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Guitar Songs

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Guitar Songs
Cover art for Guitar Songs: a washed-out photo of Billie Eilish on a field of grass
EP by
Billie Eilish
ReleasedJuly 21, 2022
Length8:17
Label
ProducerFinneas
Billie Eilish chronology
Happier Than Ever
(2021) 		Guitar Songs
(2022)

Guitar Songs is the second extended play (EP) by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish. It was released digitally on July 21, 2022, by Darkroom and Interscope Records. The release came as a surprise, a decision that Eilish made because she wanted to share new music to her fans as soon as she could. A two-track EP, it was produced by her brother Finneas O'Connell, who wrote the songs with her.

The tracks in Guitar Songs feature Eilish's soft vocals over acoustic guitar instrumentation, with personal lyrics that derive from contemporary life events. She debuted its first one, "TV", during the Manchester concert of a 2022 world tour in support of Happier Than Ever (2021), her second studio album. The song references the June 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade. "The 30th", the EP's other track, was written in December 2021 after she witnessed a close friend survive a car accident.

Music critics praised Guitar Songs for its vocal performances and songwriting—many believed that Eilish was able to prove her talent as a songwriter through the EP's lyricism. Both songs entered commercial charts in multiple territories, including the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. The two reached the top 40 in four countries, as well as the top 50 of the Billboard Global 200 chart. After the release, Eilish and Finneas performed "TV" again and "The 30th" for the first time during the Asian leg of the world tour.

Background[]

Happier Than Ever, the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish, was released on July 30, 2021.[1] The first song that she and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, wrote after the release was "The 30th". They did so on December 30, 2021.[2] She decided on the title because on November 30 of that year, "something happened [...] and it had just been the most indescribable thing [she had] to witness and experience."[3] After writing "The 30th", they wrote "TV". Finneas handled the production for both songs.[2][4]

Eilish and Finneas wrote "TV" while the US Supreme Court was discussing the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case.[5] A draft of the court decision leaked online in May 2022. The draft revealed plans to overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark case which had made abortion a constitutional right in the country.[6][7] Eilish, known for her history with political activism,[8] was saddened by the leak, and she felt like her rights as a woman were getting stripped away from her.[9] Weeks after she and Finneas were done with the songwriting, the Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade, much to Eilish's horror.[10]

Eilish appeared as a guest for the final episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show on May 26, 2022. During a conversation with host Ellen DeGeneres, she revealed that the idea of a third studio album was already in her mind.[11] Prior to the episode, Eilish had embarked on a world tour in support of Happier Than Ever, which began on February 3, 2022.[12] During the tour's Manchester date, in June 2022, she debuted "TV" via a live performance with Finneas, who provided instrumentals via acoustic guitar.[13] This marked the first time since around 2017 that she gave a preview of an unreleased song.[14] Eilish commented in a cover story for NME that she had "missed doing a song that no-one had heard yet" during concert tours from those years. She added, "I just wanted to go back to my roots: to put a little guitar song back out."[15]

Music and lyrics[]

The extended play (EP) Guitar Songs consists of two melancholic ballads—"TV" and "The 30th"—that feature Eilish's soft vocals over an acoustic guitar.[5][16] The production for both songs is reminiscent of her and Finneas's oldest works, created when they wanted to write songs at their parents' house with nothing but a guitar.[17] Eilish explained their approach: "That's our roots... I wanted to go back and do it how we used to [make music]."[3] Music journalists wrote that the EP was driven primarily by her vocal performances and her songwriting;[a] its lyrics are personal, inspired primarily by her recent life experiences.[22][23] As Laura Snapes for The Guardian explains, Guitar Songs showcases Eilish as she observes the destruction of several things in her life that she values dearly.[20]

"TV", the first song in the track list, discusses eating disorders, mental health,[24] the defamation trial between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, and the outcome of the Dobbs case.[25][26] Its lyrics are about feelings of abandonment in a relationship and a desire for numbness as a distraction from the problems that plague the world.[27][28] The song opens by describing a depressive episode: unable to sleep, Eilish distracts herself from a falling-out with an ex-partner by watching the reality TV show Survivor. In the chorus, she discusses the effects of her romantic relationships on the amount of time she can spend with her friends.[29] By the second verse, Eilish laments the online attention that Depp v. Heard had received in comparison to the planned overturning of Roe v. Wade.[30] To close the song, she uses a refrain.[31] She repeats the phrase "maybe I'm the problem", blaming herself for the life issues she has faced while writing "TV".[27][32]

"The 30th", according to Snapes, is a more personal song compared to "TV".[20] Exploring themes of death and pain,[19] it centers around a car accident that one of Eilish's friends experienced.[21] She narrates how the friend went unconscious after the crash and recalled what happened to them when they woke up inside a travelling ambulance.[19][33] In the chorus, Eilish sings about the friend's hospitalization and their feelings of fear during that time.[21] When the song crescendos towards its bridge, its guitar chords slowly build up and the vocals begin to overlap, evoking a racing mind and a growing sense of panic. Eilish lists alternate scenarios that question if the friend would still be alive had the accident occurred at another day and in other locations.[3] Closing the bridge, she says "if you changed anything, would you not have survived?" before she repeats the words "you're alive". On the last "you're alive", the vocal layering ends, leaving only Eilish's soft voice.[3][19][20]

Release[]

[W]hen you get, like, bigger, is every drop is this big deal [...] you've gotta send it in fucking five months before you want this to come out [...] you have to set a date and you have to shoot the video and you have to do the press for it [...] which is all fine, but it's been so long since I've had music that we make and then it's out.

— Eilish explaining what led her to surprise-release the EP[34]

Darkroom and Interscope Records released Guitar Songs through digital download and streaming formats on July 21, 2022.[35][36] The event happened without prior warning.[37] After the release, Eilish went on an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music 1. She revealed that between the release dates of Happier Than Ever and Guitar Songs, she and Finneas had written only those two tracks.[38]

One topic of their conversation was Eilish's decision to surprise-release the EP. She told Lowe that while work on her third studio album was coming soon, she refused to wait until that time to put "TV" and "The 30th" on a track list. After a discussion with Finneas, Eilish felt like the two had to be released early, partly because she wanted to spread their messages to her fans as soon as possible: "These songs are really current for me, and they’re songs that I want to have said right now."[39] Another reason was that because she had grown tired of doing a lot of promotion for upcoming music. She explained, "[this] is all fine, but it's been so long since I've had music that we make and then it’s out, you know what I mean?"[34]

Upon the EP's release, its tracks charted on multiple territories worldwide. In the US, "TV" and "The 30th" debuted at numbers 52 and 79 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.[40] The two songs reached the top 40 of charts in Ireland,[41] New Zealand,[42][43] Australia,[44][45] and the UK.[46] In terms of international commercial performance, "TV" entered the Billboard Global 200 at number 25, and "The 30th" at number 50.[47][48] After the release of Guitar Songs, Finneas reappeared on the Billboard Hot 100 Producers chart, making him the first person to spend 100 weeks there, and on Hot 100 Songwriters alongside Eilish. He debuted at numbers 16 and 23 on the two charts, respectively.[49]

Nine days after the release, Eilish and Finneas visited the Amoeba Music record store in Hollywood to play "TV", along with three other songs, in commemoration of Happier Than Ever's one-year anniversary.[8] The two continued to perform "TV" during the world tour, including it in the set list of the Singapore stop.[50] During the Manila concert, they did a live rendition of "The 30th" for the first time; Eilish felt it was hard to sing due to the personal lyrics.[51][52] After the tour's Asian leg, Eilish and Finneas collaborated with Singapore's tourism board to film live performances of "TV" and "The 30th", set at the Gardens by the Bay. She shared the videos to her YouTube account on September 21, 2022.[53][54]

Critical reception[]

During the week of the EP's release, Billboard held an online poll asking its readers to vote on their favorite new music. Guitar Songs topped the poll, chosen by 60% of the respondents.[55] Prior to this, "TV" became a favorite among Eilish's fans following its debut in the Manchester concert.[16] In a critic's review for The Guardian, Snapes gave Guitar Songs four stars out of five, thinking that its lyrics showcased Eilish's swift growth as a songwriter.[20] Other music journalists were impressed by her vocal performances: Nylon's Steffanee Wang deemed it "powerful",[21] whereas Billboard's Jason Lipshutz sensed improvement in her vocal technique and called it "increasingly confident".[18] Jon Pareles of The New York Times described the EP as "modestly strummed, but richly produced".[28]

Many critics praised Guitar Songs for the tracks' self-reflection and social commentary, some of whom considered it a testament to her writing talent.[b] In particular, the Manila Bulletin's entertainment columnists associated the EP's subject matter with the works of the greatest songwriters that came before her. They argued that its lyrics served as a reminder that she "remains one of the most treasured singer-songwriters of her generation".[22] Snapes also commented on the lyrics in Guitar Songs, and she described its writing style as realist. She was impressed with Eilish's subtlety and ability to discuss poignant topics without downplaying their seriousness.[20] For a similar reason, Consequence's Mary Siroky selected "The 30th" as the best new song of the week ending July 22, 2022. She cited its vulnerable and relatable lyrics, directing praise towards the bridge in particular.[57]

Track listing[]

All tracks are written by Billie Eilish O'Connell and Finneas O'Connell. All tracks are produced by Finneas.

Guitar Songs track listing
No.TitleLength
1."TV"4:41
2."The 30th"3:36
Total length:8:17

Personnel[]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[58]

References[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Attributed to multiple references:[18][19][20][21]
  2. ^ Attributed to multiple references:[18][21][22][56]

Sources[]

  1. ^ Bloom, Madison; Hussey, Allison (July 30, 2021). "7 New Albums You Should Listen to Now: Billie Eilish, Prince, Torres, and More". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 5, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Curto, Justin (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Sings About 'Overturning Roe v. Wade' on New Song 'TV'". Vulture. Archived from the original on July 23, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Serrano, Athena (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Returns to Her Roots in Surprise EP Guitar Songs". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  4. ^ DeSantis, Rachel (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Shares Two-Track Release Guitar Songs: 'A Little Surprise'". People. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Denis, Kyle-Brandon (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Surprise-Releases 2 New Tracks: 'These Songs Mean So So Much to Me'". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  6. ^ Legaspi, Althea (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Drops Surprise Guitar Songs EP, Featuring Two New Songs". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  7. ^ Clark, Meredith (June 24, 2022). "Billie Eilish Explains Why She Referenced Depp vs Heard Trial in New Song". The Independent. Archived from the original on July 23, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Bouza, Kat (July 30, 2022). "Watch Billie Eilish Perform Intimate Acoustic Set at Amoeba Music". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  9. ^ Browning, Justine (June 24, 2022). "Hollywood Reacts to Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade: 'This Is Actually Happening'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  10. ^ Phillips, Zoe (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Releases Two Surprise Songs, Says She Wants to Release Album Next Year". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  11. ^ Aniftos, Rania (May 26, 2022). "Billie Eilish Remembers Her Daytime TV Debut on Ellen: 'It Was Insane'". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
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  13. ^ Willman, Chris (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Releases Two New Acoustic Tracks, 'TV' and 'The 30th,' Under Guitar Songs Umbrella". Variety. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
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  15. ^ Sharf, Zack (June 24, 2022). "Billie Eilish Slams Internet for Caring About Depp-Heard Trial over Abortion Rights: 'Who Gives a F—?'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Brown, August (July 21, 2022). "Listen to Two New Dark and Dazzling Billie Eilish Songs". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  17. ^ Tai, Anita (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Went Back to Basics to Release 'The 30th' and 'TV' with Finneas". Entertainment Tonight Canada. Archived from the original on July 23, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b c Lipshutz, Jason (July 22, 2022). "First Stream: New Music From Megan Thee Stallion & Future, Billie Eilish, Lil Uzi Vert and More". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  19. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Chelosky, Danielle (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Releases 'TV' And 'The 30th,' Two Gentle Ballads". Uproxx. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Snapes, Laura (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish: Guitar Songs EP Review – Engulfed in the Horror and Hope of 2022". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Wang, Steffanee (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Released a Surprise Acoustic EP". Nylon. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Billie Eilish Drops Guitar Songs: 'TV' and 'The 30th'". Manila Bulletin. July 26, 2022. Archived from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  23. ^ Graves, Wren (July 21, 2022). "Billie Eilish Drops Surprise EP Guitar Songs: Stream". Consequence. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  24. ^ Olson, Samantha (July 21, 2022). "Here's a Breakdown of Billie Eilish's 'TV' Lyrics — And All the References She Makes". Seventeen. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
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  26. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (June 24, 2022). "Billie Eilish Was Annoyed by Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard amid Roe v. Wade News: 'Who F*cking Gives a F*ck?'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  27. ^ Jump up to: a b Serrano, Athena (June 8, 2022). "Billie Eilish Surprises with Stripped-Down New Live Song 'TV'". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  28. ^ Jump up to: a b Pareles, Jon; Zoladz, Lindsay (July 22, 2022). "Billie Eilish Contemplates Distraction, and 10 More New Songs". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  29. ^ Irvin, Jack (June 8, 2022). "Billie Eilish References Depp/Heard Trial, Roe v. Wade in New Song 'TV' Debuted at Manchester Concert". People. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  30. ^ Blistein, Jon (June 8, 2022). "Billie Eilish Debuts New Song 'TV' That Nods to Depp/Heard Trial, Roe v. Wade's Looming Demise". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  31. ^ "NME Radio Roundup 1 August 2022: Billie Eilish, Rina Sawayama and Jamie T". NME. August 1, 2022. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  32. ^ Petridis, Alexis (June 8, 2022). "Billie Eilish Review – Still an Icon of Disaffected, Hyper-Creative Youth". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
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  34. ^ Jump up to: a b Rowley, Glenn (July 25, 2022). "Billie Eilish Confesses the Recording Studio Gives Her Anxiety: 'I Don't Enjoy It'". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
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  36. ^ "Guitar Songs by Billie Eilish". Darkroom and Interscope Records. July 21, 2022. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022 – via Amazon Music.
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  38. ^ Cowen, Trace William (July 22, 2022). "Billie Eilish Surprise-Drops New 2-Track EP Guitar Songs". Complex. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
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  44. ^ "Billie Eilish – TV". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
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  49. ^ Zellner, Xander (August 4, 2022). "Finneas Hits Milestone on Hot 100 Producers Chart, Thanks to New Billie Eilish Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
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  54. ^ Jones, Damian (September 21, 2022). "Watch Billie Eilish Perform Guitar Songs Tracks 'TV' and 'The 30th' Live in Singapore Forest". NME. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  55. ^ Iasimone, Ashley (July 24, 2022). "Fans Choose Billie Eilish's Guitar Songs as This Week's Favorite New Music". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
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  58. ^ "Credits for Guitar Songs by Billie Eilish". Archived from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022 – via Tidal.
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