Kate Bush Running Up music charts 10 years after 'forgotten' Olympic act

If you haven’t heard the mesmerising sound of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill this summer, then where have you been hiding?

Since the release of the first part of Stranger Things 4 in May, there has been a surge of interest in Kate Bush’s iconic track. Whether you’re a first-time listener or a fan from the past, generations can agree that there’s magic in Bush’s 80s classic.

As Running Up That Hill lands on the UK Charts for the third time since its release in 1985, we revisit the second time Kate Bush’s track charted, after a spectacular performance at the London Olympics in 2012.

Kate Bush’s iconic Olympic performance revisited

The London Olympic Games kicked off on Friday 27 July 2012 in a rather epic fashion. The near four-hour-long ceremony, directed by Oscar-winner Danny Boyle, was held in the Olympic Stadium, London. Titled Isles of Wonder, the opening ceremony explore the best Britain has to offer, from musical stars to cultural contributions. But equally spectacular was the closing ceremony, which took place weeks later on 12 August 2012.

The Olympic’s closing ceremony was entitled A Symphony of British Music. As such, a number of famous British artists performed to celebrate a significant summer of sport. Kate Bush was one of the artists featured, whose newly recorded version of Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) played during the show’s ‘Here Comes the Sun’ segment. Bush’s song was introduced by 16 dhol drummers, who continued to play whilst a pyramid was constructed by the dancers on stage.

You can watch the performance from the London Olympics closing ceremony via YouTube.

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Running Up That Hill returns to charts for first time in a decade

This June has seen Kate Bush return to the UK Charts’ top ten. Running Up That Hill landed at Number Two on the Official UK Singles Chart on 11 June 2022, with Harry Styles’ As It Was continuing its reign over the top spot. As It Was has held the first position for ten weeks.

This is the first time that Running Up That Hill has charted in a decade, with the last time it appeared on the charts coming after the 2012 London Olympics. After the closing ceremony performance, the 2012 remix of Running Up That Hill hit the UK Charts for the first time since its release in 1985. It hit Number Six on the UK Charts.

But Stranger Things has brought Kate Bush more success internationally than even the Olympics could bring. Since the track’s feature on Stranger Things 4, Bush has landed her first Billboard Number One album. Her fifth album, Hounds of Love, currently sits atop the Top Alternative Album charts in the United States.

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Stranger Things welcomes new legions of Kate Bush fans

The Duffer Brothers invoke some serious 80s nostalgia in Stranger Things, embracing the decade’s music, movies, tech, and fashion. For a younger generation of viewers, some of whom are just now learning of Kate Bush, they are embracing the musical icon in full force.

NME reports that Running Up That Hill has seen a 153% increase in streams following the release of new Stranger Things episodes, which is only set to increase.

You can watch the iconic Stranger Things scene featuring Running Up That Hill below, although it may contain spoilers if you have yet to watch season 4:

Eve Edwards

Eve Edwards is a staff writer for The Focus who has been with GRV Media since April 2019. Having gained a BA (Hons) in History from the University of Bristol, Eve joined GRV starting out as a writer for Reality Titbit before making her way over to HITC. With a passion for music, TV, and cultural news, Eve eventually found a home at The Focus. Eve spent 2021-2022 freelancing for GRV Media while she completed a Masters in Music Performance, and brings her wide array of interests to the company in her written work. In Eve's spare time you'll find her working her way through the day's Wordle, Heardle, and Quordle, or struggling to complete The Guardian's cryptic crossword.