The —from the gritty "The Source" to the heartbroken "Let Me Go"—show a different side of Abel Tesfaye. They show the artist without the mask, the demo before the distortion, the raw nerve before the bandage.
For over a decade, Abel Tesfaye—better known as The Weeknd—has dominated the charts with a unique blend of moody R&B, synth-wave nostalgia, and visceral lyrical content. From House of Balloons to Dawn FM , his official discography is a testament to modern pop excellence. But for the truly dedicated XO faithful, the magic isn’t always found on Spotify or Apple Music. It lives in the murky, low-bitrate MP3s uploaded to YouTube in 2011, the SoundCloud fragments, and the legendary "lost" tracks that never saw an official release.
At a massive 2024 livestream show, The Weeknd performed a slew of new, unreleased songs, including .
a haunting masterpiece that samples The Smiths, stands as perhaps his greatest unreleased achievement. It captures the quintessential Weeknd paradox: a soaring, angelic vocal delivery paired with lyrics of deep moral ambiguity. sessions, tracks like "Insomnia"
Abel first teased this track on an Instagram Live session in 2020 during the After Hours era.
Perhaps the most official of any "unreleased" releases, the deluxe edition of After Hours gifted fans with three new tracks on top of the original 14. While technically released, these songs were not part of the initial rollout and function as hidden bonus tracks, often overlooked by casual listeners. They represent a final, haunting coda to an album that had already explored the depths of heartbreak and hedonism.
"Ebony" is a grand, cinematic track that sounds like it belongs on a movie soundtrack. Featuring lush instrumentation and a soaring vocal performance, the song shows a more experimental side of The Weeknd. It highlights his vocal range and ability to build immense sonic tension over a sprawling arrangement. 6. "Be God"
Okay, technically this is a remix of Drake, but Abel completely stole the beat. While the official "Take Care" collab exists, the unreleased solo version of Trust Issues is legendary. Abel loops the hook, adds a verse about "popping pills and feeling different," and turns a Drake track into a Weeknd horror story. It’s the sonic equivalent of walking through a snowstorm alone at 3 AM.
: Another gem from The Noise EP , "Do It" exemplifies the Weeknd's ability to create slow-burning, sensual tracks. The bass-heavy production and whispered delivery feel like a direct precursor to the sound he would perfect on Trilogy . Its hypnotic rhythm and sparse arrangement make it a standout that rewards repeated listening.
Which unreleased track are you still waiting for him to drop? Did I miss your favorite?
From the raw, indie-sampled origins of the Trilogy era to the high-concept synthwave leftovers of After Hours and Dawn FM , these hidden tracks offer an intimate look at his creative evolution. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the best unreleased The Weeknd songs that every casual listener and die-hard fan needs to experience. The Holy Grail Track: "Hold Your Heart"