Billie Eilish has responded to the backlash against her recent comments on artists releasing multiple vinyl variants.
In an interview with Billboard discussing her climate activism, Eilish made headlines for criticising the practise of releasing multiple vinyl variants to boost album sales, calling it “wasteful”. “It’s irritating to me that we’re still at a point where you care that much about your numbers and you care that much about making money — and it’s all your favorite artists doing that sh-t,” she added.
Some outlets such as TMZ and The New York Post interpreted Eilish’s comments as a dig at Taylor Swift, who is known for releasing multiple variants of her albums. Swift’s 2020 album ‘Folklore‘, for instance, had eight vinyl variants; her recent 2022 album ‘Midnights’ sold in five different variants as well.
Now, Eilish has commented on the response to her vinyl remarks, taking to Instagram stories by beginning: “Okay so it would be so awesome if people would stop putting words into my mouth and actually read what I said in that Billboard article.”
“I wasn’t singling anyone out,” she continued, “these are industry-wide systemic issues. & when it comes to variants, so many artists release them – including ME! Which I clearly state in the article.”
Eilish’s mother, Maggie Baird, did acknowledge the issues were “systemic” in the original interview, with the singer herself later adding: “We’re all going to do it because [it’s] the only way to play the game. It’s just accentuating this already kind of messed up way of this industry working.”
The original article also made reference to Eilish’s sophomore album ‘Happier Than Ever’ being released in eight vinyl variants; however, it also specified that each vinyl was 100 per cent recycled and encased in sugar cane shrink wrap.
The pop star concluded her Instagram stories response by writing: “The climate crisis is now and it’s about all of us being part of the problem and trying to do better sheesh”.
Eilish is not alone in her criticisms of the unsustainability of vinyl. Back in December last year, a music industry exec called out the “hypocrisy” of artists who support climate action whilst releasing physical records during a climate crisis.
Sir Robin Millar, who has produced albums such as Sade’s ‘Diamond Life’ and Everything But The Girl’s ‘Eden’, said he was “baffled” that “no large record company has had the backing of a big-selling artist to stop making physical records.”
“How can anybody stand up and say ‘save the planet’?,” he continued. “Artists are awful for hypocritical bandwagonery.”
Eilish has campaigned for climate action for a long time, having most recently hosted the ‘Overheated’ climate action event in London last year with her mother.
Speaking with NME backstage, Baird told us: “Everybody knows the clock is ticking. The truth is, touring is in jeopardy. The music industry is in jeopardy. If you don’t do it now, you’ll be forced to do it in the future.”
