Kate Bush

United Kingdom, 1978–now

English singer, songwriter and producer who writes from literary and narrative subjects and produces her own records. Hounds of Love (1985) is built around an extended song cycle on its second side.

MusicRoots documents 4 artists who influenced Kate Bush and 4 artists Kate Bush influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Kate Bush?

• Peter Gabriel — Gabriel introduced Bush to the Fairlight CMI and to his habit of sampling everyday objects; from Never for Ever (1980) she took over her own production and built her sound around it.
• Pink Floyd — The Wall taught Bush to treat studio sound as picture — she called it the album she wished she had written, and lifted its helicopter effect for 'Waking the Witch'.
• The Beatles — Bush has credited the Beatles with inspiring her 'on every level', named Sgt. Pepper among her favourite albums and covered their songs in her early career.
• David Bowie — One of Bush's teenage heroes — she was in the audience for the last Ziggy Stardust show in 1973, and took from Bowie the licence to be theatrical and strange rather than any particular sound.

Which artists did Kate Bush influence?

• Björk — Kate Bush was a definitive influence — her experimental approach to pop encouraged Björk to expand her sound from Debut onward.
• Kim Wilde — Kate Bush is among the British singers Wilde names.
• Placebo — Brian Molko was captivated by Kate Bush from childhood (the 'Babooshka' video, then The Kick Inside) and Placebo recorded a signature cover of her 'Running Up That Hill'.
• The Knife — The Knife openly cite Kate Bush — her theatrical, boundary-pushing art-pop is a key model for their eerie, inventive electronics.