FEATURE:
From Under the Waves
The Modern-Day Introduction to Kate Bush
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RETURNING to a subject…
that I have covered before. That concerns discovery of Kate Bush. In terms of music discovery and who is being highlighted by the press, it is new artists. Unless there is a bit of news relating to an established and legacy artist, you only really discover them if you hear them on the radio or through streaming. Although a lot of the youngest generation do listen to radio, most of their new music information is through streaming and online. They are not necessarily listening to mainstream stations or have that desire to connect with classic artists. That might sound all-sweeping. Things are different from when I was young. Born in the 1980s, my music education was a mixture of my parents’ collection, radio and browsing through albums at record shops. Physical music sharing was a big thing. Whether that was a new artist or something our parents owned. Now, that dynamic and trend has changed. My path to Kate Bush was – as I have said multiple times – a VHS copy of her greatest hits collection, The Whole Story. It made me think about Kate Bush and how she is being discovered by teenagers, children; adults in their twenties perhaps. It is a huge event when a Kate Bush song is used in film or T.V. and that reaction grabs a lot of new fans. Even if there is a new album coming from Kate Bush, if someone is not aware of her already, how do they discover her? Unless they follow particular music websites or are in the right place at the right time, it would be pretty easy to miss out. I guess it is an issue with any artist. However, there has been some groundswell and vibrations remaining from Bush’s success and new relevance following the Stranger Things phenomenon in 2022. However, as I am someone who has been a Kate Bush fan for decades, I can still see this issue.
One of the good things about the modern age compared to my upbringing is social media. Even though it has many faults and flaws, when it comes to music sharing and awareness, it is easier to find artists. TikTok videos that have Kate Bush music. Whatever the official/unofficial name of the Kate Bush fan community is – think we are settled on Fish People?! -, they are doing great work. Sharing videos, posts and images, you can feel their influence. However, when it comes to capturing a whole generation, Generation Alpha, you do wonder how many that sort of thing will recruit. Streaming sites are very much about the major artists of today. Whether that is Lorde, Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny or wherever, it is not really set-up to lead younger listeners to older artists. Maybe they are not seen as relevant. If they are not putting out new music, then are they are as valuable as modern acts who are producing new stuff? Also, as Kate Bush is in her sixties, she is not going to get the same sort of focus and platform as a younger artist. There is a debate as to whether Kate Bush is known by those in their teens or twenties. It depends where you live and whether you know a lot of exiting Kate Bush fans. If you did stop a hundred people on the streets of London let’s say, maybe half would be sure who Kate Bush is. However, I suspect they may know her for the only song – most likely Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God). A small percentage might be able to name a few songs. That is something I guess. However, if you only know or hear the one song then you are far less likely to bond and stick with that artist. I discovered Kate Bush as a child but then there was conversation about her. People my age knew about her. My parents’ generation also discussing her. Now, when we want to win some new Fish People, what is the best way of undertaking that?! When the blessed Kate Bush does release another album, many will instantly pass it by. Assuming, as it is from an artist in her sixties, it is not contemporary and cool enough for a young audience. Assuming that children and teens only like modern Pop and artists like Charli xcx. It is a form of discrimination, stereotyping and ageism that needs to change. Sure, this is true of some of that age. However, Bush’s music crosses genre and age barriers.
I do wonder how many non-initiated to the joy of Kate Bush’s music see a song of hers on a TikTok video or shared on Instagram and are compelled to dig deeper. If a big celebrity posts an Instagram reel or story and they use a Kate Bush song. On the strength of that single track, are they likely to commit to a deeper dive?! It is hard. Maybe people like me are subjective. Huge fans of Bush, maybe we are a little out of step with a more objective viewpoint. What I mean is that it is perhaps hard for very young listeners to discover legacy artists when there is so much out there and they are subjected to so much information and music. However, I don’t think films and T.V. shows should do a lot of the heavy lifting. There needs to be a consistency and easier access for younger listeners. I do worry that a certain disposability and ephemeral aspect of music means that few are able to commit and concentrate. Objectively, Kate Bush is a fascinating and pioneering music. Her sounds can be traced to artists of today. She cannot be defined by genres and you cannot lazily pigeonhole her. She has so many different aspects to her brilliance. As a producer, lyricist, technological innovator and vocalist, there is so much to discover and admire! I wonder if there is an easy solution. When I last discussed this subject last year, I asked how easy/hard it is to spread the gospel of Kate Bush the the younger generation. It is very hard in a modern world where there is emphasis on the new – and the young. I guess we Kate Bush fans have to keep writing about her, discussing her work and sharing her music. We can only hope that her brilliance reaches young listeners…
FOR generations to come.