Billie Eilish Criticizes Music Industry's Environmental Neglect

Berfin Ceren Meray
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Billie Eilish, the globally renowned American singer, has recently voiced strong criticism against music stars who release multiple vinyl versions of their albums in different packaging without considering the negative impact on the environment. In a world where sustainability is increasingly crucial, Eilish's stance highlights the growing concern within the music industry regarding environmental responsibility. Let's delve into the details of her outspoken remarks and the broader implications for sustainability in music production.

For those unfamiliar, the term 'Vinyl version' refers to the vinyl record format of music albums. Vinyl has been a long-standing audio carrier in the music industry and is particularly popular among collectors. In recent times, some artists have been releasing their albums not only digitally but also in vinyl format. In this context, the term 'vinyl version' denotes the version of the album presented in this specific forma.

World-renowned singer Billie Eilish swiftly rose to the pinnacle of popularity with her songs and unique style.

"Some of the world's biggest artists are making damn near 40 different vinyl packages, and each one has some unique thing to make you buy more,"

said 22-year-old Billie Eilish in an interview published by Billboard on Thursday, March 28.

"It's just so wasteful, and it bothers me that we're at a point where you care so much about your numbers and making so much money. And all of this is being done by all of your favorite artists,"

said the Oscar and Grammy-winning artist.

Eilish has been one of the most groundbreaking campaigners for sustainability issues in the music industry.

Last year, she helped initiate and fund Reverb's Music Carbon Reduction Project, aiming to eliminate carbon emissions created by the music industry.

Eilish's second and latest album, "Happier Than Ever," released in 2021, was launched in eight different colored vinyl versions.

However, in her commitment to sustainability, recycled black vinyl and recycled waste for colored variants were used, along with sugar cane-derived shrink-wrap for packaging.

"What Was I Made For?" With her Oscar-winning song, the singer expressed disappointment that other artists are not sharing her commitment to the environment.

'I can't even tell you how much waste there is with the growth of all the different vinyl versions of the same album,' she said. 'It's right in front of our eyes, and people are just running away with it, and I find it really frustrating as someone who really tries to do my best to be sustainable and to include everyone on my team in being sustainable.'

Speaking to Billboard, Eilish recalled when she was 15 at the beginning of her career, her mother, Maggie Baird, would ask music executives how they were going to save the environment.

'They would stumble over their words because they weren't doing anything,' Eilish recalled. 'And seeing that nobody was really doing anything to make the world a better place was pretty alarming.