Studio Album · No. 2
Beauty Behind the Madness
Produced by DaHeala, Illangelo, Max Martin, Oscar Holter, Jason Quenneville
The Weeknd wrote 14 of 14 documented tracks
Authorship Breakdown 14 / 14 documented
Scored across the 14 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Weeknd carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 14 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Awards & Recognition 4
Beauty Behind the Madness was the breakthrough that pushed The Weeknd from moody alternative R&B into outright pop stardom, and the shift is audible in its biggest songs. Abel Tesfaye wrote and produced much of the record with longtime collaborator Illangelo, but the crossover singles came from a new partnership with Max Martin, Ali Payami, and Savan Kotecha, who co-wrote and co-produced "Can't Feel My Face." That track and "The Hills" both topped the Billboard Hot 100, and "Earned It," written for the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack, earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. The album won the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album.
Beauty Behind the Madness, released in August 2015, was The Weeknd's commercial breakthrough album, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and producing his first number-one singles on the Hot 100. Every track on the album was co-written by Tesfaye, including the Max Martin-produced pop crossovers 'Can't Feel My Face' and 'In the Night,' which brought his dark R&B sensibility to the mainstream charts in an accessible new form. 'The Hills' and 'Tell Your Friends,' both produced by DaHeala, were harder-edged expressions of his earlier mixtape style sitting alongside the slicker Max Martin productions. 'Earned It,' co-written for the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack and included on the album, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Beauty Behind the Madness sold over 3.8 million copies in the United States alone and confirmed Tesfaye's transition from critically acclaimed underground artist to genuine mainstream pop star, without compromising his songwriting.
Track Listing & Credits 14 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Real Life
|
Abel TesfayeJason QuennevilleStephan Moccio | Jason QuennevilleStephan Moccio | Abel TesfayeStephan MoccioJason Quenneville | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |
| 2 |
Losers
|
Abel TesfayeTimothy McKenzieCarlo Montagnese | Timothy McKenzieCarlo Montagnese | Abel TesfayeTimothy McKenzieCarlo Montagnese | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals)Labrinth (Vocals) |
| 3 |
Tell Your Friends
|
Abel TesfayeKanye WestChristopher PopeCarlo MontagneseCarl MarshallRobert Holmes | Kanye WestChristopher PopeCarlo MontagneseCarl MarshallRobert Holmes | Abel TesfayeChristopher PopeKanye WestCarlo MontagneseMike DeanNoah GoldsteinOmar Riad | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |
| 4 |
Often
#59
|
Abel TesfayeBenjamin DiehlJason QuennevilleAhmad BalsheDanny SchofieldAli KocatepeSabahattin AliOsman Ä°ÅŸmen | Benjamin DiehlJason QuennevilleAhmad BalsheDanny SchofieldAli KocatepeSabahattin AliOsman Ä°ÅŸmen | Abel TesfayeBenjamin DiehlJason Quenneville | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |
| 5 |
The Hills
#1
|
Abel TesfayeAhmad BalsheEmmanuel NickersonCarlo Montagnese | Ahmad BalsheEmmanuel NickersonCarlo Montagnese | Abel TesfayeEmmanuel NickersonCarlo Montagnese | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |
| 6 |
Acquainted
#60
|
Abel TesfayeJason QuennevilleDanny SchofieldCarlo MontagneseBenjamin Diehl | Jason QuennevilleDanny SchofieldCarlo MontagneseBenjamin Diehl | Abel TesfayeBenjamin DiehlCarlo MontagneseJason QuennevilleDanny Schofield | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |
| 7 |
Can't Feel My Face
#1
|
Abel TesfayeAli PayamiSavan KotechaMax MartinPeter Svensson | Ali PayamiSavan KotechaMax MartinPeter Svensson | Abel TesfayeMax MartinAli Payami | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |
| 8 |
Shameless
|
Abel TesfayePeter SvenssonSavan KotechaAli PayamiAhmad Balshe | Peter SvenssonSavan KotechaAli PayamiAhmad Balshe | Abel TesfayeMax MartinAli PayamiPeter Svensson | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |
| 9 |
Earned It
#3
|
Abel TesfayeStephan MoccioJason QuennevilleAhmad Balshe | Stephan MoccioJason QuennevilleAhmad Balshe | Abel TesfayeStephan MoccioJason Quenneville | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |
| 10 |
In the Night
#12
|
Abel TesfayeAhmad BalsheAli PayamiSavan KotechaPeter SvenssonMax Martin | Ahmad BalsheAli PayamiSavan KotechaPeter SvenssonMax Martin | Abel TesfayeMax MartinAli Payami | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |
| 11 |
As You Are
|
Abel TesfayeAhmad BalsheDanny SchofieldJason QuennevilleCarlo Montagnese | Ahmad BalsheDanny SchofieldJason QuennevilleCarlo Montagnese | Abel TesfayeJason QuennevilleCarlo MontagneseDanny SchofieldBenjamin Diehl | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |
| 12 |
Dark Times
|
Abel TesfayeJason QuennevilleEd Sheeran | Jason QuennevilleEd Sheeran | Abel TesfayeCarlo Montagnese | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals)Ed Sheeran (Vocals) |
| 13 |
Prisoner
|
Abel TesfayeLana Del ReyCarlo Montagnese | Lana Del ReyCarlo Montagnese | Abel TesfayeCarlo Montagnese | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals)Lana Del Rey (Vocals) |
| 14 |
Angel
|
Abel TesfayeStephan MoccioDanny SchofieldBenjamin Diehl | Stephan MoccioDanny SchofieldBenjamin Diehl | Abel TesfayeStephan Moccio | Abel Tesfaye (Vocals) |