@@exploitprimitive With all the context that the album gives, I'd say it's about both things; someone that meant something for him and his drug addiction.
Nah really he just coming to fruition he thought l.a was what he wanted but its only hurt him... Now he finally realizes he wants to leave and has had enough sinning
Nearly everything he writes about is about his past and current situations. It scared the living shit out of me when I listened to Until I Bleed Out cause I know Abel used to cut and I just hope he hasn’t gone back to doing that.
Never even realized this was a concept album wow. Thought it was just a collection of really good songs but this takes it to another level. AOTY for sure
I only wish the person who made the video focused on the theme of drugs in the album, but that may have stopped him from monetizing the video so I understand. Like Heartless is a hard drug trip, Faith is the come down into an overdose, and Blinding Lights is the ambulance ride in which he wishes for the girl to be with him. Even up to Until I Bleed, which is him saying he’s done and wants to be a sober man. After Hours as a whole seemed on a larger scale to be the closing of this chapter of The Weeknd that began with House Of Balloons, it seemed that he’s crossing into another stage of his life. The drugs, the women, the lost love, it all seemed like a conclusion. I honestly don’t expect to even get another Weeknd album until he’s in something more stable like a long term relationship.
*After Hours storyline:* In Alone Again, he was struggling to draw the line between being in a relationship and living the nightlife. Too Late talks about how he can't be saved from himself. Hardest To Love and Scared To Live, he reminisces on hurting this lover so many times that she's hesitant to love anyone else. She ultimately leaves him, and he's kind of reflecting on that. Escape LA and Snowchild, he's reflecting on material things and women, but they all feel the same now. In Faith he parties so hard he OD's. Heartless and Blinding Lights, he's embracing the nightlife, and at the end of the songs he harkens back to a specific lover for comfort. In Your Eyes, The Weeknd suspects his lover of seeing someone else. In Save Your Tears, he tries to go back to this lover again, but this time she won't accept him. In Repeat After Me, it's confirmed that his lover finds someone else. The Weeknd is put off by this, and suggests that she doesn't love the new guy, and doing this to spite him. In After Hours, he misses this lover and the only way he can get close to his lover again is in his dreams. And the only way he can forget, is by getting high. But now, the high isn't working (after the OD scare, he realized the high he wants is unobtainable). And he's feeling lonely in those crowded rooms with all of those women that look the same. In Until I Bleed Out, he's sick of getting high, and he's sick of thinking about this lover, and the only way to stop it is by cutting himself, and bleeding out (killing himself). Final Lullaby was coming to terms with dying, and putting himself and his fantasies about his lover to sleep.
@@sreesai exactly that's the point I mean JB have made good songs but him getting nominated for 10000 Hours and yummy is not right either they should nominate him for lonely it's a bop
As someone who has listened to every album by The Weeknd, this was very insightful. Although I do wish that he switches themes on his next one, I can respect the fact that he pursues different sounds on each album. After Hours seems like a perfect closure to The Weeknd's theme of self-destruction and loneliness, and i wish he has found a closure too.
I don't think it will end that simple. The sad truth is that he somehow relapses to his old ways. I think his style could be different but there would still be elements of his old ways on a few songs.
@Georgie doesn’t suck still listening to it. On every listen it grows on you like crazy. Also love how Abel has taken the best of both worlds, trying to create something new on the same canvas as after hours.
@@manavchaudhary962 now in Dawn FM he sees and reflects on his past when he's older. And the things in the past come back to bite him as he gets put to the grave
On The Weeknd's deluxe version, it ends with "final lullaby" which shows that he has finally come to terms with his breakup, wishing his ex peace and is ready to move on. This can also be shown in a few of his releases after the album, such as his feature on Ariana Grande's new album "off the table" - what do you think?
Abel's music SOUNDS so good that often times the masterful storytelling is overshadowed (atleast on initial listens) by his amazing voice and production. Even though he is one of the biggest artists in the world He's still underrated as a lyricist and a storyteller. Great video sir; you should do a "Breaking down KISS LAND" :)
This is what makes the weeknd one of the greatest in the game. He’s not here just to pump out a hit He’s here to make art that’ll survive the test of time
I like weeknd's tune, but man he cries soooo much. Like its just a breakup bro, hit the gym or smth. People like Eminem have faced so many hardships and they made it, and this guy is just crying soooo much over a breakup
Weeknd’s music is a lot more experimental and introspective than Bruno’s same way Princes albums were to MJ spot on comparisons. Funny thing is Weeknd favorite artist is MJ and he sounds like him but his music is more like Prince
For sure the mixtapes will always be legendary with the true spirit of the The Weeknd and most of his best songs but this album showed that he can make an album that's cohesive and amazing from start to finish love it XO.
I'm having chills throughout the entire video. This album will be remembered as one of the defining albums of 2020. It's a shame that the Recording Academy chose to snub this masterpiece.
You see, most people know when there's gonna be a new episode when the notification pops up. I know when the Matthew McCelland remix is uploaded about an hour before.
I'm obcessed with the second half of Escape from LA. On the first chorus it just seems like he's having sex in the studio and he's all cool but the verse re frames to show that she's cheating on someone with Able so all these subtle details in the chorus like her locking the door and nobody seeing is her hiding him from her boyfriend. I think that's so cool!! Love this album!
@@crystalgarlic7722 the last line of the final verse is "She's all mine for the night /She's all mine until he calls her line" Preeetttyyyy blatant to me. I see what you're saying tho with the Bella Hadid references to the chrome hearts and stuff maybe it's an early part of their relationship or he's just comparing her to all other LA women to throw some shade in her direction.
I’ve seen a couple of breakdowns and had my own interpretation of the album, but this is by far THE BEST breakdown! Now I really truly understand the album and The Weeknd better. Amazing!
Really impressive breakdown mate! The references you used to his past, especially his past music's lyrics, really put things into perspective on how Abel thinks and how he has felt due to past relationships, emotions and experiences/ mistakes. Your editing layout and key frames were spectacular as well, keep it up man!
Easily the best album of this year and will probably be the one that is remembered the longest it’s a classic, A lot of people don’t know this is a concept album it tells a story from start to finish and ends sadly with Until I bleed it out
What makes this album really amazing to me, is in all those concepts portrayed in the songs there's at least one thing the listener can relate to. That really makes it an appealing listen
i haven't clicked on a video faster, omg i love this album and able so much. Been loving this album since it came out, and i am dissapointed in the record academy for not nominating abel, he would definetly deserve artist of the year and album of the year.
In no particular order: Yves Tumor - Heaven to a Tortured Mind The Strokes - The New Abnormal Tame Impala - The Slow Rush Sault - Untitled (Black Is) Roisin Murphy - Roisin Machine Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure Glass Animals - Dreamland 070 Shake - Modus Vivendi Gorillaz - Song Machine The Weeknd - After Hours
This man is the goat! It takes a special type of person to appreciate the weeknd’s music. you’ve had to have experienced the things he sings about to get it. I’ve been a fan since Trilogy and my life hasn’t been the same since. The darkness and depth in his music is unmatched. XO
its a big, big pity you didnt look into deluxe version. i think "nothing compares" really shows the pain in the loss, and would add a lot to the video. nonetheless, i love this video, the graphics are just *chefs kiss*
this breakdown is amazing! I love how you connected his previous albums! I would like an individual breakdown of his whole discography! great video xotwod 🖤
I’m late to this but thank you for this wonderful essay. His journey through his music really makes me want to know more about him as a person and only makes me love him more. Truly the ever perplexing dark prince of pop 🥺
“ I don’t want to wake up” and “put myself to sleep” never thought of them as suicidal lines just I don’t want to sleep alone type of thing but now I wonder... 🤔
I have a theory that, after Faith the following tracks, blinding lights, in your eyes, save your tears are all a dream. Him thinking he still has a chance with this woman. But then repeat after me, he sees that she doesnt love him anymore, then in until I bleed out he is legit on the edge of suicide.
I always thought this album was about self-destruction and numbness. I listened to this album so much u realized that you have songs where Abel wants love and have a normal relationship like “ in your eyes” , “save your tears”, and “scared to live” then you have your classic weeknd songs about drugs and sex like “ heartless” and “ repeat after me.” But you have tracks like “ after hours” and “faith” where it’s realization and he sees that he can’t do this anymore , he’s conflicted and in pain. You can see even in his character in the music videos, she’s always beat up or getting beat up, he’s a torched soul left in the after hours of the night
this was truly the album of 2020 in western pop music. i also find that music videos and bonus tracks have added so much to the story too, i would've loved if you had touch on those, too. in the in your eyes remix with doja cat we find out that his girlfriend most likely didn't cheat on him, instead he's making stories in his head, either to make himself feel better or to bring her down to his level or who knows, and she's letting him believe that because she's so tired of the story repeating itself over and over again. the other songs add more details to the story too, it's so interesting. abel is such amazing storyteller.
The ways the album is understood is very different. some see it as able being the bad guy all the time and keeping falling back into his problems, and then this. God i love that we cant get so many different meaning about the album. its just great
I’ve never really liked rap/hip hop but I always love rap and hip hop musicians talking about the genres. It’s like yoda talking about the force in empire, they have such a passion and know how about the subject that it never seems pretentious but always genuine.
I’d love to see your take on We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes by Death Cab For Cutie or High as Hope by Florence + the Machine. They’re some of my favorite albums and they have some really interesting stories within and behind them.
This album is so important for Abel's discography and in terms of how it ties every theme he's ever explored in his discography to date, it is his best project. This is my 3rd time visiting this video and I must say that I'm blown away by the visuals, the commentary, and the knowledge of The Weeknd's discography that is so criminally underrated and often times labeled as "music about sex and drugs" when there is so much more depth there. Middle 8, pat yourselves on the back for an outstanding breakdown of not just After Hours, but how it ties every theme of his discography to date and mixes all themes of different genres into this big cohesive masterpiece. As a long-time XO fan, this is the type of journalism and understanding of this man's work that needs to be highlighted more often. I'm so excited for The Dawn and how Chapter 7 will explore deeper into this tragic character, and see where Abel takes this character next. XOTWOD.
People ask me why I love The Weeknd, his music reminds me of myself. As fucked up as it sounds, his albums are me (feel like a lot of people feel like that)
Great great video, I had been thinking of this analysis for quite a long time now so finding yours was a great coincidence. Perhaps I would only add to the interpretation of Blinding Lights given the end of faith, giving it a 180° twist to the meaning of the song.
