Kate Bush Says “Stranger Things” Is Giving “Running Up That Hill” a “New Lease of Life”

Forget conquering hills, Kate Bush’s 1985 song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” has been climbing the charts since it turned up as Max’s favourite song in “Stranger Things” season four. “Stranger Things” has been utilising classic ’80s songs since the series began, but “Running Up That Hill” has resonated with fans on a whole new level that even the famously private Bush can’t ignore. The Grammy-nominated artist rarely gives interviews or makes appearances, but in light of her song’s renewed success, she issued a statement on her official website thanking her new fans and praising “Stranger Things.”

Bush shared her excitement over her music reaching a whole new generation of fans via the hit Netflix show in a rare statement. “You might’ve heard that the first part of the fantastic, gripping new series of ‘Stranger Things’ has recently been released on Netflix. It features the song, ‘Running Up That Hill’ which is being given a whole new lease of life by the young fans who love the show – I love it too!” she wrote. “Because of this, Running Up That Hill is charting around the world and has entered the UK chart at No. 8. It’s all really exciting! Thanks very much to everyone who has supported the song. I wait with bated breath for the rest of the series in July.”

“Running Up That Hill” is played throughout the first half of “Stranger Things” season four as Max grieves her brother, Billy, culminating in an intense scene in which her favourite song (and her friends) save her from the clutches of the villainous Vecna. However, “Stranger Things” music supervisor Nora Felder was initially unsure if they would be able to secure the rights to the song since Bush rarely approves the use of her music for films and TV shows. In an interview with Variety, Felder explained that Bush’s love for the series and an incredibly detailed plan helped her ensure Max’s big moment wasn’t scored by a different song.

“I sat with my clearance coordinator, and laid out all the scripted scenes for song uses that we knew of at that point,” Felder said. “Knowing the challenges, we proceeded to create elaborate scene descriptions that provided as much context as possible so that Kate and her camp would have a full understanding of the uses. When we finished, we were on edge, but excited and hopeful.”

Bush, who was already a fan of the series, ultimately gave the green light for “Running Up That Hill” to become Max’s anthem. Her decision has led to the classic track being discovered by a whole new generation of fans who are making it a hit all over again. Per Variety, on Spotify alone, the song has seen a 9,900 percent play increase – and that’s just in the United States. Despite being released in 1985, “Running Up That Hill” is a real contender to be the song of the summer, and that’s thanks both to the magic of “Stranger Things” and the enduring talent of Bush.