Kate Bush's return to popularity thanks to Stranger Things sparks gatekeeping debate

Iconic British singer Kate Bush has gained a new generation of fans after one of her songs featured in the Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things.

The singer’s iconic 1985 track 'Running Up That Hill (Deal with God)' played a major role in one of the character’s storylines in the show’s fourth season.

Thanks to the popularity of 80s-inspired Stranger Things, a whole new generation has been introduced to Bush.

Since the first episodes of season four were released on the streaming site on 27th May, her songs have since featured on TikTok and 'Running Up That Hill (Deal with God)' has risen to Number 1 on the iTunes charts.

But, some OG fans appear to have taken issue with Gen Z getting on board with the folk singer’s music, sparking a conversation about gatekeeping.

On Twitter, one fan wrote: “Kate Bush did not go through wuthering heights, run all the way up that hill to make a deal with god & shout babooshka for y’all to be finding out about her in 2022!”

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In the replies, people questioned why it matters when anyone comes to discover Bush.

Someone replied: “There should be no issues with ‘finding out’ about Kate Bush at any time in history, or the future. As long as you do ‘find out’ about her.”

Another Twitter user joked: “you may now listen to kate bush because of stranger things but I listen to her in a far deeper and more intellectual way.”

Someone else made another comparison, writing: “‘I can’t believe gen z are only finding out about Kate Bush through Stranger Things!!’

"Get f**ked there’s a whole generation of people who first heard David Bowie through Shrek.”

Surely Bush reaching a new generation of fans is no bad thing.

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