"Stranger Things" catches a lot of heat from time to time due to its insistence on wearing its nostalgic influences not just on its sleeve, but tattooed across the middle of its face. The Duffer Brothers don't just load their episodes up with Easter eggs and blatant references, but revel in it, and genuinely make an impact on culture in the process. After the debut of season 1, Eggo frozen waffles saw their most social media mentions in a single month ever, and even boosted sales by 14% that year. Chances are, if "Stranger Things" has deemed something worthy of a reference, the original creators will feel the impact (via their pocket book). This time, the influence is coming in the form of music, with Kate Bush's 1985 seminal classic "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" skyrocketing to the number 1 spot on the iTunes chart.
Max (Sadie Sink) has a big arc this season, culminating in a massive scene at the end of episode 4 that many are calling one of the best moments in the show's history. We learn early on in the season that the Kate Bush single off her "Hounds of Love" album is Max's favorite song, and it plays a major role during the previously mentioned scene. The song plays in its entirety during that scene, as well as pops up from time to time throughout the season. Without any spoilers, "Running Up That Hill" is a song that saves lives — but any Kate Bush fan could have told you that without any help from the Upside Down.
'If I Only Could, I'd Make A Deal With God'
Last season, "Stranger Things" did something similar by putting "The NeverEnding Story" theme by Limahal back on the map and boosting its YouTube searches by 800%. "Running Up That Hill" was Kate Bush's biggest hit of the 1980s, and earned her nominations for Best British Female and Best British Single at the 1986 Brit Awards. The song was originally titled "A Deal With God," but the record label feared the title would earn backlash from religious groups and countries and changed the title. Music analyst Trash Theory selected the song as one of the best examples of the "New British Canon" of music, or songs that showcase the continued influence of British music after The British Invasion of the mid-1960s.
"Running Up That Hill" brought her to American audiences in a way that her breakthrough single "Wuthering Heights" was unable to do, but her influence on just about every female pop artist since 1978 is immeasurable. Kate Bush is recognized now as a British alt-pop icon, but she never gained the acclaim stateside that she deserved. Bush's music was some of the most adventurous and ambitious, but she was never a musician that prioritized commercial success over artistic merit. "Stranger Things" deserves high praise for choosing to highlight "Running Up That Hill" this season, and introducing her groundbreaking work to a new generation.
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