Stranger Things: Duffer Brothers reveal conversations with Kate Bush as ‘Running Up That Hill’ returns in season 5
"I don’t think she really knew what TikTok was," said the Stranger Things creators
By Aaron Sugg
Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers have been in contact with Kate Bush since the ‘Running Up That Hill’ feature, revealing the viral 1980s hit will return in season five.
Speaking about how the viral music moment came together, Matt and Ross Duffer explained that the choice stemmed from a playlist they built for Max Mayfield, played by Sadie Sink.
In light of the fifth and final series of Stranger Things arriving on Netflix today (26 November), the filmmakers spoke exclusively to Attitude: “Ross and our music supervisor, Nora, all built a playlist for Max – basically what we thought Max would be listening to.”
“It really checked all those boxes” – Duffer Brothers on Stranger Things ‘Running Up That Hill’ moment
They explained: “‘Running Up That Hill’ was the one song that appeared on everyone’s playlist, which is how we ended up choosing it.”
The Duffer Brothers said: “We were trying to find songs you don’t associate with other big pop-culture moments – and that was what was great about ‘Running Up That Hill.’ It really checked all those boxes.”
The 1980s song went viral after featuring in Stranger Things season 4, hitting number one in the UK for the first time 37 years after its release and breaking records for the longest-ever climb to No. 1.
The Bush track racked up more than 2 million TikTok videos using the Stranger Things sound during its viral peak in 2022.
“I don’t think she really knew what TikTok was” – Duffer Brothers on Kate Bush finding out her new TikTok audience
The Brothers revealed they emailed with Bush, who was “super excited” about the new audience discovering her music.
“She liked that it found a new audience on TikTok. I don’t think she really knew what TikTok was, frankly, but she liked how it was used in the show,” they said.
The Duffers eventually met Bush in person. They described the meeting as “amazing” and said she was “exactly what you want Kate Bush to be… It’s been one of the best moments we’ve had working on the show.”
The pair revealed that the song was so successful they’ve included it in the final series, adding that Bush has seen everything featuring her hit.
“We have an animated show coming out next year, Tales From 85” – Duffer Brothers own their new Stranger Things spin-off
As for the future of the Stranger Things universe, the Brothers confirmed that the story will conclude with season five, but the franchise will live on. “It’s the end of the story of Hawkins and these characters that we’ve established,” they said.
“We really wanted it to feel like this is the end of that story, but that being said, we have an animated show coming out next year, Tales From 85,” they said.
It still retains the Stranger Things feel, but they added: “It’s a new decade, new characters, new mythology.”
The animated Stranger Things spin-off is set for a 2026 release on Netflix. The official date is yet to be confirmed.
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