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Bored (song)

This article is about the Billie Eilish song. For the Deftones song, see Adrenaline (album).

"Bored"
Eilish is seen wearing all yellow, leaning against a wall and looking to the side.
Single by Billie Eilish
from the album 13 Reasons Why (A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack)
ReleasedMarch 30, 2017 (2017-03-30)
GenrePop
Length3:00
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Finneas O'Connell
Billie Eilish singles chronology
"Bellyache"
(2017) 		"Bored"
(2017) 		"Watch"
(2017)
Music video
"Bored" on YouTube

"Bored" is a song by American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish from the soundtrack album, 13 Reasons Why (A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack) (2017). The song was written by Eilish, her brother Finneas O'Connell, Aron Forbes, and Tim Anderson. Production was solely handled by Finneas. It was released by Darkroom and Interscope Records for digital download and streaming on March 30, 2017, as the lead single from the soundtrack. A mid-tempo pop ballad, the song's lyrics see Eilish sing about finally discovering her former lover's mistakes. The song has received generally mixed reviews from music critics, with a number of them deeming it as forgettable.

The song has been certified gold or more in the United States, Australia, Mexico, and Poland by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), Mexican Association of Producers of Phonograms and Videograms, A.C. (AMPROFON), and Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry (ZPAV), respectively. An accompanying music video was released on June 26, 2017, and directed by Miles & AJ. In it, Eilish is shown dressed in a blue tracksuit with matching high-top Nikes while hanging off a ladder that seemingly goes on forever into endless white space. The video received positive reviews, with critics praising Eilish's performance. Eilish promoted "Bored" by performing it for her Where's My Mind Tour (2018), her When We All Fall Asleep Tour (2019), and her 2022 Happier Than Ever, The World Tour.

Background and composition

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The song was written by Eilish alongside her brother Finneas O'Connell, known under his stage name of Finneas, Aron Forbes, and Tim Anderson. Finneas was solely responsible for the song's production.[1] Eilish told V magazine that being able to make music for 13 Reasons Why and having it appear on the show's soundtrack was great for her due to opening her music to a much bigger audience.[2] "Bored" was released for digital download and streaming by Darkroom and Interscope Records as the lead single from the soundtrack album 13 Reasons Why (A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack) on March 30, 2017.[3][4][5]

According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, "Bored" is composed in the key of G major and has a tempo of 122 beats per minute (BPM). Eilish's vocals span a range from A3 to D5.[6] Music journalists described the song as a mid-tempo pop ballad.[7][8] Lyrically, "Bored" is a song built on harmonies that demonstrates Eilish feeling contempt for an ex-lover who had made too many mistakes: "I'm not afraid anymore/What makes you sure you're all I need?"[8][9]

Critical reception

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"Bored" has been met with mainly mixed reviews from music critics. The staff of NME stated that the song is "salvaged by the layer-upon-layer of vocal takes that come to a head towards the end", and said it "belongs to a now-bygone Eilish sonic era".[10] Jules LeFevre, writing for Junkee magazine, placed the song at number 17 on her Every Billie Eilish Song Ranked From Worst To Best list, opining that it is "completely forgettable". She continued, commenting that Eilish "tumbles down the melody on the line 'I'm not afraid anymore', like a pebble down a waterfall".[11] For Insider, Courteney Larocca described "Bored" as a "delicate, ethereal song", and praised the layering of Eilish's vocals throughout the song.[9] Angie Piccirillo of Consequence of Sound commented that Eilish's "smooth vocals caught the attention of young listeners".[12]

Commercial performance

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Commercially, "Bored" was certified double platinum in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), platinum in Poland by the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry (ZPAV), and gold in the United States and Mexico by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Mexican Association of Producers of Phonograms and Videograms, A.C. (AMPROFON), respectively.[13][14][15][16]

Promotion

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Music video

[edit]

Background and synopsis

[edit]
Eilish climbs up an endless ladder in the music video.

The music video for "Bored" was released to Eilish's YouTube channel on June 26, 2017, and directed by Miles & AJ.[2][7][17] Eilish came up with the concept for it.[8] The video sees her climbing and hanging off a ladder that seems to climb forever into endless white space, while she is dressed in a blue tracksuit with matching high-top Nikes[2][7] In an interview with Elle magazine, Eilish said the video was inspired by "being trapped in a relationship that was going nowhere. When you're in such a toxic place with someone and you're treated so badly for such a long time that eventually you're used to it."[8] Eilish also talked about the visual's endless ladder: "The thought of being on an endless ladder in a kind of timeless/antigravity space where no rules apply is just really sick to me, and goes with the concept of the song by getting nowhere in a relationship and getting bored."[2][8]

Critical reception

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The music video was met with positive reviews from critics. Emma Blanchard, writing for V magazine, praised the visual, saying: "Eilish's genuinely thoughtful lyrics and gorgeous piano melodies align flawlessly with the videos minimalistic vibe." She continued, commenting that Eilish "deliver[ed] a stunning, artistic performance".[2] For Idolator, Mike Wass described the visual as a "suitably solemn affair".[7] Estelle Tang of Elle magazine labeled the music video as "dizzying".[8]

Live performances

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Eilish promoted the song by performing it during her Where's My Mind Tour (2018) and When We All Fall Asleep Tour (2019).[18][19] She did so again on her Happier Than Ever, The World Tour.[citation needed]

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from Tidal.[1]

Charts

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Weekly chart positions for "Bored"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[20] 53
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[21] 57
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[22] 41
France (SNEP)[23] 64
Germany (GfK)[24] 88
Global 200 (Billboard)[25] 75
Greece (IFPI)[26] 33
Hungary (Single Top 40)[27] 32
Ireland (IRMA)[28] 82
Lithuania (AGATA)[29] 56
Norway (VG-lista)[30] 34
Portugal (AFP)[31] 79
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[32] 41
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[33] 57
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[34] 59
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[35] 80
US Alternative Streaming Songs (Billboard)[36] 17

Certifications

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Certifications for "Bored"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[13] 3× Platinum 210,000‡
Austria (IFPI Austria)[37] Platinum 30,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[38] Diamond 160,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[39] Gold 45,000‡
France (SNEP)[40] Platinum 200,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[41] Gold 50,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[15] Gold 30,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[14] Platinum 50,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[42] Gold 5,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[43] Gold 30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[44] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[16] Gold 500,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[45] Gold 1,000,000†

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Bored by Billie Eilish". Tidal. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e Blanchard, Emma (June 26, 2017). "Premiere: Billie Eilish's New Music Video For 'Bored' From 13 Reasons Why". V. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Harding, Charlie (August 9, 2019). "Billie Eilish, the neo-goth, chart-topping teenage pop star, explained". Vox. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  5. ^ "Bored - Single by Billie Eilish on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on May 15, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  6. ^ "Billie Eilish 'Bored' Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. 5 February 2019. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d Wass, Mike (June 26, 2017). "Billie Eilish Unveils The Arty Video For '13 Reasons Why' Track 'Bored'". Idolator. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Tang, Estelle (June 26, 2017). "Watch Billie Eilish's 'Bored' Video Now". Elle. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Ahlgrim, Callie; Torres, Libby; Willen, Claudia (March 18, 2020). "Every Billie Eilish song, ranked". Insider. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  10. ^ "Every single Billie Eilish song ranked in order of greatness". NME. July 29, 2019. Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  11. ^ LeFevre, Jules (July 28, 2020). "Every Billie Eilish Song Ranked From Worst To Best". Junkee. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  12. ^ Piccirillo, Angie (December 31, 2019). "Artist of the Year Billie Eilish Reinvented the Pop Star in 2019". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  13. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2022 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved January 14, 2020. Type Billie Eilish in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Bored in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  16. ^ a b "American single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bored". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  17. ^ "Billie Eilish - Bored". YouTube. Archived from the original on November 11, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  18. ^ Kohnstamm, Alex (4 April 2018). "Billie Eilish Serenades Sold Out 7th St. Entry". Music in Minnesota. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  19. ^ Trendell, Andrew (February 12, 2019). "Watch Billie Eilish perform 'Bury A Friend' and 'When I Was Older' live for the first time". NME. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  20. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 18 October 2021". The ARIA Report. No. 1650. Australian Recording Industry Association. October 18, 2021. p. 4.
  21. ^ "Billie Eilish – Bored" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  22. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 40. týden 2021 in the date selector. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  23. ^ "Billie Eilish – Bored" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  24. ^ "Billie Eilish – Bored" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  25. ^ "Billie Eilish Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  26. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 40/2021". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  27. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  28. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Billie Eilish". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  29. ^ "2021 40-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  30. ^ "Billie Eilish – Bored". VG-lista. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  31. ^ "Billie Eilish – Bored". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  32. ^ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202140 into search. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  33. ^ "Billie Eilish – Bored". Singles Top 100. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  34. ^ "Billie Eilish – Bored". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  35. ^ "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  36. ^ "Billie Eilish Chart History Alternative Streaming Songs". Billboard. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  37. ^ "Austrian single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bored" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  38. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bored" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  39. ^ "Danish single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bored". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  40. ^ "French single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bored" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  41. ^ "Italian single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bored" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  42. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bored" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  43. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bored". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  44. ^ "British single certifications – Billie Eilish – Bored". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  45. ^ "IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 49/2021" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Retrieved December 20, 2021.