Feature Photo: Nicolas Padovani, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known professionally as The Weeknd, carved a unique path from the underground music scene in Toronto to global superstardom. Born on February 16, 1990, to Ethiopian immigrant parents, Tesfaye grew up in the Scarborough district of Toronto, developing an early interest in music. Dropping out of high school at seventeen, he adopted the moniker “The Weeknd,” a name that symbolized his departure from conventional paths. His influences ranged from Ethiopian music to pop and R&B icons like Michael Jackson, who he credited with inspiring his vocal style.
In 2011, The Weeknd burst onto the scene with a trilogy of self-released mixtapes: House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. These projects, featuring a dark and atmospheric fusion of R&B, electronic, and alternative music, gained widespread attention, quickly turning him into an enigmatic figure in the music industry. His distinctive sound attracted high-profile collaborators, including fellow Toronto artist Drake. The success of the mixtapes led to a deal with Republic Records, and in 2012, he re-released them as Trilogy, a compilation album that earned platinum certification and expanded his mainstream audience.
His debut studio album, Kiss Land, arrived in 2013, further developing his signature moody, cinematic sound. While the album was well received, it was Beauty Behind the Madness (2015) that catapulted him to international superstardom. This album spawned major hits, including “Can’t Feel My Face,” “The Hills,” and “Earned It.” The latter, featured in Fifty Shades of Grey, earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Beauty Behind the Madness topped the Billboard 200 and won a Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album, solidifying his status as one of the decade’s biggest breakout stars.
The Weeknd’s dominance continued with Starboy (2016), a project that showcased collaborations with Daft Punk, Kendrick Lamar, and Lana Del Rey. The title track, featuring Daft Punk, became a worldwide hit, while the album won another Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. In 2018, he released the EP My Dear Melancholy, which revisited the melancholic themes of his early mixtapes. However, it was After Hours (2020) that cemented his legacy as a pop culture force. The album featured “Blinding Lights,” a record-breaking single that became one of the most streamed songs in history and topped charts worldwide.
In 2021, The Weeknd delivered a landmark Super Bowl LV halftime show performance, bringing his cinematic aesthetic to a massive global audience. The following year, he released Dawn FM (2022), a concept album featuring narrations from Jim Carrey and collaborations with artists such as Tyler, the Creator and Lil Wayne. The album was praised for its innovative storytelling and cohesive production, marking another artistic evolution for The Weeknd.
As of January 2025, The Weeknd has released five studio albums: Kiss Land (2013), Beauty Behind the Madness (2015), Starboy (2016), After Hours (2020), and Dawn FM (2022). His discography also includes three mixtapes, one compilation album, and numerous chart-topping singles. His awards tally is equally impressive, with four Grammy Awards, 22 Billboard Music Awards, 22 Juno Awards, six American Music Awards, and five Guinness World Records. His ability to blend commercial success with artistic reinvention has made him one of the most influential artists of his generation.
Beyond music, The Weeknd has made significant contributions to philanthropy. He has donated millions to causes such as COVID-19 relief, the Black Lives Matter movement, and global hunger relief. In 2021, he was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme, using his platform to raise awareness for humanitarian efforts.
The Weeknd’s impact on modern music and culture is undeniable. His ability to evolve while maintaining a distinct identity has ensured his place among the most celebrated artists of his era. As he continues to push creative boundaries, his influence on music, fashion, and philanthropy remains far-reaching.
(A)
“6 Inch”Lemonade (April 23, 2016) “A Lesser Man”The Idol Episode 3 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (June 19, 2023) “A Lie”Jungle Rules (July 14, 2017) “A Lonely Night”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “A Tale By Quincy”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Acquainted”Beauty Behind the Madness (August 28, 2015) “Adaptation”Kiss Land (September 10, 2013) “After Hours”After Hours (February 19, 2020) “All I Know”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “All To Myself”We Still Don’t Trust You (April 12, 2024) “Alone Again”After Hours (March 20, 2020) “Always Be My Fault”We Still Don’t Trust You (April 12, 2024) “Angel”Beauty Behind the Madness (August 28, 2015) “Another One of Me”The Love Album: Off the Grid (September 15, 2023) “As You Are”Beauty Behind the Madness (August 28, 2015) “Attention”Starboy (November 25, 2016)
(B)
“Bedtime Stories”SR3MM (May 4, 2018) “Belong to the World”Kiss Land (July 16, 2013) “Best Friends”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Better Believe”See You Next Wednesday (July 22, 2021) “Blinding Lights”After Hours (November 29, 2019)
(C)
“Call Out My Name”My Dear Melancholy, (March 30, 2018) “Can’t Feel My Face”Beauty Behind the Madness (June 8, 2015) “Christmas Blues”Christmas Blues (November 27, 2020) “Circus Maximus”Utopia (July 28, 2023) “Come Thru”Edgewood (March 23, 2018) “Comin Out Strong”Hndrxx (February 24, 2017) “Coming Down”House of Balloons and Trilogy (March 21, 2011) “Creepin'”Heroes & Villains (December 2, 2022) “Crew Love”Take Care (November 15, 2011) “Curve”Mr. Davis (September 13, 2017)
(D)
“D.D.”Echoes of Silence and Trilogy (December 21, 2011) “Dancing In The Flames”Hurry Up Tomorrow (September 13, 2024) “Dark Times”Beauty Behind the Madness (August 28, 2015) “Dawn FM”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Devil May Cry”The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (November 15, 2013) “Die for It”See You Next Wednesday (August 27, 2021) “Die for You”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “Dollhouse”The Idol Episode 5 Part 2 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (July 3, 2023) “Don’t Break My Heart”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Double Fantasy”The Idol Episode 2 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (April 21, 2023) “Drinks On Us”(Single) (January 31, 2015)
(E)
“Earned It”Fifty Shades of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) and Beauty Behind the Madness (December 23, 2014) “Echoes of Silence”Echoes of Silence and Trilogy (December 21, 2011) “Elastic Heart”The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (October 1, 2013) “Escape from LA”After Hours (March 20, 2020) “Every Angel Is Terrifying”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Exodus”Matangi (November 1, 2013)
(F)
“Faith”After Hours (March 20, 2020) “False Alarm”Starboy (September 29, 2016) “False Idols”The Idol Episode 5 Part 1 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (June 29, 2023) “Family”The Idol Episode 2 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (June 12, 2023) “Fill the Void”The Idol Episode 4 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (June 23, 2023) “Final Lullaby”After Hours (Deluxe edition) (March 30, 2020)
(G)
“Gasoline”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Gifted”Excuse My French (May 21, 2013) “Gone”Thursday and Trilogy (August 18, 2011)
(H)
“Hardest to Love”After Hours (March 20, 2020) “Hawái” (Remix)(Single) (November 5, 2020) “Heartless”After Hours (November 27, 2019) “Heaven or Las Vegas”Thursday and Trilogy (August 18, 2011) “Here We Go… Again”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “High for This”House of Balloons and Trilogy (March 21, 2011) “House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls”House of Balloons and Trilogy (March 21, 2011) “How Do I Make You Love Me?”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Hurricane”Donda (August 29, 2021) “Hurt You”My Dear Melancholy, (March 30, 2018)
(I)
“I Feel It Coming”Starboy (November 24, 2016) “I Heard You’re Married”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “I Was Never There”My Dear Melancholy, (March 30, 2018) “I’m Good”Dedication 5 (September 1, 2013) “In the Night”Beauty Behind the Madness (August 28, 2015) “In Vein”Mastermind (March 3, 2014) “In Your Eyes”After Hours (March 20, 2020) “Initiation”Echoes of Silence and Trilogy (December 21, 2011) “Intro” (Live)Live at SoFi Stadium (March 3, 2023) “Is There Someone Else?”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022)
(J)
“Jealous Guy”The Idol Episode 4 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (June 23, 2023)
(K)
“King of the Fall”(Single) (July 20, 2014) “Kiss Land”Kiss Land (May 17, 2013) “K-pop”Utopia (July 21, 2023)
(L)
“La Fama”Motomami (November 11, 2021) “Less than Zero”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Life of the Party”Thursday and Trilogy (August 18, 2011) “Like A God”The Idol Episode 5 Part 1 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (June 29, 2023) “Live For”Kiss Land (August 20, 2013) “Loft Music”House of Balloons and Trilogy (March 21, 2011) “Lonely Star”Thursday and Trilogy (August 18, 2011) “Losers”Beauty Behind the Madness (August 28, 2015) “Lost in the Fire”Hyperion (January 11, 2019) “Love in the Sky”Kiss Land (July 30, 2013) “Love Me Harder”My Everything (August 22, 2014) “Love to Lay”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “Low Life”Evol (February 6, 2016) “Lust for Life”Lust for Life (April 19, 2017)
(M-N)
“Might Not”Up for Days (May 7, 2015) “Missed You”After Hours (Deluxe edition) (March 30, 2020) “Montreal”Echoes of Silence and Trilogy (December 21, 2011) “Moth to a Flame”Paradise Again and Dawn FM (Alternate World) (October 22, 2021) “Next”Echoes of Silence and Trilogy (December 21, 2011) “Nocturnal”Caracal (September 25, 2015) “Nothing Compares”After Hours (Deluxe edition) (March 30, 2020) “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)”Avatar: The Way of Water (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (December 15, 2022) “Nothing Without You”Starboy (November 25, 2016)
(O-P)
“Odd Look”Odd Look EP and Kiss Land (Japanese/Deluxe edition) (July 24, 2013) “Off the Table”Positions (October 30, 2020) “Often”Beauty Behind the Madness (July 31, 2014) “One of the Girls”The Idol Episode 4 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (June 23, 2023) “One of Those Nights”Stay Trippy (Deluxe edition) (March 11, 2013) “One Right Now”Twelve Carat Toothache (November 5, 2021) “Or Nah” (Remix)(Single) (June 10, 2014) “Ordinary Life”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “Out of Time”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Outro” (Live)Live at SoFi Stadium (March 3, 2023) “Outside”Echoes of Silence and Trilogy (December 21, 2011) “Over Now”(Single) (August 28, 2020) “Party Monster”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “Phantom Regret by Jim”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Poison”Unstoppable (December 17, 2021) “Popular”(Single) (June 2, 2023) “Power Is Power”For the Throne: Music Inspired by the HBO Series Game of Thrones (April 18, 2019) “Pray 4 Love”Rodeo (September 4, 2015) “Pray for Me”Black Panther: The Album (February 2, 2018) “Pretty”Kiss Land (September 10, 2013) “Price on My Head”Bad Habits (March 22, 2019) “Prisoner”Beauty Behind the Madness (August 28, 2015) “Privilege”My Dear Melancholy, (March 30, 2018) “Professional”Kiss Land (September 10, 2013) “Pullin’ Up”Dreams Worth More Than Money (June 29, 2015)
“Sacrifice”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022) “Same Old Song”Echoes of Silence and Trilogy (December 21, 2011) “São Paulo”Hurry Up Tomorrow (October 30, 2024) “Save Your Tears”After Hours (March 20, 2020) “Scared to Live”After Hours (March 20, 2020) “Secrets”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “Sexodus”Matangi (November 1, 2013) “Shameless”Beauty Behind the Madness (August 28, 2015) “Sidewalks”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “Six Feet Under”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “Smile”Legends Never Die (July 10, 2020) “Snowchild”After Hours (March 20, 2020) “Some Way”Nav (February 15, 2017) “Starboy”Starboy (September 21, 2016) “Stargirl Interlude”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “Starry Eyes”Dawn FM (January 7, 2022)
(T)
“Take Me Back”The Idol Episode 3 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (June 19, 2023) “Take My Breath”Dawn FM (August 6, 2021) “Tears in the Club”Caprisongs (December 16, 2021) “Tears in the Rain”Kiss Land (September 10, 2013) “Tell Your Friends”Beauty Behind the Madness (August 28, 2015) “The Birds, Pt. 1”Thursday and Trilogy (August 18, 2011) “The Birds, Pt. 2”Thursday and Trilogy (August 18, 2011) “The Fall”Echoes of Silence and Trilogy (December 21, 2011) “The Hills”Beauty Behind the Madness (May 27, 2015) “The Knowing”House of Balloons and Trilogy (March 21, 2011) “The Lure (Main Theme)”The Idol Episode 1 (Music from the HBO Original Series) (June 9, 2023) “The Morning”House of Balloons and Trilogy (March 21, 2011) “The Party & The After Party”House of Balloons and Trilogy (March 21, 2011) “The Town”Kiss Land (September 10, 2013) “The Zone”Thursday and Trilogy (August 18, 2011) “Thought I Knew You”Queen (August 10, 2018) “Thursday”Thursday and Trilogy (August 18, 2011) “Till Dawn (Here Comes the Sun)”Echoes of Silence (bonus track) and Trilogy (November 13, 2012) “Timeless”Hurry Up Tomorrow (September 27, 2024) “Too Late”After Hours (March 20, 2020) “True Colors”Starboy (November 25, 2016) “Try Me”My Dear Melancholy, (March 30, 2018) “Twenty Eight”House of Balloons (bonus track) and Trilogy (November 13, 2012)
(U-Z)
“UnFazed”Luv Is Rage 2 (August 25, 2017) “Until I Bleed Out”After Hours (March 20, 2020) “Valerie”Thursday (bonus track) and Trilogy (November 13, 2012) “Wanderlust”Kiss Land (September 10, 2013) “Wasted Times”My Dear Melancholy, (March 30, 2018) “We Still Don’t Trust You”We Still Don’t Trust You (April 12, 2024) “What You Need”House of Balloons and Trilogy (March 21, 2011) “What You Want”Immigrant (May 24, 2018) “Where You Belong”Fifty Shades of Grey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (December 23, 2014) “Wicked Games”House of Balloons and Trilogy (March 21, 2011) “Wild Love”9 (August 26, 2016) “Wonderful”Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (February 16, 2016) “XO / The Host”Echoes of Silence and Trilogy (December 21, 2011) “You Right”Planet Her (June 25, 2021) “Young Metro”We Don’t Trust You (March 22, 2024)
Check out our fantastic and entertaining The Weeknd articles, detailing in-depth the band’s albums, songs, band members, and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com
Janey Roberts lives in Chelsea, London. She has worked for various British musical publications writing album and concert reviews. Originally from Balboa Park, San Diego, Janey brings an international cross cultural perspective to rock journalism.