In Stranger Things 4 , the song is not merely background music; it is a vital plot device. It serves as the favorite song of (played by Sadie Sink), who uses it to cope with grief following her brother Billy's death.
: The song saw an 8,000%–8,700% surge in streams immediately following the season's release. By June 2023, it surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify , becoming the first solo recording by a female artist from the 1980s to reach that milestone. Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill Stranger Things Season 4
The "Stranger Things effect" propelled the track to unprecedented heights for an older song: In Stranger Things 4 , the song is
: At 63, Kate Bush became the oldest female artist to ever score a No. 1 single in the UK, surpassing a record previously held by Cher. By June 2023, it surpassed 1 billion streams
: While it peaked at No. 30 in the US in 1985, the 2022 resurgence saw it climb all the way to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
: In the UK, it reached No. 1 in June 2022, setting a record for the longest time (44 years) for a single to reach the top spot after its original release.
The Resurgence of Kate Bush: How "Running Up That Hill" Conquered the 2020s