The track list contains two songs Eilish considered for inclusion in her third album, Hit Me Hard and Soft (2024), but decided not to due to the lyrics' immediacy.

Each contains personal lyrics that derive from contemporary life events, backed by simple acoustic guitars that emphasize Eilish's soft vocals.

Eilish and O'Connell played "TV" again and "The 30th" for the first time during the world tour's Asian leg, and the two performed them in Singapore in collaboration with its tourism board to promote the country.

After the release of her second studio album, Happier Than Ever, in July 2021,[1] Billie Eilish and her producer Finneas O'Connell began formulating ideas for songs she wanted to include on her next one by the end of the year.

[8] This took months; while Eilish was quick to finish the first verse and chorus, she wrote the remaining lyrics only after a draft of the court decision was leaked online, in May 2022.

The leaked draft revealed plans to overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark case which had made abortion a constitutional right in the country.

Eilish had shelved her voice memos for the songs for several weeks, and upon stumbling across the recordings again, she wanted to share to her fans what their lyrics had to offer as soon as possible.

[7][16] On July 21, Darkroom and Interscope Records released an extended play (EP), Guitar Songs, through download and streaming formats.

Music journalists wrote that the simple composition puts emphasis on the lyrics and the vocal performance, making these the driving qualities of the EP.

"[5] Meanwhile, Billboard critic Jason Lipshutz described the EP with regards to its sound as follows: it could "either be a gesture toward a new sonic and lyrical direction, or a stopgap between best-selling full-lengths".

[5][39] Its poignant subject matters include eating disorders, mental health,[40] the defamation trial between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, and the outcome of the Dobbs case.

Unable to sleep, she distracts herself from a falling-out with an ex-partner by watching the reality TV show Survivor, then she expresses disapproval towards the apathy and cynicism of others around her.

"[46] Eilish expressed anger about the situation in the NME cover story, questioning why the public prioritized fixating on the feud between Depp and Heard, which she found trivial, instead of showing concern about the future of abortion rights.

[31][49] Centered around the November 30 car accident, "The 30th" is dedicated to the friend in question, whom Eilish considered one of her closest,[50] and it details several minutiae that occurred around the event.

[16][31] In the chorus, Eilish reminds them that they had a phone conversation during confinement and they expressed their deepest fears about their health—Eilish replied "so was I" and decided to lighten the mood by complimenting their looks.

[32][51] When the song crescendos towards its bridge, the guitar chords slowly build up and the vocals begin to overlap, evoking a racing mind and a growing sense of panic.

[51] August Brown, a writer for the Los Angeles Times, thought that the instrumentation for "The 30th" was reminiscent of the works of George Harrison, guitarist for the Beatles.

[52] Consequence's Mary Siroky opted to compare the song, specifically its build-up to the bridge, to the "unforgettable explosion" of Happier Than Ever's title track.

To contrast the two, she argued that listeners expect "The 30th" to provide catharsis in a similar way as the title track, but it instead "pulls back, leaving us gasping for air".

[e] Snapes said by using specific narrative details with "great subtlety" and discussing poignant themes without downplaying their seriousness, Eilish succeeded with creating effectively tragic stories for the EP.

[31] Entertainment columnists for the Manila Bulletin argued that these, alongside the song's confessional nature, made Eilish on par with "all the greatest songwriters" before her and served as a reminder she is one of her generation's "most treasured" ones.

"[31] Meanwhile, when two critics for the British edition of GQ called "TV" one of the best songs of 2022, they cited its use of the "spine-chilling" audience sample, which allowed it to form a "devastating stunner".

With "TV", The Guardian music journalist Alexis Petridis wrote that its melancholic tone made it a noteworthy addition to the Manchester concert's set list; he considered it the best one she performed there.

[49] Nine days after the EP's release, Eilish and Finneas visited the Amoeba Music record store in Hollywood to play "TV" along with three other songs.

[58][59] Recorded at the Cloud Forest of the Gardens by the Bay, the performances were part of a campaign to boost international travel to Singapore following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.