Why The Weeknd is the Perfect Artist for Valentine’s Day

Rinah Milter 

Music Journalist 

So, Valentine’s Day is upon us, and whether you’ve been looking forward to or dreading today, nobody can escape the red and pink hues of the season. Our feeds are going to be filled with relationship posts, and valentine card memes, and most importantly, nobody will be able to escape love songs. No hate, but we all dread hearing Taylor Swift’s “Lover” on repeat that day. So, let’s switch it up. If you’re in love, I have the album for you. If you’re anti-Valentine’s Day, I also have the album for you. If you don’t really care and just want to listen to good music, I have the album for you!  

The Weeknd has been releasing music since 2011, and depending on what you’re feeling, he has an album for whatever matches your mood.  To dive in deeper let’s start at the beginning:  

House of Balloons (2011) 

This album was his debut mixtape and really introduced us to his blend of R&B, indie rock, and electronic influences. But lyrically, this album is if you’re going through a really intense situationship, and you’re battling with your heart and mind, that initial satisfaction, euphoria, versus future regret. Thematically it explores toxic relationships, emotional emptiness, and drug use. “House of Balloons” is a metaphor – the party lifestyle that seems fun on the surface but is ultimately destructive and hollow.  

Kiss Land (2013)  

Kiss Land builds on the themes of Trilogy. It’s very cinematic and dystopian which became his “sound.” The album is driven by sensuality, parallels between loneliness and love, and emotional distance. This album is, again, for those really intense situationships, or if you’re just wanting some storytelling.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrCG4EK1Ehs 

Beauty Behind the Madness (2015) 

This was the Weeknd’s mainstream breakthrough. He’s living recklessly, but there’s a desire for something more. He’s searching for real love in a superficial world, and I think for the hopeless romantics out there, this is the album for you.  

Starboy (2016) 

 Probably one of his most notable albums, in Starboy, love becomes a power struggle – he has it all but it’s still not good enough. In Die for You, he has a moment of true devotion, and in I Feel it Coming, it’s a hopeful love song. To all the love birds out there, this is the album for you.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLCpqdqeoII 

My Dear Melancholy (2018) 

 One of the darker albums on his discography, this album navigates themes of love and loss, trying to move on but failing, and emotional numbness. Classics like “Call Out My Name” and “Wasted Times” speak for themselves. If you’re going through heartbreak this Valentine’s Day, know that we feel you, and this can be your breakup anthem.  

Dawn FM (2022) 

 This album is structured like a radio station guiding you through the afterlife. It’s a metaphor for purgatory – hoping for something better. While not directly about love, this album is about trying to let go of the past and going through the motions of it, something everyone can relate to.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxgj5af8zg4 

Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025) 

 His most recent album is rumored to be the Weeknd’s final album under his persona, and he’s at his most mature. Throughout his journey, his stance on love has been ever changing and growing – convoluted and manipulative at first, focusing on a hedonistic approach to only seeking pleasure. Much like some of us who have had a rough time in this area of life, as we change, so does our mentality. It can be dark, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel – that love is something more profound and real. Hurry Up Tomorrow can be seen as a final reflection, and perfect for whatever you’re feeling this season. A lot of it can be subjective to the listener, but this album is centered around self-reflection and the journey of finding peace in that.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8-rIurGwAE 

Whether you’re searching for closure, embracing a new chapter, or just wanting to listen to something new and broaden your horizons, he’s got you.