Nostalgia pulling us back to older music as Kate Bush tops Aotearoa music charts - cultural critic

There has never been a better time to find fresh music, or discover cool new artists - so why do we keep going back to the past? 

Aotearoa's hot singles chart has Kate Bush's 1985 hit 'Running Up That Hill' at number one. 

Thanks to the latest series of nostalgia-steeped Stranger Things, 'Running Up That Hill' boosted it to the top of Aotearoa's charts after the song was featured in an episode.

"I think if it's a good song, it's going to cut through no matter what, and I think in Kate Bush's circumstances, rightly so too," music journalist Jane Gazzo told The Project. 

And it's not the first time a classic hit has enjoyed resurgences. In 2020, Fleetwood Mac's 'Dreams' re-entered the top ten thanks to a TikTok trend. 

"I think the power of social media has really changed the way new generations find out about music. Perhaps they're not finding out about music from their parents or older brothers in the same way that we used to," Gazzo added.

And these revivals could be more than just being bangers - cultural critic Myke Bartlett told The Project nostalgia is one powerful drug. 

"I don't think there's any doubt that we are living through difficult times, so it's hardly a mystery that we should be longing for the past, that we should be longing for a simple time."

Watch the full interview above.