Song rankings 5-star scale:

1. Dawn FM 1/5
2. Gasoline 1/5
3. How Do I Make You Love Me? 2/5
4. Take My Breath 5/5
5. Sacrifice 4/5
6. A Tale By Quincy 2/5
7. Out of Time 4/5
8. Here We Go…Again 3/5
9. Best Friends 2/5
10.  Is There Someone Else? 3/5
11. Starry Eyes 3/5
12. Every Angel is Terrifying 1/5
13. Don’t Break My Heart 3/5
14. I Heard You’re Married 4/5
15. Less Than Zero 5/5
16. Phantom Regret by Jim 1/5

Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, better known by his stage name, The Weeknd, is adored by many around the world. Recognized for his intense and provocative musical rhythm, he constantly leaves fans craving more of his unique musicality. The Weeknd released his latest album, “Dawn FM,” on Jan. 7 and broke away from his typical R&B pop sound. Instead, the album sounds old school, diving into the deep, harmonic structure of soul music. The album focuses on the concept of aging and dying, which appears as a theme throughout the 16 songs. The cover specifically highlights the album’s message by depicting The Weeknd as an elderly man. According to NPR, “The album’s cover objectifies the future. It’s an image that suggests we enter eternity by enduring the bleakness of now.” The Weeknd is set on continuing to reinvent himself for each one of his future albums, hence the particularly different approach he took with “Dawn FM,” striving to create a new sound. 

Three songs on the album — “Dawn FM,” “Out of Time” and “Phantom Regret by Jim” — are narrated by actor Jim Carrey. According to NewsWeek, Carrey implied that the album is to be listened to as if it is the end of a life. The song “Dawn FM” represents a radio station, in which Carrey says during the last verse, “You’re now listening to 103.5 Dawn FM. 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 radio station essentially invites listeners to accept that the end of the world is approaching. The song has a nostalgic melody, and despite its electric feel, there is darkness in the lyrics. This brooding sound made me feel as if I was listening to the soundtrack of an unpleasant horror film, not a pop album. 

In the fifth song on the album, “Sacrifice,” The Weekend expresses his addiction with drugs and that he isn’t willing to sacrifice this abuse for anything, not even love. In comparison to the other songs, “Sacrifice” picks up the tempo, making it more catchy. It almost reminded me of “The Truman Show,” a movie in which Carrey starred in. Since he is trapped in a never-ending cycle of drug addiction, the lyrics made the music feel very dystopian. Despite the song’s tragic backstory, its beat and rhythm made it quite enjoyable to listen to.

The final song, “Phantom Regret by Jim,” poses a unique twist to the album because it was written by Carrey. The song was definitely something … something I’d rather not listen to. If you are searching for a song to put you to sleep, this one is the perfect choice! Listening to uplifting, motivational music keeps me going and puts me in a good mood, but this song does the opposite. However, listening to a song like “Phantom Regret by Jim” will undoubtedly evoke some strong emotions. The message that both Carry and The Weeknd purvey throughout the album is that everyone has the same fate, and no one can escape death. For the duration of the three minute song, Carrey speaks very softly, leading listeners to visualize the departure from life on earth. As the song comes to a close, Carrey whispers, “You gotta be Heaven to see Heaven; May peace be with you.” Carrey’s narration sends a crucial message in finding peace within oneself. 

Making a name for himself in the music industry, The Weeknd’s music is full of youth, power and edge. However, due to the lack of pace and repetitiveness, this album did not appear to represent that version of The Weeknd. As “Dawn FM” marks one of The Weeknd’s first major albums of 2022, we are left with an element of surprise for what is to come in his next album. What version of The Weeknd will we see next?