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After Hours (The Weeknd album)

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After Hours
Studio album by
The Weeknd
ReleasedMarch 20, 2020
Studio
Length56:12
Label
Producer
The Weeknd chronology
The Weeknd in Japan
(2018) 		After Hours
(2020)
Alternative cover
Target and HMV exclusive CD cover
Target and HMV exclusive CD cover
Singles from After Hours
  1. "Heartless"
    Released: November 27, 2019
  2. "Blinding Lights"
    Released: November 29, 2019
  3. "In Your Eyes"
    Released: March 24, 2020

After Hours is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer The Weeknd. The album was released by XO and Republic Records on March 20, 2020.[2] The project has been supported by three singles: "Heartless", "Blinding Lights", and "In Your Eyes". One promotional single has been released as well, the album's title track.[3][4] It is The Weeknd's first studio album since 2016's Starboy, following the release of the 2018 EP My Dear Melancholy.[5] The project is his first studio album to have no featured artists.[6]

Background

The Weeknd first teased that he was working on a new album in November 2018, via a performance in which he told the crowd that "Chapter VI was coming soon."[7] On January 12, 2019, Tesfaye then proceeded to further tease the project and its sound by tweeting "no more daytime music" to fans, making media outlets believe that he was set to continue the darker music found in My Dear Melancholy.[8][9] Following a trio of collaborative singles throughout 2019, on August 6, he further reassured fans that he was working on his fourth studio album.[10] Then after a five month period of silence,[11][12] on November 24 the single "Blinding Lights" was revealed through a Mercedes-Benz television commercial,[13] with reports of "Heartless" surfacing a day later.[14][15] The latter song then premiered on the seventh episode of The Weeknd's Memento Mori Beats 1 radio show on November 27, 2019.[16] Which in the hours leading into the release of the radio show episode, The Weeknd announced on social media his return to music with the captions "the fall starts tomorrow night" and "Tonight we start a new brain melting psychotic chapter! Let's go!".[17] Both singles were met with critical and commercial success,[18][19] with "Heartless" becoming his fourth number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and "Blinding Lights" reaching number one in various countries worldwide.[20][21] On February 13, 2020, The Weeknd revealed the title of the project "After Hours" through a 48 second teaser.[22][23] A couple days after the announcement of the album's name, its release date of March 20, 2020, was shared through social media to accompany the title track's release as a promotional single.[24][25] In the last week leading up to the album's release, After Hours' tracklist was revealed on March 17, 2020.[26] On March 19, 2020, The Weeknd announced that the album is dedicated to long time fan and host of the popular XO Podcast, Lance, who died the night before.[27] The album debuted alongside the eighth episode of Memento Mori on March 20, 2020, with The Weeknd also hosting a Spotify listening session upon its release.[28] [29]

Artwork and aesthetic

The artwork and aesthetic for the album's promotional material has been described as psychedelic and being inspired by various films, like: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Joker, Casino, and Uncut Gems, with the last film having a cameo appearance by The Weeknd himself.[30] Tesfaye's physical appearance in the era has been described by journalists as being red-pigmented,[31] with him consistently maintaining a red suit and specific hairstyle throughout all of the album's promotional material, such as its artwork, music videos, teasers, and live performances.[32] The album's overall art direction was primarily handled by the Tammi brothers,[33] with its design being handled by Aleksi Tammi,[34] and its photography and direction being handled by Anton Tammi, who directed both the music videos for "Heartless" and "Blinding Lights", and the album's self titled short film.[35]

Release and promotion

Tour

Main article: The After Hours Tour

On February 20, 2020, The After Hours Tour was announced by The Weeknd through social media.[36] It is set to span North America and Europe.[37] The tour will last throughout the latter half of 2020, with it beginning on June 11 and ending on November 12.[38] Sabrina Claudio, Don Toliver and Black Atlass are set to open the tour.[39]

Performances

On December 5, 2019, The Weeknd performed "Heartless" for the first time on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[40] With "Blinding Lights" receiving its debut performance the following day on the same show.[41] Both performances received positive reactions from critics and audiences, and were compared to those done by Michael Jackson and Prince in the past.[42] On January 22, 2020, "Blinding Lights" was performed at Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[43] Tesfaye's appearance during the performance on the show was inspired by the events that occurred within the aforementioned single's music video, which was released shortly before his live performance.[44] The Weeknd was announced as a performer for the March 7, 2020 episode of the 45th season of Saturday Night Live.[45] During his appearance, he performed a comedic track alongside Kenan Thompson and Chris Redd, made specifically for the show, titled "On the Couch", and the songs: "Blinding Lights" and the previously unreleased "Scared to Live", the latter of which featured electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never and interpolates "Your Song" by Elton John.[46]

Singles

On November 27, 2019, the album's lead single, "Heartless", was released digitally on music stores and streaming services.[47] The song was noticeably produced by American record producer Metro Boomin. At the time of its release, it was The Weeknd's first solo single since 2018's "Call Out My Name" from the EP My Dear Melancholy (2018). The single peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became The Weeknd's fourth one number song to top the chart, with it also becoming Metro Boomin's second chart topper that he produced.[48] Its music video was released on December 3, 2019.[49]

"Blinding Lights" was released digitally on music stores and streaming services on November 29, 2019, as the album's second single.[50] The song peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one in various countries, becoming his first chart topper in the United Kingdom and Australia.[51][52][53] Its music video is set in the aftermath of "Heartless"' visual and was released on January 21, 2020.[54]

"In Your Eyes" is set to be released to contemporary hit radio on March 24, 2020, as the album's third single.[55]

Promotional singles

On February 18, 2020, Tesfaye announced the release of the album's title track with the reveal of the album's cover art.[56][57] The promotional single single reached the top 20 of various countries worldwide, including the United States, where it peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[58] [59]

Teaser and short film

On February 13, 2020, The Weeknd released a 48-second teaser that announced the album's title. Journalists noted its resemblance to the digital work done in the 2019 film Uncut Gems, which Tesfaye had a cameo in.[60] Its visual were also compared to those found in the music videos for the album's first two singles.[61]

A self titled short film for the album was first teased on March 3, 2020, with its release occurring on March 4, 2020. [62] It was directed by Anton Tammi and continued the storyline and aesthetics found in the visuals for "Heartless" and "Blinding Lights".[63] The film is set shortly after The Weeknd's performance of "Blinding Lights" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (dated January 22, 2020) and features various snippets of the tracks from the album as Tesfaye navigates a subway.[64] It concludes with The Weeknd seemingly murdering a couple in a secluded elevator.[65] The visual was noted by journalists as being inspired by the films Joker and The Shining.[66]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Evening Standard[67]

David Smyth of Evening Standard gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, particularly praising the song "Blinding Lights", while stating that The Weeknd's "in a bit of a fug" on the rest of the album.[67]

Commercial performance

Pre-release

Despite the album not being released yet during the tracking period ending on February 27, 2020, After Hours managed to reach a position of number ten on the US Rolling Stone Top 200 through the 36,900 album-equivalent units provided by the already available tracks: "Heartless", "Blinding Lights", and "After Hours".[68] On March 19th, 2020, After Hours broke the record for the most global pre-adds for an album in Apple Music history, with over 975,000 pre-orders.[69]

Track listing

Adapted from Apple Music.[70] Credits adapted from Tidal.[71][72][73]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Alone Again"
4:10
2."Too Late"
3:59
3."Hardest to Love"
  • Martin
  • Holter
  • The Weeknd
3:31
4."Scared to Live"
3:11
5."Snowchild"
  • Tesfaye
  • Balshe
  • Quenneville
  • Montagnese
  • Illangelo
  • The Weeknd
  • DaHeala
4:07
6."Escape from LA"
5:55
7."Heartless"
3:18
8."Faith"
  • Tesfaye
  • Balshe
  • Montagnese
  • Wayne
  • Metro Boomin
  • The Weeknd
  • Illangelo
4:43
9."Blinding Lights"
  • Tesfaye
  • Balshe
  • Quenneville
  • Martin
  • Holter
  • Martin
  • Holter
  • The Weeknd
3:20
10."In Your Eyes"
  • Tesfaye
  • Balshe
  • Martin
  • Holter
  • Martin
  • Holter
  • The Weeknd
3:57
11."Save Your Tears"
  • Tesfaye
  • Balshe
  • Quenneville
  • Martin
  • Holter
  • Martin
  • Holter
  • The Weeknd
3:35
12."Repeat After Me" (interlude)
  • Parker
  • The Weeknd
  • Oneohtrix Point Never
3:15
13."After Hours"
  • Illangelo
  • The Weeknd
  • DaHeala
  • Winans[b]
6:01
14."Until I Bleed Out"
  • Tesfaye
  • Mejdi Rhars
  • Austin Paoli
  • Wayne
  • Lopatin
  • Notinbed
  • Mejdi Rhars
  • Oneohtrix Point Never
  • Metro Boomin
  • The Weeknd
3:10
Total length:56:12

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer

Sample credits

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[71][72][73]

Musicians

  • Metro Boomin – keyboards (track 7), programming (track 7)
  • The Weeknd – vocals, keyboards, programming (tracks 7, 9, 13), bass, guitar, drums (track 9)
  • Max Martin – bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, programming (track 9)
  • Oscar Holter – bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, programming (track 9)
  • Illangelo – keyboards, programming (track 13)
  • DaHeala – keyboards, programming (track 13)

Technical

  • Illangelo – engineering, mixing (tracks 7, 13)
  • Shin Kamiyama – engineering (tracks 7, 9, 13)
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing (track 9)
  • John Hanes – engineering for mixing (track 9)
  • Cory Bice – engineering assistant (track 9)
  • Jeremy Lertola – engineering assistant (track 9)
  • Sean Klein – engineering assistant (track 9)
  • Dave Kutch – mastering (tracks 7, 9, 13)
  • Kevin Peterson – mastering (tracks 7, 9, 13)

Charts

Chart (2020) Peak
position
US Rolling Stone Top 200[68] 10

References

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External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=After_Hours_(The_Weeknd_album)&oldid=946471790"