Billie Eilish proved to be an explosive force with the arrival of her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? in 2019, which contained hits “Bad Guy,” “Bury a Friend” and others. The then-17-year-old was offering a sound unlike anything else in pop music, reaching through the radio and grabbing the listener’s ear with her equal parts eerie and enticing sound that earned her multiple Grammy Awards, including the coveted Album of the Year.
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Below, we rank all 14 of the tracks off When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? which were co-written by Eilish and her brother FINNEAS. The latter also handled the album’s production.
1. “I Love You”
While the album is chock full of slick beats and eerie sounds, “I Love You” is one of the album’s rare stripped-down offerings. This guitar ballad puts Eilish’s soft, beautiful voice at the forefront, with gentle backing harmonies from her brother. The lyrics are strikingly vulnerable, as the then-teen has a hard time accepting when someone tells her “I love you.” The song is the most vulnerable on the album, making this understated gem the best track.
2. “All the Good Girls Go to Hell”
“All the Good Girls Go to Hell” is equal parts catchy and bold. In between the ear-candy melody, Eilish makes a statement when she asserts, Hills burn in California/My turn to ignore ya/Don’t say I didn’t warn ya. The lyrics were written from the perspective of God and the devil watching humans destroy the earth, the song serving as an observation on climate change. While the lyrics are fun to sing along to, the important message behind them is just subtle enough to get one’s attention.
3. “Bad Guy”
“Bad Guy” arguably defines When We All Fall Asleep. It’s an undeniable standout from the distinct opening notes to eyebrow-raising lyrics like, Make your mama sad type/Make your girlfriend mad type/Might seduce your dad type/I’m the bad guy. The pulsating beat is eerie in nature, matched by Eilish’s equally brilliant delivery that’s nothing short of ear-catching. “Bad Guy” elevated Eilish from a rising star to a bonafide superstar, making it one of the best songs not only on When We All Fall Asleep but likely the rest of her career.
4. “You Should See Me in a Crown”
Like “Bad Guy,” “You Should See Me in a Crown” puts the young Eilish in a position of power. She’s a natural in this role – even if she is making her subjects bow one by one before watching their blood splatter on the marble walls of her castle. She’s a merciless ruler here, but one you weirdly can’t help but root for with her convincing delivery.
5. “Bury a Friend”
“Bury a Friend” shows off the songwriting and production prowess of the sister-brother duo. Eilish’s haunting vocals take the lead, backed by FINNEAS’ electrifying production that sounds like it was lifted from a horror movie. The album’s title stems from a line in the song, adding to its significance. With vivid, if not grotesque, imagery in the lyrics like step on the glass/Staple your tongue, Eilish establishes herself as a shock rocker as much as she is a pop star.
6. “Xanny”
Eilish continues to prove she’s not afraid to approach a challenging subject on “Xanny.” Here, she comments on the misuse of the anxiety medication Xanax. A distorted melody weaves in with Eilish’s voice which sounds barely above a whisper. The song comes from a personal place, as the striking lines, I can’t afford to love someone/Who isn’t dying by mistake in Silver Lake, were inspired by her friend who tragically died of a drug overdose. It’s a sad, yet genuine song that’s perhaps overshadowed by some of the album’s bigger hits.
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7. “My Stange Addiction”
While many of the album’s songs explore heavy topics like mental health and drug addiction, Eilish offers something lighter with “My Strange Addiction.” Interlooping audio clips from the “Threat Level Midnight” episode from one of her favorite shows, The Office, “Addiction” is a clever bop that demonstrates Eilish’s sense of humor in a way that other songs on the album can’t.
8. “When the Party’s Over”
Eilish is a choir of one on the haunting opening of “When the Party’s Over.” This delicate tune proves that less is more, as Eilish is backed simply by a piano and some soft guitar notes as she pleads, Let me let you go. It’s a beautiful offering that doesn’t need much flash to stick out, putting it in the middle of the pack.
9. “Goodbye”
Eilish demonstrates the versatility of her voice with “Goodbye.” As she opens the song reprising please don’t leave me in a haunting fashion, she then recites lyrics from all the other songs on the album to create a whole new story as she bids the listener adieu. It’s a creative, innovative way to end an album, as opposed to just another cut, leaving the listener with the impression that she is anything but ordinary.
10. “Listen Before I Go”
Eilish delivers another ballad with “Listen Before I Go.” A whispy piano accompanies the singer as she captures melancholia through such poetic lyrics as, Taste me, the salty tears on my cheek/That’s what a year-long headache does to you/I’m not okay, I feel so scattered/Don’t say I’m all that matters/Leave me deja vu. There’s a deep sense of heartache weaved into the song, its darkness making it worth listening to.
11. “Ilomilo”
A funky, electronic melody tickles the listener’s ear on “Ilomilo.” The song was interestingly inspired by the video game of the same name, with the sonic-ness of the song mimicking that of a video game. The production is more interesting than the lyrics, one of the album’s rare tracks that one could skip.
12. “Wish You Were Gay”
While there are no bad songs on When We All Fall Asleep, “Wish You Were Gay” isn’t as strong as the rest. The production is still cool and Eilish sounds intriguing as she sings of unrequited love. But the singer caught flack for the song’s title for being potentially insensitive to the queer community (though she’s denied any malicious intent). Though it was inspired by the true story of a crush she had on a classmate who didn’t share the same feelings and later came out to her as gay, the song doesn’t pack as strong a punch as the other tracks higher up on the list.
13. “8”
On this deep cut, the singer deals with heartbreak via a Hawaiin-influenced melody that’s intricately blended with a soft R&B tone. While “8” sounds good, it’s somewhat dull in comparison to the album’s many other offerings.
14. “”!!!!!!!”
It’s hard to know what to expect when you have a series of exclamation points as the song title. But that’s part of the charm and mystery of Eilish. This 14-second piece isn’t a song at all, but the sound of the singer sucking saliva out of her Invisalign while announcing the album and laughing with her brother. A bit strange (and gross), but this gives fans a true indication of who Eilish is.
Photo by Harry Durrant/Getty Images
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