37 Years Later, Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' Is Blowing Up Because of Stranger Things

British pop icon Kate Bush is attracting a whole new generation of listeners—and it’s all thanks to Stranger Things. The streams for Bush’s 1985 song “Running Up That Hill” skyrocketed by 8,700 percent after it became the unofficial theme song of Stranger Things season four. In the series, “Running Up That Hill” is introduced as Max’s favorite song and later on, listening to the song saves her from the clutches of the Upside Down. 

Since its release in 1985, Kate Bush’s song has been revived a number of times as a testament to its timelessness. But 2022 marks its biggest resurgence yet. The song has been the highest charting son in Bush’s career, but during its early years, it only ranked on U.K. charts. Now, the song is number two on Spotify’s U.S. chart and number four on the top 200 global chart. Seemingly overnight, the 63-year-old pop icon has welcomed all the Netflix-watching Gen Z fans of Stranger Things to her growing fanbase. 

“It’s incredible to watch iconic songs get rediscovered and have global moments with new listeners,” said Jeremy Erlich, Spotify’s global head of music, to Billboard. “‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)‘ is one of those ‘perfect storm’ examples. It’s a classic song that has been introduced to a wide fandom and has now taken on a whole new meaning.”

“Running Up That Hill” was Kate Bush’s lead single in her 1985 album House of Love, which is also feeling the effects of overnight fame. Bush’s entire catalog has experienced a 1,600 percent increase in streams since “Running Up That Hill” was featured in Stranger Things. Meanwhile, the entire Stranger Things playlist has experienced 1,784 percent growth in global streams since season four dropped. 

“We’ve watched the song grow tremendously over the weekend, showcasing the massive cultural impact of Stranger Things and streaming’s power to share and discover music instantaneously,” said Erlich. “Most importantly, Kate Bush has deservedly increased her fanbase to a new generation of music lovers. Max / Sadie Sink and the Stranger Things crew have great taste!”

We couldn’t agree more. Listen to “Running Up That Hill” and the rest of the Stranger Things playlist below.