Billie Eilish wins top music accolade for bestselling single Bad Guy

Billie Eilish’s song Bad Guy has been named the bestselling global digital single of 2019.

The American teenager’s hit has topped the charts in more than 15 countries since it was released last March – racking up global converted sales of 19.5 million.

Bad Guy was also Spotify’s second-most streamed song worldwide last year.

Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell have written the No Time To Die title song
Image:Billie Eilish and co-writer and brother Finneas O’Connell

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) says Eilish has “taken the world by storm with her incredibly voice and genre-defying sound”.

IFPI chief executive Frances Moore added: “She is also an artist who addresses important issues like mental health in her lyrics that clearly resonate with her fans all over the world.

“We wish her success for what will no doubt be another standout year.”

Taking second place in IFPI’s ranking was the US rapper Lil Nas X, whose breakout hit Old Town Road amassed 18.4 million sales last year.

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Senorita, performed by Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes, was third with 16.1 million sales.

Other performers to make IPFI’s top 10 included Lewis Capaldi and Ariana Grande.

Billie Eilish accepted her best international solo female artist from Mel C
Image:Billie Eilish accepted her best international solo female artist from Mel C

Eilish has enjoyed immense success of late – with Bad Guy winning record of the year and song of the year at the Grammy Awards in January.

The 18-year-old recently became only the second artist after Sam Smith to get a number one in the UK with a Bond song.

Teaser for No Time To Die theme song performed by Billie Eilish

No Time To Die Bond theme released

She also became the first woman and youngest artist to do so with No Time To Die, which she performed for the first time at last month’s Brit Awards in London, where she was also named international female solo artist.

During the Brits performance, Eilish was joined on stage by her brother and co-writer Finneas O’Connell, renowned composer Hans Zimmer and The Smiths’ Johnny Marr – with fans describing her performance as “hauntingly beautiful” and “mesmerising”.

How Billie Eilish became one of the world's most famous teenagers

How Billie Eilish became one of the world’s most famous teenagers

The top 10 global digital singles of 2019, according to IFPI:

1. Billie Eilish – Bad Guy

2. Lil Nas X – Old Town Road

3. Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes – Senorita

4. Post Malone and SwaeLee – Sunflower

5. Ariana Grande – 7 Rings

6. Tones and I – Dance Monkey

7.Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber – I Don’t Care

8. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper – Shallow

9. Lewis Capaldi – Someone You Loved

10. Halsey – Without Me

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Mark Gibson

Graduates in Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 1990. Move to Los Angeles California in 2004. Specialized in Internet journalism.

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