my sonic universe is dropping

Tune Into the Track List for the Weeknd’s New Album, Dawn FM

Update, Wednesday, January 5 at 10 a.m.: The Weeknd is really giving us cinema in the teaser for his upcoming album, Dawn FM, out Friday. Today he released another teaser, this time with a track list … and some sort of incantation: “God knows life is chaos / But he made one thing true / You gotta unwind your mind, train your soul to align / And dance till you find that divine boogaloo.” Don’t say it in front of a mirror five times or Old Age Makeup Weeknd will appear. Here’s the official 16-song track list, transcribed so you don’t have to freeze-frame it on the shot of an ant crawling on an eyeball.

“Dawn FM”
“Gasoline”
“How Do I Make You Love Me?”
“Take My Breath”
“Sacrifice”
“A Tale by Quincy”
“Out of Time”
“Here We Go … Again”
“Best Friends”
“Is There Someone Else?”
“Starry Eyes”
“Every Angel Is Terrifying”
“Don’t Break My Heart”
“I Heard You’re Married”
“Less Than Zero”
“Phantom Regret by Jim”

Original story follows.

It’s officially after After Hours. The Weeknd announced that his new album, Dawn FM, will be released on Friday, January 7. The musician had been teasing the new project for months, ever since declaring “the dawn is coming” at this past May’s Billboard Music Awards and later releasing the single “Take My Breath” in August. Now the pop star, a.k.a. Abel Tesfaye, has followed up with a minute-long trailer for Dawn FM, a radio-inspired album that seems to keep with the cinematic inspirations for his 2020 blockbuster, After Hours. The clip shows the Weeknd crashing a car, being kidnapped by mysterious cloaked figures, and getting taken somewhere eerie. We also get a glimpse of an aged Weeknd and of a new all-black leather suit, which we can only hope is this era’s uniform. “You are now listening to 103.5 Dawn FM,” says a voice at the end of the video. “You’ve been in the dark for way too long. It’s time to walk into the light and accept your fate with open arms.”

The Weeknd previously alluded to the album’s upcoming release on January 1, posting a text conversation with his creative director, La Mar Taylor, to social media. “Everything feels chaotic again,” he wrote. “Music can heal and that feels more important than another album rollout. Let’s just drop the whole thing and enjoy it with the people … XO.”

Per the trailer, the album’s collaborators include the Weeknd’s neighbor Jim Carrey; Quincy Jones; Tyler, the Creator; Lil Wayne; and After Hours producer Oneohtrix Point Never. The Weeknd spent much of 2021 collaborating with other musicians, featuring on songs by Ariana Grande, Doja Cat, Swedish House Mafia, Rosalía, Post Malone, FKA Twigs, and Aaliyah. As for his solo accomplishments in 2021? Just headlining the Super Bowl, creating a TV series, and logging the longest-charting song ever. Who needs the Grammys anyway?

Tune Into the Track List for the Weeknd’s New Album, Dawn FM