If you listen to one song on this list, make it Let Me Go . Recorded during the Beauty Behind the Madness era, this track is the epitome of "haunting." The production is sparse—just a ghostly synth pad and a trap beat that sounds like it’s underwater. Abel’s delivery is desperate, almost whispering, "Let me go, let me breathe." It is widely considered by fans to be superior to half of the actual album. It’s cinematic sorrow at its finest.
Before The Weeknd gained widespread recognition with his debut mixtape, "House of Balloons," he was already experimenting with music and uploading tracks to SoundCloud. Some of these early demo tapes have surfaced over the years, offering a glimpse into The Weeknd's creative process and evolution as an artist.
The Kiss Land unreleased songs are invaluable because they illuminate a pivotal moment in the Weeknd's career. They show an artist who was still figuring out his identity, experimenting with sounds and themes that would later become hallmarks of his work. For fans who have long championed Kiss Land as a misunderstood classic, these demos offer validation and a deeper appreciation for the album's vision.
The following songs are frequently cited by the XO community as his best unreleased work: unreleased the weeknd songs best
: Stripped down even further, "Missed You" features a ticking beat and a confessional tone. The song is about the pain, regret, and confusion that fill the void left by a departed lover. It's a more intimate, almost diaristic song that feels like a late-night phone call from a broken heart, adding to the deluxe version's more vulnerable and raw feel.
: The Weeknd's cover of Drake's "Trust Issues" is a masterclass in reinterpretation. By adding his own lyrics and reworking the flow, the singer transforms the track into something entirely his own. Many fans argue that his version is even better than the original, with his higher-pitched voice adding a layer of fragility and desperation. It's a testament to his skill as an interpreter and his ability to make any song his own.
The Vault of Abel: The Best Unreleased The Weeknd Songs, Ranked If you listen to one song on this list, make it Let Me Go
For XO fans, these tracks are not just bootlegs; they are missing chapters in a story we have been following since that mysterious trilogy dropped anonymously in 2011. Dive into the vault. The best Weeknd songs are the ones he never wanted you to hear.
While you won't find these tracks on Spotify or Apple Music, deep-dives into SoundCloud, YouTube, and fan forums keep these hidden gems alive. They serve as a reminder that Abel Tesfaye's vaulted archives hold just as much brilliance as his chart-topping hits.
Before it was reworked into the moody, slow-burning track "Acquainted" on the 2015 mega-album Beauty Behind the Madness , this song existed as "Girls Born in the 90s." It’s cinematic sorrow at its finest
era that carries the signature vulnerability and variety of his early work.
: Widely considered one of his best unreleased tracks, this Kiss Land -era song features dark, atmospheric production and haunting vocals.