The Weeknd is set to re-release his debut mixtape, House of Balloons, in its original form on all digital service providers in celebration of its 10th anniversary on March 21, 2021.
Additionally, The Weeknd will unveil an exclusive merchandise drop to celebrate the moment. Among the highlights will be a collaboration with Daniel Arsham on Arsham’s new interpretation of the iconic cover art and a 1,000 limited-edition vinyl. Fans can visit shop.theweeknd.com to purchase House of Balloons vinyl beginning March 21st at 3pm ET.
Long before he was the star of a Super Bowl halftime show, nominated for an Academy Award, and collected Grammy Award wins, The Weeknd unveiled his groundbreaking debut mixtape, House of Balloons. A decade later to the date, it will be made available on all streaming platforms for the first time in its original incarnation, including original samples. This will mark the first time House of Balloons has appeared on DSPs in its purest form.
In Daniel Arsham’s own words: “The summer of 2011 will always be marked by House of Balloons. Like a time travel device, the album transports me back to that specific moment in time every time I listen. It is a great privilege to work with The Weeknd and the XO Team to reimagine the iconic album art of House of Balloons as an eroded sculpture for the ten-year anniversary. Alongside the transparent vinyl and eroded album artwork – we also worked on a collection of merchandise including a Varsity Jacket, blending my own aesthetic with that of The Weeknd’s.”
The interior of the varsity jacket will feature a custom camouflage pattern, mixing The Weeknd’s silhouette with Arsham Studio colorways inspired by and reminiscent of The Weeknd’s outfit at his first live show in 2011 at Toronto’s Mod Club.
Capping off 2011, House of Balloons graced over a dozen year-end lists. Complex christened it the “best album of 2011,” while it landed in the Top 10 of annual roundups by Stereogum at number 5, and Pitchfork at number 10. It closed out the year as Metacritic’s “third-best reviewed project of the year.”
House of Balloons Original Track List:
1. High for This
2. What You Need
3. House of Balloons/ Glass Table Girls
4. The Morning
5. Wicked Games
6. The Party & The After Party
7. Coming Down
8. Loft Music
9. The Knowing
10. Twenty Eight
The news about the re-release of The Weeknd’s mixtape comes weeks after the artist was shockingly snubbed by the Grammys despite having the number one selling digital song, “Blinding Lights,” which also currently holds the record for most weeks spent in the top five and top 10 of Billboard Hot 100. The Weeknd recently released a statement, “I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys.”
