With 221 million streams, 275,000 copies sold and a number one spot on Billboard’s top 200 chart, The Weeknd’s new album “After Hours” has been a crowd-puller since the moment it touched down. The newest release accommodates The Weeknd’s previous albums along with his new flare on R&B music. 

The 14 songs unfold the addiction, failed relationships, loneliness and violence that developed in the late hours of The Weeknd’s life. “After Hours” contains 56 minutes of encasing lyrics with a trace of the barbarous and unapologetic undercoating to the author. 

The first song on the album, “Alone Again,” introduces the candid scene of an overdose scare. The Weeknd sings ‘Check my pulse for a second time/I took too much, I don’t wanna die.’ The song begins with a dim synthesizer and later pervades with a strong pulse from the drums and bass. 

“Snowchild” recaps The Weeknd’s childhood in Canada, and his ultimate dream to escape his past and hit reset in California. The song mentions all of the accolades that prevailed for The Weeknd after leaving his childhood behind and starting his career in music. “Snowchild” toys with the reality of the past and the longing for escape he faced since the age of 16.

Number nine on the album, “Blinding Lights,” has attracted some questions as fans wonder who this pining love song is referencing. With The Weeknd’s involvement with Selena Gomez and Bella Hadid, listeners ponder over which former lover he is mentioning. Whoever it may be, he seems to have high regards for her as he sings ‘No, I can’t sleep until I feel your touch/ I said, ooh, I’m drowning in the night/ Oh, when I’m like this, you’re the one I trust.’ This song has been a crucial addition to pop radio, as it plays almost daily. 

The Weeknd has instigated a new admiration with the “After Hours” album. Fans admire the high-level production along with the non-superficial feel to his music. This playlist has appealed to the hearts of many and is identified as his best album yet. 

As a three-time Grammy winner, this album was forecasted to be nothing short of great, and The Weeknd has played all of his cards right with this new release. With a seamless balance of harsh reality and honest emotion he has captivated his audience and made a bold statement with the release of “After Hours.”