Out Now: The Weeknd Goes Back to the Future for ‘Dawn FM,’ a Retro, Radio Station-Styled Listening Experience

There’s a decidedly 1980s-styled feel to everything surrounding Dawn FM, the new album released on Friday by The Weeknd. The fifth full-length from the musician/creator born Abel Tesfaye and the follow-up to 2020’s After Hours, it was announced earlier in the week as a surprise and laded on streaming platforms late Thursday.

As its title may suggest, Dawn FM is presented as a flashback radio station of sorts, with call signs and shout-outs throughout that reference “103.5 Dawn FM.”

Musically, Tesfaye and his many collaborators (which on this record include Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, Quincy Jones, Oneohtrix Point Never, and Jim Carrey) reverently recreate vibes and sounds from the past for throwback experience that works quite well.

Click here to pre-order Dawn FM on CD from our Rock Cellar Store
Click here to pre-order Dawn FM on 2-LP from our Rock Cellar Store

Part of the album rollout experience included a dynamic live stream that debuted on the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch:

The Weeknd is also expected to unveil official news of the After Hours til Dawn Stadium Tour, a massive global tour in support of the record, in the days/weeks ahead.

With each album, The Weeknd finds new ways to captivate audiences and push his creative energies forward, and Dawn FM will no doubt add to his budding legacy. Stream it below.