Haunting 1985 Track Named One of the 'Best Songs of the '80s' Didn't Peak on the Charts Until 37 Years Later
Kate Bushmight be known for the '70s and '80s era, but one of her most iconic songs didn't reach its peak on the music charts until 2022.
37 years after it was initially released, 1985's "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" soared to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking its highest chart placement ever. The song only ever reached No. 30 when it first came out, but it's still regarded as one of the best songs of the '80s, according to Rolling Stone.
In 2023, the outlet published a roundup of the 200 Best Songs of the '80s, crowning Bush's "Running Up That Hill" as No. 9 on the list.
The song was introduced to a whole new generation of fans in 2022, after it was famously featured in Season 4 of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things. Bush's haunting voice and the track's pulse-like melody served as the backdrop to some of the most tense moments during the season, specifically involving Sadie Sink's character, Max Mayfield.
Bush, 67, previously gushed over the use of her song in the Stranger Things soundtrack, stating in a 2022 interview with BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, It's such a great series. I thought the track would get some attention, but I never imagined it would be anything like this."
"What's really wonderful is that this is a whole new audience who, in many cases, have never heard of me before," she added at the time. "The thought of young people discovering the song for the first time is very special."
A similar situation went down with Tiffany's 1987 hit "I Think We're Alone Now" was featured in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. The track experienced a major resurgence after the season aired in late 2025, rising to the No. 1 spot on Shazam music charts in December 2025.
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This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 6:38 PM.