Charli xcx and Kate Bush See Streaming Gains After 'Wuthering Heights' Film Debut

The new movie adaptation of the Emily Brontë classic has boosted streams for the pop star's soundtrack and the 1978 hit song.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The new Emerald Fennell-directed adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights has become a box office hit, and the accompanying soundtrack by pop star Charli xcx has seen a boost in streaming as a result. Charli xcx's 12 new tracks inspired by the film have racked up over 4.8 million official on-demand U.S. streams on the day of the album and movie's release. Meanwhile, Kate Bush's 1978 classic "Wuthering Heights" has also seen a surge in streams, gaining 560,000 streams over the first five days of the film's release.

Why it matters

The success of the new Wuthering Heights film and its soundtrack highlights the continued cultural impact of the classic novel and its adaptations. The streaming gains for both Charli xcx and Kate Bush demonstrate the power of film and TV to drive music discovery and renewed interest in older songs. This also shows the ongoing appeal of the Wuthering Heights story and its ability to resonate with modern audiences.

The details

Charli xcx's 12-song Wuthering Heights soundtrack album, which includes previously released tracks like "Chains of Love," "Wall of Sound," and "House" featuring John Cale, has seen strong streaming performance. The album racked up 4.8 million official on-demand U.S. streams on its release day, February 13th. While streams dipped in the following days, the numbers have rebounded as the film's popularity has grown, climbing back to 3.7 million streams on February 17th. "Chains of Love" has been the standout, earning 2.9 million streams in the first five days. Meanwhile, Kate Bush's original 1978 hit "Wuthering Heights" has also benefited, earning 560,000 streams in that same five-day period and gaining steam each day, from 75,000 streams on Friday to 163,000 on Tuesday.

  • On February 13th, the Wuthering Heights soundtrack album and film were released.
  • From February 13th to February 17th, Charli xcx's songs from the soundtrack earned a combined 4.8 million official on-demand U.S. streams on the first day, dipping to 3.0 million on February 15th before rebounding to 3.7 million on February 17th.
  • From February 13th to February 17th, Kate Bush's 1978 hit "Wuthering Heights" earned 560,000 streams, with daily gains from 75,000 on Friday to 163,000 on Tuesday.

The players

Charli xcx

An English pop star who recorded a 12-song soundtrack album inspired by the new Wuthering Heights film adaptation.

Kate Bush

An English singer-songwriter whose 1978 song "Wuthering Heights" has seen a streaming resurgence due to the new film.

Emerald Fennell

The director of the new Wuthering Heights film adaptation.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

The takeaway

The success of the new Wuthering Heights film and its accompanying soundtrack highlights the enduring appeal of the classic novel and its ability to resonate with modern audiences. The streaming gains for both Charli xcx and Kate Bush demonstrate the power of film and TV to drive music discovery and renewed interest in older songs, showcasing the cultural impact of literary adaptations.