, as well as into top music charts in Ireland, Australia, Germany, Canada and New Zealand.