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8.0
91960
8.0 |
The 405
While Starboy may not be a giant creative risk stretching away and beyond what we've come to expect from The Weeknd, it's a continuation of Abel's edgy salacious narrative and a complete assassination of pop's thematic normalcy
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8.0
92022
8.0 |
The FT
The album showcases Abel Tesfaye’s sweet vocals with taut hooks and an attractive R&B groove
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8.0
92292
8.0 |
Onlike
Tesfaye’s newest is packed with loads of potential singles and if he continues to plays the cards right, he’ll become the “it” artist of the 2010s
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7.5
91998
7.5 |
A.V. Club
Starboy is one of the most confident releases of the year, one bold enough to reveal the cracks in The Weeknd’s façade for the sake of resonant art
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7.4
91984
7.4 |
Gig Soup
‘Starboy’ manages to deliver a unique and fresh sound mixed with cutting and clever lyrics that The Weeknd is now famous for
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7.0
91983
7.0 |
Exclaim
The perfect major label project is still in reach — this good but not great pop effort proves it
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7.0
92046
7.0 |
Clash
It may showcase a cleaner sound, both in lyrical content and production, but its value for money at eighteen tracks comes at the cost of coherence
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7.0
91978
7.0 |
PopMatters
Starboy has something for each individual, this is without a doubt, but it has nothing for everybody as a collective, a balance he managed on his first three releases
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6.9
92173
6.9 |
Earbuddy
Another collection of songs with bad lyrics and good beats, and I guess that’s what The Weeknd is good for these days
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6.7
91971
6.7 |
Consequence Of Sound
Abel Tesfaye has the pop structures down, but doesn't deliver as many idiosyncrasies as he used to
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6.7
91964
6.7 |
Pretty Much Amazing
The Weeknd has inspired a lot of imitators. Instead of moving forward on Starboy, he ends up sounding like one of them
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6.7
91969
6.7 |
Pitchfork
With Beauty Behind the Madness, Abel Tesfaye achieved pop stardom without compromising his vision. On its uninspired follow-up, Starboy, he seems to lose sight of that vision almost entirely
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6.5
91981
6.5 |
Beardfood
Abel Tesfaye has been slowly losing his edge for years, and you could call ‘Starboy’ his first disappointment
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6.0
91975
6.0 |
NOW
Impressive sequencing and production touches smooth over inconsistencies in the Toronto pop superstar's third studio album
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6.0
91970
6.0 |
Slant Magazine
The album remodels an artistically marginal, genuinely interesting figure into a toothless celebrity version thereof
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6.0
91961
6.0 |
The Observer
The musically omnivorous Abel Tesfaye has mainstream stardom in his sights with this overlong but persuasive album
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6.0
92026
6.0 |
Drowned In Sound
Too often The Weeknd repeats himself or goes into Michael Jackson mode with mixed results; ‘Love To Lay’, for instance, is great fun but c’mon man, don a red leather jacket of your own
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6.0
91959
6.0 |
Rolling Stone
For longtime fans that believe the Weeknd is one of the major R&B artists of the decade, Starboy will ultimately seem like a disappointment
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6.0
91985
6.0 |
NME
Deep into the album it becomes a slog
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6.0
91992
6.0 |
The Independent
His guests include Lana Del Rey, whose affectless manner makes her a perfect match for him; though the best grooves here come courtesy of Daft Punk, bookending the album with the scudding title track and Michael Jackson homage “I Feel It Coming”
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6.0
92221
6.0 |
Q
Tesfaye can't decide if he's having the best time of his life or the worst. Print edition only
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6.0
92053
6.0 |
Spectrum Culture
An awkward entry in The Weeknd’s growing discography
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4.0
92050
4.0 |
The Skinny
Unable to elicit more than a shrug for most of its runtime, the record is just one more passable pop album in a year that really didn’t need another
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4.0
91962
4.0 |
DIY
Tesfaye continues to sound as if he has no idea what it is that he wants to do
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