"It is outstanding to see how the response to Kate's track has engaged new and previous followers alike," Netflix's Alexandra Patsavas says of the instant listener response.
“Working Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” Kate Bush’s traditional 1985 single, has obtained an explosion of latest curiosity due to its use within the lately premiered fourth season of Stranger Issues. And whereas subsequent week’s Billboard charts will mirror its total surge, new information from Spotify demonstrates the Netflix sequence’ impression on its streaming totals to this point.
In line with information collected by Spotify on Monday, “Working Up That Hill” posted an 8,700 p.c enhance in world streams in comparison with its complete on Thursday, the day previous to the Stranger Issues season 4 premiere on Netflix. In the meantime, the track’s U.S. streams elevated by 9,900 p.c over the identical time interval. “Working Up That Hill” at the moment sits at No. 2 on Spotify’s prime 50 U.S. chart and No. 4 on its prime 200 world chart.
“It’s unimaginable to look at iconic songs get rediscovered and have world moments with new listeners,” says Jeremy Erlich, Spotify’s world head of music, in a press release to Billboard. “‘Working Up That Hill (A Deal With God) ‘ is a type of ‘good storm’ examples. It’s a traditional track that has been launched to a large fandom and has now taken on a complete new that means.”
“Working Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” the lead single to the British legend’s 1985 album Hounds of Love, soundtracks the story of Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink), nonetheless reeling from a household demise, within the fourth season of Stranger Issues. Max performs the track on her Walkman within the first episode of season 4, and the track serves as a recurring theme for the character main as much as a pivotal sequence within the fourth episode.
Along with “Working Up That Hill,” the brand new season of Stranger Issues, set primarily in 1986, is filled with indelible ‘80s hits, from Lifeless or Alive’s “You Spin Me Spherical (Like a File)” to Musical Youth’s “Cross the Dutchie” to Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus.” In line with Spotify, the platform’s official Stranger Issues playlist has scored 1,784 p.c enhance in every day world streams from Thursday to Monday, with “Working Up That Hill” scoring the largest particular person bump.
“Greater than ever, Stranger Issues is a cultural phenomenon that resonates with followers everywhere in the world,” says Alexandra Patsavas, Netflix’s director of music/artistic manufacturing for sequence, in a press release. “We're thrilled to see followers join so enthusiastically with such a key a part of the [showrunners] Duffer Brothers unimaginable storytelling — the music. It’s outstanding to see how the response to Kate’s track has engaged new and previous followers alike, and has additionally transcended generations — 37 years later!”
Upon its 1985 launch, “Working Up That Hill” grew to become the highest-charting Scorching 100 single of Bush’s profession, reaching No. 30 on the tally. The track has been lined quite a few instances since its launch, together with a Placebo model in 2003 that was synched on The O.C., and a Meg Myers model in 2019 that topped Billboard’s Various Airplay chart. Per Spotify, Bush’s full catalog has seen a 1,600 p.c uptick in world streams because the Stranger Issues premiere.
“We’ve watched the track develop tremendously over the weekend, showcasing the huge cultural impression of Stranger Issues and streaming’s energy to share and uncover music instantaneously,” says Erlich. “Most significantly, Kate Bush has deservedly elevated her fanbase to a brand new era of music lovers. Max/Sadie Sink and the Stranger Issues crew have nice style!”
A model of this story initially appeared on Billboard.