Even with the devastating circumstances that were 2020, The Weeknd still came out on top. The pandemic was released in spite of the pandemic and he had to push back tour dates roughly two years since initially planning them out. It didn’t stop the power of the project’s second single, “Blinding Lights” to reach the top of the charts and maintain a position in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 for an entire year, making him the first artist to ever reach this accomplishment.
During an interview with Billboard, he said it was his fans who deserve the credit for helping him reach this massive milestone in his decade-plus career. “After Hours was always meant to be a very personal project. It’s a story I had to tell,” The Weeknd said. “The fact I’ve been able to tell it with the world listening is incredible. This Billboard chart record is truly a result of the fans. I’m so humbled and forever grateful to them.”
The Weeknd’s recent success with the single arrives after his performance at the Super Bowl where he closed his set with the single. To date, “Blinding Lights” has 1.1B audio and video streams combined and 726K downloads sold across the U.S.
Even though the single wasn’t announced as a nominee for the Grammys, it looks like the award show’s Canadian equal has got it right. The Junos announced their nominees on March 9th, earning the song three nominations including Single Of The Year and Songwriter Of The Year.
Congrats to The Weeknd for his latest accomplishment.