House of Balloons is the debutmixtape by the Canadian singer-songwriterthe Weeknd. It was released on March 21, 2011, by the artist's own record labelXO. The mixtape was released for free on the Weeknd's website and was the subject of increased media discussion upon the use of its songs on television, as well as the then-anonymous identity of the individual behind the Weeknd.House of Balloons was entirely recorded in Toronto, with production handled primarily by the Weeknd,Doc McKinney, andIllangelo, alongside additional contributions fromCirkut, Jeremy Rose andRainer. Its title is derived from the nickname the singer gave to his former home inParkdale, Toronto.
The mixtape received widespread acclaim, with critics praising its dark aesthetic, production, and lyrical content. It is widely regarded as a major influence oncontemporary R&B music, being credited for pioneeringalternative R&B. Musically,House of Balloons mixes R&B with elements ofrock,electro, andhip-hop. Lyrically, the mixtape explores the Weeknd's drug use and experiences with love, heartbreak, and promiscuity.
House of Balloons was commercially released as part of the compilation albumTrilogy (2012) and included the singles "Wicked Games" and "Twenty Eight", the latter of which is a bonus track. On its tenth anniversary, the original mixtape was released in digital formats, and includedsamples which failed to gain copyright clearance onTrilogy. The reissue was accompanied by a limited edition line of merchandise designed by architectDaniel Arsham.
Before work onHouse of Balloons began,the Weeknd first released music through YouTube in 2009,[2] working as part of ahip-hop duo called 'Bulleez n Nerdz', under the stage name Kin Kane.[3] During this time, he was also a part of a songwriting and production team called 'the Noise', who wrote demos intended for artists such asDrake,[4]Justin Timberlake, andChris Brown.[3]
In 2010, the Weeknd met the producer Jeremy Rose through mutual friends in Toronto. Rose began playing multiple songs he made inAbleton, including the instrumental for "What You Need". After the Weeknd freestyled over it, Rose asked him if he wanted to work together as a "darkR&B project".[5] Their sessions together led to the creation of three other tracks fromHouse of Balloons, the first part of "The Party & the After Party", "Loft Music", and an early version of "The Morning".[5] Rose discontinued working on the project due to creative differences, but he allowed the Weeknd to use the songs they produced together,[6] under the condition that he would receive production credits.[7]
In December 2010, the Weeknd met the producerIllangelo through multiple studio sessions together, which led to the creation of an early version of "Glass Table Girls" and songs that later appeared on the Weeknd's second mixtape,Thursday.[8] For the mixtape's opener, "High for This", the Weeknd met the producerCirkut through a mutual friend, which led to its creation after a session at Cirkut's home studio.[9] Cirkut later introduced him toDoc McKinney in January 2011. McKinney played the Weeknd multiple instrumentals, including the mixtape'stitle track, made sometime in 2009.[9] While working on the title track, the Weeknd's desire to rap led to McKinney improvising another beat, a reworked version of "Glass Table Girls".[10] McKinney and the Weeknd began further work that same month, Illangelo returning to the studio with them. As weeks progressed, they realized that the songs connected together, leading to their decision to release the mixtape free of charge.[8]
The original House of Balloons located at 65 Spencer Avenue
The mixtape's title originates from a house the Weeknd and his friends used to live at inParkdale, Toronto. He explained that he and his friends would throw parties, and they would add balloons to make it more celebratory.[3] Its cover art depicts a woman with her face obscured by balloons, and her left breast exposed.[11] The Weeknd asked his friendLa Mar Taylor for a cover photo, since the mixtape was ready for release. Taylor shot the cover at his house with his ex-girlfriend.[12]
House of Balloons was released free of charge via azip folder on March 21, 2011.[9] After signing withRepublic Records in September 2012, the Weeknd worked to clear all samples present in the mixtape, to re-release it as part ofTrilogy (2012), a compilation album comprisingHouse of Balloons and two other mixtapes he released in 2011. The sample present in "What You Need",Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat", was excluded fromTrilogy.[13] Alongside the release ofTrilogy, a new song, "Twenty Eight", was included as a bonus track for theHouse of Balloons disc.[14] The mixtape's remastered version was later released as anLP record on August 14, 2015, which included "Twenty Eight".[15]
House of Balloons was preceded by three promotional singles, "What You Need", "The Morning", and "Loft Music", all released in December 2010.[16] In May 2011, "High for This" was used in promotional material for theHBO original seriesEntourage.[17] After multiple unofficial music videos, the Weeknd released his first official music video on November 24, for "The Knowing", directed by Mikael Columbu.[18] The mixtape's first single, "Wicked Games", was serviced torhythmic contemporary radio on September 25, 2012.[19] It became the Weeknd's first single to chart on theBillboard Hot 100, peaking at number 53.[20] Its self-directed music video was released on October 18, 2012.[21] "Twenty Eight", a bonus track forHouse of Balloons present onTrilogy, was released as the second single for both projects on November 13.[22]
To commemorate its ten-year anniversary, the Weeknd releasedHouse of Balloons tostreaming services with all original samples present on March 21, 2021.[23] Alongside the release, the artistDaniel Arsham created special artwork for a limited-edition LP record, alongside merchandise for the mixtape.[24]
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House of Balloons is categorized as analternative R&B record,[1] further incorporating elements ofdream pop,[25]electro,[26] androck.[26] In a 2013 interview withComplex, the Weeknd stated thatHouse of Balloons, alongside the two mixtapes that followed its release, were not mixed or mastered because he "didn't feel like they were [his] albums", instead treating them like mixtapes. He stated that the mixtape symbolizes his experiences in Toronto.[27]
House of Balloons explores the loneliness of partying late in the night, but it does not "glamorize" this lifestyle.[28]
House of Balloons received widespread critical acclaim. AtMetacritic, which assigns anormalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications,House of Balloons received a weighted average score of 87 based on 16 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[31] Sean Fennessey ofThe Village Voice was impressed by the mixtape, calling it "patient, often gorgeous, and consistently louche... with the sort of blown-out underbelly and echo-laden crooning that has already madeDrake's less-than-a-year-oldThank Me Later such an influential guidepost."[42] Sputnikmusic's Tyler Fisher said that "despite being a free album,House of Balloons feels like a true album, a true labor of love."[43] Tom Ewing ofThe Guardian felt that while the Weeknd's vocals and lyrics onHouse of Balloons "aren't especially strong by R&B standards," much of the album's attention was attracted by its strong command of mood.[44]
In December 2011, Metacritic determined thatHouse of Balloons was the third best-reviewed project of the year.[45] AnyDecentMusic? ranked it at number 10 on its list of compilation of the rankings of the best 2011 albums from 30 magazines, newspapers and websites.[46] Additionally, the mixtape was featured on several music critics' and publications' end-of-year albums lists.Complex called it the "best album of 2011;"[47]Stereogum ranked it number 5;[48]The Guardian ranked it number 8;[49]The A.V. Club ranked it number 6;[50]SPIN ranked it (as well asThursday) number 13;[51] whilePitchfork ranked it number 10.[52] As a whole,House of Balloons was the seventh most frequently mentioned album in music publications' year-end top ten lists.[53] The mixtape was named as one of the longlisted of nominees for the2011's Polaris Music Prize.[54] The mixtape's title track was placed onPitchfork's list of top 100 songs of 2011 at number 57, while "The Morning" was number 15.[55] In 2021, it was listed at No. 488 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time".[56]
House of Balloons was originally set to come out with 14 tracks. The Weeknd toldComplex in 2013 that "Crew Love", "Shot for Me" and "The Ride" from Drake'ssecond studio album were supposed to be on the mixtape.[27]
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