Posted on 07/05/2022 3:52:09 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Nearly 40 years after Kate Bush released "Running Up That Hill" in 1985, the song has found new life after being used in the fourth season of Stranger Things. The Netflix show boosted the track to the top of the charts and reportedly earned Bush millions of dollars in streaming revenue.
According to Luminate (formerly known as SoundScan), the resurgence of the song - — which has just entered its third week at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart — has brought roughly $2.3 million in streaming royalties, according to CBS News. Because Bush owns the copyright to her recordings, she is likely taking away at least 80% of those earnings.
"While we've seen a notable increase in catalog music streams in recent years — with an annual 20[%] growth alone in 2021 — the Kate Bush story has taken the phenomenon to a new level," Rob Jonas, CEO of Luminate, said in a statement to CBS.
Bush has been amazed by the song's traction, noting in a recent blog post that "I can’t believe it — No. 1 for the third week. We’re all so excited! In fact, it’s all starting to feel a bit surreal."
"Running Up That Hill," which peaked at No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released in 1985, has become Bush's first Top 5 in the U.S.
She's not the only artist to have work featured in Stranger Things. Metallica’s 1986 song “Master of Puppets” was recently used in the fourth-season finale, and tracks by the Police, the Clash, Duran Duran, Toto, Bon Jovi, Peter Gabriel, Journey and Kiss have appeared over the show's four seasons.
"I feel deeply honored that the song was chosen to become a part of their roller-coaster journey," Bush wrote. "I can’t imagine the amount of hard work that’s gone into making something on this scale. I am in awe. They’ve made something really spectacular."
I’m 60.
Never heard the song that I remember… weird.
I always preferred Babooshka
I can beat that. I don’t know who Kate Bush is. Sincerely, I don’t.
My appreciation for her has increased over the years. A unique talent.
Catchy tune, but weird song. About a man and a woman ‘making a deal with God’ and switching places to see what the other sees.
Anyway, glad she's having a big comeback. I always liked her vocal style. "Wuthering Heights" and "December Will Be Magic Again" are two other great performances by her.
I love Kate Bush’s music.
I have several songs on my playlists that I listen to when I ski and ride.
Kate Bush was gorgeous and mysterious. I never “got” her back then, but she was a big deal in her sphere.
She’s not one of “those types”, thankfully. Very feminine, straight, etc.. She did a really excellent song called “This Woman’s “Work” for the movie “She’s Having a Baby”, and she basically sings it from the perspective of a husband when his wife is having a very difficult, dangerous birth. Gorgeous song, and a real tearjerker.
The Hounds of Love. I have that CD somewhere.
She would have been my first choice for the R&R Hall of Fame this year. Charter her own course, and sounded like nobody who came before her.
Maybe you listened to too much disco, but Kate was absolutely on the scene then, perhaps a bit too new wave/modern.
She did a lot of songs with Peter Gabriel, such as Don't Give Up, from his 1986 So album, which included his famous Sledgehammer song and awesome video.
1980s version of Annie Haslam. Incredible music from classical training.
Wuthering Heights is her best, IMHO. Can’t think of anything like it.
Her “I Dream of Sheep” was a big hit on our farm. We raised a lot of lambs. More than 200 every season.
You should find out, sooner rather than later.
The Whole Story is a great starting point.
The song Don’t Give Up is one of my favorites.
Here’s the first MTV video that some thought was a little bit creepy (as it’s supposed to be a platonic freindship):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjEq-r2agqc
Here’s a better version they did to replace the first:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrT1QI_Yrd8
Either way, this song really speaks to the importance of having friends when all else is hopeless!
I abhor that song.
Good for Kate Bush - “Hounds of Love” was a great album and it’s great to see a song off it making money for her all these years later. Hopefully a few of the people who’ve heard “Running Up That Hill” will try listening to the entire album.
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