However, for every track that makes it onto a studio album, a dozen others are left on the cutting room floor. The Weeknd’s vault is legendary among fans, filled with snippets, demos, and full-length tracks that were abandoned, leaked, or scrapped during the creative process.
In the world of music fandom, few artists inspire the same level of archaeological obsession. Why? Because many aren't inferior leftovers. Often, they are superior to the tracks that actually make the album. They showcase experimental sounds, darker lyrics, or collaborations that fell through due to sample clearances or label politics.
These three songs serve as the perfect coda to The Weeknd's first major act, offering closure and new depth to the world he had built:
In May 2016, a significant cache of 11 demos leaked, including early versions of tracks that would eventually be given to other artists.
So, why do unreleased tracks matter? For fans, unreleased music offers a glimpse into an artist's creative process, providing insight into their inspirations, influences, and artistic evolution. In The Weeknd's case, his unreleased tracks serve as a reminder of his innovative spirit and willingness to experiment with different sounds.
We saw this happen with "Enemy" and "King of the Fall" (which used to be a leak but is now a streaming bonus track). There is a very real chance that 10–15 of these "unreleased" songs will see an official drop in the next three years. Until then, the hunt continues.
Long before the chart-topping hits and Super Bowl halftime show, Abel Tesfaye was a teenager experimenting in Toronto. The first major leak of his work came in May 2011, when six previously unreleased tracks surfaced online. This collection, later compiled by fans as The Noise EP , consists of demos recorded as early as 2006 to 2009, during his time with the production group, The Noise.
(featuring Swedish House Mafia) was played once on a Instagram live and then vanished. It is widely considered the best unreleased track of the 2020s. "Dancing in the Flames" (not to be confused with the recent single) is a dark-wave track that samples a 1984 German film. Finally, "The Lure (Main)" was intended to be the opening track of Dawn FM but was replaced by of "Gasoline" because Abel felt it "revealed the plot too quickly."
The Weeknd’s rise was built on mystique. When he dropped House of Balloons in 2011 anonymously, no one knew who he was. That sense of secrecy never left the fandom. Unreleased tracks tap into that primal need for more —more of the dark R&B, more of the toxic romance, and more of the vocal acrobatics that define his sound.
Several unreleased The Weeknd songs have gained significant attention online, with some even rivaling the popularity of his officially released tracks. Here are a few examples:
As Abel moves toward his final chapter as The Weeknd with the album Hurry Up Tomorrow , new "unreleased" content has surfaced in different forms.
– Described by fans as "haunting," this track leans into the experimental side of his R&B roots.
However, a curious trend has emerged: Abel has admitted in interviews that he "accidentally" listens to his own leaks online. Furthermore, he has occasionally performed unreleased songs live—like "Hold Your Heart" during the After Hours tour—implying that he sees the leaks as a focus group.