The Weeknd’s Thursday and Echoes of Silence debut on U.K. charts for the first time, while House of Balloons returns to a new peak, proving his early work still resonates. SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – SEPTEMBER 7: Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye performs on stage during the ‘After Hours Til Dawn Tour’ at MorumBIS on September 7, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Getty Images for Live Nation
Before he became a global superstar, The Weeknd began his career by delivering a trio of mixtapes in 2011: House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. All three helped him establish his name in the R&B underground and show that a new voice had arrived, one which people immediately took notice of all around the world. His unique, dark take on the genre spread across the blogosphere like wildfire, and set him up for incredible success commercially and critically.
More than a decade later, two of those mixtapes debut on the charts in the United Kingdom this week, helping the powerhouse musician collect a pair of new bestsellers on a tally he’s reached with seemingly everything he’s ever shared throughout his career. It’s clear that even though these mixtapes have been available online for well over a decade, fans are still interested in them and want to consume everything connected to The Weeknd, especially on collectible, physical formats.
The Weeknd’s Thursday and Echoes of Silence Debut
Both Thursday and Echoes of Silence appear on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums chart for the first time this week. The titles open at Nos. 16 and 21, respectively. Throughout his career, The Weeknd has now sent an even dozen projects to the genre-specific roster, a sum which grows by two this time around.
What Mixtapes Are Included In The Weeknd’s Trilogy?
Singer The Weeknd performs during the 2nd Annual OVO Festival at the Molson Amphitheatre on July 31, 2011 in Toronto, Canada. *** Local Caption ***
FilmMagic
The Weeknd’s first of his three career-making mixtapes, was House of Balloons. That set arrived in March 2011. By August, Thursday appeared, and just before the end of the year, Echoes of Silence was made available as well. At the time, few people knew about The Weeknd, but by 2012 he had become a darling of the music industry and was well on his way to the superstar status he has maintained for well over a decade.
All three mixtapes were re-released as a compilation titled Trilogy, in late 2012. That project eventually reached the top 10 on the American Billboard 200, and peaked inside the top 40 on the Official Albums chart.
The Weeknd’s House of Balloons Reaches a New Chart Peak
As both Thursday and Echoes of Silence arrive, House of Balloons returns to the Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums chart. The set outpaces the debuts, coming in at No. 12. That position now stands as a new peak position for the early-career release.
House of Balloons debuted on the ranking back in April 2021, and until this frame, its highest position stood at No. 19, which it reached in both 2023 and 2024 for a single frame each time.
The Weeknd Pushes Multiple Albums Back to the Same Chart
CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 04: The Weeknd performs on stage during day two of Lollapalooza at Grant Park on August 4, 2012 in Chicago, United States. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Redferns via Getty Images)
Redferns via Getty Images
Three other titles by The Weeknd bound back onto the Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums chart in what has turned out to be a huge week for the Canadian artist in the U.K. Kiss Land finds its way to the top 10 once again, reappearing out of nowhere at No. 7. At the same time, Beauty Behind the Madness and Starboy reenter at Nos. 26 and 39, respectively.
The Weeknd Claims Nine Top 40 Albums at Once
The Weeknd fills nine of the 40 spaces available on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums chart this week. In addition to his double debut and multiple comebacks, several other bestsellers continue to find space on the genre-focused ranking. Hurry Up Tomorrow, his most recent studio effort, which arrived earlier this year, lifts one space to No. 18. Meanwhile, the My Dear Melancholy EP and his singles project The Highlights dip to Nos. 30 and 33, respectively.
The Weeknd’s Starboy and The Highlights Live on Several Charts
While nine different releases by The Weeknd appear on the Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums chart this week, only two of them make a home on multiple rankings. Starboy improves from No. 100 to No. 91 on the Official Albums Streaming roster, while The Highlights can be found inside the top 10 – impressively after almost 250 weeks – on both the Official Albums Streaming and Official Albums rankings.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/10/29/the-weeknds-two-early-career-albums-finally-reach-the-charts-after-a-decade/
