Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ Takes Out #1 On The ARIA Singles Chart
Some 37 years after its release, Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) today takes out the coveted #1 spot on the ARIA singles chart this week off the back of it’s global sync on Netflix’s hotly anticipated Stranger Things Season 4.
Max, played by Sadie Sink, visits the grave of her brother Billy in season four of Stranger Things. Without giving away any spoilers, Bush’s 80’s classic Running Up That Hill sound tracked the epic final scene in episode 4 of Stranger Things, now being hailed as one of the most thrilling scenes in the entire franchise.
Within 48 hours of the new season of Stranger Things airing on the 27th May, Running Up That Hill shot straight to #1 on the iTunes charts in the US and Australia, #1 on the Australian Spotify Viral Chart, #2 on the Australian Spotify Daily Songs Chart and received a flood of playlisting support across Spotify, Apple and Amazon.
This week the track officially charted at #1 on the ARIA singles chart, as well as currently sitting at #1 on the Spotify Daily Singles Chart, #1 on the Spotify Daily Viral Chart, #1 on the Shazam chart, #1 on Apple Music Daily Top Songs Chart and #1 on the iTunes Daily Top Singles Chart.
Locally, the song has also become Bush’s third of five Top 10 singles in Australia, having placed a single on the Australian ARIA charts for five of the past six decades, the 1970’s, 80’s, 90’s, 2010’s when Wuthering Heights returned (April 2012) and now the 2020’s.
Having originally peaked at #6 in the ARIA singles chart back in late October of 1985, spending two weeks within the ARIA Top 10, the song’s use within the series has exposed the iconic singer/songwriter to a whole new generation of fans. While Bush has always had a cult following, she has since found an even larger following in the audiences of Gen Z, with the track now dominating TikTok videos across the globe with over 1 million global creations as well as sitting at #1 on the TikTok trending chart today.
“When the first series came out, friends kept asking us if we’d seen ‘Stranger Things’, so we checked it out and really loved it. We’ve watched every series since then, as a family. When they approached us to use Running Up That Hill, you could tell that a lot of care had gone into how it was used in the context of the story and I really liked the fact that the song was a positive totem for the character, Max. I’m really impressed by this latest series. It’s an epic piece of work – the shows are extremely well put together with great characters and fantastic SFX. It’s very touching that the song has been so warmly received, especially as it’s being driven by the young fans who love the shows. I’m really happy that the Duffer Brothers are getting such positive feedback for their latest creation. They deserve it.” – Kate Bush
Last week it was revealed that Bush granted permission for the song to be used in Stranger Things as she herself is a fan of the series. Sony’s Wende Crowley, who oversaw the publishing deal, told Variety that Bush is usually “Selective when it comes to licensing her music”, after reading the script and footage instructions Bush ultimately gave her blessings for the use.
“Thanks very much to everyone who has supported the song. I wait with bated breath for the rest of the series in July.” – Kate Bush