Starboy
by The Weeknd
  • Record Label: Republic
  • Release Date: Nov 25, 2016
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 748 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 614 out of 748
  2. Mixed: 91 out of 748
  3. Negative: 43 out of 748
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  1. goodovoxo
    Nov 25, 2016
    10
    If you are only looking for Trilogy-like songs, you will be disappointed. However, the album is a masterpiece in modern pop music and there are plenty of songs that rank among the best songs the Weeknd. Stand out has to be Secrets, which is a beautiful pop song with a dark undertone.
  2. jesseurbancsik
    Nov 27, 2016
    8
    This album is very interesting to say the least. I love this album but at the same time I am really upset with it. The beats are great along with the overall cohesiveness of the album, staying true to the ‘theme’ of the album. I just have this feeling that The Weeknd is striving to just make hits… and it’s upsetting. Don’t get me wrong, there are great songs on here. But it’s also nice toThis album is very interesting to say the least. I love this album but at the same time I am really upset with it. The beats are great along with the overall cohesiveness of the album, staying true to the ‘theme’ of the album. I just have this feeling that The Weeknd is striving to just make hits… and it’s upsetting. Don’t get me wrong, there are great songs on here. But it’s also nice to see The Weeknd going in a new direction and trying newer things than doing the same thing over and over again. However, the lyrics could use some change.
    Some highlights include: Sidewalks, Starboy, Die for You and I Feel it Coming.    … Expand
  3. ClaraF
    Dec 20, 2016
    10
    Abel made an amazing work with his newest album "Starboy". It has a lot of great tracks like "All I Know", "Sidewalks", "Rockin'", "Love To Lay" and "Party Monster". They are also different, which makes me like this album even more. It also includes some interesting featuring artistis such as Daft Punk, Lana Del Rey and Future. Certainly a great album to listen and one of the greatest ofAbel made an amazing work with his newest album "Starboy". It has a lot of great tracks like "All I Know", "Sidewalks", "Rockin'", "Love To Lay" and "Party Monster". They are also different, which makes me like this album even more. It also includes some interesting featuring artistis such as Daft Punk, Lana Del Rey and Future. Certainly a great album to listen and one of the greatest of the year in my opinion.… Expand
  4. tikokito123
    Mar 11, 2017
    10
    one of the best albums i heard! the songs in the album is perfect! i like it! the weeknd prove him self again with this album after buty behind the madnes (that was a great album)! all who's want to buy the album is more than just can!
  5. Raphael2017
    Jul 25, 2017
    10
    Desde que ouvi starboy pela primeira vez já senti o impacto dessa nova era, não tem uma música nesse album que não vicie, felizmente melhor album masculino de 2016,
  6. Tazorz5
    Mar 20, 2020
    8
    Despite the obvious filler songs Starboy is a joy to listen to with plenty of diversity.
  7. NairNiranjan
    Nov 25, 2016
    9
    Definitely his least dark album. Comparatively, not dark at all. I like Trilogy and all too but I embrace this change too. Those who absolutely can't will probably hate this album.
  8. victorcarter
    Nov 29, 2016
    6
    A fun Daft Punk produced LP that shows Abel's affinity and knack for 80's electropop, disco, and 90's Eurodance. Fans of his early sex/drugs themed vampy ambient work (House of Balloons to Kiss Land), however may feel polarized and left out.
  9. thelastdovahduc
    Nov 25, 2016
    10
    A mix between The Trilogy and BBTM, with A little Kissland. A match made in heaven... Prince and David Bowie would have loved this album. I recommend this album for all!
  10. noelthelastdova
    Nov 25, 2016
    10
    Great album by The Weeknd... He has some experimental sounds in this album like "False Alarm" for example and he has some groovy ass sounds like "Secrets" and "Rockin". I definitely recommend this album.
  11. BCNick22
    Nov 25, 2016
    10
    Oh man what can I say? This guy just keeps making bangers and chart toppers but still stays true to himself! I see some people hate on this new so called "pop" version of The Weeknd so wanted to add my two cents. Why is making great sounding pop music considered a bad thing? The Weeknd continues to evolve with each mixtape/album he drops. Great artists experiment with their sound... itOh man what can I say? This guy just keeps making bangers and chart toppers but still stays true to himself! I see some people hate on this new so called "pop" version of The Weeknd so wanted to add my two cents. Why is making great sounding pop music considered a bad thing? The Weeknd continues to evolve with each mixtape/album he drops. Great artists experiment with their sound... it is what makes them artists, their creative genius.

    This is the best and most excited I've been after a first listen to an album since Empire of The Suns debut and Julian Casablancas: Phrazes for the Young. The stretch of songs from Stargirl interlude - A lonely night is pure bliss. He's got the Michael Jackson swag with an incredible voice of his own and great cadence. I love that he experiments with different genres and sounds throughout the album. You got some trap hood tracks, some electro r&b, pop club songs, and even an interlude very indie rock. Hates might hate, but I am so on board with the direction The Weeknd is taking his music.

    10/10    … Expand
  12. Paparazzi2351
    Nov 26, 2016
    10
    Um hinario desses, primeiro que o cd tem 18 musicas e mesmo assim consegue prender a atenção de quem o escuta de uma forma surpreendente, todas as musicas muito bem escritas e muito bem produzidas.
    Esse cd entra facilmente em um dos melhores do ano e como sempre o THE WEEKND SALVANDO O POP MASCULINO
  13. chidime
    Nov 25, 2016
    8
    Very interesting album. First off, I gotta say, for an album of 18 tracks, Abel did a good job. It could have been better though. There was a bit of a clash between the more pop/80's inspired tracks and the more trap/hiphop sounds. In many tracks, he found the right balance, but the tracks with Future on them (All I Know, Six Feet Under) stuck out like a sore thumb. I wish he had justVery interesting album. First off, I gotta say, for an album of 18 tracks, Abel did a good job. It could have been better though. There was a bit of a clash between the more pop/80's inspired tracks and the more trap/hiphop sounds. In many tracks, he found the right balance, but the tracks with Future on them (All I Know, Six Feet Under) stuck out like a sore thumb. I wish he had just stuck w/ one direction though, but he didn't do a bad job of mixing them. What I liked about this album was that he has begun to reconcile his pop-side with his older side. The pop tracks, strangely, reminded me of House of Balloons more than the trap/hiphop stuff. Abel is a superstar in the making, and I like seeing his growth over albums. He still has a bit of artistic growth to do, in the sense of choosing what specific sound he wants his studio albums to convey (just like his mixtapes did very successfully), but I feel he is getting there slowly. Can't wait for his next offering.

    BEST: The Daft Punk songs, Rockin', Secrets
    WORST: The songs with Future's croak on them.

    7.8/10    … Expand
  14. pauramon
    Nov 25, 2016
    10
    This album is a big masterpiecei¡ in the modern pop music. Full of songs that could be easily hits, surprised for the album. I have been loving The Weeknd for years, but now finally I can define myself as a fan of Abel after listening to Starboy several times since it came out a few hours ago.
  15. Kudoes2
    Nov 25, 2016
    9
    After a thorough listen, I didn't understand how I should react to this album. Was it good? Was it bad? Was it just disappointing? After multiple hours spent trying to decide how I felt about it, I realized one thing. It's lit af fam.
  16. Mdot35
    Nov 25, 2016
    9
    I really enjoyed this project after a few listens. What I like most about it is he ties in some of the newer pop sound of his with the old trilogy vibes. It is also much more cohesive than his last album bbtm. As a fan of the weeknd since I came across 3 random songs in 2010 (what you need, the morning, loft music) it changed the way I listened to rnb. His sound has been very influential.I really enjoyed this project after a few listens. What I like most about it is he ties in some of the newer pop sound of his with the old trilogy vibes. It is also much more cohesive than his last album bbtm. As a fan of the weeknd since I came across 3 random songs in 2010 (what you need, the morning, loft music) it changed the way I listened to rnb. His sound has been very influential. But there comes a time where some people need to give it a rest. A persons music will evolve over time. How can a man $50 million dollars richer possibly make the same music. It always irks me when people call him a sellout. He has a tremendous skill that he didn't want underground. He wanted to be heard. I can guarantee your fav underground artist doesn't want to be an underground artist. Rant over. Some absolute bangers on here. Get a king of the fall flow on six feet under, sidewalks feat. Kendrick Lamar is a masterpiece. Party monster feels like an anthem to me. Reminder, probably better bars tha most rappers. Die for you is has a great melody with exceptional vocals. There were only a few songs I wasn't a fan of and that could change. A must listen. Kudos to the the weeknd!… Expand
  17. TrentRey
    Nov 27, 2016
    8
    I am not a huge fan of the lead single Starboy but I enjoy every other track on this album.

    Fav tracks: True Colors, Stargirl, Sidewalks, Love to Lay, Attention, All I Know, Die for You
  18. jfonts
    Nov 25, 2016
    7
    The Weeknd is back. This time with more a more Michael Jackson and Prince esque bravado. This album has a solid number of entries, with the 80s dance vibe songs like, Rockin', Secrets, A Lonely Night and the Daft Punk produced "I Feel it Coming" rising to the top. The Weeknd also brought some great features, with Kendrick Lamar and Future all pulling their weight with excellent verses.The Weeknd is back. This time with more a more Michael Jackson and Prince esque bravado. This album has a solid number of entries, with the 80s dance vibe songs like, Rockin', Secrets, A Lonely Night and the Daft Punk produced "I Feel it Coming" rising to the top. The Weeknd also brought some great features, with Kendrick Lamar and Future all pulling their weight with excellent verses. Unfortunately, song like True Colors, Six Feet Under and Ordinary Life, are bogged down by a dull stereotypical RnB sound. This album has definitely pushed The Weeknd into new territory but, Im sitting here wondering if those plane RnB tracks should have been stripped, or replaced by more inventive and genre pushing songs. All in all, a good listen, he's done it again.… Expand
  19. Joel_Freecheck
    Nov 25, 2016
    10
    Killing his old style has let out an entirely different beast. The Weeknd's "Starboy" is wild and explosive, jumping from bangers (Starboy, Six Feet Under) to R&B slow jams (True Colors) to pop gold (Love To Lay, I Feel It Coming). Great album full of amazing singles.
  20. LucasKidoo
    Nov 25, 2016
    8
    Nice to know The Weeknd is improving his music, I've always found him nice, but this time he made something that I really fell in love with. The lead single happens to be the first song and from this point you already get a massive hit and vibing rhythm, I can't even describe how I loved it.
  21. HASiiiDimension
    Dec 4, 2016
    8
    Probably the most experimental album by The Weeknd, himself. If I'm disappointed? Hell no.

    It's very clear that since "Beauty Behind The Madness" he'll not only focus in only one type of sound, and he's not afraid to do it. Even tho he's known by his dark sounding songs and all, it is very interesting to see and listen to him doing something more light. Not bad, Abel. Not bad!
  22. TheKavehJ
    Nov 27, 2016
    10
    The best part of Starboy is the fact that Abel found a way to tie both of his fanbases into one album. Some of the songs, such as Party Monster, Six Feet Under, and Attention, bring the original fans back to the first Trilogy of mixtapes, while songs such as Starboy, Rockin', Secrets, and Sidewalks reach out to the newer fans, who just heard him from his latest album. Nevertheless, TheThe best part of Starboy is the fact that Abel found a way to tie both of his fanbases into one album. Some of the songs, such as Party Monster, Six Feet Under, and Attention, bring the original fans back to the first Trilogy of mixtapes, while songs such as Starboy, Rockin', Secrets, and Sidewalks reach out to the newer fans, who just heard him from his latest album. Nevertheless, The Weeknd shines on his latest album, with no truly bad song. Here is a track by track rating of the songs.

    Starboy - 7/10 - The rating for this song used to be higher, but because of how it has been overplayed too many times, I have brought the rating down to a 7. The Weeknd kicks off his newest album with this Daft Punk produced song.

    Party Monster - 9/10 - A tribute to the old Weeknd is exactly what a good amount of his fans needed. The song reassures our hope that he still has some R&B roots left.

    False Alarm - 6/10 - This song doesn't sound like The Weeknd, at all. It doesn't flow with the rest of the album at all, and just sounds like another artists' song that was put on to this album. The music video makes the song so much better though.

    Reminder - 8/10 - Once again, Reminder takes us back to the mixtapes, which is very needed. The song isn't exactly catchy, and newer fans won't appreciate it, but for the older fans, such as myself, it is gold.

    Rockin' - 10/10 - With a catchy beat, Rockin' is one of the best songs on Starboy. The song has an upbeat tempo, and is so much fun to listen too.

    Secrets - 10/10 - Secrets is another good one. Once you listen to this song over and over again, it will get stuck in your head. The song has a great beat, and is very enjoyable to listen to.

    True Colors - 8/10 - This song also seems like a song that could fit in on his 2013 album Kiss Land. The song is amazing, but after two upbeat songs, it feels weird where it is on the album.

    Stargirl Interlude - 9/10 - Lana Del Rey makes her second appearance on a Weeknd album, and it's a good one. She belongs on the song, and makes it even better than it already is.

    Sidewalks - 10/10 - Upon seeing the tracklist, I knew that this song would be one of the best on the album. And it truly is. Kendrick delivers fire upon the Weeknd's voice, all upon an amazing beat.

    Six Feet Under - 9/10 - I thought that this song was good, but it kind of sounded like Low Life a little bit. The second verse had the exact same style and type of words, but overall, the song is great.

    Love To Lay - 10/10 - This song is another perfect one. On an upbeat tempo, The Weeknd delivers the right kind of music, and makes the song so enjoyable to listen to.

    A Lonely Night - 10/10 - The Weeknd truly resembles Michael Jackson on this track. It has a funk beat and just really works on this album.

    Attention - 10/10 - I really like this song because it reminds me of the Trilogy days. The song is a patronage to his older mixtapes, and is just amazing.

    Ordinary Life - 10/10 - This song reminds me of just cruising down the freeway, with all the windows down, and the volume turned all the way up. This song belongs in that scene.

    Nothing Without You - 9/10 - This song also stands out from all the other songs on the album. It has a different vibe than all the other songs, but the song works out.

    All I Know - 10/10 - The Weeknd and Future. How could that not be amazing. The song is awesome, and does a great job starting to slow the album down for the end.

    Die For You - 8/10 - I like this song, but it's not my favorite. Out of all the songs on the album, this song isn't my favorite.

    I Feel It Coming - 10/10 - This could be one of the best closing songs on an album ever, placing up there with Angel and Till The End. This song is amazing, and is honestly one of the best songs I have heard this year. An amazing close to an amazing album.    … Expand
  23. andykarandas
    Nov 27, 2016
    10
    An amazing piece of work. A beautiful yet dark album. While some songs has a more pop feel, he still comes back to the eerie R&B sound he is known for. Auto-tune was unnecessary for someone with his voice, but works well. Amazing melodies, and vocal performance, and beautiful writing.
  24. yulinbarak2001
    Nov 26, 2016
    10
    Un grandioso regreso del exitoso The Weeknd. Los sonidos R&B/Soul fusionados con otros géneros hacen de este la mejor entrega de The Weeknd hasta la fecha.
  25. sucio_21
    Nov 26, 2016
    10
    it's just like, if RAM and Yeezus have a son and they call him the weeknd, and the boy grown up to become a MTFK starboy!!! yes is the best album of 2016!!!
  26. MrHonesty
    Nov 27, 2016
    8
    Rich in sound, but a lack of artistry. This album by The Weeknd is refreshing and something new and therefore a good album, which will probably be a great commercial succes, but not really an artistic succes.
  27. luizfelipeluiz
    Nov 26, 2016
    10
    huge effort made by Canadian act the weeknd. sounds familiar to his previous works but with a glimpse of fresh beats. this is by far my favorite album of 2016.
  28. cristian9299
    Nov 26, 2016
    10
    This album completely blew me away. There is not a single song on the album that I don't like. The constant argument that I'm hearing is that it's "no Trilogy", which may be true, but this album is so different. What makes this album special is the constant changes in between songs from R&B to Pop to Hip/Hop and it WORKS. The transition finds a way to be so smooth and that is what makesThis album completely blew me away. There is not a single song on the album that I don't like. The constant argument that I'm hearing is that it's "no Trilogy", which may be true, but this album is so different. What makes this album special is the constant changes in between songs from R&B to Pop to Hip/Hop and it WORKS. The transition finds a way to be so smooth and that is what makes this one of the better albums I have heard in a very long time. I still am struggling to pick a favorite song on the album… Expand
  29. gustave154
    Nov 25, 2016
    10
    The Weeknd is back and doing what he does best, make chill music based on edgy things like drugs and sex while sounding like Michael Jackson reincarnated.
  30. HugoPavi
    Nov 25, 2016
    5
    The Weeknd goes FULL pop on Starboy, and the results are.... inconsistent. The first 9 or 10 tracks are admittedly pretty great (i.e. Party Monster, Secrets, True Colors, Stargirl Interlude, and Sidewalks) and I really thought I was going to love this album for a while. Unfortunately, I found the 2nd half to be a joyless slog, save for the last two tracks. Way too much filler on here andThe Weeknd goes FULL pop on Starboy, and the results are.... inconsistent. The first 9 or 10 tracks are admittedly pretty great (i.e. Party Monster, Secrets, True Colors, Stargirl Interlude, and Sidewalks) and I really thought I was going to love this album for a while. Unfortunately, I found the 2nd half to be a joyless slog, save for the last two tracks. Way too much filler on here and the songs in the back half are just boring, underwritten, and derivative, without anything that makes them stand-out at all. If you really like mainstream pop music, you'll probably love this whole thing. Personally though, I much prefer Abél's darker, moody, experimental stuff from his mixtape days, and I fear he'll never make anything that comes remotely close to being as great as that again, especially with the way his career appears to be headed right now.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Most Discussed Album of 2016
17
#17 Most Shared Album of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. XXL
    Dec 19, 2016
    80
    The Weeknd is a self-described pop star, and proves his worth on Starboy, an album with plenty to love.
    Read full review
  2. Q Magazine
    Dec 13, 2016
    60
    Tesfaye can't decide if he's having the best time f his life or the worst. [Feb 2017, p.119]
  3. Clash Music
    Dec 5, 2016
    70
    It may showcase a cleaner sound, both in lyrical content and production, but its value for money at eighteen tracks comes at the cost of coherence.
    Read full review
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