Bad Guy

Widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential pop artists of her generation, Billie Eilish released ‘Bad Guy’ in March 2019, as the fifth single from her debut studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? The single, which would go on to receive both Record and Song of the Year at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, has become the LA-based star’s biggest hit, with over 1.9 billion streams on Spotify, and a further 1.1 billion views on YouTube. The track was one of several hit singles recorded in her brother Finneas O’Connell’s small bedroom studio – a reflection of the siblings’ powerful emphasis on family, through which they claim proud Irish roots. Billie finally got the chance to perform ‘Bad Guy’ in her ancestral homeland of Ireland in September 2019, with her set at Electric Picnic attracting one of the biggest crowds ever at the festival.

The Story Behind The Song

While still in her teens, Billie Eilish had already established herself as one of the most hotly tipped stars in international pop, following the viral success of her early track ‘Ocean Eyes’ on Soundcloud – and her subsequent, highly-praised EP, Don’t Smile At Me (2017), with which she became the youngest artist to reach one billion streams on a record of that kind.

After building anticipation for her debut studio album with a string of singles, including ‘You Should See Me In A Crown’, ‘When The Party’s Over’, ‘Bury A Friend’ and ‘Wish You Were Gay’, the California artist released When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? on March 29, 2019. That same day, the album’s fifth single, ‘Bad Guy’ was launched.

The single, like the rest of the tracks on her debut album, was recorded at her home, with her brother and collaborator Finneas O’Connell.

“The bedroom has a very specific sound, very tight and intimate and closed and quiet,” Finneas told Pro Sounds News in 2020. “I love the way it makes vocals sound.”

He had a right to be proud of it. ‘Bad Guy’ was met with near universal critical acclaim on its release – with many praising its fearlessness in both its lyrics and its genre-blending sound. The track also includes a phone recording Billie made of an Australian pedestrian crossing, which Finneas then manipulated to use as the ‘hi-hat’ sound in the chorus.

A Dave Meyers-directed video for ‘Bad Guy’ was released at the same time as the digital version of the song. By November 2020, the video had garnered over one billion views. On Spotify, meanwhile, the track had surpassed one billion streams by December 2019 – and it remains Billie Eilish's most-streamed song, with a current total of over 1.9 billion streams on the platform.

Billie Eilish at Electric Picnic 2019, shot for Hot Press by Miguel Ruiz

After debuting on the US Billboard 100 at No.7, ‘Bad Guy’ ultimately brought Lil Nas X’s record-breaking 19-week run at No.1 with ‘Old Town Road’ to an end. Billie became the first artist born in the 2000s to top the chart – and the youngest since Lorde with ‘Royals’, in 2013.

Bad Guy – Billie Eilish – Gaeilge

The track has gone multi-platinum in countries around the world, with ‘Bad Guy’ named by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry as the best-performing international single of 2019. Four months after the original release of ‘Bad Guy’, Billie shared a ‘remix’ of the track, featuring additional vocals from Justin Bieber.

At the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, held in January 2020, Billie won all four major 'general' categories – including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for ‘Bad Guy’, plus Best New Artist, and Album of the Year. She had gone from nowhere to the top of the global world of pop in next to no time.

Reaching out: Billie Eilish at Electric Picnic 2019 by Miguel Ruiz

As ‘Bad Guy’ garnered major success and accolades around the world, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was also met with immediate acclaim – reaching No.1 in Ireland, the US, the UK, Australia, and numerous other countries.

Following performances at some of the biggest festivals around the world, including Coachella and Glastonbury, Billie gave ‘Bad Guy’ its first Irish live airing at Electric Picnic 2019, famously telling the crowd: “I’m part Irish dude… This is my home.” Irish music fans roared in approval. Music was coming home.

Hermitage Green - Bad Guy (Billie Eilish Cover) - Today FM

While ‘Bad Guy’ remains the Californian artist’s biggest hit, and has been covered dozens of times – including in Ireland by Hermitage Green and (as gaeilge) Des Bishop – Billie has continued to reshape the face of modern pop with the release of her 2021 album, Happier Than Ever – which once again found her topping the charts in the US, Ireland, the UK and beyond, cementing the Irish-American’s status as one of the biggest stars in the world.