Fans of Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, have been watching his rise up on the iTunes chart for the last few months. After two previous albums, which didn’t score any mainstream hits, he now has two in the Top 10 on iTunes and his album ranks 4. The singles are taking over the charts with their catchy R&B rhythm and sound.
The album, “Beauty Behind The Madness,” includes 14 tracks, including the chart-toppers “Earned It,” “The Hills,” and “Can’t Feel My Face”. Part of the momentum comes from the way he released the titles. He began revealing teasers like “The Hills,” and even the music video, in May 2015. After a of couple weeks, the song “Can’t Feel My Face” was leaked, going on to become the singer’s biggest hit to date, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Another reason for his soaring popularity is that the album introduces a new catchy, pop vibe. His songs are more upbeat and dance floor friendly than his previous work.
The track “Real Life” starts off with a few guitar riffs and the lyrics represent the mistakes that he has made. He communicates with his listeners by sharing how his mother informed him that he needed to make a change in his life.
His final track on the album “Angel,” is about a time when he had to let go of a girl that to him resembles an angel, and his hope for her to find another partner; someone that actually cares about her because he didn’t care enough about her.
Although many people may favor this album, it wasn’t his best work because his sound and music has changed from the first album. His dark and mysterious sound made him different than other artists, but this fits more into the pop genre and what every other artist is doing. However, it is a quality album with a vigorous sound. I would recommend this and his other albums.