"Starboy" | ||||
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Single by the Weeknd featuring Daft Punk | ||||
from the album Starboy | ||||
Released | September 21, 2016 | |||
Recorded | July 2016 [1] | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:50 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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The Weeknd singles chronology | ||||
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Daft Punk singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Starboy" on YouTube |
"Starboy" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd featuring the French electronic duo Daft Punk. It was released on September 21,2016,through XO and Republic Records,as the lead single from his third studio album of the same name (2016). [3] [4] The artists wrote and produced the song with Doc McKinney and Henry "Cirkut" Walter,with Jason "DaHeala" Quenneville receiving additional credits. [5] It is an R&B and electropop song that reflects themes of extravagance and celebrity life.
"Starboy" topped the charts in countries such as Canada,France,Netherlands,New Zealand and Sweden,as well as the US Billboard Hot 100,where it became the Weeknd's third chart-topper,and Daft Punk's only chart-topper. The music video for the song was directed by frequent collaborator Grant Singer,who directed the Weeknd's previous music videos for his previous chart-toppers "Can't Feel My Face" and "The Hills". In the music video,the Weeknd is shown trying to destroy evidence of his previous self,including his own awards from his past album, Beauty Behind the Madness . The video has been described as the Weeknd's attempt to murder his former personality.
On November 11,2016,a remix produced by Kygo was released,which was later included on the deluxe version of the album,released in March 2023.
On July 15,2016,during a Billboard interview,Republic Records executive vice president Wendy Goldstein mentioned that the Weeknd would have a session with Daft Punk two days from then. [6] The Weeknd later elaborated that he contacted the duo through mutual friends in the Canadian music scene,and that he was invited to a studio in Paris,France to work with Daft Punk. During the recording session for "I Feel It Coming",the Weeknd could hear a separate track leaking into the studio booth from the control room. He discovered that the track was a beat that Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo had been playing from a personal device. Inspired by the sound,the Weeknd immediately wrote material for it,forming the basis of "Starboy". [7] Producers Cirkut and Doc McKinney then continued work on the track. [8]
"Starboy" was released on September 21,2016,alongside the announcement of its parent album of the same name. [9] The song was sent to UK and Italian contemporary hit radio on September 23,2016,and to the United States on September 27,2016.
"Starboy" is an R&B [10] and electropop [11] song. According to the sheet music published by Songs Music Publishing at Musicnotes.com,the song is written in the key of A minor and follows a tempo of 94 beats per minute. The vocals in the song span from A4 to A5. [12]
The song's lyrics incorporate themes of the extravagance associated with a celebrity lifestyle and also discuss how the celebrity lifestyle can make an entertainer fragile. [13]
Mehan Jayasuriya of Pitchfork said that the song "glides like a sleek,high-performance car". [14] Christopher Bohlsen of Renowned for Sound said,"Melding The Weeknd's dark R&B with Daft Punk's nu-disco sound,the track elegantly rides the fine line between dance and hip-hop,the two genres Starboy oscillates between." [15] Christopher Hooton of The Independent wrote,"A statement of intent and the record-breaking first single off the LP. There are no hi-hats to be found but instead an undulating,80s-inspired pattern of popping drums over the smash-clap of a snare. It's pop-y but with an edge to it. Driving music,a car stalking through LA,the tyres slurring over the asphalt." [16]
Billboard ranked "Starboy" at number four on their "100 Best Pop Songs of 2016" list:"Centric pop with frayed edges has been the M.O. for The Weeknd ever since he first signed on to the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack,and "Starboy" proves the culmination and likely end of that formula. With Daft Punk in tow to provide sighing background vocals and occasionally drift the song's production dangerously close to out of frame,the spellbinding night-drive assumes Abel Tesfaye's new alternate identity with the confidence of a star big enough to dictate his own nicknames:Even the opening lines ("I'm tryna put you in the worst mood,ah / P1 cleaner than your church shoes,ah") barely bother setting the scene,since you remember where the movie last left off. "Starboy" might not have been titled to serve as a Ziggy Stardust tribute,but it reflects how,like Bowie,Tesfaye understands the importance of constant evolution in both his music and his image." [17] Yardbarker named it as one of the best songs of 2016:"It's catchy,and The Weeknd's unique singing style matches perfectly with Daft Punk's house-music-tinged beats." [18]
The song reached number one in Canada,Denmark,France,New Zealand,Norway,Mexico,Sweden,and the United States,while also going top five in various countries,including reaching number two in both Australia and Ireland and number three in Germany. The single debuted at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100,opening at number 22 on the Digital Songs chart with 28,000 downloads with only one day of charting and at number 37 on the Radio Songs chart with 36 million of audience,following its first full week of airplay. It became the Weeknd's third highest debut on the chart and Daft Punk's second top 40 entry. [19] The following week,"Starboy" jumped 37 positions to reach number three,becoming the Weeknd's fifth top 10 single and Daft Punk's second. Additionally,"Starboy" made the biggest jump into the Hot 100's top five since Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" leapt from number 53 to number one in June 2015. [20] It sold 88,000 copies in its second week, [21] and 92,000 in its third week. [20]
After remaining in the number two spot for eight non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100—behind The Chainsmokers' "Closer" for five weeks and Rae Sremmurd's "Black Beatles" for an additional three weeks—"Starboy" reached the top of the chart on the week of January 7,2017,becoming The Weeknd's third and Daft Punk's first number one on the Hot 100. [22] "Starboy" additionally topped the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,where it became the Weeknd's fourth number one single and Daft Punk's first. [21] On April 5,2022,the song was certified 11×Platinum by the RIAA,denoting sales of 11 million units. [23]
In New Zealand,the single debuted at number five,which was followed by two consecutive weeks at number 2 before moving to number one on the chart for the week of October 24,2016. This marks the Weeknd's second number one single,as well as Daft Punk's first number one single in the country. [24] In the UK,the single entered at number 3 for the week of October 6,2016. The following week,it climbed up to number 2,held off by James Arthur's "Say You Won't Let Go". The next week,it was pushed to number 3 by "Closer" by The Chainsmokers before spending four weeks at number 4. Three weeks later,it flew from number 8 to number 3,due to the release of the album. That week,it also managed to reach a new peak of number 2 on the UK Streaming Chart (originally it had only peaked at number 3). It spent two weeks at number 3 before falling again,ultimately spending 15 consecutive weeks in the top ten.
The music video for the song was directed by frequent collaborator Grant Singer,who directed the Weeknd's previous music videos for "Can't Feel My Face" and "The Hills". It was released through the singer's official Vevo account on September 28,2016,on YouTube,along with an accompanying poster which Rolling Stone described as "pulp-horror-inspired". [26] The video has been described as the singer's attempt to kill his former/old persona,perhaps signaling he is reinventing himself with this new album, [27] by suffocating himself,clipping his old hairstyle,and crushing his glass-framed platinum records. [25]
Several cars owned by the Weeknd are mentioned in the song's lyrics and featured in the video,including the Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster which he sings in his second verse:"Pull off in that Roadster SV/ Pockets overweight,getting hefty," a Bentley Mulsanne:"The competition,I don't wanna listen/ I'm in the blue Mulsanne bumping New Edition," and the McLaren P1:"I'm trying to put you in the worst mood/ P1 cleaner than your church shoes". [25] Billboard approached John Paolo Canton,McLaren Automotive's director of public relations,in order to find out the owner of the car,as their website stated "Even the world's biggest carmaker couldn't afford product placement like this,let alone a boutique British brand". [25] Canton later confirmed that the car did belong to the Weeknd. [25]
In 3 weeks,the video had 100 million views. The video had 500 million views in 3 months. As of February 2024,the video has over 2.3 billion views on YouTube,taking it into the top 70 most viewed YouTube videos,Outviewing another of the Weeknd's US number one hits,"The Hills",which is his second video above the 1 billion view milestone. [28]
In the video,a man in a black ski mask and diamond-encrusted cross is sitting across from the Weeknd,who is zip tied to the chair. The figure then kills the Weeknd by asphyxiating him with a plastic bag. The figure is revealed to be the Starboy incarnation of the Weeknd—his other self represented his Beauty Behind the Madness era. He then walks through a house full of awards that he's received,as well as a portrait of Daft Punk,who collaborated on the song,and a panther. He comes upon a large glowing pink neon cross,which he grabs and uses to destroy various evidence and history of his older self,including numerous trophies,posters and a crystal chandelier,before setting fire to the closet,eventually destroying the entire house later. [29] Walking through the garage,he passes several luxury automobiles,deciding on a McLaren P1 and drives off with a cat in the passenger seat,which transforms into a panther,as he rides off on Mulholland Drive. The video features product placement from clothing company PUMA.
The house where the video was filmed has been featured in commercials for Samsung,Microsoft,Range Rover,and Mercedes-Benz. [30] As of 2023,the music video has surpassed 2 billion views on YouTube. [28]
Kat Bein of Billboard commented that the music video is "equally moody". [31] A writer from Slate magazine drew comparison of the video to Michael Jackson's "Black or White" video,which he has been compared to frequently for his musical style. The bleak focus on celebrity and transformation,as well as the morphing of the cat into a black panther,were some of the aesthetics that resembles Jackson's video. [32]
The video was nominated for Best Video at the 2016 MTV Europe Music Awards a day before its release,leaving many observers to wonder whether it was included based on merit or instead as a result of The Weeknd's popularity at the channel. [33]
The Weeknd performed "Starboy" for the first time on the season 42 premiere of Saturday Night Live ,along with "False Alarm" on October 1,2016. [34] He performed the song again on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as a medley with "I Feel It Coming" on November 24,2016. [35] Elements of "Starboy" were incorporated in the Weeknd's 59th Annual Grammy Awards performance with Daft Punk. [36]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Starboy" | 3:50 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Starboy" (explicit) | 3:50 |
2. | "Starboy" (clean) | 3:50 |
Total length: | 7:40 |
Weekly charts | Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [161] | 15× Platinum | 1,050,000‡ |
Belgium (BEA) [162] | 2× Platinum | 40,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [163] | 3× Diamond | 750,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [164] | Diamond | 800,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [165] | 4× Platinum | 360,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [166] | Diamond | 233,333‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [167] | 3× Gold | 600,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [168] | 3× Platinum | 150,000‡ |
Mexico (AMPROFON) [169] | Platinum+Gold | 90,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [170] | 6× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [171] | 3× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [172] | Diamond | 250,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [173] | 7× Platinum | 70,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [174] | 2× Platinum | 80,000‡ |
Sweden (GLF) [175] | 4× Platinum | 160,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [176] | 4× Platinum | 2,400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [23] | 11× Platinum | 11,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece (IFPI Greece) [177] | 3× Platinum | 6,000,000† |
Worldwide (IFPI) | — | 1,000,000,000 [155] |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format | Version | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Worldwide | September 22, 2016 | Digital download | Original | [178] | |
Italy | September 23, 2016 | Contemporary hit radio | Universal | [179] | |
United Kingdom |
| [180] | |||
Rhythmic contemporary | [181] | ||||
United States | September 27, 2016 | Contemporary hit radio | [182] | ||
Rhythmic contemporary | [183] | ||||
Germany | November 4, 2016 | CD single | Republic | [39] | |
Worldwide | November 11, 2016 | Digital download | Kygo remix |
| [184] |
French electronic music duo Daft Punk released four studio albums, two live albums, three compilation albums, one soundtrack album, five remix albums, two video albums, twenty-two singles and nineteen music videos. Group members Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo met in 1987 while studying at the Lycée Carnot secondary school. They subsequently recorded several demo tracks together, forming Daft Punk in 1993. Their debut single "The New Wave" was released the following year on the Soma Quality Recordings label. Daft Punk first found commercial success with the release of their second single "Da Funk", which peaked at number seven in France and topped the United States Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
The discography of Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd consists of five studio albums, nine extended plays, three mixtapes, three compilation albums, one soundtrack album, one live album, 72 single releases, and seven promotional singles. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Weeknd has accumulated 18.5 million certified album units and 113 million certified digital single units in the US, based on sales and on-demand streaming, as of January 2024.
"Get Lucky" is a song written and performed by French electronic music duo Daft Punk featuring American musicians Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers. Daft Punk released the song as the lead single from their fourth and final studio album, Random Access Memories, on 19 April 2013. Before its release as a single, "Get Lucky" was featured in television advertisements broadcast during Saturday Night Live, after which Rodgers and Williams announced their involvement in the track. "Get Lucky" is a house-inspired disco, funk, and pop track with lyrics that, according to Williams, are about the good fortune of connecting with someone, as well as sexual chemistry. "Get Lucky" has since received acclaim from critics, with a number of them praising Williams's vocals and Rodgers's guitar riffs.
"The Hills" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on May 27, 2015, as the second single from his second studio album, Beauty Behind the Madness (2015). The song was written by the Weeknd alongside producers Emmanuel "Mano" Nickerson and Illangelo, with Belly receiving additional writing credits.
"Often" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on July 31, 2014, as the lead single from his second studio album, Beauty Behind the Madness (2015). The song contains a sample from "Ben Sana Vurgunum" by Turkish singer Nükhet Duru.
"Low Life" is a song by American rapper Future featuring Canadian singer the Weeknd. It was originally released on February 6, 2016, as a track from the former's fourth studio album Evol, before being sent to radio on March 1, 2016, as the lead single. The song was written by Future, the Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Ben Billions, and DaHeala, and produced by the latter four.
Starboy is the third studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, released on November 25, 2016, through XO and Republic Records. It features guest appearances from Daft Punk, Lana Del Rey, Kendrick Lamar, and Future. As the album's executive producers, the Weeknd and Doc McKinney enlisted a variety of producers such as Diplo, Cashmere Cat, Metro Boomin, Frank Dukes, and Labrinth, among others.
"Black Beatles" is a song by American hip hop duo Rae Sremmurd featuring American rapper Gucci Mane. Produced by Mike Will Made It, it was released on September 13, 2016, by EarDrummers and Interscope Records as the third single from their second studio album SremmLife 2.
"False Alarm" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, from his third studio album, Starboy (2016). It was released as the album's second single and only non-radio single on September 29, 2016, through XO and Republic Records. The song was written and produced by the Weeknd, Doc McKinney, Cirkut, and Mano, with additional writing credits going to Belly and Ben Billions.
"I Feel It Coming" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd featuring the French electronic duo Daft Punk, from his third studio album, Starboy (2016). The song was written and produced by the Weeknd, Daft Punk, Doc McKinney, and Cirkut, with Eric Chedeville receiving writing credits. It was released for digital download as the album's third single on November 17, 2016. The song was later sent to the UK, the US and Italian radios during 2016 and 2017. It is a disco-pop song which lyrically discuss the themes of love and lust, where he reassures his lover after their failed relationships and trauma. Music journalists complimented the song's vocals and production, drawing comparisons to the works of Michael Jackson.
"Party Monster" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, from his third studio album Starboy (2016). The song was released for digital download on November 17, 2016, as the album's fourth single. It was later sent to US urban contemporary radio on December 6, 2016. The song was written and produced by the Weeknd, Ben Billions, and Doc McKinney, with additional writing credits going to Belly and Lana Del Rey, the latter of which providing background vocals.
"Reminder" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd from his third studio album, Starboy (2016). It was written by him with Dylan Wiggins, DaHeala, and its producers Doc McKinney, Mano and Cirkut. The song was released to rhythmic contemporary radio on May 9, 2017, as the album's fifth single in the United States.
"Rockin'" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd from his third studio album, Starboy (2016). The song was released to contemporary hit radio in France on May 9, 2017, as the album's sixth international single. The song was written by the Weeknd, Peter Svensson, Savan Kotecha, Belly, and producers Ali Payami and Max Martin, with the Weeknd serving as a co-producer.
"Secrets" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd from his third studio album Starboy (2016). The song was written and produced by the Weeknd, Martin "Doc" McKinney, and Henry "Cirkut" Walter, with Dylan Wiggins, Roland Orzabal, Coz Canler, Jimmy Marinos, Wally Palamarchuk, Mike Skill, and Peter Solley receiving writing credits for the sampling of the new wave songs "Pale Shelter" by Tears for Fears and "Talking in Your Sleep" by the Romantics. "Secrets" was released to radio in Italy on November 10, 2017, as the album's final international single.
"Stargirl Interlude" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd featuring American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. Dubbed as an "interlude", the track comes from the Weeknd's third studio album, Starboy (2016). The track's title itself is a direct reference to the album's titular character, Starboy, with the lyrics focusing in on a female counterpart, similarly named Stargirl. The song was written by the artists alongside producers Martin "Doc" McKinney and Labrinth.
"Sidewalks" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, featuring American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his third studio album Starboy (2016). The song was written by both artists alongside Doc McKinney, Daniel Wilson, Robert John Richardson, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, being produced by McKinney, Bobby Raps and Muhammad. The song sampled the song "Fu-Gee-La" by Fugees.
"Six Feet Under" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, from his third studio album Starboy (2016). It features additional vocals from American rapper Future and was written by both artists alongside Belly, DaHeala, Doc McKinney, Ben Billions, Metro Boomin, and Cirkut, with the latter four producing it with the Weeknd. It is one of the two collaborations between the Weeknd and Future to be featured on the album, the other being "All I Know". It's the second overall collaboration between the two artists on the album, previously collaborating on Future's "Low Life".
"A Lonely Night" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd from his third studio album Starboy (2016). It was written by the Weeknd, Peter Svensson, Savan Kotecha, Belly, DaHeala, and produced by Ali Payami and Max Martin. The song was the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit.
"All I Know" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd featuring American rapper Future, released as a track from the former's third studio album Starboy (2016). The song was written by both artists alongside Belly as well as Ben Billions & Cashmere Cat, who produced the song with the Weeknd.
"Die for You" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, from his third studio album, Starboy (2016). The song was sent to US rhythmic contemporary radio on September 19, 2017 as the seventh single from the album. It was written by the Weeknd, Doc McKinney, Cirkut, Prince 85, Cashmere Cat, Dylan Wiggins, and Billy Walsh, and produced by the former five.
The R&B jam reached the summit this week
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