What is Kate Bush's Net Worth?
Kate Bush is an influential English singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, and record producer with a net worth of $40 million. She became immensely popular in the UK during the 1980s with successful albums like "Never for Ever" and "Hounds of Love", as well as hit singles such as "Wuthering Heights", "Babooshka", "Don't Give Up", and "Running Up That Hill".
Kate Bush is the first British female solo artist to top the UK Albums Chart, and she remains the only woman to chart albums in the top five across five consecutive decades in the UK. She has been nominated for three Grammy Awards and was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2013.
Early Life
Kate Bush was born on July 30, 1958, in Bexleyheath, Kent, England, to Robert, a medical doctor, and Hannah, a nurse. Alongside her older brothers John and Paddy, she grew up in a 350-year-old farmhouse. Influenced by her musically inclined parents and brothers involved in the folk scene, Bush began teaching herself piano at age 11, and later learned to play the organ and violin while composing her own songs. She was educated at St Joseph's Convent Grammar School.
Career Beginnings
In her youth, Bush's family produced a demo tape featuring over 50 of her original compositions. This tape reached Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, who was so impressed that he helped her record three tracks and had Andrew Powell produce the demo. The tape made its way to EMI executive Terry Slater, leading to Bush's signing with the label. With a substantial advance, she pursued dance and mime training, and fronted the KT Bush Band, performing at various venues in London.
In 1978, Bush released her debut album "The Kick Inside", which featured the hit singles "Wuthering Heights" and "The Man with the Child in His Eyes". Although EMI urged her to release a follow-up album quickly, "Lionheart", it did not match the commercial success of her debut. Bush took control of her career by establishing her own publishing and managing companies and embarked on a concert tour.
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1980s Hits
Bush's third studio album, "Never for Ever", released in 1980, was a tremendous success, making her the first solo British female artist to top the UK Albums Chart. The album also included the hit single "Babooshka". Her 1982 album "The Dreaming" marked her first entry into the US Billboard 200.
With the 1985 release of "Hounds of Love", Bush truly became a musical phenomenon. The album topped the UK Albums Chart and included the number-one hit single "Running Up That Hill". Other notable singles were "Cloudbusting", "The Big Sky", and "Hounds of Love". In 1986, Bush's duet "Don't Give Up" with Peter Gabriel was a substantial hit, and she released her compilation album "The Whole Story", which became her third UK number-one album. She concluded the decade with "The Sensual World", reaching number two on the UK Albums Chart.
Further Albums
In 1993, Bush released "The Red Shoes", her seventh studio album, achieving number two in the UK and number 28 in the US. After a hiatus, she returned in 2005 with "Aerial", featuring the hit "King of the Mountain". In 2011, she released two more albums, "Director's Cut" and "50 Words for Snow". "Before the Dawn", an album of live recordings from her 2014 concerts, followed in 2016. In 2019, she released the compilation album "The Other Sides".
"Running Up That Hill" and "Stranger Things"
The song "Running Up That Hill" saw a significant resurgence in 2022 due to its prominent feature in the fourth season of Netflix's "Stranger Things". The track became the most streamed song on Spotify in numerous countries, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. This renewed popularity also propelled its album, "Hounds of Love", to a new peak of number 21 on the Billboard 200.
Musical Style
Kate Bush is renowned for her eclectic musical style that fuses elements of progressive pop, experimental pop, art pop, and glam rock. Her dramatic soprano vocal range and songwriting are characterized by literary and historical references, gothic themes, and dark humor.
Personal Life
In the late 70s, Bush was in a relationship with musician and sound engineer Del Palmer. She later dated and married guitarist Danny McIntosh, with whom she has a son named Bertie.
In recognition of her contributions to music, Bush received an Ivor Novello Award in 2002 and was named a CBE in 2013.
