Yesterday, The Weeknd surprised us with the cover art for his fourth studio album, After Hours. It features a headshot of the bloody-faced character that he has been channeling in the previous singles’ music videos. Along with this reveal, the Toronto artist teased that the project’s third single would be arriving later that evening. Lo and behold, the After Hours title track is in our possession and we know the rest of the album will arrive on March 20. 

After giving “After Hours” its first spins since its midnight release, fans are reacting very favorably. Many have reported that they are stuck with the song on loop, as one play of the six-minute epic is still not enough to satisfy their cravings. Another common observation being made is that “After Hours” gives off similar vibes to The Weeknd’s beloved mixtape trilogy: House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. While this new offering is certainly more upbeat, the slow-burn intro and the brooding outro post-beat switch have people reminiscing about the Abel they first grew to love. 

What do you think of “After Hours”? Are you feeling optimistic about the album? The tweeters below definitely are. 

@theweeknd CANNOT MAKE A BAD SONG! #AfterHours ON REPEAATT? pic.twitter.com/sMuU75cHFh

— M B A L I (@Blooming_Bri) February 19, 2020