The summer of Kate Bush continues to barrel ahead at full steam, as the beloved songwriter, producer and pop storyteller's "Running Up That Hill" has officially reached No. 1 in the UK.
This renaissance — not to be confused with Beyoncé's — is, of course, being driven by the song's inclusion in the latest season of Stranger Things. Last week, "Running Up That Hill" placed Bush in the US Top 10 chart for the first time in her career, and now she's topped the charts in her home country for the first time since releasing her 1978 debut single "Wuthering Heights."
However, the placement took some rule adjustment to happen. As reported by the BBC, the UK's Chart Supervisory Committee have set aside the "accelerated decline" rule, which says an older song needs more listens than a current hit in order to count for a single sale. Because Bush's label requested a "manual reset," streams of "Running Up That Hill" count the same as any other new single's would. Who knew!
"Running Up That Hill" has also narrowly broken a record previously held by Wham!'s "Last Christmas" — which topped the charts 36 years after its release vs. Bush's 37 — for the longest time elapsed to reach No. 1. And if that wasn't enough, at 63 years old, Bush is also the oldest woman to ever score a No. 1 single on the chart, beating out 52-year-old Cher's 1998 hit "Believe."
According to that BBC article, "Running Up That Hill" will appear heavily in the upcoming second half of Stranger Things' fourth season, so Kate Bush summer is (hopefully) nowhere near over.
Kate Bush herself seems understandably excited about all of this, and has been sharing several consequent statements — an extreme rarity from the typically quiet Bush — on the song's sudden success. She shared a new one today to her website, writing:
On Top of that Hill
The Duffer Brothers have created four extraordinary series of Stranger Things in which the child actors have grown into young adults. In this latest series the characters are facing many of the same challenges that exist in reality right now. I believe the Duffer Brothers have touched people's hearts in a special way, at a time that's incredibly difficult for everyone, especially younger people.
By featuring Running Up That Hill in such a positive light – as a talisman for Max (one of the main female characters) – the song has been brought into the emotional arena of her story. Fear, conflict and the power of love are all around her and her friends.
I salute the Duffer Brothers for their courage – taking this new series into a much more adult and darker place. I want to thank them so much for bringing the song into so many people's lives.
I'm overwhelmed by the scale of affection and support the song is receiving and it's all happening really fast, as if it's being driven along by a kind of elemental force.
I have to admit I feel really moved by it all.
Thank you so very much for making the song a No 1 in such an unexpected way.
Kate
Go ahead and join everybody else in listening to "Running Up That Hill, below" and while you're at it, go check out the rest of Bush's life-changing catalogue.
This renaissance — not to be confused with Beyoncé's — is, of course, being driven by the song's inclusion in the latest season of Stranger Things. Last week, "Running Up That Hill" placed Bush in the US Top 10 chart for the first time in her career, and now she's topped the charts in her home country for the first time since releasing her 1978 debut single "Wuthering Heights."
However, the placement took some rule adjustment to happen. As reported by the BBC, the UK's Chart Supervisory Committee have set aside the "accelerated decline" rule, which says an older song needs more listens than a current hit in order to count for a single sale. Because Bush's label requested a "manual reset," streams of "Running Up That Hill" count the same as any other new single's would. Who knew!
"Running Up That Hill" has also narrowly broken a record previously held by Wham!'s "Last Christmas" — which topped the charts 36 years after its release vs. Bush's 37 — for the longest time elapsed to reach No. 1. And if that wasn't enough, at 63 years old, Bush is also the oldest woman to ever score a No. 1 single on the chart, beating out 52-year-old Cher's 1998 hit "Believe."
According to that BBC article, "Running Up That Hill" will appear heavily in the upcoming second half of Stranger Things' fourth season, so Kate Bush summer is (hopefully) nowhere near over.
Kate Bush herself seems understandably excited about all of this, and has been sharing several consequent statements — an extreme rarity from the typically quiet Bush — on the song's sudden success. She shared a new one today to her website, writing:
On Top of that Hill
The Duffer Brothers have created four extraordinary series of Stranger Things in which the child actors have grown into young adults. In this latest series the characters are facing many of the same challenges that exist in reality right now. I believe the Duffer Brothers have touched people's hearts in a special way, at a time that's incredibly difficult for everyone, especially younger people.
By featuring Running Up That Hill in such a positive light – as a talisman for Max (one of the main female characters) – the song has been brought into the emotional arena of her story. Fear, conflict and the power of love are all around her and her friends.
I salute the Duffer Brothers for their courage – taking this new series into a much more adult and darker place. I want to thank them so much for bringing the song into so many people's lives.
I'm overwhelmed by the scale of affection and support the song is receiving and it's all happening really fast, as if it's being driven along by a kind of elemental force.
I have to admit I feel really moved by it all.
Thank you so very much for making the song a No 1 in such an unexpected way.
Kate
Go ahead and join everybody else in listening to "Running Up That Hill, below" and while you're at it, go check out the rest of Bush's life-changing catalogue.