Everything to Know About Billie Eilish’s 3rd Album ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’: Release Date and More

It wouldn’t be one of the biggest years in music without a new Billie Eilish album, right? Duh.

Eilish, 22, officially announced her third album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, on April 8, joining the long list of artists — including Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves, Dua Lipa, St. Vincent, Zayn and Lana Del Rey — releasing albums this year. Hit Me Hard and Soft serves as the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s Happier Than Ever.

“It's so crazy to be writing this right now,” Eilish wrote via Instagram while revealing the artwork for her new album, noting that she felt nervous and excited about the project.

Eilish told fans that she and Finneas (her brother and creative collaborator) “truly could not be more proud of this album, and we absolutely can’t wait for you to hear it.”

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Despite her excitement, Eilish explained that she wanted listeners to hear the album “all at once,” meaning they’d have to be patient as they count down to release day. The move was similar to Ariana Grande, who didn’t put out a second single after “Yes, And?” because she wanted her Eternal Sunshine album “to be heard in one piece.”

Scroll on to find out when Eilish’s new album drops, why there won’t be multiple different colored vinyls and more:

When Is ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ Coming Out?

Along with sharing the title and cover art for her third album, Eilish revealed that Hit Me Hard and Soft will arrive on May 17.

‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ Will Sound Different

Eilish appeared in Variety’s Power of Women edition in November 2023. Interviewer Katcy Sephan later shared a quote from Eilish about her upcoming album that “didn’t have space” in the feature.

"It does feel different than the other stuff, but not in a weird, foreign way,” said Eilish. “It just feels new. It just feels like change. Change is one of my favorite things in life.”

A press release for the record calls it her “most daring body of work to date,” noting that the album is “a diverse yet cohesive collection of songs ideally listened to in its entirety from beginning to end” and ”does exactly as the album title suggests; hits you hard and soft both lyrically and sonically, while bending genres and defying trends along the way.”

Hit Me Hard and Soft’s Song Titles

Eilish previously shared that the album will have 10 songs. On April 18, Eilish dropped the entire tracklist.

The album will feature 10 new songs: “Skinny,” “Lunch,” “Chihero,” “Birds of a Feather,” “Wildflower,” “The Greatest,” “L’Amour de ma Vie,” “The Diner,” “Bittersuite” and “Blue.”

‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ Will Be Eco-Friendly

According to Billboard, Hit Me Hard and Soft will have eight vinyl variants, all of which will become available on the same day. The different versions will all have the same songs, so there won’t be an incentive to buy all eight to hear all of Eilish’s new music.

Eilish’s online store listed two versions of the vinyl pressing when she announced Hit Me Hard and Soft: the basic black version and the Eco-Mix version.

The Eco-Mix is a 100 percent recycled compound made from “trimmed flash and leftovers from any color which cannot otherwise be reused,” according to the website. This means that every pressing of this variant differs from the last. The album will also avoid using plastic shrink-wrap.

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In a March 28 interview with Billboard, Eilish spoke out against artists “making f—king 40 different vinyl packages that have a different unique thing just to get you to keep buying more.” Eilish dubbed this tactic “wasteful” and argued that artists who do it are more concerned about sales numbers than the impact on their fans' wallets and the environment. (While some fans believed Eilish was commenting on Taylor Swift’s multiple vinyls, she clarified that she wasn’t “singling anyone out” and that the criticism was “industry-wide.”)

Similar to Happier Than Ever, Eilish will offer a special CD version of Hit Me Hard and Soft. The CD’s softpak case will come covered in red paint splatters. When announcing the new album, Eilish shared a video of her administering the paint herself to the CDs, giving them a personal touch.

Why You Are Not Billie Eilish’s ‘Close Friend’ Anymore

On April 4, Eilish added all 110 million of her Instagram followers to her “Close Friends” list, a designation usually reserved for confidants within a user’s inner circle. This move earned Eilish 10 million new followers in less than a week.

However, the stunt was short-lived. Pop Crave reported days later that Eilish removed her followers from the “Close Friends” list.

“The fact that I have a far bigger audience and platform than I’ve ever had in my life means I can reach that many more people, and that’s such a huge responsibility and privilege to have,” she told Billboard about her approach to fame. “If I don’t use that privilege to do some good in the world, then what’s the point?”