The Weeknd has really been making headline after headline over the past few months.
And now he’s brought up some very exciting news, with the announcement that his debut mixtape, House of Balloons is being officially released and approved on streaming platforms for the first time ever.
The mixtape which was first released back in 2011, will become available on March 21st this year, a celebratory move as the mixtape commemorates its tenth anniversary.
As per Pitchfork, official approval for the streaming release was required, due to the mixtape including a number of samples including from Aaliyah, Cocteau Twins and Siouxsie and the Banshees, just to name a few.
The artist took to social media to announce the release. He wrote, “On Sunday for its 10 year anniversary I’m releasing House of Balloons on all streaming platforms for the first time in it’s original incarnation. With the original mixes and samples. 🎈”
The Weeknd’s announcement comes in on a positive note, shifting the focus to where his career all began, as opposed to those external factors that seem to be out of his control. Those being the Grammys.
Most recently, the ‘Blinding Lights’ singer made headlines when he announced that in the future he will no longer be allowing his record label to submit his music to the Recording Academy. The announcement was made via The New York Times, where the artist made an official statement saying, “Because of the secret committees. I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys.”
Love Hip Hop?
Get the latest Hip Hop news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
The Grammys was also received to a not so shocking decline in viewings this year, with this year’s ceremony hitting an all-time low.
According to reports, the lowest ever viewership to tune into the Grammys dates back to 2006, with the total coming in at 16.99 million viewers. With this year only pulling 8.8 million viewers, you have to wonder if other artists will follow in The Weeknd’s footsteps.