One of the best elements of a TV show or film is the music. A swelling score or a perfectly placed popular song can elevate a moment to something iconic. In fact, there are some songs that we intrinsically tie to certain scenes or stories as though they are one thing. That’s what happened recently with Stranger Things 4 and “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush. This frankly brilliant gem from 1985 is running up that iTunes chart after becoming one character’s defining song and saving grace.
For those who don’t know, Kate Bush is an English performing artist who rose to fame in the UK during the New Wave era. Her songs were quite unique with experimental sounds, genre blending, and sometimes cryptic lyrics, making her stand out from the crowd. However, Kate Bush never truly got her fair due here in the US… until now. In Stranger Things 4, Kate Bush got on the radar of a new general of fans when “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” became Max’s theme song.
It makes sense why Max loves this song so much, though. Yes it is rad in general. But the idea of masking pain and wanting to swap places with someone else fits her story. The song eventually saves her life from the clutches of Vecna… at least, for now. Who knows if Max will die in Stranger Things 4 Volume Two or not.
Either way, Stranger Things massive streaming popularity is a good thing for Kate Bush. According to Deadline, her song is now #1 on iTunes and surely getting repetitive plays on other platforms too. I personally am happy about people discovering this gem because it means a lot to me, too. Kate Bush deserves all the love and Max’s love for her reaffirms how awesome she is as a character.