The Weeknd isn’t just the most listened-to artist in the entire world on Spotify, he’s reaching record-breaking new highs. He’s been the top artist on the platform for much of the past few years though occasionally Taylor Swift has briefly taken the title. But since his 2021 smash hit “Blinding Lights” became the most streamed song on the platform and the first to be streamed 4 billion times, he’s run away with the title and his record.
Now in addition to having the most streamed song on all of Spotify, he now has the record for the most monthly listeners. He recently became the first artist to ever hit 115 million monthly listeners and currently sits at 115,368,010. What’s even more impressive is that he hasn’t released a new studio album in almost two full years. Dawn FM was released in early 2022, though he’s stayed busy since then. He released his Live At SoFi Stadium live album in 2023 and followed it up with a deluxe version of his 2016 hit record Starboy. That included his smash hit remix of “Die For You” with Ariana Grande.
Since the release of After Hours and Dawn FM The Weeknd has teased that the albums are part of a trilogy. As a result, fans have been anticipating a third project to complete the series sometime soon. He recently took to Instagram to double down on the teases with a new post. It features the album covers of his past two records followed by a third, which is currently just a blank question mark.
The post sent fans into a frenzy of speculation about when they might be getting a new album. Though there’s no concrete information available at the time it seems like he’s gearing up to complete the era soon. What do you think of The Weeknd breaking the record for most monthly listeners on Spotify all time? Let us know in the comment section below.
Last year, The Weeknd’s acting career was temporarily cut short when Max canceled The Idol. Surely that means the“False Idols” singer has more time for music. Will The Weeknd drop a new album in 2024?
According to a recent post online, it appears that so. On January 7, The Weeknd took to his official X (formerly Twitter) page to tease his next album. In a gallery shared to his account, The Weeknd uploaded the covers of his 2020 album, After Hours, and 2022’s Dawn FM. The last image in the gallery was a blank black canvas marked by a question mark.
The Weeknd didn’t provide any further information, but the post’s caption “three” signaled that whatever he is secretly cooking up will close out the chapter of his career. He first teased the album during an interview with Variety in June.
“I’m finishing the third part of this saga, of this trilogy,” he said. “The name of it will come out soon, but it’s not called what some fans think it’s called… what they think it’s called is actually a song on the album, but that’s not what the actual album is called [some fans speculated that it would be titled ‘After Life’]. So I’m just gonna say that.”
The Weeknd has not revealed when the unnamed project is set to hit streaming services.
The Weeknd has a lot of hits, but his career may be ending soon. His real name is Abel Tesfaye, but his moniker, The Weeknd, which he’s operated under for about a decade, will reportedly die after his next album. “It’s getting to a place and a time where I’m getting ready to close The Weeknd chapter. I’ll still make music, maybe as Abel, maybe as The Weeknd,” Tesfaye said to W Magazine. “But I still want to kill The Weeknd. And I will. Eventually. I’m definitely trying to shed that skin and be reborn.”
The Idol Vol. 1, set to go with his upcoming HBO show, will be his final project under his current name. If that is true, Tesfaye has made a ton of The Weeknd hits in his incredible career. From his mixtape days to the commercial albums, many of his genre-bending tracks have become staples for listeners. Here are the best of what he’s released so far.
“Losers” ft. Labrinth (2014)
Hailing from Beauty Behind the Madness, The Weeknd’s first studio album, “Losers” is a dynamic mashup. The songwriting is among Tesfaye’s best here, with lines such as, “Cause stupid’s next to ‘I love you.’” The Labrinth feature works perfectly and the instrumentals are both some of his most creative and best. Two excellent verses and a stunning bridge combined with the excellent production make this one of The Weeknd’s hits to remember.
“Alone Again” (2020)
While it’s not quite the best song on After Hours, his best project to date, “Alone Again,” is a near-perfect intro track. It’s a harrowing beginning that melts into an absolute blast. This is his most cohesive album to date, and it all starts with this track. “Oh baby, won’t you remind me what I am? And break, break my little cold heart” is one of his best lyrics. It sets the tone for the album and shows that he’s not here to mess around.
It’s not the only Daft Punk collaboration, but it is the best. “Starboy” is one of The Weeknd’s hits that has stayed in his listeners’ minds since 2016. The opening verse features some incredible bars like “P1 cleaner than your church shoes” and a ton of flexes over his counterparts like “Side b**** out of your league, too.” Starboy is often considered a mixed bag by his most ardent listeners, but no one can deny this excellent track.
“Wicked Games” (2012)
From House of Balloons, “Wicked Games” is one of The Weeknd’s hits from the mixtape era that infiltrated the mainstream. Many listeners weren’t really around until he burst onto the scene with Beauty Behind the Madness, but this song has retroactively permeated everyone’s playlists. The production, lyricism, and a few brutally honest lyrics about his own behavior make “Wicked Games” a great listen.
“How Do I Make You Love Me?” (2022)
Dawn FM is definitely The Weeknd’s most experimental album. Tesfaye decided to make an album as if listeners were listening to a radio station—complete with DJ Jim Carrey working the microphone. There are a lot of great hits on this album, but “How Do I Make You Love Me?” is the best. Utilizing a slight accent, The Weeknd made this song stand out and feel like it came from another artist over the radio. It also has excellent production and an incredible chorus to top it all off.
Most of the time, when Ed Sheeran dabbles in hip-hop, it doesn’t work all that well (looking at his attempted rap verse on the Taylor Swift, Future hit “End Game”). However, the decision to put the British singer in “Dark Times” was good. The verses of both singers crooning about the bloody consequences of their poor decisions make for some of the best storytelling in any The Weeknd’s hits. Both of their vocals are great, and the production is less hip-hop and leans more towards some alternative country, which makes Sheeran fit in exceptionally well.
“After Hours” (2020)
After Hours is a nearly perfect album. “After Hours” is one of the best songs from The Weeknd’s entire discography. The entire album features a brutally honest look at himself, but this song takes it to another level. He’s open and honest about his fears and struggles in a way that’s rarely seen by artists. It all works together in a song and music video akin to the Martin Scorcese film of the same name. The fact that The Weeknd could pull all that off in a song and album is an impressive feat.
“Blinding Lights” (2019)
The Weeknd’s best song is “Blinding Lights.” It was inescapable after it debuted in late November. Little did fans know that it was a great omen for his upcoming album. Even when the album dropped and tons of incredible songs were released, “Blinding Lights” is the best and most recognizable track. With it, Tesfaye blended his underground song-making abilities with the mainstream to make a song that is quite literally for everyone. Which The Weeknd hits are your favorite?
The Weeknd has responded to a fan theory that he hates his latest album, Dawn FM, as compared to his previous project, After Hours. The Canadian singer went back and forth with fans over the idea on Twitter, Sunday night.
“I feel like the Dawn FM era didn’t have its time to shine the way it deserved,” one user wrote. The Weeknd responded, “Really? I don’t know if I agree… maybe elaborate?” When told he hates Dawn FM, he replied, “??? Not true! One of my favorites hands down.” Another fan said that they wish Dawn FM was given more love, to which The Weeknd argued, “It had same amount of music videos as after hours. Maybe one less? A universe. dawn fm experience short film, stadium tour(still going), live film and live album… i don’t think it needs more.. it’s perfect.”
The Weeknd Performs On The After Hours Til Dawn” Tour
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 27: In this image released on December 7, The Weeknd performs during his “After Hours Til Dawn” tour at SoFi Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Live Nation)
The Weeknd supported Dawn FM with four singles when it dropped, including “Take My Breath”, “Sacrifice”, “Out of Time” and “Less than Zero.” However, he combined a tour for the project with After Hours, which was titled the After HoursTil Dawn tour.
Elsewhere in the conversation, The Weeknd revealed that he will be serving as the co-executive producer on a new album from Mike Dean dropping this week. “New @therealmikedean 4:23 album co-executive produced by me dropping this week,” he wrote on Twitter alongside an old photo of the 58-year-old producer. The Weeknd also confirmed that one of his recent snippets on Instagram Live will be featured on the tracklist. “This photo… I’m playing ima drop it,” he said. “The ‘mysterious’ artist gag been played out since back in 2011 house of balloon days. We gonna drop it on mike Dean album.”
The Weeknd is also preparing to release his own new music in the coming months. Ahead of his appearance in The Idol, he says he’s dropping a project for the series. “There’s a whole album. I’m not shying away from making music. It’s just adding another element to my already crowded schedule,” he told Interview Magazine, earlier this month. The Idol will premiere on HBO on June 4.
It had same amount of music videos as after hours. Maybe one less? A universe. dawn fm experience short film, stadium tour(still going), live film and live album… i don’t think it needs more.. it’s perfect. https://t.co/dYqLXNhzJF
On Sunday, April 23, someone tweeted to The Weeknd, “ABEL NOTICE DAWN FM DON’T ACT LIKE IT DIDN’T HAPPEN.” He tweeted back, “What does this mean?”
Someone else chimed in with a tweet, “I feel like the Dawn FM era didn’t have its time to shine the way it deserved.”
“Really? I don’t know if I agree… maybe elaborate?” The Weeknd responded.
He also had worthy reactions to someone claiming “you hate Dawn FM” (“??? Not true! One of my favorites hands down”) and another person claiming he “did a little more for After Hours than what you did for Dawn FM”:
“It had the same amount of music video videos as After Hours,” The Weeknd tweeted separately to yet another person convinced they know how The Weeknd feels about his discography better than he does. “Maybe one less? A universe. Dawn FM experience short film, stadium tour(still going), live film and live album… I don’t think it needs more.. it’s perfect.”
It had same amount of music videos as after hours. Maybe one less? A universe. dawn fm experience short film, stadium tour(still going), live film and live album… i don’t think it needs more.. it’s perfect. https://t.co/dYqLXNhzJF
The argument is moot, really. The Weeknd began a new era on Friday, April 21, by releasing “Double Fantasy” featuring Future from the companion album to The Idol.
The Weeknd is one of music’s biggest names. His catalog is fairly extensive and includes a combination of studio albums and mixtapes. One way The Weeknd differs from other popular artists of the recent age is that most people see his mixtapes as regular albums. This speaks to the quality and diversity of the Canadian singer’s music. Some of his mixtapes even rank above the studio albums in the eyes and ears of many fans.
The Weeknd released his first studio album in 2013 with Kiss Land. This album followed three mixtapes, released from 2011 until 2012. Despite the earlier work, most of the world first gravitated to The Weeknd in 2015 when he signed with Republic Records. This year brought his album, Beauty Behind The Madness, which included the smash single Can’t Feel My Face. Currently, The Weeknd has five studio albums, multiple EPs and mixtapes, and soundtrack appearances. The latest is that his remix to Die For You with Ariana Grande debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March of this year.
Ranking The Weeknd’s albums can be difficult as the singer has an incredible music catalog. However, based on fan reactions and overall sales, these are the weekend’s best albums, and mixtapes ranked from worst to best. Here are The Weeknd’s best albums, ranked.
‘House Of Balloons’ From 2011
Though not one of his studio albums, many consider the 2011 mixtape House of Balloons the Weeknd’s best work. This collection of songs debuted before the Weeknd was who he is now. At the time, no one really knew the singer. In addition, this was a time when R&B was rediscovering its identity and needed something new. House of Balloons has been called an intense album. It details a drug-fueled bender between two lovers in a way many music fans had never heard before. The Weeknd’s House of Balloons is a must-listen for people who like experimental R&B. On the list of The Weeknd’s albums, ranked, this one is the best.
‘Thursday’ From 2011
Thursday came mere months from the release of House of Balloons. The album is often seen as a continuation. On it, he sings about pain and not wanting to succumb to the forces around him. The album involves themes of addiction, toxic love, and simply wanting to survive it all. Again, this was before people really knew The Weeknd, which means he had more room to be vulnerable.
‘After Hours’ From 2020
Critics believe After Hours to be The Weeknd’s first major studio album to fully capture the singer’s best. According to many, there are no skips on the album. In addition, it’s the perfect blend of his mixtape days and his more mainstream sound. Famously, the album had no featured artists and included the number 1 hit single, Heartless. Of course, After Hours also has Blinding Lights, which was inescapable. The song still holds up in the years since its release. The Weeknd’s After Hours is easily one of his best albums. This one could easily be ranked higher, but his overall catalog is impeccable.
‘Beauty Behind The Madness’ From 2015
For some, Beauty Behind The Madness was their introduction to The Weeknd. He had gained a following up until now, but this album catapulted him into superstardom. The Weeknd started the album rollout with the song Often as the lead single. After this came hits like The Hills and Can’t Feel My Face. It was the ladder that had worldwide appeal and really took off. This wasn’t only a hit for the day. Instead, it’s still a song that people go back to. Despite the subject matter of Can’t Feel My Face, the song even won a Kid’s Choice Award.
‘Dawn FM’ From 2022
It’s rare for artists to release multiple albums in a year. However, The Weeknd started working on Dawn FM in the early days of the pandemic. He wanted to provide the world with music that reminded people of going outside. In many ways, the album was intended to be an escape from the harsh realities of being in quarantine. However, it’s also a concept album that tells a deep story about going to the afterlife. Though not his best, Dawn FM is a solid body of work that came during depressing times.
‘Starboy’ From 2016
Starboy has a lot of fans, but it’s also not a favorite album by most of his R&B lovers. With this body of work, he continued to show that he’s an artist who likes to cast a broad net. It’s mostly pop. Some would probably say it’s his poppiest album. Not only that, it’s the one from The Weeknd’s catalog that has the most comparison to The King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. Starboy may not have produced the biggest hits from his career, but it’s still an album every fan of The Weeknd should listen to. This is especially true of people who want to gain insight into the mysterious singer through his lyrics.
‘My Dear Melancholy’ From 2018
My Dear Melancholy is the 2018 EP from The Weeknd. While a solid body of work, many see it as more of a shortened rehash of his first mixtape. Because of this, many have disregarded it since they could simply listen to the original tape. It has fan-favorite songs such as Wasted Times and Hurt You, but it’s really not one of his more popular works, nor is it his best. Of course, most forgive this because he produced some of his best work after. Still, it’s an album that could shift places in a ranking of The Weeknd’s albums.
‘Echoes of Silence’ From 2011
Echoes of Silence is the last of The Weeknd’s pre-fame mixtapes. It continues his legacy of being music’s experimental sad boy. In addition, he makes references to Michael Jackson that really show his versatility as an artist. Though lower on the list than most of his studio albums, this mixtape is essential listening for the Weeknd fans and casual listeners alike. Standout tracks on Echoes of Silence include XO and Montreal.
‘Kiss Land’ From 2013
The Weeknd’s first studio album was Kiss Land. He described the album as similar to his trilogy of mixtapes but set in different places. On the trilogy, he was mostly confined to one room regarding the themes of the songs. However, despite still being a contemplative album, this one is a bit more friendly to general listeners. On the ranking of The Weeknd’s best albums, Kiss Land comes in last. All of The Weeknd’s albums and mixtapes are well-received, but an artist’s debut studio album is always special.
The Weeknd will finally close out the Dawn FM chapter of his career tomorrow when HBO debuts his highly-anticipated televised LA concert, Live At The SoFi. Dawn FM is one of his most ambitious projects to date, fleshed out by a tight group of collaborators. Tyler, The Creator and Lil Wayne were the only two credited on the tracklist while Summer Walker jumped on the “Best Friends” remix. For the most part, The Weeknd largely worked alongside electronic producers like Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia.
Unfortunately, fans were hoping that they’d see Ariana Grande and The Weeknd connect, once again. The two built a strong rapport over the years with records like “Love Me Harder” off of Ariana Grande’s debut album, My Everything. Fans immediately praised the chemistry but the next time they worked together would be six years later on Positions standout, “Off The Table.” The two don’t collaborate as much as fans hoped. Whenever they do link up, it’s certainly magic.
The Weeknd Revisits “Starboy” Era With Ariana Grande On “Die For You (Remix)”
Though Ariana Grande is busy working on WIcked!, she put in some time to come through for a new remix for a friend. This week, The Weeknd revisits Starboy with the official remix of “Die For You” alongside Ariana Grande. Two years after they joined forces on “Save Your Tears (Remix),” they’ve reunited to revisit the classic record off of the 2016 album.
Prior to its release, Grande hinted at an upcoming collab with The Weeknd in an Instagram video. She previewed her verse as she filmed herself recording for the remix. “Wrote and recorded a verse for my friend after a 14-hour day on set,” wrote Grande. “This certain exception had to be made…” Shortly after, The Weeknd reposted the clip before formally announcing the single a day later Peep the latest collaboration from Ariana Grande and The Weeknd above and sound off with your thoughts in the comments.
Quotable Lyrics You know what I’m thinkin’, see it in your eyes You hate that you want me, hate it when you cry It ain’t workin’ ’cause you’re perfect (Mm) And I know you deserve it I can’t walk away
The Weeknd‘s fifth studio album, Dawn FM turned one today (January 7). A year ago, the album was released after very little promotion, as The Weeknd wanted fans to hear the album as a cohesive body of work. During the album’s life cycle, songs like “Take My Breath,” “Sacrifice,” “Out Of Time,” and “Best Friends,” garnered enough popularity for them to become singles and fan favorites. Today, to celebrate the album’s anniversary, The Weeknd shared the video for “Is There Someone Else.”
In the video, he is seen peeking a woman as she dances seductively through a window. The woman then sneaks away, leading him to continue his search for her, by way of cameras and telescopes.
“Is there someone else or not? / ‘Cause I wanna keep you close / I don’t wanna lose my spot / ‘Cause I need to know / If you’re hurting him, or you’re hurting me / If I ain’t with you, I don’t wanna be / Is there someone else or not?,” he sings on the song’s chorus.
Shortly after the release of Dawn FM, The Weeknd took to Twitter and implied that the album was part of a new trilogy.
“I wonder… did you know you’re experiencing a new trilogy?,” he said.
It appears that a new era may imminent. Earlier this week, he seemingly teased that the next chapter may arrive soon, saying, “we’re just getting started…”
Several of 2022’s greatest projects came later in the year. However, a noteworthy early arrival came in the form of The Weeknd’s Dawn FM. Landing on January 7th, the 16-track effort boasts guest appearances from Jim Carrey, Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, Quincy Jones, and Oneohtrix Point Never.
As Complex notes, production was handled by the likes of Max Martin, Matt Cohn, OPN, and Oscar Holter. Surprisingly, the project debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, falling short of Gunna’s landmark DS4Ever delivery.
The Weeknd attends 20th Century Studio’s “Avatar 2: The Way of Water” U.S. Premiere at Dolby Theatre on December 12, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
On the Billboard Global 200 chart, The Weeknd came out on top this time last year. Additionally, his project set a record after 24 of his songs landed on the chart. This marks the most entries in a single week for a solo male performer.
In the year since Dawn FM‘s premiere, titles like “Sacrifice,”“Out of Time,” and “Less Than Zero” have remained in streaming rotation.
Another fan favourite, “Is There Someone Else?” has amassed significant streaming numbers. To celebrate the first anniversary of his project, the Canadian artist is finally dropping off an accompanying music video for his fans.
He teased the announcement on Instagram earlier this week with a brief clip of the intriguing visual. “‘Is There Someone Else?’ video drops on the one-year anniversary of ‘Dawn FM,’” he told his followers at the time. “Back at it.”
The Weeknd was hard at work all throughout 2022, with the first leg of his After Hours Til Dawn Tour closing out a few weeks ago.
Of course, he couldn’t leave it at that. The 32-year-old also lent his vocal talents to the Avatar 2 soundtrack, sweetly singing his way through “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength).”
Check out The Weeknd’s “Is There Someone Else?” music video above. Afterward, revisit his Dawn FM album here.
