Hurry Up Tomorrow by The Weeknd - Album Review

Rating: 5 Stars 

If Hurry Up Tomorrow is the final album under “The Weeknd,” Abel Tesfaye has created a cinematic experience that elevates his sound to a new level. By no means am I a neutral perspective on The Weeknd. His music was the sound of my adolescence; I was a teenager when he released House of Balloons, and his music was a key part of my teen years. The growth from those earlier years has been immense. From Trilogy to Hurry Up Tomorrow, The Weeknd has evolved from a faceless & mysterious figure in R&B to one of pop's biggest names. This album completed the After Hours & Dawn FM trilogy - and it incorporated the best elements of both projects on a far bigger scale, with the production of this album being the best of his career with more layers apparent after each listen—an excellent swan song to The Weeknd moniker.

Album Themes:

Look, the themes of this album do not stray very far from The Weeknd's discography. I agree that The Weeknd character has nothing new to say. Lyrics across the album touch on his loneliness, inability to love or trust, death, and general darkness. The production of this album is some of the greatest I have heard, as many samples and interpolations are used (all samples here) very carefully. Beats range from funk to synth-pop, eclectic experimentation, and lots of things in between.

Some tracks are callbacks to inspirations like Michael Jackson, and others are callbacks to songs from his own discography, which help to complete the narrative of The Weeknd character being killed. A great example of this is “Take Me Back To LA,” a juxtaposition of “Escape From LA” from 2020's After Hours. Unfortunately, I could write about the nuances of the production forever, but it is decisive and purposeful with every instrument. The producers deserve a lot of credit for this, as Metro Boomin, Justice, Pharell Williams & multiple others came together for this album's beats. The features on this album are strong points, as frequent collaborators like Travis Scott, Future & Lana Del Rey deliver strong features. 

Top Tracks:
“Wake Me Up” is the album's opener and a cinematic experience that sets the scene for the album's future. Synths, organs, and The Weeknd's echoing vocals drive the song. The beat changes in the middle of the song, and we hear an interpolation of “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. Chefs kiss.

“Cry For Me” sounds like Michael Jackson's “Dirty Diana " in the initial few seconds. It also features deep basslines and hard hats as the BPM goes up. The synths combined with the hook are beautiful. This feels like a more desperate and heavy version of “Save Your Tears”.

“Reflections Laughing” is a haunting ballad that takes us through the highs and lows of The Weeknd’s fame. Mid-song, we switch to a voicemail from an unknown caller telling him not to let the industry take him. This is followed by a phenomenal verse from Travis Scott, very reminiscent of the Rodeo era.

“Hurry Up Tomorrow” closes the album with an ethereal beat that creates an atmospheric experience in which The Weeknd talks about how he desires to change and see heaven when he is gone. The song's mention of his absent father and his behaviour towards others is also a key point. It concludes with the beat looping back into “High For This” from House of Ballons—a beautiful ending to The Weeknd’s discography. 

Other tracks to note: Tracks like “Without A Warning” talk deeper about the dark side of his fame. With bars alluding to death and suicide, and how he chases the high of crowds and admiration. “Baptized In Fear” echoes the guilt and shame he carries from his life decisions.

 Strengths of the album:

• The Weeknd’s vocal delivery on this album is phenomenal and captivating. He uses a range of vocal techniques, effects, and sombre lyrics 

• Production helped create an atmosphere for this album that would not have been possible with the raw vocals alone. Each producer added a range of samples and interpolations that elevated the songs.

 Weaknesses of the album:

• While the album is undeniably strong, some tracks feel familiar, retreading ground covered in previous projects.

• The album's length is contentious. Die-hard fans will enjoy it, but at nearly 1 hour and 30 minutes, it can be difficult for all listeners to play the album in a sitting.

Comparison to Previous Work:
As the final piece in The Weeknd’s discography, comparing it to other albums in his career feels unfair. Compared to the other albums in this trilogy (After Hours & Dawn FM), Hurry Up Tomorrow feels like the polished and conclusive version of an amalgamation of those albums. This is a near-perfect conclusion to an amazing discography. Though it does not innovate, it is more of a showcase of every strength and high point of The Weeknd’s career.

Final thoughts:
Hurry Up Tomorrow concludes an amazing collection of music. Though Abel may continue creating music under a different name, The Weeknd has ended. This album was a bold and cinematic experience that showcased everything that made him popular. I think any fan of The Weeknd will be satisfied with this album, especially with additional listens to find the layers throughout. However, this appeals to all listeners with a great range of songs for different tastes.

What did you think of Hurry Up Tomorrow? Let us know in the comments below or on Instagram. Check out our first blog, which looked at 2025’s top albums here.