Everything you need to know about Billie Eilish's third album 'Hit Me Hard and Soft'
It's gone 2x Platinum!
Last updated 18th May 2026
Billie Eilish released her third album 'Hit Me Hard and Soft' back in May 2024 — bagging nominations for both BRIT Awards and GRAMMYs, and a 2x Platinum certification.
Taking to X to confirm the album had been released in May 2024, Billie simply shared the artwork with the words: '“HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” OUT NOW EVERYWHERE!' (sic)
How did she announce the album?
Back in April 2024, the singer took to social media to share a photo of herself underwater, with a white door above her, this followed a previous video where she could be seen falling into the water, before being pulled out.
The singer then wrote: '“HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” MY THIRD ALBUMMMMMMMMMMMMM COMES OUT MAY 17THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHH🥹🥹🥹 so crazy to be writing this right now i’m nervyyyyy & exciteddd 🫣 not doing singles i wanna give it to you all at once :PPP finneas and i truly could not be more proud of this album and we absolutely can’t wait for you to hear it. love you love you love you. 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃'. (sic)
Before announcing the album's name, Billie also shared a video with some music, saying 'READY?', and back in February 2024, she revealed that the album had been mastered, implying it was finished.
In Billie's post, she could be seen wearing a black coat and a balaclava, which is adorned with stars. Captioning the snaps, Billie simply wrote: 'my album is mastered.'
Back in December 2023, Billie's brother Finneas, who frequently works with his sister, revealed that her third album was '85% complete'. Speaking to Mr Porter about the subject matter of the album, he revealed: "I don't think Billie was particularly sure about how she actually felt about the things we were trying to write about.
"Making a thing that you feel really connected to - it can really evade you."
Billie also discussed her third album on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in December 2023, as she said: "We are almost done with this new album. So, at some point, you will know more, but I'm not gonna say anything right now."
What is the tracklist?
The full tracklist on Billie's album is below:
- 'Skinny'
- 'Lunch'
- 'Chihiro'
- 'Birds of a Feather'
- 'Wildflower'
- 'The Greatest'
- 'L'Amour de ma Vie'
- 'The Diner'
- 'Bittersuite'
- 'Blue'
On the same day Billie announced her album, the tracklist was leaked by a US publication, she later released it officially by sharing it on Instagram.
When was Billie's third album released?
It came out on 17th May 2024.
What is the album called?
Billie's album is called 'Hit Me Hard and Soft'.
Where did it come in the charts?
The album debuted at Number 1 in its first week of release - and was also certified Platinum by the BPI after only six months, translating to over 300,000 sales in the UK alone. It was later certified 2x Platinum.
Did it win any awards?
The album was nominated at the 2025 GRAMMY Awards for both Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album, but she lost out to Beyoncé for 'Cowboy Carter' and Sabrina Carpenter's 'Short n' Sweet'.
Did she tour the album?
She certainly did. Billie embarked on the 'Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour' in September 2024 and didn't finish up until November 2025, performing a whopping 106 shows across the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, the UK and Ireland.
Billie announced in November 2025 that the Manchester date of the tour had been filmed, and was being created into a 3D tour film helmed by none other than legendary Hollywood director, James Cameron.
Read more | Everything you need to know about Billie Eilish's 'Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour' and the upcoming tour film
Who did Billie work with on it?
Unsurprisingly, Billie worked once again with her brother, Finneas, on the record - co-writing every song with him at his home studio in Los Angeles.
The meaning behind the album title
Billie stumbled across the album title rather mistakenly! She told Rolling Stone (according to The Standard) that she'd thought a setting on the audio software her brother was using was called 'Hit Me Hard and Soft',
She said: "I thought it was such a perfect encapsulation of what this album does. It’s an impossible request: You can’t be hit hard and soft. You can’t do anything hard and soft at the same time.
"I’m a pretty extremist person, and I really like when things are really intense physically, but I also love when things are very tender and sweet. I want two things at once. So I thought that was a really good way to describe me, and I love that it’s not possible."
Take a look at Billie Eilish's incredible career so far:
Early life
The US songstress was born on 18th December 2001 to Maggie Baird and Patrick O'Connell. Before Maggie Baird became Billie's momager, travelling on every tour with her, she was a ground-breaking actress and screenwriter. Coming from a famous family, Billie was always destined for fame!
2015: 'Ocen Eyes'
Releasing her first track to Soundcloud would have been a gamble for other singers, however the singer-songwriter released 'Ocean Eyes' herself, at the age of 14 in 2015. A definite 'bad guy' move, as it allowed her to have autonomy over her work and career. The track has since been certified 5x Platinum in the UK.
2017: Debut EP
Billie released her debut EP 'Don't Smile At Me' in 2017 at the age of 16, to critical acclaim. For her first album, the success was unprecedented. Following suit, her breakthrough hit 'When The Party's Over' entered the Top 40 in both the UK and US, proving that her success was only going to exceed from here.
2018: First tour
The 'Lovely' singer blew up and grew up in 2018! This was the year that saw the singer-songwriter embark on her 2018 tour. Billie boasted almost 75 million Instagram followers and 52 million monthly listeners, growing her fanbase organically after that first Soundcloud release. The singer's young fans also saw her as a role model, paving the way for young women as an activist for LGBTQIA+ rights, feminism and mental health.
2019: Debut album and Coachella performance
Unsurprisingly, the US singer-songwriter scored a Number 1 position in charts around the world with her debut album 'When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?' in April 2019. Billie broke a Guinness World Record for being the youngest woman at Number 1 on the UK album charts, and for having the most simultaneous US Hot 100 entries by a female. The album consists of HUGE tracks such as 'Bad Guy', 'Xanny', 'You Should See Me in a Crown', 'When the Party's Over' and 'Bury a Friend'.
2019 was also the year that saw Billie's iconic Coachella performance. As well as being the year she cemented herself as a fashion icon, she wore head-to-toe Louis Vuitton and burst onto our TV screens in a Calvin Klein ad 'I Speak My Truth in #MyCalvins', sporting her iconic baggy look and opening up about why, saying: "I never want anyone to know everything about me. I mean, that's why I wear big, baggy clothes. Nobody can have an opinion, because they haven't seen what's underneath."
2020: The GRAMMY Awards milestone and Bond theme
In 2020, our favourite 'bad guy' became the first artist since 1981 to do a full sweep at the GRAMMY Awards, winning all four major awards and being the youngest to win them at the age of 18 - making history yet again! Billie won Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for 'bad guy', Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year for 'When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?' and Best New Artist.
2020 was Billie's year as the star also joined the Bond hall of fame! The US singer-songwriter became the youngest artist to be chosen to lend her voice for a Bond film, working with her brother Finneas and esteemed movie soundtrack genius Hans Zimmer. Her theme song 'No Time To Die' hit Number 1 in the UK, as well as featuring on the 2020 Bond film. This placed Billie alongside worldwide superstars Adele and Sam Smith who have been initiated into the Bond elite too. Impressive!
2021: New album, documentary and fragrance
Billie released her second album 'Happier Than Ever' on Friday 30th July 2021, featuring singles 'My Future', 'Therefore I Am', 'Your Power', 'Lost Cause', and 'NDA'. Her Disney+ documentary - Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles - was released in September 2021.
Billie delighted her fans in October 2021, revealing she would be releasing her very own fragrance called Eilish - fast forward to today, and she now has three fragrances! Billie Eilish's first perfume, called 'Eilish', officially went on sale on 10th November 2021. Billie later revealed in September 2022 that she would be releasing her second perfume Eilish No. 2. It was then on 28th September 2023 that she announced Eilish No. 3 - a limited edition perfume that served as the last of the Eilish collection.
2022: Glastonbury Festival headline slot and 'Happier Than Ever, The World Tour'
Not only did Billie headline the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival in 2022, she became the youngest female to ever do so. Performing an exhilarating 20-song set full of hits, she opened with 'bury a friend', as well as singing the likes of 'Therefore I Am', 'Oxytocin' and 'when the party's over' before ending with 'Happier Than Ever'.
Fitting in around her Glastonbury performance, Billie kicked off her world tour in the US and brought her amazing shows to the UK and Ireland in June. She played 13 dates across Belfast, London, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and Dublin.
2023: 'What Was I Made For?'
In July 2023, Billie released a new track called 'What Was I Made For?', which features on the soundtrack of the Barbie movie. It was later nominated for a Golden Globe, with Billie winning both Song of the Year and Best Song Written For Visual Media at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards.
2024: Third album and Olympics Closing Ceremony performance
The singer's third album 'Hit Me Hard and Soft' was released in May 2024, containing singles 'Birds of a Feather', 'Chihiro' and 'Wildflower'. It went to Number 1 around the world including in the UK, US, Australia, Canada and Ireland to name but a few, and was certified Platinum in the UK just six months later, receiving a 2x Platinum certification in January 2026.
On 11th August, Billie Eilish performed at the Closing Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Before the event, there were several rumours circulating that the singer would be performing, along with The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Snoop Dogg. Despite the rumours, nothing was confirmed until the day that it took place.
2025: GRAMMYs performance and bringing her tour to the UK
On 2nd February 2025, Billie took to the stage at the 67th annual GRAMMY Awards to entertain the star-studded audience with a performance of 'Birds of a Feather'. She was nominated for seven awards, but unfortunately did not take any home.
Billie brought her 'Hit Me Hard and Soft' tour to the UK and Ireland in July 2025, visiting Glasgow, London, Manchester and Dublin.
2026: 10th GRAMMY win and the 'Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour' concert film
Billie took home her 10th GRAMMY Award win at the 2026 ceremony, picking up Song of the Year for 'Wildflower' which was also nominated for Record of the Year. She used her acceptance speech to encourage acceptance of diversity: "As grateful as I feel, I honestly don't feel like I need to say anything but that … No one is illegal on stolen land. I feel really hopeful in this room, and I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting. Our voices really do matter and the people matter."
Also in 2026, Billie released her concert film for her 'Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour', which was co-directed by renowned director James Cameron and released in cinemas on 8th May 2026. It's now available to stream on Prime Video.
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