#100 WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? by Billie Eilish

The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

2025 Album Rank

100

Total Points

658

Year Released

2019

Billboard 200 Chart Peak

1

Weeks at #1

3

RIAA Sales Certification

4,000,000 (Multi Platinum)

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WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? Album Details

Billie Eilish's debut full-length album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, released on March 29, 2019, redefined pop music for a new generation. Written, produced, and recorded almost entirely in a bedroom by Billie and her brother Finneas O'Connell, the album blends minimalist production, whispery vocals, and dark, introspective lyrics that challenged the mainstream soundscape. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and made Eilish the first artist born in the 2000s to top the chart.

Thematically, the album explores nightmarish dreamscapes, teen angst, mental health, fame, and vulnerability. Musically, it draws from pop, trap, industrial, and electronic influences, while maintaining a DIY intimacy. Billie's distinct visual aesthetic, pale neon hues, oversized clothes, and horror-inspired imagery, became as much a part of the album's identity as the songs themselves.

Interesting Facts About WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

• bad guy became the album's breakout hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and unseating Lil Nas X's Old Town Road after its 19-week run.
• bury a friend served as the album's creative centerpiece, written from the perspective of a monster under the bed and introducing the record's eerie, dreamlike tone.
• you should see me in a crown was inspired by a quote from the BBC series Sherlock and paired glitchy beats with an empowering message.
• when the party's over is a sparse, heartbreaking ballad that showcases Eilish's dynamic vocal restraint and emotional control.
• The opening track, !!!!!!!, is a brief, candid moment of laughter and braces-removal, setting the tone for the album's blend of intimacy and absurdity.
• The record eschews traditional pop formats, often shifting structures mid-song and incorporating ASMR-style vocals, distorted basslines, and unconventional samples.
• Eilish and Finneas crafted the album entirely in a small bedroom studio, emphasizing authenticity and DIY ethos over major-label polish.
• Visually, the album era was marked by surreal, often disturbing imagery, including the now-iconic album cover showing Billie with white eyes and black tears.
• All 14 tracks entered the Billboard Hot 100, a rare feat that highlighted the album's cultural impact across digital platforms.
• WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? helped usher in a new era of mainstream pop defined by emotional honesty, genre fusion, and Gen Z irreverence.
• The album won the Grammy for Album of the Year at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020. While bad guy won Grammies for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? Tracklist

1. !!!!!!!
2. Bad Guy - Reached #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
3. Xanny
4. You Should See Me in a Crown
5. All the Good Girls Go to Hell
6. Wish You Were Gay - Reached #31 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
7. When the Party's Over - Reached #29 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
8. 8
9. My Strange Addiction
10. Bury a Friend - Reached #14 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
11. Ilomilo
12. Listen Before I Go
13. I Love You
14. Goodbye

Bad Guy Music Video

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