Billie Eilish Scores First Airplay Chart No. 1 as ‘Bury a Friend’ Tops Alternative Songs

2019-05-22T10:06:51+00:00May 22nd, 2019|News|

Billie Eilish earns her first No. 1 on a Billboard radio airplay chart, with “Bury a Friend” bumping 2-1 on the Alternative Songs tally dated May 25.

Eilish previously reached No. 7 on the chart with “You Should See Me in a Crown” in December. Meanwhile, her third entry on the chart, “Bad Guy,” rises 35-28 (and breaks into the top five of the Billboard Hot 100, pushing 9-4).

Eilish becomes the first act to score a first Alternative Songs leader in 2019. Marshmello last landed an initial leader, with “Happier” (with Bastille), in November.

More accolades for Eilish: she’s the first solo woman to top Alternative Songs since Alice Merton, whose “No Roots” hit the summit in February 2018, and the 10th solo woman in a lead role to rule in the tally’s three-decade history. After a 17-year drought, four solo women have now led since 2013:

Solo Lead Women to Hit No. 1 on Alternative Songs
Title, Artist, Chart Date Reached No. 1, Weeks at No. 1
“Bury a Friend,” Billie Eilish, May 25, 2019, one (to date)
“No Roots,” Alice Merton, Feb. 24, 2018, one
“Ex’s & Oh’s,” Elle King, Sept. 19, 2015, three
“Royals,” Lorde, Aug. 24, 2013, seven
“Mother Mother,” Tracy Bonham, June 8, 1996, three
“Ironic,” Alanis Morissette, March 16, 1996, three
“Hand in My Pocket,” Alanis Morissette, Oct. 14, 1995, one
“You Oughta Know,” Alanis Morissette, July 22, 1995, five
“God,” Tori Amos, March 19, 1994, two
“Blood Makes Noise,” Suzanne Vega, Oct. 10, 1992, one
“The Emperor’s New Clothes,” Sinead O’Connor, May 12, 1990, one
“Nothing Compares 2 U,” Sinead O’Connor, March 31, 1990, one
“Love and Anger,” Kate Bush, Dec. 9, 1989, three

Eilish is the youngest solo artist to rule Alternative Songs since Lorde, who was 16 when “Royals” crowned the chart in August 2013; Eilish turned 17 in December.

“Bury a Friend” also reaches a new weekly audience high on the all-rock-format Rock Airplay chart at No. 6, up 5% to 6.9 million impressions, according to Nielsen Music.

After peaking at No. 14 on the Hot 100 dated Feb. 16, “Bury a Friend” has remained on the tally each week, this week ranking at No. 47.

“Bury a Friend” is one of three concurrently charting radio hits for Eilish. Along with its Alternative Songs ascent, “Bad Guy” climbs 25-22 on Pop Songs and debuts at No. 39 on Adult Pop Songs, while “When the Party’s Over” bullets at its No. 19 high on Pop Songs.

The three tracks are from When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, Eilish’s debut full-length, which entered atop the Billboard 200 dated April 13 with 313,000 equivalent album units earned in its first week. The LP has remained in the Billboard 200’s top four each week since and made a return trip to No. 1 on the May 4-dated ranking.

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