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Words: Thomas Smith and Sam Moore
This November will mark five years since Billie Eilish uploaded her debut single ‘Ocean Eyes’ online for the very first time. What’s happened since then, we hear you ask? Oh, not a lot – just an ever-growing collection of Platinum-selling records, a mere 48 music awards and counting (including five Grammys and one BRIT Award) and certified status as one of the biggest artists in the world.
Eilish’s swift rise to the very top has been awe-inspiring to watch over the half-decade since she first announced her arrival, and with her latest song ‘My Future’ arriving today (July 31), we thought it would be the perfect time to take stock of Eilish’s success so far by assessing her already thrilling back catalogue of inventive pop bangers.
Before we begin, a few bits of housekeeping: there are no live tracks, remixes or Eilish feature credits (we’re only counting songs where she’s been credited as either the main or co-main artist). Oh, and ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’ opener ‘!!!!!!!’ has been omitted because, well, it’s not actually a song.
Here, then, is NME‘s countdown of every Billie Eilish song (so far!) ranked in order of greatness.
‘Bad Guy’ feat. Justin Bieber (2019)
Don’t worry: the actual ‘Bad Guy’ will clearly appear a lot later on. Here Eilish lives out her dream of working with her childhood hero (and sharing the cover image of her Biebs-adorned teenage wall), the Canadian singer’s contribution to this reworking of ‘Bad Guy’ felt pretty unnecessary (what was that “skrrrt” all about?) and added little to an already great song. Sorry, Justin. SM
‘Goodbye’ (2019)
‘When We All Fall Asleep…’ departs on a bit of sleepy note with ‘Goodbye’, in which Eilish’s melancholy vocals dominate. It works best in terms of its placement on the album as the final act in a three-part farewell that brings together disparate elements, sounds and moments from across the record. But on its own it doesn’t stand up quite as well, and ultimately fails to pack the same sort of emotional punch over its brief two-minute duration as it does on the album. SM
‘My Boy’ (2017)
The first entry on our countdown from Eilish’s 2017 debut EP ‘Don’t Smile At Me’ doesn’t much sound like the Eilish we know and love today – and it’s perhaps little surprise that the singer dropped the plinky-plonky piano meets uptempo beat-driven track from her most recent setlist. SM
‘No Time To Die’ (2020)
The name’s Eilish – Billie Eilish. The singer’s lightning-quick rise to stardom was given that added sprinkle of magic dust earlier this year when she was invited to record and perform the theme for the upcoming James Bond film No Time To Die. “Taking the understated road means that ‘No Time To Die’ is unlikely to be remembered as a top-tier Bond theme in years to come; you also can’t help but wonder how an alternate version – channelling all of the artist’s unmistakable Eilish-isms – may have sounded,” went the NME review, which concluded that “this is a solid effort that taps into Daniel Craig’s stealthy, solitary Bond with precision.” TS
‘Bored’ (2017)
An early Eilish creation that was later added to the soundtrack of the first season of 13 Reasons Why, this tune is salvaged by the layer-upon-layer of vocal takes that come to a head towards the end. ‘Bored’, however, ultimately belongs to a now-bygone Eilish sonic era. SM
‘Watch’ (2017)
This Lorde-like ‘Don’t Smile At Me’ offering was written and produced entirely by her brother and creative partner Finneas, and follows the kind of straightforward verse-chorus pop structure that didn’t get much of a look-in on 2019’s ‘When We All Fall Asleep…’. ‘Watch’ was still a stepping stone towards bigger and better things, though. SM
‘8’ (2019)
The affecting lullaby quality of ‘8’, if you can ignore the ukulele, will actually have you weeping rather than snoozing. “You’re lookin’ at me like I’m see-through / I guess I’m gonna go,” Eilish sings. “I just never know how you feel / Do you even feel anything?” SM
‘Wish You Were Gay’ (2019)
This ‘When We All Fall Asleep…’ single attracted criticism upon its release. In response, Eilish said: “First off I want to be so clear that [the song is] so not supposed to be an insult. I feel like it’s been a little bit misinterpreted. I tried so hard to not make it in any way offensive. The whole idea of the song is kind of a joke. It’s kind of like: ‘I’m an ass and you don’t love me.’ And you don’t love me because you don’t love me and that’s the only reason, and I wish you didn’t love me because you didn’t love girls”. TS.
‘Six Feet Under’ (2016)
Eilish’s second-ever single release was also written and produced entirely by Finneas, who contributes backing vocals to this sombre track. An early indication of how fruitful their partnership would become. SM
‘Listen Before I Go’ (2019)
The delicate first part of ‘When We All Fall Asleep…”s closing trio of tracks, the creation of ‘Listen Before I Go’ was, according to Eilish, therapeutic. “It forced me to voice my feelings and get on the other side of them,” she revealed to Genius. “Instead of doing the thing I thought I needed to do, I made them into art and let them rest. Hoping it makes the listener feel less alone.” SM
‘Lovely’ feat. Khalid (2018)
This collaboration has been streamed over one billion times by Spotify users who clearly can’t get enough of Billie’s link-up with Khalid. It was recorded for the 13 Reasons Why season two soundtrack, and NME described the moody cinematic offering as “masterfully written balled is completed with heart-wrenching crescendos and trickling piano lines, and is totally – ahem – lovely.” SM
‘Hostage’ (2017)
The gradually intensifying closing track on the ‘Don’t Smile At Me’ EP, ‘Hostage’ is raw with emotion and dark sentiment as Eilish implores: “And let me crawl inside your veins / I’ll build a wall, give you a ball and chain / It’s not like me to be so mean, you’re all I wanted / Just let me hold you like a hostage“. SM
‘IDontWannaBeYouAnymore’ (2017)
The track’s upbeat piano-pop belies the painful grapple with weightier and more serious issues of self-esteem and depression that Eilish explores here as she sings: “I don’t wanna be you anymore“. Speaking to Genius about the lyrics, Eilish revealed: “I’ve never said anything that I meant more than that. You are always you, forever. That’s terrifying. And that line is actually my favourite line I’ve ever written in my life.” SM
‘My Strange Addiction’ (2019)
“No Billy, I haven’t done that dance since my wife died,” is just one of the brilliant vocal samples that this song borrows from The Office. That is all. SM
‘Bitches Broken Hearts’ (2017)
Ever wondered what Billie linking up with James Blake might sound like? So have we — and until it happens IRL, the bewitching, smoky and R&B-tinged ‘Bitches Broken Hearts’ will have to make do. Originally released as a single on SoundCloud — a fitting platform for the kind of low-key yet hugely attention-grabbing sound that’s heard here — the track later made the expanded editions of both ‘Don’t Smile At Me’ and ‘When We All Fall Asleep…’, while it is still doing the rounds in Eilish’s most recent setlists. SM
‘All The Good Girls Go To Hell’ (2019)
What a video. One of the most recognisably poppy moments on ‘When We All Fall Asleep…’, ‘All The Good Girls Go To Hell’ is powered by bright pianos, off-the-wall synths and some seriously impressive bass work from Finneas in the second verse. SM
‘I Love You’ (2019)
The middle part in ‘When We All Fall Asleep”s closing trio of tunes, ‘I Love You’ is a rather beautiful tear-jerker of a ballad that’ll soundtrack weddings, montages, birthdays, anniversaries, TV finales, weepy film scores and so much more for a long time to come. SM
‘Party Favor’ (2017)
A rare sickly-sweet moment on ‘Don’t Smile At Me’. Billie offers her apologies for initiating a break-up on someone’s birthday while a twinkling soundscape that Fleet Foxes would be proud of emerges in the background. A far cry from her now-relentless and brooding productions, but still irresistibly catchy. TS
‘Come Out and Play’ (2018)
Billie and Finneas penned this track to accompany Apple’s Christmas advert in 2018. In the company’s animated clip, a young girl is afraid to share her creative side with the world, despite support from friends and family. ‘Come Out and Play’ interprets those emotions and the resulting clip in the most delicate of ways, allowing hushed vocals to lead the track through to its seismic and life-affirming finale. TS
‘Xanny’ (2019)
A Billie Eilish song influenced by Frank Sinatra? We’re here for it. “We had a very jazzy, Frank Sinatra view on the whole song,” Eilish revealed in a 2019 interview about the writing process behind ‘Xanny’. Elsewhere, the fuzzy, distorted bass drops and warnings against the dangers of the recreational use of Xanax — “I don’t need a Xanny to feel better / On designated drives home, only one who’s not stoned / Don’t give me a Xanny, now or ever” — make for a dizzying mix. SM
‘Ilomilo’ (2019)
Inspired by the title of a video game, ‘Ilomilo’ is backed by a spooky instrumental packed with paranoid synths and ominous bass. “Where did you go? / I should know, but it’s cold,” Eilish forlornly asks as this electro-pop offering continues to ask more questions than it does provide answers — fitting, as your interest in ‘Ilomilo’ will only grow the more you listen to it. SM
‘Ocean Eyes’ (2016)
The journey from this breakthrough moment to where Billie is now is quite astounding. Officially released in 2016 (although it first appeared online in 2015), the song went viral soon after and landed her a massive record deal with Interscope. The most memorable moments on ‘Ocean Eyes’ are its most vulnerable, like the opening whispers or the sure-footed yet restrained chorus. TS
My Future (2020)
Billie’s first release in the coronavirus pandemic era is, as NME described in our review of the track, “the beautiful fruit of Eilish’s quarantine experience so far… Gentle piano notes tinkle under her soft, crooned delivery, casting a jazzy spell over everything and leaving the pop star sounding like she’s serenading herself with the most gorgeous love song of the year. The quiet exhilaration in it is infectious.”
‘Copycat’ (2017)
“Call me cocky, watch your tone / You better love me, ’cause you’re just a clone,” Billie commands on opening track of ‘Don’t Smile At Me’. She was right, though, because we all did love her right from the off, as this song’s impossibly bolshy swagger, scattered beats and energetic live performances made it a welcome entry point for many fans. We’ve seen some artists since mimicking her style since its release – but none pull it off quite like Billie does here. TS
‘You Should See Me In A Crown’ (2019)
Originally released as a single in 2018 before making it on the tracklist of ‘When We All Fall Asleep…’, ‘You Should See Me In A Crown’ picks up where the brooding ‘Copycat’ left off — with Eilish’s unparalleled self-belief showing no sign of disappearing. She sings of running “this nothin’ town” (see: Planet Earth) and makes the haters and naysayers bow down, while a swampy hip-hop beat simmers in the background. TS
‘Everything I Wanted’ (2019)
Eilish’s first post-‘When We All Fall Asleep’ release was written by the singer and Finneas “about each other’ as “no matter what happens, we have always been and will be there to make it better,” she explained in a press release back in November. In review of the track, NME wrote: “It’s unclear which lines are Billie and which are Finneas, but ‘Everything I Wanted’’s message is cohesive and clear. The duo have got each other’s backs, be that protecting each other from the outside world and helping change their perceptions of themselves.” SM
‘&Burn’ (2017)
Billie has proven throughout her careers so far that she can play nice with other collaborators besides Finneas. After link-ups with Khalid and London rapper Crooks (who she’s cited as a big inspiration), Eilish teamed up with fellow boundary-pusher Vince Staples for ‘&Burn’. “Vince Staples was my NUMBER 1 choice, so when we got him to hear it and he agreed to do, it was incredible and the verse he did is so mf good,” Eilish said at the time. “[Staples] is a god and I’m excited for it to finally come out!” The end product sees the pair feed off of each other’s bolshy attitude as they trade verses in this hard-hitting reimagining of ‘Watch’, a restrained moment from ‘Don’t Smile at Me’. TS
‘When The Party’s Over’ (2019)
A partial sequel to ‘Party Favor’, this haunting effort is a relatively straightforward Billie Ballad. Penned by Finneas, its emotional pull is heightened by the accompanying video, which was co-directed by his superstar sister. Pairing literally eye-watering visual stunts with wistful lyrics (“Don’t you know I’m no good for you?”), ‘When The Party’s Over’ became a true moment when her skills beyond the musical realm were recognised. TS
‘Bellyache’ (2017)
Despite starting off as a twee slice of folk-pop, this is up there with the darkest material Billie’s ever recorded. Inspired by the childhood guilt she felt (including crippling stomach pains) after stealing toys from friends, she ups the horror ante by adopting the mindset of a teenage serial killer slaughtering her nearest and dearest. A twisted song, but with a pinch of wry humour: “I’m too young to go to jail / It’s kinda funny,” she goads in the song’s second half. TS
‘When I Was Older’ (2019)
Another example of Eilish’s expert interpretation. On ‘When I Was Older’, Billie turns striking visuals and lines from Alfonso Cuarón’s award-winning film Roma into a minimalist masterpiece. There are references to the powerful bonds between key characters in the film as well as direct quotes (“When I was older / I was a sailor on an open sea“), but there are enough homespun Bille-isms (“I’m watching movies back-to-back in black and white“) to make this song her own. TS
‘Bad Guy’ (2019)
So close and yet so far! The Bieber-less ‘Bad Guy’ can take comfort from missing out on our top spot with the knowledge that it is still going to be widely considered and revered as one of Eilish’s best creations for some time to come. Weird, wacky but utterly wonderful, ‘Bad Guy’ barged its way into the top 30 of NME‘s Songs of the 2010s despite it being released with just seven months of the hit-filled decade to go. So what could top it in this countdown? Well, duh… SM
‘Bury A Friend’ (2019)
The first single from ‘When We All Fall Asleep…’ was a statement song in the same vein as Lorde’s defiant breakthrough moment ‘Royals’. But while that track was full of life, love and good times, ‘Bury A Friend’ is more in tune with Gen Z’s self-aware mindset. On top of a galloping ‘Black Skinhead’-sized beat and a hypnotic interpretation of The Doors’ ‘People Are Strange’ melody, Eilish comes face-to-face with the online chatter around her (“Honestly, I thought that I would be dead by now”) while acknowledging that there’s so much more to come: “For the debt I owe, gotta sell my soul”. It might be the best deal she ever makes. TS
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