The Highlights Explained

The Highlights
Type:greatest hits
Artist:the Weeknd
Cover:The Weeknd - The Highlights.png
Recorded:2010–2020
Genre:
Length:77:55
Label:
Prev Title:After Hours
Prev Year:2020
Next Title:Dawn FM
Next Year:2022

The Highlights is the second greatest hits album, and first one released globally, by Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd.[4] It was released on February 5, 2021,[5] and follows the release of his fourth studio album After Hours (2020) and his first greatest hits album The Weeknd in Japan (2018).[6] [7] It was released in anticipation of his performance at the Super Bowl LV halftime show.[8] [9]

The track list is composed of songs from his three Billboard 200 number one studio albums: Beauty Behind the Madness (2015), Starboy (2016), and After Hours (2020), his debut mixtape House of Balloons (2011), his EP My Dear Melancholy (2018), and his two co-lead collaborations "Love Me Harder" and "Pray for Me", with Ariana Grande and Kendrick Lamar respectively, from the albums My Everything (2014) and (2018).[10]

A deluxe version of The Highlights was released on February 9, 2024, featuring a reworked tracklist and more songs from the Weeknd's aforementioned projects, his studio album Dawn FM (2022), the soundtrack to his television series The Idol (2023), and his promotional single "King of the Fall" (2014).[11]

Artwork

The album's cover continues the usage of the red suit that the Weeknd donned throughout the promotional material for his fourth studio album After Hours (2020).[12] The particular suit worn in the cover art is the same one that he wore for the Super Bowl LV halftime show and in the music video for the song "Save Your Tears", which served as the fourth single from the aforementioned album.[13]

Critical reception

Andy Kellman of AllMusic praised the collection, stating, "The Highlights is a well-selected point of entry. That it rarely dips into album cuts and doesn't include all of the major singles speaks to the depth of the catalog."

Commercial performance

The Highlights debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 89,000 album-equivalent units, including 10,000 pure album sales. It is the Weeknd's highest charting compilation album, and marks the biggest first week debut for a greatest hits set since Blake Shelton's (2019), which peaked at number two on the chart dated December 28, 2019.[14] The compilation album has managed to spend more than 130 weeks on the chart. The Highlights was the twenty-first best-selling album of 2021 according to Hits, stating the album has moved a total of 1,004,000 album-equivalent units by the end of 2021, including 74,000 pure album sales, 226,000 song sales, 1,1 billion audio-on-demand streams, and 160 million video-on-demand streams.[15] In the next year, The Highlights was the sixth best-selling album of the year, moved a total of 1,600,000 album-equivalent units by the end of 2022, including 51,000 pure album sales, 205,000 song sales, 2 billion audio-on-demand streams, and 198 million video-on-demand streams.[16]

Track listing

Notes

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2021–2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Argentine Albums (CAPIF)[17] 8
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[18] 78
Slovak Albums (ČNS IFPI)[19] 70

Year-end charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[20] 9
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[21] 153
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[22] 123
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[23] 10
French Albums (SNEP)[24] 24
Irish Albums (IRMA)[25] 15
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[26] 10
UK Albums (OCC)[27] 11
US Billboard 200[28] 31
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[29] 16
Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[30] 3
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[31] 3
French Albums (SNEP)[32] 51
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[33] 3
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[34] 85
UK Albums (OCC)[35] 4
US Billboard 200[36] 10
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[37] 2
Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[38] 3
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[39] 7
French Albums (SNEP)[40] 92
Italian Albums (FIMI)[41] 83
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[42] 2
UK Albums (OCC)[43] 1
US Billboard 200[44] 14
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[45] 6

Release history

Region!scope="col"
DateFormatLabelEditionRef.
VariousFebruary 5, 2021Standard[46]
United KingdomCassette[47]
JapanMarch 5, 2021CDUniversal Music Japan[48]
VariousNovember 19, 2021LP[49]
February 9, 2024Deluxe[50]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Music Review: The Weeknd's EP 'My Dear Melancholy,'. Variety. Aswad. Jem. March 30, 2018. January 26, 2021.
  2. Review: The Weeknd's 'Starboy'. Rolling Stone. Reeves. Mosi. November 28, 2016. October 20, 2019. Kiss Land may have sounded like Trilogy redux, but at least it offered a thrilling reprise of Eighties underground darkwave.
  3. Web site: The Weeknd Starboy Album Review. HipHopDX. November 28, 2016. January 26, 2021. Glaysher . Scott. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161212235510/http://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.2868/title.review-the-weeknds-starboy-misses-admirably-on-its-pop-godhood-intent. December 12, 2016.
  4. The Weeknd Rolls Out Greatest Hits Album Ahead of Super Bowl Performance. Billboard. January 26, 2021.
  5. Web site: The Weeknd Shop (1/25/2021). Universal Music Group. https://web.archive.org/web/20210125211354/https://shop.theweeknd.com/. January 25, 2021. January 25, 2021.
  6. Web site: The Weeknd's 'Brain-Melting' New Album After Hours Is Finally Here. MTV News. Roth. Madeline. March 20, 2020. January 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200321142104/http://www.mtv.com/news/3160604/the-weeknd-after-hours-stream-album/. March 21, 2020. dead.
  7. Web site: The Weeknd in Japan. Japan. Neowing. CDJapan. January 25, 2021.
  8. Web site: The Weeknd's Super Bowl Halftime Performance: Everything We Know. Entertainment Tonight. January 25, 2021.
  9. Web site: The Weeknd Releases Greatest Hits Album 'The Highlights' Ahead of Super Bowl Performance. January 26, 2021. January 26, 2021.
  10. Web site: The Highlights Clean CD . January 25, 2021. The Weeknd Shop. https://web.archive.org/web/20210125211855/https://shop.theweeknd.com/products/the-highlights-clean-cd?c=/collections/new-arrivals&t=New+Arrivals. January 25, 2021. January 25, 2021.
  11. Web site: The Highlights (Deluxe). Spotify. February 8, 2024.
  12. The Weeknd and His Mustache Announce New Album. Rolling Stone. Holmes. Charles. February 13, 2020. January 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200307125801/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-weeknd-new-album-after-hours-952501/. March 7, 2020. live.
  13. The Weeknd and His Botox Prosthetics Will Give Me Nightmares to Last Through 2021. Erica. Gonzales. January 5, 2021. Harper's Bazaar. January 25, 2021.
  14. Morgan Wallen's 'Dangerous' No. 1 for Fifth Week on Billboard 200 While 'If I Know Me' Hits Top 10 for First Time. Billboard. Caulfield. Keith. February 14, 2021. February 16, 2021.
  15. THE BIGGEST ALBUMS OF 2021. Hits. December 27, 2021. September 14, 2022.
  16. THE BIGGEST ALBUMS OF 2022. Hits. November 30, 2022. September 14, 2022.
  17. Web site: Los discos más vendidos de la semana. Diario de Cultura. CAPIF. https://web.archive.org/web/20210322205026/https://www.diariodecultura.com.ar/rankings/los-discos-mas-vendidos-de-la-semana-3/. March 22, 2021. March 22, 2021.
  18. Web site: 2021 6-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). lt. AGATA. February 12, 2021. July 2, 2021.
  19. Web site: Slovak Albums – Top 100. ČNS IFPI. April 8, 2022. Note: On the chart page, select SK - Albums - Top 100 under the left field and "202106" on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data.
  20. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2021. Australian Recording Industry Association. January 13, 2022.
  21. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2021. Ultratop. January 5, 2022.
  22. Web site: Rapports annuels 2021. Ultratop. January 5, 2022.
  23. Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2021. Billboard. December 3, 2021.
  24. Web site: Top de l'année Top Albums 2021. SNEP. fr. April 15, 2022.
  25. Web site: Ireland's official biggest albums of 2021. Official Charts Company. Griffiths. George. January 9, 2022. January 9, 2022.
  26. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 2021. Recorded Music NZ. January 24, 2022. January 24, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220124051930/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/albums?chart=5267. live.
  27. Web site: The Official Top 40 biggest albums of 2021. Official Charts Company. Griffiths. George. January 4, 2022. January 4, 2022.
  28. Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2021. Billboard. December 3, 2021.
  29. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2021. Billboard. December 3, 2021.
  30. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums Chart for 2022. Australian Recording Industry Association. January 4, 2023.
  31. Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 2, 2022.
  32. Web site: 2022: La production musicale française toujours au top. Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. fr. January 6, 2023. January 8, 2023.
  33. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 2022. Recorded Music NZ. December 22, 2022. December 21, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221221072418/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/albums?chart=5467. live.
  34. Web site: OLiS 2022 – roczne podsumowanie sprzedaży płyt na nośnikach fizycznych. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. pl. February 17, 2023.
  35. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2022. Official Charts Company. January 4, 2023.
  36. Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 2, 2022.
  37. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2022. Billboard. January 22, 2023.
  38. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums Chart for 2023. Australian Recording Industry Association. January 12, 2024.
  39. Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2023. Billboard. November 22, 2023.
  40. Web site: 2023: La dynamique de la production et de la consommation musicales en France. SNEP. fr. January 8, 2024. January 13, 2024.
  41. Web site: Classifica annuale 2023 (dal 30.12.2022 al 28.12.2023). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. it. January 7, 2024.
  42. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 2023. Recorded Music NZ. December 22, 2023. December 21, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231221165646/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/albums?chart=5732.
  43. Web site: End of Year Albums Chart – 2023. Official Charts Company. January 3, 2024.
  44. Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2023. Billboard. November 22, 2023.
  45. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2023. Billboard. November 22, 2023.
  46. Web site: The Weeknd Announces New Hits Collection 'The Highlights'. uDiscoverMusic. Sophie. Smith. January 26, 2021. January 26, 2021.
  47. Web site: The Weeknd – The Highlights: Cassette. The Weeknd Shop UK. October 1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211001204148/https://shopuk.theweeknd.com/%2A/All-Products/The-Highlights-Cassette/6V2G17KO000. October 1, 2021.
  48. Web site: ザ・ハイライツ[CD] – ザ・ウィークエンド]. ja. Universal Music Japan. January 28, 2021.
  49. Web site: The Weeknd – The Highlights: Vinyl Shop. The Weeknd Shop. October 1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211001205453/https://shop.theweeknd.com/products/the-highlights-vinyl?c=%2Fcollections%2Fnew-arrivals&t=New+Arrivals. October 1, 2021.
  50. Web site: The Weeknd – The Highlights (Deluxe) [Spotify]]. Spotify. February 9, 2024.

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