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How The Weeknd’s "House Of Balloons" Changed Mainstream Music

It's time to give The Weeknd his flowers.

Sammari Meeks

Mar 21, 2021

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

196

How The Weeknd’s "House Of Balloons" Changed Mainstream Music

https://twitter.com/NewsWeeknd/status/1373427792906436617/photo/1

Today marks the ten year anniversary of The Weeknd's influential mixtape House of Balloons. To celebrate, The Weeknd has released its original version, meaning all the original samples and mixes are finally available. What makes House of Balloons so remarkable is The Weeknd's unique ability to sing about the pain of parties and drugs in a way that glorifies and warns us of that lifestyle at the same time. Songs that came from this mixtape that helped to put The Weeknd on the map are "Wicked Games", "House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls", and "Loft Music". Although The Weeknd released this album without promotion-- no interviews and no pictures of himself-- he solidified his place in R&B. Let's examine how House of Balloons impacted other artists in the genre.

The anonymity of other R&B artists

The Weeknd released House of Balloons completely anonymously. No one knew his face, but all his listeners knew his voice. His anonymity only served to make his image (or lack thereof) more alluring. The Weeknd paved the way for artists like H.E.R. to release music without showing their faces.

Subject matter of popular music

What was your favorite song from 2011? "What's My Name" by Rihanna? Jennifer Lopez's "On the Floor"? "Glad You Came" by The Wanted? Music in the early 2010's was upbeat and celebratory, flaunting EDM beats and the joys of clubbing. The Weeknd sang about parties too, but in a totally different light. After House of Balloons dropped, we saw an immediate shift in the content of mainstream R&B music. We saw many artists mimic the way The Weeknd made agony sound enticing.

Alternative r&b shot into the mainstream

It's hard to say the experimental projects of artists like Bryson Tiller, Tinashe, or Partynextdoor would have their success without The Weeknd bringing alternative R&B into the mainstream.

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How The Weeknd’s "House Of Balloons" Changed Mainstream Music

It's time to give The Weeknd his flowers.

The anonymity of other R&B artists

Subject matter of popular music

Alternative r&b shot into the mainstream

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The Best Lines from the Fab Four

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you

Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend

He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand

It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind

Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright

We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there

I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say

You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world

All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday

And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.

And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

I'll give you all I got to give if you say you'll love me too. I may not have a lot to give but what I got I'll give to you. I don't care too much for money. Money can't buy me love

All you need is love, love is all you need

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more

Obviously the best superpower.

There have been many lessons learned.

1. The importance of traditions.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

3. How to give back.

4. What the word "community" really means.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

10. How to work for what I want.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

12. How to be humble.

13. To be well-rounded.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

16. To be prepared for anything.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

18. How to be creative.

19. To brush off gossip.

I have never been so thankful to know you.

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

Don't freak out

Email the professor

Attend the first class

Keep attending class

Have a backup plan

Remember that everything works out at the end

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