The songwriter hit the new mark on Saturday when it was revealed that the performer had racked up a total of 85.6 Million listeners on the popular platform. The Weeknd dethroned former top artist Justin Bieber, who previously tallied up a remarkable 83.3 million fans on Spotify, as reported by TMZ.
Although The Weeknd may have earned the number one spot, he still follows the Sorry songwriter, who previously hit a peak of 94.6 million monthly listeners. Meanwhile, the performer’s achievement comes shortly after the release of his newest album, titled Dawn FM. His latest album was released to the public earlier this month and got acclaimed by fans. The singer then confirmed that he was working on a new record following the debut of his previous project, After Hours.
The Weeknd later scrapped many of his initial efforts, which were influenced by the depression he experienced during the pandemic, and began recording new music from scratch. Additionally, The Weeknd went on to reassure his fans that he had been working on a new album during a 2021 interview with Variety. During an interview, he asserted that his new work would feature more uplifting themes. “If the last record is the after-hours of the night, then the dawn is coming,” he stated.
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Dawn FM’s lead single, Take My Breath, was released to the public last August and eventually reached the number six position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Meanwhile, a second single, Sacrifice, was made available earlier this month, and a third single, Out of Time, will make its debut next week. Dawn FM was produced by several individuals, including Oneohtrix Point Never and Max Martin, as well as The Weeknd himself.
However, the record primarily draws on music released during the 1980s for inspiration and takes the form of a fictional radio broadcast. Jim Carrey serves as the project’s narrator, and several other artists, including Tyler, The Creator, Lil Wayne, and the Beach Boys’ Bruce Johnston make appearances on the record.