Kate Bush has been an alternative pop icon since the release of her debut album ‘The Kick Inside’, but it was only in 2022 that the singer would see new heights of success through TikTok after her song ‘Running Up That Hill’ was featured in the newest season of the Netflix show ‘Stranger Things’. Since then, her 80’s singles have seen surges of popularity amongst gen-z, a welcome surprise to (remastered). As a long-time Kate Bush fan, a celebration of this success and another solid placement in my personal Spotify Wrapped as my most listened to artist of all time, is in order. Here are the top 5 Kate Bush songs that are not Running Up That Hill, Wuthering Heights, Babooshka and Army Dreamers to help you discover more of the illusive singer.

  1. Hammer Horror

    Are you a big fan of Babooshka or Army Dreamers? Then Hammer Horror might just be the next Bush song to capture your interest. The song was the first single on Bush’s sophomore album Lionheart and was overshadowed by the second single ‘Wow’ during its release. Since then, the song has captured its own dedicated fanbase and has been named as some of Bush’s most iconic earlier work. The baroque pop song about an actor following in the footsteps of another actor who passed away during an accident on set is spooky and fun is just the right way. As the song progresses, you are fully captivated by the unsubstantiated fears of the new actor who is deathly afraid his predecessor will visit him from the afterlife and cause his premature demise whilst he takes over his role in their play. Intrigued? Check out the song before the ghost starts haunting you too.

    2. Rubberband Girl

      Though Bush’s 80’s work is her most famous, her 1993 tribute album to the classic story of The Red Shoes suitably named ‘The Red Shoes’ has some incredible musical highlights. The lead single from this album is Rubberband Girl, a sonically upbeat song about being flexible and adaptable in life. The song features a rhythmic guitar and playful instrumentation that creates a unique funky sound that is recognizable from Bush’s early work on her albums The Kick Inside, Lionheart and Never Forever. In the mood for some funky pop-rock fusion to get you in good spirits? Rubberband Girl might just be the song for you.

      3. Hounds of Love

        Alike to Running Up that Hill is Hounds of Love, the titular single of the album of the same name. Hounds of Love is an art pop love song featuring the sonic beats of 80’s with Bush’s signature baroque sound and metaphorical lyrics that encapsulate the universal feeling of feeling chased by love. The 80’s pop track compares the feeling of falling in love with being chased by hounds, making for a fun and relatable listening experience and capturing the emotions experienced by many who find themselves falling for someone against their will.

        4. This Woman’s Work

          This Woman’s Work is the second single off Bush’s 1989 album The Sensual World. The song quicky rose to popularity because of its use in the film ‘She’s Having a Baby’, which the song was originally written for, and reached American markets in the 90’s after it was covered by Maxwell. Though Maxwell’s version is relatively well-known with the intro notes also having been featured in a popular TikTok audio, the original version does not get as much love. The song is written from the perspective of a husband losing his wife to childbirth, featuring heavy themes of marital guilt and unspoken love. This Woman’s Work is a perfect showcase of Bush’s masterful narrative creation and sensitivity, making for an incredible single that captures the attention of many who discover the original version of the song online every day.

          5. Cloudbusting

          Cloudbusting is the follow-up single of Bush’s iconic 1985 work Hounds of Love. The album featured the mega hit Running Up That Hill and is widely acclaimed as Bush’s best and most popular work. The album features the iconic synth-pop sound that we have become accustomed to hearing from the time period, but also a deeply intriguing and dark story about a woman who is alone stranded at sea. In between these two polarizing themes, is Cloudbusting. An upbeat art rock song about Peter Reich, the son of controversial psychologist and scientist Wilhelm Reich. In 1973, Peter Reich published a book about his father called ‘A Book of Dreams’, a memoir.

          In this book he tells about the ‘Cloudbuster’, a big machine that was said to be able to generate rain. After reading this story, Bush quickly approached the younger Reich about the story rights and wrote ‘Cloudbusting’, a majestic song about a young boy reflecting on his memories with his father in which they made rain, before quickly exploring his perspective on his father’s arrest. This moving story is told with childhood innocence and an imposing beat that makes for an incredible listening experience. Though relatively popular, the song has yet to be discovered on a grand scale by younger listeners, making it my top recommendation from the list

          Ready to add these songs to your playlist and discover even more Kate Bush? Check out her featured Spotify playlist here and maybe she will make her way to your Spotify wrapped as well one day.

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