Photo Credit: Billie Eilish by Lars Crommelinck Photography / CC by 2.0
It’s time for the year-end accolades, as Apple Music names Billie Eilish Artist of the Year, and SoundExchange names Shaboozey 2024’s Breakout Artist.
As we enter the last weeks of 2024, artists recognized for their work throughout the year will start receiving their accolades. Among those are Billie Eilish, named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year for her extraordinary impact this year, while SoundExchange honors Shaboozey as a 2024 Breakout Artist.
With a historic second Academy Award win and two more Grammy Awards for her contribution to Greta Gerwig’s Barbie film soundtrack, Billie Eilish released her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft. The release features what many consider the best music of her career, with the album soaring to #1 on Apple Music’s all-genre albums chart in 138 countries.
In addition to being nominated for seven Grammy Awards this year, including Record of the Year, Billie Eilish has also become the first artist to earn Apple Music’s Artist of the Year accolades twice. She first won the award in 2019.
“Since day one, Apple Music has supported by music and artistry, and I am both honored and humbled to receive this recognition as Artist of the Year this many years into my career,” said Billie.
SoundExchange, meanwhile, has honored Shaboozey as a 2024 Breakout Artist, recognizing his undeniable success this year. From his smash hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” to his appearance on Beyoncé’s star-laden country album, Cowboy Carter, Shaboozey is rapidly becoming a household name.
“Shaboozey has literally changed the game, marrying hip-hop and country music to create a unique sound that has rocketed him into the consciousness of the mainstream,” said Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. “He’s a prolific creator, unafraid of pairing big, exciting hooks with relatable storytelling and staging memorable live performances. We are proud to present Shaboozey with the SoundExchange Breakout Artist Award, and we can’t wait to see what he does next.”
“Thank you to SoundExchange for this honor and naming me 2024’s Breakout Artist,” says Shaboozey. “It’s been an incredible fulfilling year with still, lots to come, and I deeply respect the work that you do to ensure artists get paid fairly for the use of their work.”
Shaboozey is the first-ever Black artist to simultaneously top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and the Hot 100. He will headline the Thanksgiving Halftime Show powered by Verizon at the Detroit Lions’ annual holiday football game on November 28, on CBS. He also has a European tour slated to kick off in March, after he plays Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry on January 18. His North American tour wraps up in Philadelphia on December 16.