Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ Rises To The Top Five On The Hot 100 Chart, A First For Bush

These days, viral trends are more prone to being reflected on the Billboard charts and if you’ve been paying attention, you know that’s happening right now: Kate Bush’s 1985 single “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” hit the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart last week, which was the first time any of her songs had placed that high (not to mention, it’s currently No. 2 on the UK singles chart). This is all thanks to the song featuring prominently in the new season of Stranger Things.

That chart success wasn’t just a one-week (stranger) thing, though: On the new Hot 100 chart dated June 18, “Running Up That Hill” continues to rise, as it’s now Bush’s first top-five single in the US thanks to ranking at No. 4 this week.

In terms of non-holiday songs, this is the longest journey to the top five in Hot 100 history, as it’s been 36 years, nine months, and two weeks since “Running Up That Hill” debuted on the chart in 1985. The next closest non-holiday song on that list is Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which itself was propped up by a media placement, in the famous Wayne’s World scene. Queen’s run was 16 years, three months, and two weeks, between January 3, 1976 and April 18, 1992.

Bush recently shared her thoughts on the song’s success after it achieved a new peak on the UK charts, writing on her site, “How utterly brilliant! It’s hard to take in the speed at which this has all been happening since the release of the first part of the Stranger Things new series. So many young people who love the show, discovering the song for the first time. The response to Running Up That Hill is something that has had its own energy and volition. A direct relationship between the shows and their audience and one that has stood completely outside of the music business. We’ve all been astounded to watch the track explode! Thanks so much to everyone who has supported the song and a really special thank you to the Duffer Brothers for creating something with such heart.”