Linda Ronstadt’s Song From the 70s Enjoys Streaming Spike Thanks to ‘The Last Of Us’

Ronstadt released “Long, Long Time” in 1970 as a single from her second album, “Silk Purse.” It charted for 12 weeks, peaking at number 25, per Billboard. It was her first single to appear on a Billboard chart.

Thanks to the new HBO hit series “The Last Of Us” Ronstadt’s song saw an increase of 4,900% compared to prior weeks after it was featured in the latest episode of the new HBO series.

The song is already appearing in TikToks from weepy viewers who loved the episode.

@dan.bren Nick Offerman version when @hbomax ? #thelastofus #thelastofus2 #thelastofuspart2 #tlou #tlou2 #bill #billtlou #nickofferman #franktlou #murraybartlett #lindaronstadt #longlongtime #spotify #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #danbren#greenscreen ♬ Long Long Time – Linda Ronstadt

The song was performed by actors Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman in a pivotal sequence in the third episode of “The Last of Us” in which their characters meet by chance, take turns playing Ronstadt’s song at very different tempos on an antique piano and share a kiss (and, eventually, almost 20 years of their lives). The episode closes with Ronstadt’s rendition of the song played on a cassette tape.

The renewed interest in Ronstadt’s ballad is drawing comparisons to the overwhelming wave of popularity “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” received when the Kate Bush power ballad was featured in several episodes of “Stranger Things” last year.

Almost 40 years after it was first released, Bush’s signature song returned to the charts, reaching No. 1i n the UK and No. 4 in the US. In 1985, the song peaked at No. 30, Billboard reported. Around the time the fourth season of “Stranger Things” was released in late May, “Running Up That Hill” began to net millions of streams a day.