Pop artist Billie Eilish has been named Apple Music‘s Artist of the Year for 2024, becoming the first artist to receive this honor twice following her initial win in 2019.
The latest recognition follows Eilish’s second Academy Award and two GRAMMY Awards for What Was I Made For? from the Barbie movie soundtrack.
The 22-year-old artist’s third studio album, Hit Me Hard And Soft, released via Universal Music Group’s Darkroom and Interscope labels, reached No. 1 on Apple Music’s all-genre albums chart in 138 countries. The album has earned her seven GRAMMY nominations, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year.
The Hit Me Hard And Soft tour continues to sell out venues worldwide, and is scheduled to continue into 2025.
Eilish’s cultural impact extended beyond music when she represented Los Angeles at the summer games’ closing ceremony in August, performing Birds of a Feather to a global audience. The performance triggered her highest single-day Shazam activity to date.
“From the moment we first heard Ocean Eyes nearly a decade ago, we’ve been fans and champions of Billie’s work.”
Rachel Newman, Apple Music
In August, Eilish surpassed The Weeknd to become the most listened-to artist on Spotify. That same month, Billboard reported that Eilish signed with WME for touring and live events worldwide.
“From the moment we first heard Ocean Eyes nearly a decade ago, we’ve been fans and champions of Billie’s work,” said Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s senior director of Content and Editorial.
“It’s always special when a young artist can connect with so many people so quickly. But what’s been truly remarkable about watching her evolve over the course of this last year isn’t just that her voice and artistry have continued to resonate so widely. It’s that she’s blossomed as bravely and honestly as she has — on her own terms, in her own way.”
Responding to the award, Eilish said, “Since day one, Apple Music has supported my music and artistry, and I am both honored and humbled to receive this recognition as Artist of the Year this many years into my career.”
To celebrate the achievement, Apple Music is featuring her entire catalog in Spatial Audio and will showcase special playlists throughout the week as part of its 2024 year-end music highlights.
Last year, Taylor Swift was named Artist of the Year on Apple Music after 65 of her songs reached Apple Music’s Global Daily Top 100 — more than any other artist — in the first 10 months of 2023.
Music Business Worldwide
