FEATURE:
New Waves of Appreciation
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush photographed in Advision Studio, where she recorded and produced her fourth album, The Dreaming, London - April 1982/PHOTO CREDIT: George Bodnar/Archive/IconicPix
Why Kate Bush Being Discussed More in the U.S. Now Is Especially Timely
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I have been compelled…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a promotional photo for 2011’s 50 Words for Snow
by a recent video in which Kate Bush was being discussed by Rolling Stone contributors. On 24th April, they shared a video where one of her classics, Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God), was being dissected. More than that, they dissected and explored Kate Bush’s legacy and how her music has impacted through the years. They also speculated on her future in music. It interested me watching. How this U.S. source/video has come at a very interesting time. As part of their 500 Greatest Songs series, they looked deep into Kate Bush’s most popular track:
“Kate Bush has always been a fiercely original art-pop icon. But with “Running Up That Hill,” she achieved a new kind of feat. “Running Up That Hill” was a massive Top Ten hit, dominating U.S. radio all over the summer of 2022—even though it was a song she released back in 1985. Her classic synth-goth anthem sounded ahead of its time in the Eighties, but only Kate Bush could make it a song that STILL sounds ahead of its time nearly 40 years later.
In this week’s episode of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs, hosts Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield discuss the long, incredible legacy of Kate Bush and “Running Up That Hill.” They’re joined by their brilliant Rolling Stone colleague Julyssa Lopez, a Kate Bush expert and longtime hardcore fan, to discuss why “Running Up That Hill” speaks to our moment”.
There has been a lot going on recently regarding Kate Bush. I think a lot has shifted and changed since she was inducted (finally!) into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year. I feel that was a moment when Kate Bush was finally embraced and accepted by the U.S. Maybe a lot of that particular heavy lifting was done when Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) was used in Stranger Things a couple of years ago. That led the song to top charts – including the U.K. – and connect with a new audience in America. Until very recently, Kate Bush had not really been embraced in the U.S. She never wanted to crack the country and be a success there. She never toured in America. Even so, in the past decade or two, she has had her music used in T.V. and film. It has been a very interesting time. The last few years has been a bit of a rolling ball that has grown larger. I am hearing new and rising artists around the world – and not only in the U.S. – who are inspired by Kate Bush and are discovering her fresh. Rolling Stone sitting down and spending some time talking about how iconic Kate Bush is. Beside some great placement in U.S. media and screen, there is this discussion and debate. I do think that things will accelerate and expand in the next couple of years. I am not saying this response and respect in the U.S. will compel Bush to record a new album. She will see that any album she brings out now will have a larger and more willing U.S. audience – even if 2011’s 50 Words for Snow was quite successful there. I do think that the U.S. could be one of Bush’s most warm and biggest markets. Looking on social media, there are so many followers I have in the U.S. who are either finding her music now or are familiar with her but are discovering new sides and layers. This could have a bigger impact and wave of possibility.
ILLUSTRATION CREDIT: Jon McCormack
It is humbling and a relief that her music has reached the U.S. in a very real and massive way. A lot of fairly recent documentaries about Kate Bush have come from the U.K. I do think that something could come from a U.S. source. As Bush’s music and career has reached new heights in America, this will lead to other documentaries and projects. Something that unites musicians and well-known fans of Kate Bush. Documents her start but brings things up to date. In the U.K., there have been recent magazine articles and there are books coming up about Kate Bush. Graeme Thomson is producing another issue of Under the Ivy: The Life & Music of Kate Bush. I think that we are going to see some U.S. books and a lot more spotlight here. Not that America is the be all and end all. I am curious how it will affect the rest of the world. I am musing here. It was just a nice surprise to see that Rolling Stone video. So much detail and discussion around Kate Bush. Some interesting exchanges and points. I feel like we are going to see Kate Bush love and representation come from all corners. Not only will there be a lot of new material – books and articles – published about Kate Bush. You can feel and see her legacy through so many artists coming through right now. That will only increase. I also think that major artists will pay tribute to Kate Bush in their own way. Whether that means covering one of her songs or being influenced and incorporating some of Bush’s sounds in their own work. I am hearing shades of Kate Bush in new work from artists such as St. Vincent and The Last Dinner Party.
Through all of this, I wonder how Kate Bush feels. I am not sure how much she sees when it comes to these videos and articles. She has posted updates to her websites and knows that there are so many new fans picking up her music. We are in a moment when there is perhaps more attention and detail analyses of her music than recent decades. Perhaps more than back in 1985 when Hounds of Love came out. I do have this sense of something incredible coming along. Maybe not from Kate Bush herself but the wider world. You can feel and see all these dedicated fans old and new more in love with her music and legacy than ever before. Great discussions and new books. We don’t know what the future holds, though I do think about how the U.S. is finally on board. How generations Z and Alpha are invested and finding the music. Maybe they are still quite narrow when it comes to the albums and songs. I do think one of the drawbacks of an album like Hounds of Love getting most of the focus is that so much of the listenership and streams goes there. That said, we have recently seen Army Dreamers go viral. That is from 1980’s Never for Ever. This album could well get some big moments. In that a song or songs from it could make their way to T.V. and film. I always think that there are albums of Bush’s that are ignored or not as regarded as they should be. I guess this is my thinking out loud. 2024 is a year where so much has happened already. There is this crackle and buzz in the air. More love and respect for Kate Bush than I have witnessed in years. This will only increase. I am fascinated what else is going to arrive this year. The more that comes in the way of Kate Bush appreciation, it does the beg the question as to…
WHAT might come next.