Stranger Things: Kate Bush’s 1985 Song Tops iTunes Charts Thanks to Season 4

All four seasons of Stranger Things have borrowed elements of ’80s pop culture to not only help immerse the audience in the era, but also to celebrate the many accomplishments of the decade. Season 4 of the series continued this trend, which includes highlighting the Kate Bush song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by specifically connecting it with Max (Sadie Sink) and her emotional narrative this season. Understandably, the use of the song has seen its popularity grow immensely, which includes the track jumping to the top of the iTunes charts only days after the new season dropped its first volume of episodes.

The song was both the first track and the first single on Bush’s album Hounds of Love, with “Running Up That Hill” easily being the singer-songwriter’s biggest hit of the time. While it might have been a popular song, going on to crack to Top 30 on Billboard‘s Hot 100, that year it would compete with hits like “Careless Whisper” by Wham!, “Like a Virgin” by Madonna, and “I Want to Know What Love Is” by Foreigner.

The song was originally titled “A Deal With God,” though it was changed out of concerns that its airplay would be limited due to religious implications.

“Running Up That Hill” ends up playing a similar role in the series to The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go” in Season 1.

WARNING: Mild spoilers below for Stranger Things Season 4 – Volume 1

Throughout the new season, the monstrous Vecna is targeting victims and bringing them to the Upside Down, with the villain going on to set his sights on Max. Victor Creel (Robert Englund) is said to be the only one to survive Vecna, as Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Robin (Maya Hawke) discover that he is able to escape the Upside Down when he hears his favorite song.

Max’s favorite song is “Running Up That Hill,” with an intense sequence in Episode 4 seeing her friends put her headphones on her to blast the track when her mind seems to be transported to the Upside Down. When this allows her to reconnect with the real world and escape the Upside Down, she continues to listen to the song on a loop to prevent her mind from escaping her body again. 

Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1 is now streaming. Volume 2 will premiere on July 1st.

What did you think of the use of the song? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!