Kate Bush Albums Ranked: Fan Favorites (2025)
Exploring the discography of Kate Bush is a journey through one of music's most imaginative minds.
Her work defies easy categorization. This makes any attempt to create a list of Kate Bush albums ranked a fascinating and subjective exercise.
Here, we are guided primarily by fan sentiment. We've looked at community discussions and the passionate voices of listeners to see which records resonate the most. This helps shape a view of what many consider the best Kate Bush albums, followed by a look at current popularity data.
Let's explore her incredible musical journey.
Ranking Kate Bush's albums: The fan favorites
Here's how the albums stack up based on fan sentiment, community discussions, and overall buzz.
We're starting with the most beloved.
1. Hounds of Love (1985)
Released in 1985, Hounds of Love marked a significant commercial and artistic comeback for Kate Bush. It followed the less mainstream album, The Dreaming.
The album is famously structured in two parts. The first side features major hit singles like "Running Up That Hill" and "Cloudbusting."
The second side, subtitled The Ninth Wave, is a conceptual suite. It tells the story of a woman lost at sea, drifting through the night.
Hounds of Love is widely considered Bush's masterpiece by fans and critics alike. Its renewed popularity, thanks to "Running Up That Hill" featuring in the show *Stranger Things*, has only cemented its legendary status.
Key tracks:
- Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
- Hounds Of Love
It's no surprise to find Hounds of Love at the top. It perfectly balances Bush's experimental artistry with undeniable pop appeal.
The album is a gateway for many new listeners while offering the depth that long-time fans treasure. This dual quality makes it the definitive fan favorite.
2. The Dreaming (1982)
The Dreaming was the first album Kate Bush produced entirely by herself. The 1982 release is often called her most experimental and uncommercial work.
At the time, it was met with a mixed reception and sold less than her previous albums. Its sound was dense, demanding, and unconventional.
Over the decades, the album's reputation has grown immensely. It is now celebrated by critics and musicians like Björk and Big Boi as a landmark record.
Key tracks:
- Suspended In Gaffa
- Sat In Your Lap
For a large portion of the dedicated fanbase, The Dreaming represents Kate Bush at her most undiluted and creatively liberated.
Its high ranking demonstrates a deep appreciation for her artistic courage. This is the album that proved she would follow her vision, no matter how strange or challenging.
3. The Kick Inside (1978)
Kate Bush's debut album, The Kick Inside, arrived in 1978 and was an immediate sensation. It features her iconic UK number-one hit, "Wuthering Heights."
Many of the songs were written when Bush was in her early teens, with some demos funded by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour.
The record introduced the world to her unique vocal style, piano-led compositions, and literary influences. It peaked at number three on the UK charts and remains a platinum-selling classic.
Key tracks:
- Wuthering Heights
- Oh to Be in Love
As the world's introduction to a generational talent, The Kick Inside holds a special place in the hearts of fans.
Its blend of youthful innocence and startlingly mature themes creates a powerful and timeless appeal. The album's success laid the groundwork for everything that followed.
4. The Red Shoes (1993)
Released in 1993, The Red Shoes was Kate Bush's seventh studio album. It was created during a difficult period for Bush, who had suffered several personal losses.
The album features a more direct, "live band" feel. It also includes collaborations with artists like Prince, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck.
This would be her last album for 12 years. Bush later expressed some regret about its digital production, revisiting several tracks for her 2011 album, Director's Cut.
Key tracks:
- Rubberband Girl
- Why Should I Love You?
The Red Shoes often sparks debate among fans, which explains its middle-of-the-pack ranking.
Some listeners find its bright, '90s production a departure from her classic sound. Others champion its raw emotion and pop-rock accessibility, viewing it as a deeply personal and underrated work.
5. Lionheart (1978)
Lionheart was released just nine months after her debut, a result of pressure from her record label. The 1978 album consists mainly of songs Bush had written in her teens.
Bush herself has expressed dissatisfaction with the finished product, feeling it was rushed. Despite this, it reached number six on the UK charts and was certified Platinum.
The album features the whimsical single "Wow" and continues the theatrical, literary style of her first record.
Key tracks:
- Wow
- Symphony in Blue
Fans often see Lionheart as a companion piece to her debut rather than a major step forward. Its hurried creation is a well-known part of its story.
Still, its charming songs and youthful energy earn it a solid place in her discography, even if it's sometimes overshadowed by the albums that surround it.
6. Aerial (2005)
Aerial arrived in 2005, ending a 12-year silence from Kate Bush. The double album was met with immense anticipation and critical acclaim.
Like Hounds of Love, it is structured in two distinct halves. The first disc, A Sea of Honey, is a collection of individual songs, including the single "King of the Mountain."
The second disc, A Sky of Honey, is a continuous piece of music. It follows the arc of a beautiful summer day, filled with birdsong and natural wonder.
Key tracks:
- King Of The Mountain
- How To Be Invisible
The warm, pastoral nature of Aerial is a source of great affection for many fans. It's seen as a mature, peaceful, and life-affirming statement.
While its lengthy, gentle suites may require more patience than her '80s hits, those who connect with it consider it one of her most beautiful and rewarding creations.
7. Never for Ever (1980)
Released in 1980, Never for Ever was a landmark album. It made Kate Bush the first British female solo artist to top the UK album chart.
It was also her first co-produced record, showcasing a more diverse range of styles than her previous work. This was the first album where Bush used digital synthesizers like the Fairlight CMI.
The album produced three hit singles: the paranoid "Breathing," the anti-war waltz "Army Dreamers," and the dramatic "Babooshka."
Key tracks:
- Army Dreamers
- Babooshka
Never for Ever holds a fascinating position. It's a clear artistic bridge between her early, lush arrangements and the experimental territory of The Dreaming.
Fans appreciate it as a pivotal, transitional album, but it's sometimes seen as less cohesive than the masterworks it sits between, which may explain its ranking here.
8. The Sensual World (1989)
Kate Bush's sixth album, The Sensual World, was released in 1989. It continued the rich, layered production style of Hounds of Love.
The title track was famously inspired by Molly Bloom's soliloquy from James Joyce's *Ulysses*. The album also features the ballad "This Woman's Work," which has been used in many films and TV shows.
The record incorporated Bulgarian folk vocals from Trio Bulgarka and Irish instrumentation, adding to its worldly and sophisticated sound.
Key tracks:
- This Woman's Work
- The Sensual World
The Sensual World is a lush, intricate, and beautiful album that is deeply respected. However, it is sometimes viewed by fans as a direct continuation of Hounds of Love rather than a bold new chapter.
Its lower ranking doesn't imply a lack of quality. It simply exists in the shadow of one of the most acclaimed albums of all time.
9. 50 Words for Snow (2011)
Kate Bush's most recent album of all-new material, 50 Words for Snow, was released in 2011. It consists of seven long, atmospheric songs set against a backdrop of falling snow.
The music is built around Bush's quiet, jazzy piano and minimalist percussion. The album features guest vocals from Elton John and a spoken-word performance from actor Stephen Fry on the title track.
It's a subtle, contemplative, and spacious record, with two tracks running over ten minutes long.
Key tracks:
- Snowflake
- Snowed In At Wheeler Street
As her most recent and perhaps most ambient work, 50 Words for Snow is a challenging, meditative listen that demands quiet attention.
Many fans admire its hushed beauty and patient song structures. Its placement on this list likely reflects its less immediate nature compared to the dramatic, high-energy albums of her earlier career.
Picked your top Kate Bush classic? Check out Kate Bush's discography on their Roll The Record Artist hub.
Kate Bush albums: A look at popularity data
While fan sentiment paints a rich picture, current popularity data can offer another interesting angle.
This looks at an artist's discography through a different lens.
Below is a ranking of Kate Bush's albums based on their popularity scores from available data. This reflects which releases are currently seeing significant engagement.
| Popularity Rank | Album Title | Release Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Never for Ever | 1980 |
| 2 | The Kick Inside | 1978 |
| 3 | Hounds of Love | 1985 |
| 4 | The Dreaming | 1982 |
| 5 | The Sensual World | 1989 |
| 6 | The Red Shoes | 1993 |
| 7 | Lionheart | 1978 |
| 8 | 50 Words for Snow | 2011 |
| 9 | Aerial | 2005 |
Quick FAQs about Kate Bush's albums
Q: What is the concept behind Kate Bush's Hounds of Love?
A: The album is split into two suites. The first side contains standalone pop singles, while the second side, titled The Ninth Wave, is a concept piece about a person drifting alone in the sea at night.
Q: Why did Hounds of Love become popular again recently?
A: The song "Running Up That Hill" was featured prominently in the fourth season of the Netflix series *Stranger Things*. This exposure introduced the track and the album to a massive new global audience.
So there you have it, a look at the Kate Bush albums ranked by the fans who know her music best.
These rankings, blending dedicated fan passion with current popularity data, offer a fascinating glimpse into her legacy.
Ultimately, the "best" Kate Bush album is a deeply personal choice. Each record is a unique world waiting to be discovered, and its value is measured by the connection we make with it.
What does your personal ranking look like? Which album is your number one?