Starboy, the 2016 follow up to Beauty Behind the Madness, was The Weeknd fully establishing himself as the “Starboy” and away from Abel. Establishing his persona, he was able to build a fan base for his near future. Now, he is one of the most listened to daily musicians on Spotify. The 2016 release of Starboy was given in the form of multiple singles, including the likes of “I Feel It Coming,” the instant Daft Punk summer anthem, and “Die for You.” Instantly this album was a commercial success, plaguing the Billboard 200. The biggest song here, the title track “Starboy,” has even reached 2 billion streams on Spotify as of August 2023. With a longer track list then most, coming in at 18 songs, for a total runtime of just over an hour, Starboy is nothing short of listening experience. Did this project spawn The Weeknd’s rise to stardom?
Yes, it did.
Introduction
The Weeknd masterfully creates an experience that can barely be replicated. This album truly is an entire change in mindsets from beginning to end, which was something I found very interesting upon a deeper listen. Along with this, the meanings and backgrounds behind each song has a distinct feel, which really ties the track list together. Tying the songs together was the task of a high production level, led by Daft Punk, and Abel’s vocals which stand out here. These two aspects match seamlessly, which ultimately makes for some instant classics, especially the tracks where Daft Punk is credited as the main producer. It still amazes me that a majority of his best songs appear on this album. With many distinct styles that appear here, this album can tailor to many different listeners.
Meanings
A lot of speculation followed Starboy’s release. While it follows Abel and how he values love and relationships, he recently had a public breakup. Many people found this album as his route to display his emotions on this time in his life; however, I am going to look past that. As I had stated, many of the meanings tie into his value of love over lust. Perhaps the most interesting part of this is in the beginning, where he sees no meaning to connection, however, as the story progresses, he finds a need for it. In songs like “Love to Lay” he explicitly goes against love. On the contrary, in “Nothing Without You” and “Die for You” he is committed to the love and connection aspect of his relationship. While he also talks about his fame and how it has shaped him, love seems to be the overarching theme.
Production
Production here is outstanding. Again, a cast headlined by Daft Punk, was bound to succeed, especially with the talents of The Weeknd. There is something for everyone here. From a party song to a slower song, this album features it all. Take “Starboy” where it is more profound, faster song. The next song is “Party Monster” where it is a trap influenced track. Then, two tracks later, you have a pop feel with “Reminder.” Apart from the different feels and tactics, Abel’s inclusion of certain parts of songs is strong. Take Future on “All I Know,” which I found to be some of the smartest production here. He is brought in on the second chorus by providing background vocals, and then is given the entire rest of the song. This is such a minor feature that brings life to the song, which is one of the many examples of that.
Vocal Performance
The Weeknd is notably known for his voice. He has an outstanding range of vocals, which makes him very versatile. Versatility was a big idea for this project. Obviously, this project required him to go from singing to rapping to a more profound tone. Honestly, he does not struggle here whatsoever with that. Truly, there was never a dull moment in his delivery on a song. Personally, I find that his style, brought on “Reminder” is his best. This doesn’t go without saying that he doesn’t hold other good deliveries. For example, on “True Colors” he has a much higher required tone, and he sounds phenomenal when delivering such. Moving forward, Future and Kendrick Lamar also deliver strong vocal performances on tracks where they normally aren’t present. All this together creates a wonderful collection of tracks.
Conclusion
The Weeknd’s, Starboy, has and always will hold a special place to me. It is an album I find myself revisiting constantly, as there is always a song I wouldn’t mind listening to. All in all, this album is wonderful and started the Starboy’s rise in the music scene. Finally, this album holds a rating of 9.0/10, as it just never disappoints and is an album that you can always rely on for a good listening experience.
Weakest Track: Okay. Hear me out. While this track is truly amazing, “Stargirl Interlude” is the weakest track here. No, it is certainly not the worst track, however, it struggles in only coming in at 1:30. If this song was a true song and not an interlude, it might genuinely be the best track here.
Strongest Track: “Sidewalks,” since first listen, has always caught my ear. The distinct production brought here, as well as the Kendrick Lamar feature are some of the highlights. It does, however, also benefit from its ability to be relistened to, which is something I value quite highly.
Song Rankings:
- “Sidewalks” (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
- “Reminder”
- “Starboy” (feat. Daft Punk)
- “Rockin’”
- “Secrets”
- “I Feel It Coming” (feat. Daft Punk)
- “Die for You”
- “Ordinary Life”
- “True Colors”
- “All I Know” (feat. Future)
- “Six Feet Under”
- “Nothing Without You”
- “Love to Lay”
- “A Lonely Night”
- “Attention”
- “Party Monster”
- “False Alarm”
- “Stargirl Interlude” (feat. Lana Del Rey)
Final Notes
Song rankings are always subject to change over time, so don’t take these too to heart. They also are just my opinion. With that being said, I would love to hear your opinions, so leave them in the comment section below. We also suggest subscribing to our blog. To do so, go under the tab “Contact” and fill out the form. That will allow you to receive emails of new blogs and maybe get them ahead of time. Finally, go give Starboy a listen for yourself, as I highly recommend this album to anyone who likes a great blend of songs, and is interested in a party sub-genre of pop.