The Weeknd (Getty)
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, most well-known as the falsetto-voiced The Weeknd, is currently sitting on top of the charts with his latest record Starboy. The Daft Punk collaborations, and new-soul and dance vibes have put the record on everyone’s must-hear list. The Weeknd has had an incredible run the past two years with his gigantic chart-topper Beauty Behind the Madness, his work on the Fifty Shades of Grey Soundtrack, and now Starboy.
The Weeknd has transcended his last record, has become tabloid fodder with his recent relationship status to Selena Gomez, and is a super talented vocalist that will hopefully continue pumping out good music. We think its time to take a closer look at the Canadian singers catalog with the Top 10 Songs by The Weeknd.
1. “Starboy”
It’s hard to ignore the catchy dance vibe of the chorus. Produced by French electronic masterminds Daft Punk. The song has reached number one in multiple countries including Canada, Denmark, France, and the U.S. and has gone 2X platinum in America.
The song discusses themes of the celebrity lifestyle and we can’t get it out of our heads.
2. “Can’t Feel My Face”
The 2015 track co-written with the legendary Max Martin shot The Weeknd into the stratosphere peaking at number one in both the U.S and Canada.
The infectious groove and singable chorus is undeniable and the song made it onto several “Best of 2015” including topping Rolling Stone’s and Billboard’s lists. The song has been parodied by Stevie Wonder, and was featured on the TV show “Empire.”
3. “Wicked Games”
“Wicked Games” was the debut single from The Weeknd and was originally released on the mixtape House of Balloons, and was featured on the Trilogy album in 2012.
The song was featured in the movie Southpaw and has gone on to be certified double platinum in the US.
4. “The Hills”
“The Hills” was the second single from The Weeknd’s behemoth record Beauty and the Madness. The song peaked at number one, replacing his own previous single “Can’t Feel My Face.”
The song is hypnotic, and on the dark side, but is a dance floor burner nonetheless. Rolling Stone ranked the single number 11 on it’s “Best of 2015” list.
5. “High For This”
“High For This” was showcased as the first song on the Trilogy record. The song is a slow burner and one of the more notable non-singles the singer has released.
6. “Earned It”
“Earned It” was the lead single to the hit movie Fifty Shades of Grey. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and was The Weeknd’s first top 5 single.
The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 88th Academy Awards, and was awarded the Grammy for Best R&B Performance at the 58th Annual Grammy Award ceremony. The song also made several “Best-of 2015” lists.
7. “What You Need”
The Weeknd’s “What You Need” is a song from his first mixtape entitled House of Balloons. The House of Balloons mixtape utilized an eclectic range of samples from artists including; Beach House, Aaliyah, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Cocteau Twins.
8.”I Feel It Coming”
The Weeknd released the song “I Feel It Coming” in November 2016 and is the second single from the Starboy record. Rolling Stone referred to the song as “a gem of Ibiza disco love.”
Daft Punk assisted in the writing and producing of the single.
9. “Often”
“Often” was released as the first single from The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind the Madness album. The single peaked at number 59 on the Billboard charts and number 69 on the Canadian charts.
The song also won two awards at the 2015 Much Music Video Awards including Video of the Year, and Best Director.
10. “Rolling Stone”
“Rolling Stone” was originally on the Thursday mixtape, and eventually on the Trilogy record that was released shortly after.
Written by The Weeknd with help from his team, the song offers a slow-moving acoustic guitar with The Weeknd flexing his falsetto.