After Hours | ||||
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Released | March 20, 2020 | |||
Recorded | 2018–2020 | |||
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Length | 56:19 | |||
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the Weeknd chronology | ||||
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Singles from After Hours | ||||
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After Hours is the fourth studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on March 20, 2020, by XO and Republic Records. Primarily produced by the Weeknd, it features a variety of producers, including DaHeala, Illangelo, Max Martin, Metro Boomin, and OPN, most of whom the Weeknd had worked with previously. The standard edition of the album has no features, but the deluxe edition features Ariana Grande and the remixes edition contains guest appearances from Chromatics and Lil Uzi Vert. Thematically, After Hours explores loneliness, self-loathing, and escapism.
Prior to the album's release, the Weeknd confirmed that After Hours would contrast stylistically with its predecessor, Starboy (2016). Music journalists have noted the album as an artistic reinvention for the Weeknd, with the introduction of new wave and dream pop influences. The album's title is borrowed from the 1985 film of the same name, while the artwork was inspired by various other films.
After Hours was supported by five singles: "Heartless", "Blinding Lights", the title track, "In Your Eyes", and "Save Your Tears". The former two and the latter reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The album received positive reviews; some critics named it the Weeknd's best work. It debuted atop the Billboard 200, marking the Weeknd's fourth number-one album in the US, and stayed atop the chart for four consecutive weeks. After Hours also reached the top spot in 20 other countries, including his native Canada and the United Kingdom. As of December 2022, the album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Due to tour delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Weeknd completed his fifth studio album, Dawn FM, released in early 2022, before launching a tour to support both releases.