Singers Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish are embroiled in a minor online controversy with two key elements: comments Eilish made about environmentally wasteful vinyl album releases and the timing of Swift releasing new versions of her album.
The issue began with an interview Eilish gave to Billboard magazine, where she criticised the practice of releasing multiple vinyl variants of the same album. While Eilish did not name names, some of Swift’s dedicated fans, known as ‘Swifties,’ interpreted the comments as a veiled attack on Swift, who is known for releasing multiple vinyl versions of her albums.
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Swift has previously faced criticism for her environmental impact, with her private jet use generating scrutiny. Swift has released four versions of her album Midnights and eight variants of Folklore.
Eilish responded to the backlash from Swifties on Instagram, clarifying that her comments were not aimed at any individual artist but rather addressed a broader industry trend. “I wasn’t singling anyone out,” Eilish wrote.
Adding fuel to the fire was the timing of Swift releasing three new versions of her album The Tortured Poets Department on the same day Eilish released her first album since 2021, Hit Me Hard And Soft. Fans of Eilish accused Swift of deliberately overshadowing Eilish’s release.
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Social media platform X has seen a flurry of comments from users expressing their opinions on the situation. Some accused Swift of attempting to sabotage Eilish, while others defended Swift, pointing out that the new releases were simply voice memo recordings of three songs.
Neither Swift nor her representatives have commented on the controversy.
