The Weeknd first topped the Billboard Hot 100 with “Can’t Feel My Face” 10 years ago this week, and he’s scored five more rulers since. HOLLYWOOD, CA – JUNE 25: Musician The Weeknd arrives at the premiere of A24 Films “Amy” at ArcLight Cinemas on June 25, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
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2025 is another huge year for The Weeknd, though it’s not as if he ever has quiet ones anymore. Between the release of his latest album Hurry Up Tomorrow and the many successful singles promoted from the project, the Canadian musician is constantly demonstrating his popularity and power.
The R&B/pop superstar has been running the show on the American charts for a decade now, as it was 10 years ago this week that he first conquered the Hot 100. “Can’t Feel My Face” helped launch The Weeknd to a new level of stardom, one which he hasn’t descended from since.
“Can’t Feel My Face” Hit No. 1 in America in August 2015
“Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd stepped up one space and hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart dated August 22, 2015. The tune managed its ascent fairly quickly, as it only spent nine frames on the tally before becoming the most-consumed song in America.
The Weeknd Had Already Scored Multiple Top 10s
By the time “Can’t Feel My Face” topped the important ranking, The Weeknd had already proved himself to be a hitmaker, but that smash changed things for him. He’d scored solo top 10 hits on the Hot 100 with “Earned It” (from Fifty Shades of Grey) and his own “The Hills.” Those two tunes peaked at No. 3 and No. 10, respectively.
He also joined Ariana Grande on her track “Love Me Harder,” which rose as high as No. 7 on the list, and it would prove to be the first of several collaborations between the two pop icons. While he was already one of the hottest new names in the music industry, “Can’t Feel My Face” altered The Weeknd’s career forever.
Why His First No. 1 Mattered
Scoring a No. 1 hit is important to artists looking to reach a massive audience, but the track was meaningful beyond just its chart position. The tune showed that he could not just produce a successful song, but create a pop culture moment. The track was his voice and his vision, and from then on out, there were few detractors when it came to the rising star.
His winning streak has barely dimmed in the decade since. “Can’t Feel My Face” also showed that The Weeknd had so much more to give than the alternative R&B that first brought him to prominence. While he spent years as an underground favorite, earning praise from critics and blogs, it wasn’t clear if his signature sound would allow him to cross over into the mainstream. He managed to do so with a few early cuts, but “Can’t Feel My Face” proved that he had the ability to craft a globe-dominating smash, and it was to be the first of many.
OMI’s “Cheerleader” and Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?”
Throughout its run on the Hot 100, “Can’t Feel My Face” rose and fell from the throne several times. The cut replaced OMI’s “Cheerleader” atop the tally, but the one-hit wonder quickly regained control for two more frames. “Can’t Feel My Face” then jumped back to No. 1, only to be toppled by Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?” — but only for a single turn.
The Weeknd recaptured the highest spot on the Hot 100 yet again with “Can’t Feel My Face,” which earned its third distinct run at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in only about a month.
The Weeknd Replaced Himself at No. 1
The Weeknd then became one of a select few musicians to replace himself atop the Hot 100. He traded “The Hills” for “Can’t Feel My Face,” collecting a second No. 1 with a single that was actually released before “Can’t Feel My Face,” but which took longer to dominate the chart.
Beauty Behind the Madness Also Reached No. 1
“Can’t Feel My Face” reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 right around the same time that the album it’s featured on, Beauty Behind the Madness, managed the same feat on the Billboard 200. That collection earned The Weeknd his first chart-topping project in America, and it remains one of the most successful releases of the past decade or so in the country.
The Weeknd at the Grammys
Thanks to the success of Beauty Behind the Madness and “Can’t Feel My Face,” among other tracks, The Weeknd became one of the most-nominated musicians at the Grammys the following year. He earned seven nominations, including Album of the Year for Beauty Behind the Madness and both Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Can’t Feel My Face.” While the full-length was awarded Best Urban Contemporary Album, “Can’t Feel My Face” didn’t collect a single trophy. “Earned It,” which was penned for the Fifty Shades of Grey film franchise, did come out on top in Best R&B Performance, but it also lost Best R&B Song and Best Song Written for Visual Media.
Half a Dozen No. 1s in America
Since “Can’t Feel My Face,” The Weeknd has collected six more No. 1s on the Hot 100. He likely would have enjoyed such a reign even if the tune hadn’t quite managed to run the show on the most competitive songs chart in America, but such a massive initial starting point has certainly set the stage his unstoppable ongoing success.
