Entertainment

1985 Smash Hit, Named Among the 'Best Songs of the '80s,' Had One of Spotify's Biggest Comebacks 37 Years Later

One of the most iconic songs from Kate Bush's catalog has been running up the charts decades after its original release.

The smash hit "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" first came out in 1985 as the lead single from Bush's fifth studio album Hounds of Love, but the song would go on to experience one of the biggest comebacks in Spotify history almost 40 years later.

In 2022, "Running Up That Hill" surged to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning its highest chart placement ever. When the song first came out 37 years earlier, it only ever reached the No. 30. spot - although it still earned a spot on Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Best Songs of the 1980s, earning an impressive placement at No. 9.

But the massive second wind "Running Up That Hill" had in 2022 made history as one of the biggest comebacks in Spotify's history, according to new data released by the streaming platform last month. It had the 4th-biggest comeback on the list, following Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son," Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now."

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The resurgence of the haunting, synth-pop Bush track was sparked by the song's inclusion in Season 4 of the hit Netflix series "Stranger Things," where it was heavily featured as part of a plot line for Sadie Sink‘s character, Max Mayfield.

The rising popularity of the song introduced it to a whole new generation of fans, and even helped Stranger Things to earn the title of having the most-streamed soundtrack of any other Netflix series (with a total of 765 million all-time streams, according to Spotify data.

Related: Legendary '70s Rock Band's 'Greatest Hits' Album Resurfaces on the Charts Decades Later

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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 3:25 PM.

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