"Fiona Apple is the real blueprint": Sad Girl Pop meaning explained as fans rage against Billie Eilish being credited for the genre

Music fanatics got into a heated debate recently about who revolutionized the “Sad Girl” pop genre, with Fiona Apple and Billie Eilish at the forefront. Fans of the two took to Twitter to argue over who popularized the music style, which has taken over playlists around the world. The discussion came into being after the Recording Academy credited Billie Eilish for hyping up the genre.

On July 16, a tweet by @eilishchart, a Billie Eilish fan page went viral on the platform. The Twitter account announced that the Recording Academy, which is the backbone of the Grammy Awards, credited the 20-year-old singer for making the “Sad Girl Pop” genre prevalent. The post also announced that the music style is used by other popular artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Tate McRae.

At the time of writing this article, the tweet had amassed over 5000 likes with almost 4600 quote tweets. Many relentlessly debated over other artists who are responsible for the genre. Fiona Apple's fans argued that she was responsible for making the genre popular.

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What is the Sad Girl Pop genre that Billie Eilish is associated with

“Sad Girl” music gained notoriety in the 2010s when hit-makers Lane Del Rey and Halsey grew in popularity. The musicians are known for their catchy melodies and unconventional lyrics which can seemingly be deemed depressing in nature. The music style is also well liked by Generation Z as they discuss the stigma around mental health and their struggles through the music style.

Sad girl pop songs explore topics such as heartbreak, rejection, loneliness, mental health, and longing with a lo-fi musical aesthetic.

Speaking about the genre, Nate Sloan, host of Switched on Pop and assistant professor of musicology at USC Thornton School of Music said,

"There's a cliche about pop that it represents a retreat from reality, an escapist fantasy world where listeners get to leave their fears and anxieties in a vision of Katy Perry's 'Teenage Dream' or fun.'s 'We Are Young.' But modern listeners — especially young people — are pushing back against that paradigm, celebrating artists like Billie Eilish, Halsey, and girl in red, who don't shy away from the troubles of the world but sublimate them into their music."

Billie Eilish first gained attention in 2015 with her single Ocean Eyes. In 2016, the sensational musician released the song Six Feet Under, which launched her into mainstream fame. Following its release, Eilish has released popular songs like Bellyache, Bored & Burn among others which can be placed under the Sad Girl Pop genre.

Other artists who have created music of the same genre can include Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Tori Amos, among others. In recent days, Olivia Rodrigo, Conan Gray, Jeremy Zucker and Lewis Capaldi have delivered unique pop creations belonging to the aforementioned genre which have topped the charts.

Netizens on social media are now arguing that it is not fair for Billie Eilish to be given the mantle for popularizing the music genre. Several internet users credited Fiona Apple for creating the favored style of music The musician was best known for her second album, When the Pawn. According to All Music, it amassed traction,

“For its emotional intensity, unconventional arrangements, and eccentric flair, elements that were central to her appeal in the next decades when she worked steadily and rigorously.”

Since the album’s release in 1999, it is safe to say that she has become a cult classic. Many argued that her work was an inspiration for several writers of the current generation.

Others also argued that Lana Del Rey is responsible for the popularity of the music genre as her albums Honeymoon, Born To Die and Lust For Life are social media favorites. The intriguing lyrics with the capricious melody are often used in TikTok videos and Instagram reels.

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Netizens debate over who is responsible for popularizing the music genre

It is safe to say that Billie Eilish, Fiona Apple and Lana Del Rey have garnered an unimaginable number of fans around the world. While the trio are known for contributing to the music style, followers argued about who was the first to make Sad Girl Pop en vogue. A few of the many tweets read:

Even after thorough research, it is difficult to name a singer who is responsible for popularizing the music style, as in any art form, creators are often inspired by other pieces of art. It is safe to say that the online debate is of no use as a single person cannot be credited for the same, especially when surplus pieces of work were released around the same time.