LONDON (Reuters) – Billie Eilish’s “bad guy”, a pounding song that pokes fun at distorted perceptions, was named as the top global single of 2019 by the record industry.
“bad guy”, the fifth single from the 18-year-old American singer’s first album, “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?”, was a hit across the world and the most listened-to track of the year.
“So you’re a tough guy, like it really rough guy, just can’t get enough guy, chest always so puffed guy,” Eilish sings in the chorus, sometimes wearing a snorkel and mask and sometimes smearing blood from her nose over her face.
“I’m that bad type, make your mama sad type, make your girlfriend mad tight, might seduce your dad type, I’m the bad guy, Duh,” she sings.
In her official “bad guy” video, which has had 809 million views on YouTube, she finishes the song by sitting cross-legged on top of a man who is doing press ups.
IFPI, which represents the recording industry, said the track came top of its digital singles chart, with 19.5 million track equivalents, ahead of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” which came second with 18.4 million track equivalents.
Last month, it was announced that Eilish will sing the title song from the latest James Bond film “No Time to Die.”
“Billie Eilish has taken the world by storm with her incredible voice and genre-defying sound,” said IFPI Chief Executive Frances Moore.
“She is also an artist who addresses important issues like mental health in her lyrics that clearly resonate with her fans all over the world,” Moore said.
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Stephen Addison)
