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Bitches Broken Hearts

"Bitches Broken Hearts"
The cover features Eilish wrapped around in a blanket
Single by Billie Eilish
A-side"You Should See Me in a Crown"
PublishedNovember 10, 2017 (2017-11-10)
ReleasedMarch 30, 2018 (2018-03-30)
GenreR&B
Length2:56
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Finneas O'Connell
  • Emmit Fenn
Billie Eilish singles chronology
"&Burn"
(2017) 		"Bitches Broken Hearts"
(2018) 		"Lovely"
(2018)
Alternative cover
Eilish is seen posing for a photo
Picture sleeve for the US 7-inch single, released in October 2018

"Bitches Broken Hearts" is a song recorded by American singer Billie Eilish. The song was written by Eilish, and its producers: Emmit Fenn and Finneas O'Connell. Originally released via SoundCloud on November 10, 2017, it was released as a standalone single on all digital platforms on March 30, 2018. The song was released on a 7-inch vinyl as the B-Side to her single "You Should See Me in a Crown". It was also included on the expanded edition of Eilish's debut EP, Don't Smile at Me (2017), as well as on the deluxe edition of her debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019).

The lyrics of "Bitches Broken Hearts" address the aftermath of a breakup. The song received mainly positive reviews from music critics, several of whom praised the music and lyrics. It was certified platinum in the States and Canada by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Music Canada (MC), respectively.

Background and release

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"Bitches Broken Hearts" was originally released through Eilish's SoundCloud on November 10, 2017.[1][2][3][4] The song was later released for digital download and streaming on March 30, 2018, through Darkroom and Interscope Records.[5] It was included as the B-side on the 7-inch vinyl of "You Should See Me in a Crown", released on October 20, 2018, and was sold exclusively during her 1 By 1 Tour.[6] The song was included on the expanded edition of her debut EP, Don't Smile at Me, in December 2018, and the reissue of her debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, the following December.[7][8] "Bitches Broken Hearts" was written by the singer, her brother Finneas O'Connell and Emmit Fenn. The song was co-produced by Finneas and Fenn, making it the first Billie Eilish song to feature production from someone other than Finneas.[2][9]

Composition

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Critical commentary described "Bitches Broken Hearts" as an R&B track.[3][10] According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, "Bitches Broken Hearts" has a moderately fast tempo of 120 beats per minute (BPM) and is played in the key of A minor. Eilish's vocals span one octave from G3 to G4.[11] Lyrically, the song delves into the aftermath of a breakup, Eilish pretends that she no longer needs or cares about her former lover: “You can pretend you don’t miss me/You can pretend you don’t care/All you wanna do is kiss me/Oh, what a shame, I’m not there.”[10][12] Eilish continues to her lovers' incompatibility, calling them "suicide and stolen art"; she also knows they'll both eventually move on and start to meet new people: "Somebody new is gonna comfort you/Like you want me to/Somebody new is gonna comfort me/Like you never do".[10]

Reception

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"Bitches Broken Hearts" was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. Insider's Claudia Willen, praised Eilish's vocals, saying she "[has] smooth vocals [that] float seamlessly through the track, effectively capturing the fleeting nature that often comes with young love".[10] Kirsten Spruch of Billboard commented that the song has "subdued like a lot of the siblings' work" but has "a tropical flare, which makes it a great Eilish cut for those looking for something a bit more relaxing".[13] Laurence Day of The Line of Best Fit viewed the song as a "intimacy and free-flowing energy of a raw demo take" and "it's still got all of Eilish's sensational vocal power".[3] Commercially, "Bitches Broken Hearts" has been awarded a platinum certification in the United States and Canada by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Music Canada (MC), respectively.[14][15]

Live performances

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In July 2018, Eilish performed "Bitches Broken Hearts" for Vevo Lift. A video for the performance was released to YouTube on July 30, 2018, and was directed by Ryan Booth.[16][17][18] Booth shot the basketball docu-series about Penny Hardaway called The Harder Way.[19]

Personnel

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Credits adapted from liner notes of You Should See Me in a Crown / Bitches Broken Hearts.[20]

Certifications

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Certifications and sales for "Bitches Broken Hearts"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[21] Platinum 70,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[22] Platinum 40,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[15] Platinum 80,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[23] Gold 30,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[24] Gold 10,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[25] Gold 5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[26] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[14] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release dates and formats for "Bitches Broken Hearts"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Various March 30, 2018
[5]
United States October 20, 2018 7" [6]

References

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  1. ^ "bitches broken hearts by Billie Eilish". SoundCloud. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Billie Eilish has shared a surprise new single 'Bitches Broken Hearts'". Dork. November 15, 2017. Archived from the original on June 28, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Day, Laurnce (November 15, 2017). "Billie Eilish debuts raw R&B charmer 'Bitches Broken Hearts'". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  4. ^ Moore, Jacob (November 15, 2017). "Billie Eilish Releases Surprise Single 'Bitches Broken Hearts'". Complex. Archived from the original on June 28, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Billie Eilish Officially Releases 'bitches broken hearts' for Fans". Universal Music Group. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "you should see me in a crown/bitches broken hearts". Depop. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  7. ^ "dont smile at me (Expanded Edition) by Billie Eilish". Spotify. 11 August 2017. Archived from the original on January 22, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  8. ^ "When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (Cd Repack)" (in Polish). Empik. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  9. ^ Spruch, Kirsten (November 15, 2017). "Song of The Day: 'bitches broken hearts' by Billie Eilish". Baeble Music. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d Ahlgrim, Callie (March 18, 2020). "Every Billie Eilish song, ranked". Insider. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  11. ^ "Billie Eilish 'Bitches Broken Hearts' Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. 11 June 2019. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  12. ^ Gore, Sydney (March 4, 2018). "Billie eilish curses an ex with eternal fomo on 'bitches broken hearts'". MTV. Archived from the original on November 11, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  13. ^ Spruch, Kristen (December 12, 2019). "10 Billie Eilish Songs Every Superfan Should Know". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "American single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bitches Broken Hearts". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  15. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bitches Broken Hearts". Music Canada. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  16. ^ "Billie Eilish - bitches broken hearts (Official Live Performance)-Vevo Lift". YouTube. Archived from the original on May 20, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  17. ^ Howard, Lindsay (July 31, 2018). "Billie Eilish shares tender live performance of 'B*tches Broken Hearts'". Variance. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  18. ^ Lee, Valerie (August 2, 2018). "Billie Eilish performs 'bitches broken hearts' for Vevo Lift". Outlet. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  19. ^ Calkins, Geoff (March 17, 2020). "Calkins: As the final, dramatic episodes air, an inside look at 'The Harder Way'". The Daily Memphian. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  20. ^ "You Should See Me in a Crown" (7-inch vinyl). Billie Eilish. Santa Monica, California: Darkroom/Interscope Records. 2018. B0028970-21.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  22. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bitches Broken Hearts" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  23. ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved November 19, 2019. Type Billie Eilsih in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Bitches Broken Hearts in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  24. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2020 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  25. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bitches Broken Hearts" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  26. ^ "British single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bitches Broken Hearts". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
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