Many songs feature aggressive bass beats in the background commonly found in modern trap music. Instead of slow, melodic tunes, the album features infectious, blood-pumping beats that satisfy the listeners’ need to move.īut the album also borrows heavily from hip-hop instrumentation. The instrumentation on “Starboy” uses a sync-funk dance sound that brings an energy to The Weeknd’s music that he has often lacked. The Weeknd could have easily continued the formula for success he had developed for “Starboy,” but instead he chose to go down riskier, artistic avenue. He then broke through to mainstream stardom with his 2015 album “Beauty Behind the Madness, ” which reached No. But while The Weeknd may stray away in his new album from the moody, soulful sound that made him famous, don’t be deterred: “Starboy,” released Friday, is a creative triumph and The Weeknd’s best album yet.īorn Abel Tesfaye, The Weeknd has been a heavyweight in the alternative R&B genre since 2011, made famous for his dark, soulful instrumentals and his lyrics that often hinge on his unapologetically self-destructive lifestyle. PHOTO COURTESY XO AND REPUBLIC RECORDSĬontemporary R&B icon The Weeknd achieved superstar status by experimenting with a new, risky sound that combines electro-pop, hip-hop instrumentation with R&B vocals.

The Weeknd released his third studio album “Starboy” on Friday.

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