Stranger Things continues to bring new audiences to artefacts of Eighties culture, like the iconic toy Lite-Brite and, more controversially, the Kate Bush hit “Running Up That Hill”.
Thanks to a very prominent feature in season four of Netflix’s fantasy juggernaut, the track has climbed to the top spot on the iTunes charts in the US and the UK. It peaked at Number 3 on the Official UK Charts when it was originally released in the summer of 1985.
Still, not all Kate Bush fans are happy to see a new audience discovering their favourite artist.
“If y’all start calling Kate Bush’s music the Stranger Things songs I’m gonna kill you,” threatened one user.
“WAIT everyone’s finding out about Kate Bush because of STRANGER THINGS??? Oh you p***ed me off so bad,” complained another.
“Running Up That Hill” takes on life-saving powers on Stranger Things. Listening to it on repeat literally tethers one beloved character to the real world. To some, this is a fitting use of a propulsive track with such powerful synth crescendos.
“I just have to say the inclusion of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” in Stranger Things 4 episode 4 changed the trajectory of my life and permanently altered my brain chemistry. Thank you, Kate Bush,” gushed a newcomer to the song.
It’s worth noting Stranger Things is not the first television series to make use of the hit. It has previously appeared on the soundtracks for both It’s a Sin and The Handmaid’s Tale.
