Since The Weeknd is performing at the Super Bowl Halftime show, I thought it’d be nice to post a little guide to his discography for anyone interested in looking to do a deep dive into his work. I would’ve posted this the day of the event, but I assume that some people would probably like to go through it over the weekend.
This shares a direct overview of his released material, talking about his career and the background of the music, the videos, the meanings and all. I’ve written this from a pop perspective, keeping in mind that his history might be fairly new for general pop fans.
I also go into the storyline of the red suit character, if your interested in catching up on that narrative before the Halftime show (which will continue the story), I’ve listed the chronological order below followed by an explanation of that narrative.
I wanna be clear that the interpretations/theories are not conclusive. Abel rarely shares the metaphors or meanings behind his music. This is based on widely based on fan discussion/mutual interpretation. Fans can feel free to expand on anything in the comments.
It is important to know about Abel's backstory to get a certain perspective of where he’s coming from, especially when discussing the songs that deal with substance abuse. These recent articles cover his early years really well and share an up-to-date point of view of his success.
Variety 2020
Billboard 2021 - Also a good source for getting to know his team.
So, an essential TL;DR is this: Abel Tesfaye came from a broken home, he was born to Ethiopian immigrant parents who split up when Tesfaye was less than seven. He then lived with his mother and grandmother, only rarely seeing his father but having a nice impression of him. His drug addiction started as soon as he was a high schooler, he turned to shoplifting to pay for this need of various substances. Soon he dropped out of high school, leaving his home the same weekend, which would later inspire his stage name, The Weeknd. The name is reference/homage to the weekend his life changed.
Quick side note, I didn’t think this post would nearly reach the character limit. So I’ve cut out excess detail and lists of producers (with the exception of After Hours since we’re in that era).
Table of contents

1. XO.
2. House of Balloons.
3. Thursday.
4. Echoes of Silence.
5. Trilogy.
6. Kiss Land.
7. King of the Fall.
8. Beauty Behind The Madness.
9. Starboy.
10. My Dear Melancholy.
11. After Hours.

XO.

XO is the record label that The Weeknd and co. created in order to publish the first mixtape (House of Balloons) and the ones that would follow afterwards. XO has a lot of meanings that have to do with what went into the music and what still goes into it. XO is what the fans call themselves, popularly with the phrase XO Till We OD (shortened to XOTWOD); another way of saying “we’re ride or die for The Weeknd and his team.”
While some argue that it could mean anything since there isn’t clear meaning to it, fans continue to associate the abbreviation with ecstasy (X) and oxycontin (O). That definition stems from XOTWOD, fans assume it’s true because of the team’s history of drug usage. While others take it as it’s classical definition “hugs and kisses” because of the consistent lyrical nature of The Weeknd’s songs.
Overtime the definition of XO is simply known as: the fans, the crew, and the label. The Weeknd is more than just one person, he comes with XO. For the sake of clarity in this writeup, I’m going to refer to his crew as XO and the fans as “the fans.”
XO still serves as a record label, the current roster is The Weeknd, Belly, Nav, and Black Atlass. It remains The Weeknd’s record label and was his first label before becoming a subsidiary of Republic Records.
Throughout his career, The Weeknd has worked with Illangelo, a Canadian producer who’s work the fans adore. Carlo “Illangelo” Montagnese was one of main the producers on The Weeknd’s Trilogy, he’s credited on each track. The fan base claims his work to be some of the most notable artistry in The Weeknd’s discography. Their work together continued with Beauty Behind The Madness, Illangelo worked on seven tracks for that album. He then returned for After Hours working on another seven tracks.
DaHeala, another Canadian producer, is another significant factor in The Weeknd’s music. Jason “DaHeala” Quenneville worked as lead producer on Kiss Land. He returned to work on six tracks for The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind The Madness, including the hit Earned It. DaHeala returned as a writer for six of the songs on Starboy. Then DaHeala worked on nine After Hours tracks, and worked as the only producewriter alongside The Weeknd for bonus tracks Missed You and Final Lullaby.

House of Balloons.

Didn't wanna make this NSFW, so here's the super clean edited cover

This is a happy house. We’re happy here. (House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls)

One of the most iconic title tracks of all time. House of Balloons is about a lifestyle of drugs, sex, and partying; all in effort to drown out self-doubt. It comes from a place of wanting to make it big while doing what you can to survive, all while pretending everything’s alright. The mixtape describes various sorts of women, how they’ve had impacted the life of someone who’s already down on his luck.
Fans often refer to House of Balloons as The Weeknd’s best work. The mixtape was the first introduction the world got of XO, and it was one hell of a way to make an impression. It’s personal for the fans and Abel because it’s the only piece of work known to be based on his life. At the end of the day he’s a songwriter, with many of his albums he creates scenarios and world that he likes to explore through the music. But House of Balloons is known to be based entirely on his life. It remains The Weeknd’s most critically acclaimed work.
House of Balloons was crafted through the influences of Hip-Hip/Indie-Rock with the main focus on R&B. Through the genius of Ilangelo, the record was—and is—mesmerizing capturing the essence of a lifestyle that The Weeknd described as “anti-everything.”
House of Balloons assisted The Weeknd in gaining the attention of Republic Records, which would then host The Weeknd’s own label XO. Though hesitant at first, XO decided to partner with Republic after the co-founding brothers Monte and Avery Lipman kept coming back to Toronto solely for The Weeknd.
House of Balloons received three videos, The Knowing, Wicked Games and Twenty Eight. The Knowing was the very first video The Weeknd made, so of course it’d be something other-worldly; it essentially reflects the song itself but in a sci-fi setting. Twenty Eight represents Abel’s life after fame but also his remorse of letting captivating women into his life.
Fun fact— House of Balloons is an actual place in Toronto, it was where him and his crew lived after he dropped out of high school. They’d host parties, call girls, do drugs, and to make it less depressing they’d fill it with balloons.

Thursday.

Valerie on the cover

Welcome to the other side. (Life of the Party)

Thursday consists of the same themes as HoB; sex and drugs. But there’s a twist, he’s in a semi-relationship with this girl Valerie. She’s the only one on his mind, even though they meet only one day of the week, any guesses on what day that could be? Through The Weeknd’s phenomenal voice and the insane production, we’re also presented with this story of a toxic relationship where Valerie used to have the upper hand but she no longer does when she falls for The Weeknd.
While Thursday isn’t entirely about the relationship of The Weeknd and Valerie, it consists of reflections to Abel’s life after the release of House of Balloons. The song Rolling Stone notably has a double meaning, in which Abel asks his fans if they’ll stick with him when he gets mainstream appeal and decides to change his sound.
The track Valerie wasn’t on the original release of Thursday, it added when Trilogy was released. Ending the mixtape with Heaven or Las Vegas meant that The Weeknd’s actions with and without Valerie were a result of his fatherless childhood, making him push anyone away. That meaning behind Thursday doesn’t change when Valerie is added to the track list, it just means that both want the toxic relationship back.
The Zone (feat. Drake) was the first feature The Weeknd had on any of his work, the video for it was released in November of 2012. Rolling Stone had also received a video in October of 2012. Both were directed by The Weeknd and reflect the two different aspects of Thursday. The Zone has Valerie living it up in the House of Balloons. And Rolling Stone has The Weeknd doing a photoshoot for Trilogy, reflective of the song itself.
Fun Fact— the female voice heard in Lonely Star is The Weeknd’s, he pitched his voice to make it sound like a woman’s.

Echoes of Silence.

Diana on the cover

Laisse tomber les filles. Un jour c'est toi qu'on laissera. [Leave the girls alone. One day it’ll be you they will leave.] (Montreal)

Out of a dark introductory into the early life of The Weeknd, Echoes of Silence is the darkest work of his Trilogy. Let’s be honest the story here isn’t entirely ethical at times but makes for one hell of a mixtape.
Similar to Thursday, Echoes of Silence follows a storyline. After accumulating success, The Weeknd gains the attention of various women. There was this one woman (D.D.) who he liked but she initially rejected him (Montreal). The woman came back to him for his fame status and evidently fell in love with him (Outside), but now that he’s got the upper hand he treats him like a groupie (XO/The Host) and lets... bad things happen to her; she’s gotta pass a test before she can get with him. This test is either drugs or his crew (Initiation). He ultimately tells this woman that he’s not exactly longterm-relationship material, perhaps because her love is temporary (Same Old Song), because he’s Next. With the end of Echoes of Silence (originally ending on the title track) the listener is left to wonder why The Weeknd left her if he’d simply want her to stay.
As a side note— Initiation should not be condoned. It remains true that The Weeknd is a songwriter and the progression of time has changed perspectives. But a song that makes such suggestions as Initiation should not be ethically/morally claimed or celebrated.
The mixtape follows The Weeknd’s lifestyle after he’s gained all this success, he’s still the same person but now he’s gotten everything he wanted. Some tracks such as The Fall continue to emphasize his journey into stardom and his acceptance of fame being temporary. With the added Till Dawn (Here Comes The Sun), The Weeknd acknowledges the changes in his life, realizing that the old lifestyle is no longer there for him or his past lovers.
Echoes of Silence is known as an underrated gem of The Weeknd’s discography, it’s well received by fans and critically acclaimed but often brushed under the rug in discussion of his work. A lot of fans and casual listeners play the mixtapes through Trilogy rather than their respective albums. This often leads to people not playing EoS either at all or only the first few tracks, this is predominantly due to the nature of the compilation being nearly three hours long.
Fun fact— D.D. is a cover of Michael Jackson’s iconic Dirty Diana. Fans have named the woman in Echoes of Silence Diana because of this track. Various theories argue that the mixtape itself is based on the Dirty Diana itself with exaggerations of the truth, or whether or not it’s a story The Weeknd crafted based on the song.

Trilogy.

Rolling Stone video doubled as a shoot

You don’t know what’s in store. (High For This.)

Trilogy is a compilation of The Weeknd’s mixtapes, House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. These three mixtapes were released 3-4 months apart from one another for free digital download in 2011, they gained quite a lot of attention from various industry executives.
Prior to the release of Trilogy, The Weeknd featured on Drake’s Take Care with Crew Love. The song was Abel’s first exposure to a Rap crowd/Rap fans, more people began listening to his music after the release of Take Care. The Weeknd then featured on Wiz Khalifa’s Remember You, which served as the second single off Wiz Khalifa’s O.N.I.F.C. Following those two releases, The Weeknd released Wicked Games as the first single off Trilogy.
Trilogy was formed after The Weeknd came under Republic Records’ management. The compilation album reached a debut/peak position of 4 on the Billboard 200 while reaching number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It’s a well received album with the highlight said to be House of Balloons, which arguably went on to influence various sorts of R&B music of the 2010s.
Videos for Trilogy

Kiss Land.

Iconic

I went from starin' at the same four walls for 21 years. To seein' the whole world in just 12 months. (Kiss Land)

Kiss Land is based on The Weeknd’s tour life. Visiting unfamiliar places gave Abel horror movie vibes. A guy who used to own the city (Toronto) he lived in is now a small fish in the ocean of the entire world. The Weeknd’s first studio album was a great introduction into the sound he would soon get well acquainted with.
While continuing the R&B sound with the essence of Dark Wave, the album explores emptiness and regret throughout the lyrics—or what pop fans could categorize as dark pop—. The Japanese aesthetic used for various videos and the single covers/booklet reflects the themes of feeling overwhelmed by such a loud world that there’s no point in being if you don’t belong.
The album explores the real-world and the women in it as well as regrets regarding past actions, namely letting go of women who could’ve been the one in Adaptation. The Weeknd attempts to find that satisfaction in other women and past lovers, but accidentally falls for a sex worker in Belong To The World. With Wanderlust he accepts and expresses that love in the modern world isn’t entirely possible. While continuing to tour the world he enjoys these new experiences with XO (Live For feat. Drake), as well as the new women in his life (Kiss Land). And when he’s back home, he accepts the loss of the relationship he cherished.
Kiss Land debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. It was fairly acclaimed but gained a massive cult following. There were four videos for made for the album, the title track, Belong To the World, Live For (feat. Drake), and Pretty. Those four songs received interesting visuals that kept up with their respective themes while Belong To the World/Kiss Land got visuals that matched the aesthetic of the album. To this day fans ask Abel for a part two to the horror-movie-inspired album after he said it’s the only album he would have a sequel for.
Videos for Kiss Land
Fun Fact— The video for Kiss Land on YouTube is an extremely edited version of the actual video shot for the song. The directors cut further explores the erotic-horror themes if the album.

King of the Fall.

King of the Fall 2020 cover (even though I talk about three other songs here)

Driving by the streets we used to walk through like a triumph. (King of the Fall)

These next few song were released between the Kiss Land and Beauty Behind the Madness era. Some fans would classify them as part of the Beauty Behind the Madness era—I’d say the same tbh—but they stand apart on the basis of success and acclaim. It’s a transition between The Weeknd being an underrated R&B musician to being a mainstream artist with massive recognition and appreciation.
The first of these four songs is King of the Fall. A fan favourite and a standout in The Weeknd’s discography. This is one of The Weeknd’s few Rap tracks, it gained a lot of attention within the Rap sphere. It was the way in which XO would announce that they’ve made it, little did they know that this was just the start.
Prior to the release of Beauty Behind the Madness (BBTM), The Weeknd gained mainstream attention. The Weeknd’s exposure to mainstream music was uphill, it wasn’t overnight. The first taste of BBTM came from Often, a song that reflected the themes of sex that Abel was known for. The track was released more than a year before BBTM’s release and had made it onto the trackless unlike King of the Fall. Slowly but surely The Weeknd gained exposure, his main sources of exposure were through a collaboration and a soundtrack.
Most pop fans heard about The Weeknd through his hit collaboration with Ariana Grande, Love Me Harder. The collab was made through Republic when The Weeknd said he wanted more than what he had gotten through Kiss Land. Ariana and Abel had formed a real bond cough The Hills cough, their bond assisted the song in becoming a memorable hit for both artists. Love Me Harder was a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
Later that year, The Weeknd was featured on the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack with Earned It, as well as Where You Belong. Earned It became a massive hit peaking at 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving an Oscar nomination for The Weeknd; a massive milestone for XO. Earned It kept up with Abel’s signature lyrics but the production differed heavily from the sort of R&B he was known for.
Videos from that era

Beauty Behind the Madness.

I can hear this image

I'm that ***** with the hair singin' 'bout poppin' pills, fuckin' bitches, livin' life so trill. (Tell Your Friends)

Following the success of Love Me Harder and Earned It, the Beauty Behind the Madness era began with The Hills. This was The Weeknd’s first number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Along with the video, The Hills became an addictive classic. The production and lyrics mirror a mature version of the sound that was originally found on Trilogy. It was truly in keeping with The Weeknd’s character, the only difference was his haircut.
Next came Can’t Feel My Face, a Max Martin production that differed greatly from anything The Weeknd put out in the past. In past songs, Abel had expressed his fear of losing his following if he went mainstream simultaneously asking his fans if they’d stay. He repeats that sentiment in the Can’t Feel My Face video. The sound has changed, the lyrics stay the same but now he’s a pop-star. The song became a hit as it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. With this massive bop previous fans still stayed, The Weeknd becoming a pop singer didn’t at all alter his image or sound; he mastered it.
In The Night and Acquainted were released as singles on the same day, the were the only singles to come after the release of Beauty Behind The Madness. The former received a music video treatment that followed the theme of the song itself while also starring Abel’s girlfriend at the time, Bella Hadid. Acquainted was robbed of a video even though Abel had shown off the fact that a video was in development; the song kept in the tone of The Weeknd’s work prior to BBTM.
Beauty Behind the Madness captures a Hollywood-based reality that The Weeknd came to understand: the dark aspects of your life will continue to follow you wherever you are. Real Life, Losers (feat. Labrinth), Tell Your Friends, Dark Times (feat. Ed Sheeran), and Prisoner (feat. Lana Del Rey) all capture a nihilistic view of a dream achieved.
Most of the videos of Beauty Behind The Madness have a mysterious white man. He’s featured in The Hills, Can’t Feel My Face, and Tell Your Friends. That man represents the devil. Throughout his journey in those videos, (The Hills) Abel runs into the devil after his car crash, (Can’t Feel My Face) he’s at the club then lights him on fire. The significance behind the fire could be selling his soul to the devil, BBTM is about Hollywood and a popular Hollywood myth is that celebrities sell their souls to the devil in exchange for fame. So in the Can’t Feel My Face video, Abel changes his sound to Pop (from R&B) thus leaving his signature sound in order to become famous, everyone starts enjoying his music once he’s sold his soul.
Then we see The Weeknd burying himself in Tell Your Friends, perhaps leaving the old Abel behind after the deal with the devil. However, instead of thanking the devil, Abel takes his revenge and shoots him. But wait, there’s more! The album trailer for BBTM features the devil burning a billboard with The Weeknd’s face on it, revealing Beauty Behind The Madness. HOWEVER, the final cut for the video features the devil being arrested while The Weeknd watches. This is a more realistic form of karma that the devil gets.
Videos for BBTM

Starboy.

Filled with bops

If I could, I'd trade it all, trade it for a halo. And she said that she'll pray for me, I said, "It's too late for me.” (Ordinary Life)

After the massive success of Beauty Behind the Madness, there was a lot of hype around what The Weeknd would do next; evidently he decided to explore Pop. The fandom he had gained wasn’t entirely based in the Pop sphere, his fans consisted of general Rap fans, but Starboy attracted the Pop audience.
Initially, most of his older fans couldn’t get behind Starboy, it differed greatly from the previous sound. It was crazy to think that the guy who made Trilogy managed to make such a Pop-centric album. But this was Abel expressing his versatility.
Since this is where most pop fans found out about Abel’s work and became fans I won’t talk too much about the singles, rather more about the album itself. His work with Daft Punk cemented this album in an efficient mix between Pop and R&B, where Beauty Behind the Madness was more R&B with Pop, Starboy was considered Pop with R&B.
Beyond the genres, Starboy explores two evident themes. One being his life with fame and recognition. The next being his love life in Hollywood, this aspect of the album came from his relationship with Bella Hadid which ended after the release of the album.
The cross became the symbol for that era and appeared in the album’s photoshoot as well as the videos. There was never any conclusive word on the use of the cross but there are various theories about it, something to note is that Abel was raised Christian, it could perhaps be a reflection of his past.
The cross he uses to destroy his accolades (Starboy video) is assisting him rather than something that’s holding him back. Abel’s upbringing was rough but now he’s celebrating it rather than feeling bad for himself. The cross continues to come up in the Party Monster video, this time it’s in the party house he’s making his way through. Then it shows up in the video for Reminder, this time in the form of his merch, the people wearing it are perhaps representative of his fans. Then we see it in the False Alarm video, both Abel and the girl are wearing it; the notable thing being that Abel holds his cross up before dying. Then in the brilliant video for Secrets, after giving up on the girl he’s with he leaves the building to find a giant cross. And finally in the I Feel It Coming video, The Weeknd sports a shiny cross necklace, and Daft Punk find it years and years after Abel froze.
The videos tell us that the cross is an evident piece of his story. This could mean that his past will always be with him, no matter what sort of fame he’s experiencing he’ll always be who he once was.
Also, I’m gonna take this moment to once again the genius that is the Secrets (both the song and the video). Yes it’s my favourite song/video off of Starboy but it’s so underrated.
Videos for Starboy, Secrets video bottom right
Fun Fact— Most demos of the tracks on Starboy weren’t as pop as they became, they started off R&B but became pop after production.

My Dear Melancholy.

Note the comma

They said our love is just a game, I don't care what they say. But I'ma drink the pain away, I'll be back to my old ways. (Privilege)

Oof (but in a good way, this whole thing is a bop). For this one I’m gonna talk extensively about The Weeknd’s relationships, which personally feels really invasive but it’s but it’s essential when talking about these sad boy anthems. Beyond that I’d just like to state that though they are part of the narrative both Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez deserve respect/privacy.
So when it comes to Pop music fans I think it’s safe to say that we all know a lot about this one. My Dear Melancholy (MDM) came after the very public relationship of The Weeknd and Selena Gomez. However it’s not just about Selena, some songs reflect his relationship with Bella Hadid (whom he got back with a month after MDM’s release).
My Dear Melancholy consists with The Weeknd’s exploration/mastery of merging Pop and R&B together. The EP was praised by fans for its lyrics and production, many went on to theorize that it was his most personal project since House of Balloons. The EP was the shortest album to reach number one on the Billboard 200.
My Dear Melancholy and fan conspiracies; name a better duo. The first theory being that the EP is entirely about Selena Gomez which wasn’t too much of a mystery since the lyric “I almost cut a piece of myself for your life” exists. Not only did MDM come after Abel’s relationship with Selena Gomez but also after his relationship with Bella Hadid. As far as fans were aware those two relationships were the most important relationships Abel had ever been in.
In theory, the songs about Bella and Selena can be categorized. Call Out My Name, Try Me, and Privilege are likely about Selena. Wasted Times, and Hurt You are likely about Bella. Leaving I Was Never There to act as an introspective look into The Weeknd’s life, basically making him hop back on his vices for comfort.
Another popular theory was that My Dear Melancholy was the first of another trilogy. This rumour was widely believed due to the comma at the end of the title on the album cover. But the fans soon gained a real reason to believe this theory, since the CEO of XO (the record label), Sal had liked an Instagram post that featured the cover and alleged date. Since Trilogy is a fan favourite this conspiracy spread like wild fire, so much so that fake titles and covers were made. The name of this trilogy would be: (1)My Dear Melancholy, (2)We’re Alone Together, (3)Abel.
Only one song served as a single for the EP. Call Out My Name was released nearly two months prior to the actual release of the album, it debuted/peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The mysterious video captures The Weeknd in various atmospheric places that reflect the tone of the EP, a haunting yet unexplained reality that the listener is to reflect on.
From the cover, to the music, to the video, to lyrics, My Dear Melancholy is an introspective reflection of heartbreak.
Call out my name video

After Hours.

Talented, Brilliant, Incredible, etc.

My darkest hours. (After Hours)

After Hours comes after success but references two lows in The Weeknd’s life. The album welcomes darkness and leads the listener towards a dead-end. The Weeknd’s past two albums (Beauty Behind The Madness and Starboy) ended on hopeful notes, they left the listener with a sense of hope but all hope his lost with After Hours.
Fans compare After Hours to House of Balloons—a rare occurrence considering House of Balloons’ acclaim—arguing that both albums are on the same level. Debate continues on whether or not both albums are on the same caliber. The belief that After Hours stems from reality does a lot to help its side of the argument.
The era began with Mercedes-Benz commercial that featured Blinding Lights, that was our first taste of the everlasting bop. Heartless was premiered on an episode of Memento Mori hours before its release on the 27 of November (2019), Blinding Lights was released two days later. Both videos were as brain melting as promised and the served as the tip of the iceberg.
After Hours was released nine days after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, there was a massive risk in releasing an album that would not have a lot of promotion after it’s release (other than magazine coverage). There was no telling whether or not people would pay attention to the album during the height of the fear surrounding the pandemic, but it was a massive success. After Hours debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with singles Heartless and Blinding Lights topping the Billboard Hot 100.
The album is layered with haunting productions that remains predominantly R&B but dives deep into Pop with some of the tracks. Max Martin produced the massive hit Blinding Lights as well as In Your Eyes, Save Your Tears, Hardest to Love, and Scared to Live which samples Elton John’s Your Song. Other notable producers include Metro Boomin who worked on the hit Heartless as well as Escape from LA, Faith, and Until I Bleed Out. With Kevin Parker on the interlude Repeat After Me.
Beyond the production are the narrative driven lyrics. In theory the album references two significant events in Abel’s life, his second breakup with Bella Hadid and his arrest in Las Vegas. The latter was due to his misbehaviour; in January 2015 he punched a cop in Vegas, lmao. Which means that After Hours is a recollection of The Weeknd’s first few years in LA. He merges the concept of his breakup with the idea of being an upcoming star, feeling free in the city of lights all while diving deep into the meaninglessness of those lights.
While After Hours starts with loneliness and a second chance it leads up to Abel returning to his vices of lust. In Alone Again his loneliness caught up to him and he’s asking for a second chance. He acknowledges his mistakes and situation in Too Late/Hardest to Love, in Scared to Live his ex then returns to him for a second time. He remembers his past ways in Snowchild and the way in which it lead to better days, but where do you go after such highs? In Escape From LA he faces the superficial reality of Hollywood, glad that he got that he got back with his ex, while continuing to question if it’s worth it. But he fucks up the second chance when she pulls up to the studio.
Who is she? Much like the other mysteries surrounding The Weeknd’s music, we may never know. Is it all more of The Weeknd’s songwriting ability or is it driven by reality? Fans found a merge between the two to be more accurate, After Hours is about heartbreak and a return to the vices that held The Weeknd back.
Heartless is when The Weeknd is once again back to his ways, he may have been in a serious relationship but after throwing that away he spirals back to the way he once was. It’s sad but it’s one hell of a song. Speaking of brilliant songs, Faith is when Abel admits that he’s back on his vices, he states that he needs his ex back with him till the end; he’s back to self-loathing.
So when he says he’s blinded by the lights, there’s two meanings to it. The Faith outro tells us that he’s in a car with flashing lights, a cop car (as confirmed by Abel) to be exact. Then Blinding Lights tells us that while he’s watching the bright lights of Vegas pass him by he calls out for the girl that he regrets losing. That is the peak of the After Hours narrative. He’s behaving badly over the loss of the girl he loved and is now at the worst position trying to find her and gain her trust for a third time.
Following Blinding Lights is In Your Eyes, this is where The Weeknd vows not to judge her; he can see right through her but will never do anything to make her upset. Does this mean their back together? Not exactly. Save Your Tears details a sort of moving-on that The Weeknd isn’t ready for but tries to help her move on, blind to his own inability to move on. Does it work? Not really. Repeat After Me (Interlude) shows that he’s still trying to convince himself that he’s unfazed by the loss of a meaningful relationship.
Then you hear a true masterpiece. The title track is a spiral into true regret and an apology for his actions, he admits that his ex girlfriend is the only reason he lives. In a dark lonely city she’s the only one keeping him sane. But his pleas fail, Until I Bleed Out is when The Weeknd no longer wants her in his life so much so that he wants to erase his memory of anything related to her. The bonus tracks then echo the final sentiment.
It’s one sad ass album, ain’t it. But here’s where the Red Suit Character comes in.
Shoutout to the makeup department
The album isn’t the only narrative to follow with After Hours. The videos for the album follow their own sort of narrative. The story follows an unnamed guy that goes by “red suit character” according to The Weeknd.
There’s a lot of confusion and endless theories surrounding this character’s story, after The Weeknd confirmed that it’s about a decent into Hollywood culture it makes more sense… kind of. I’m gonna discuss the storyline without talking about the movies that have influenced it, this way the focus remains on the character.
The order of these videos is Heartless / Blinding Lights / Blinding Lights (Live on Kimmel)* / After Hours short film / In Your Eyes / Until I Bleed Out / Snowchild / Too Late / Live at AMAs* / Save Your Tears
*Though all live performances could count as part of the narrative, these one relate directly with the videos that follow.
He’s is first seen in Vegas with Metro Boomin (Heartless), intoxicated on various substances. He dives deeper into his high until he licks a frog, after that he faces the true effects of this high. He’s frightened by the result and runs far away from Vegas. (Blinding Lights) He’s then found in LA, where he’s dancing in the street, hypnotized by the singer, beat up by guards, and races past all those bright lights in his Benz. Ultimately realizing the shallowness of the Los Angeles fantasy.
(Blinding Lights Live on Kimmel) We then find him performing Blinding Lights live, while he attempts to find more reason in within the madness city; he couldn’t find it on the streets so he goes to the stage. (After Hours short film) Even then there’s no meaning to anything in the city, he mindlessly wanders into the depth of the subway where he’s dragged by the reality of it all and ends up possessed. (In Your Eyes) After being possessed he chases the woman whose boyfriend he just murdered, she runs into a club falls deeper into the After Hours fantasy, in a successful attempt to defend herself she beheads the red suit character and dances all over LA with his head, iconic behaviour.
(Until I Bleed Out) Then in an ethereal dreamscape, red suit character finds himself in a House of Balloons. He’s trying to escape, but the people there keep pulling him in; he’s getting higher while observing Glass Table Girls. He spirals into the antarctic, the other side of the world. From Heatless to this point in his story, his vices lead him back to the lowest point in Abel’s life. Is it Hell, Heaven or Las Vegas? (Snowchild) He relives his career up until the point where his story began. Considering he’s dead, his life basically flashed before his eyes.
(Too Late) LA girls find the red suit character’s head and live their best life. They wanna have sex with him so they find the best boy parts by calling up a stripper who could be the body. The stitch the head up with the body and do what they want. But now he’s brought back to life. (Live at AMAs) He’s had work done… He went in to get his nose fixed and the doctor said “you sure that’s all you want?” The red suit character’s face is healing while he tries to celebrate his life on top of a bridge.
(Save Your Tears) Surrounded by a masked cult he debut’s his new face. Do they like it? Are they impressed? Not instantly, their masks translate no expression so how’s he to know? Is any of this worth it? Nope red suit character continues to die inside. He finds a maskless girl in the crowd, she’s lively unlike the rest; but even then, nothing on the inside nothing on the outside. He wants death again, somehow a second chance with this city is still pointless. He tries to kill himself via the girl and himself but it’s all a facade; theatrics.
His story continues but that’s all we know so far.
The videos make a lot of film references. This post by explain these references very well, as well as past album references here (part one) and here (part two).
After Hours is inspired by a lot of movies, since Abel is in fact a cinephile. The main movies that inspired the aesthetic and storytelling are believed to be Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Casino (1995), Joker (2019), Uncut Gems (2020), and After Hours (1985). The album tells two sad narratives but remains one of The Weeknd’s best works yet. He’s expanded his videography and enhanced the interest of people who casually enjoy his music and of course his fans.
But the era isn’t over, by the time this is posted his Super Bowl Halftime show is yet to happen. And it’ll continue the red suit character’s story.
Videos for After Hours (so far)
Fun Fact—The Heartless video features a reference to Thursday. When he’s trying to run from Vegas, a sign behind him flashes “Heartless / Heaven or Las Vegas.” This could be a reference to Abel running from his past, after all Heartless is about him returning to his vices.

END.

Thank you for reading this, again, I didn’t realize it would end up being this long. But I hope this this served as a nice refresher for any fans who wanted to revisit Abel’s work before the Super Bowl.
And I really hope that anyone interested in getting into his music finds this helpful. Once again, the theories/interpretations mentioned aren’t conclusive, they’re widely based on fan discussion/mutual interpretation.
Due to the character limit I couldn’t add too links to the albums, so here are some artist links.
Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | The Weeknd’s Shop | Tidal | Genius

Disgraced fashion mogul Peter Nygard's own SON is helping police investigate his alleged sex crimes By Guy Adams Investigates For The Daily Mail
15 Jan 2021
Link to article
'He has become my arch-nemesis. I no longer regard him as my father . . . He is a monster. I am now here to serve in any way I can, to support survivors and the justice process and also to help expose the people who covered up his crimes.'
Kai Bickle's world came tumbling down one night in May 2019, when he attended a dinner party at a lavishly decorated mansion overlooking the golden sands of Venice Beach in Los Angeles.
The host was his father, Peter Nygard, a Canadian fashion tycoon famed for the hedonistic lifestyle he pursued at a global portfolio of high-end properties, including vast residences in Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal, as well as New York, and, most notoriously, a Mayan-themed 'private luxury resort' in the Bahamas.
Modelling himself on Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, the flamboyant Nygard, now 79, kept a revolving harem of girlfriends. Those caught up (often completely unwittingly) in this web had included actresses Susan Anton and Jennifer O'Neill, stripper-turned-reality star Anna Nicole Smith, and a former Wheel Of Fortune card turner by the name of Vanna White.
His Caribbean parties, meanwhile, tended to attract a better class of A-lister. Past visitors to the island property had ranged from Jane Seymour and Bo Derek to Robert De Niro, , Michael Jackson and Joan Collins, not to mention and , who were photographed there in the early 2000s on an innocuous family holiday.
The 2019 bash, during one of Peter's occasional business trips to LA, was to be a more down-to-earth affair. Roughly 20 guests, including Kai, 38, and his younger brother Jessar (one of roughly ten offspring Nygard has fathered via more than seven women) had been invited for food and drinks, followed by a late-night poker game.
That was the plan, at least. But Kai never made it to the card- table. Instead, he fled the lavish premises in a state of distress, shortly after dinner, believing that he had just witnessed his father attempting to sexually assault an eight-year-old girl.
Details of this ugly development are (it should be stressed) strongly disputed, and we shall examine them later. But the incident would kick-start an extraordinary chain of events that culminated just before Christmas, with the arrest of Peter Nygard on nine charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.
Currently behind bars, with his $900 million (£660 million) business empire in tatters and the FBI poring over his computer hard-drives, the fallen tycoon has now been accused of rape or sexual assault by at least 57 women. Several of Nygard's accusers were children when the alleged crimes took place, and many claim they were drugged.
At least 57 women have accused him.
He will appear in court in Canada next week, seeking bail as he fights extradition to the USA.
It is, perhaps, the most high-profile and shocking sex case since handcuffs were slapped on Jeffrey Epstein. And in a remarkable twist, it turns out that a leading figure in the increasingly public campaign to prosecute Mr Nygard is his aforementioned son, Kai.
Upcoming documentary: ‘Unseamly’ Canadian Designer Peter Nygård True Crime Documentary
Behind the scenes, I can reveal that Kai has spent the past 18 months secretly helping both the U.S. and Canadian authorities investigate his own father's alleged crimes. Keeping his role hidden from Nygard and his associates for several months, he has worked tirelessly to assist victims, and their legal teams.
On the personal front, he has changed his name (taking up his mother's surname to become Kai Zen Bickle) and used his influence over various Nygard companies to block efforts to move his assets offshore, fearing that would allow him to flee. 'We have been engaged in a brutal battle against my father and his enablers,' is how Kai summed things up when we spoke this week.
'He has become my arch-nemesis. I no longer regard him as my father . . . He is a monster. I am now here to serve in any way I can, to support survivors and the justice process and also to help expose the people who covered up his crimes.'
Perhaps most remarkably of all, Kai recently helped two of his younger siblings, one of whom remains a minor, to sue Peter Nygard over claims he 'engineered' the rape of his own sons. In an extraordinary lawsuit filed in August, the boys claimed that their leathery, multi-millionaire father instructed one of his long-standing girlfriends (who was also a sex worker) to 'make a man' out of them.
The first of these alleged attacks (which, again, are vehemently denied by Nygard) took place in the Bahamas 2004, when the son was 15 and the woman was in her mid-20s. The second occurred in Winnipeg in 2018, when the younger child was 14 and the woman was in her 40s. Court papers filed by the boys stated that the unnamed girlfriend was instructed to seduce Nygard's son by showering in his bathroom so that he 'could see her naked'. Then she raped him.
Afterwards, she allegedly told the boy he 'wasn't bad' for a 'baby.' The next morning, Nygard's girlfriend brought him breakfast in bed, kissing him on the lips and announcing: 'Mommy's got you.' Kai says he first became aware of this appalling incident last spring, and was 'sickened' to hear his brothers' claims.
He would often yell and scream at his staff.
'We all spoke and decided the best course of action was to file a lawsuit publicly in the hope that other survivors would feel safe to come forward and also file criminally against Nygard,' he says. 'We were originally going to have me in the suit as my young brother's guardian, but in the end decided not to because it would reveal to Nygard that I was working against him . . . At the time I was [secretly] doing everything I could to improve the odds that he would get arrested.'
To appreciate the extraordinary journey taken by Kai, we must wind the clock back to the mid-1980s, when his father was one of Canada's most talked-about self-made millionaires.
The son of penniless immigrants from Finland, Peter Nygard had launched his empire in the late 1960s, with an $8,000 (£6,000) investment in a struggling fashion firm. By the time he was 30, the company had become one of North America's most successful suppliers of leisure and sportswear, while his flamboyant eccentricities, which included keeping parrots in his office and filling the lobby of Nygard HQ with bronze busts of himself, turned him into an object of public fascination.
In 1987, the party-loving entrepreneur purchased a 4.5-acre patch of the island of New Providence in the Bahamas and set about turning it into a 'dream home' where he could indulge his champagne lifestyle. Over the ensuing years, he built 150,000 sq ft of Mayan-themed buildings, stretching over a dozen 'cabana-style' residences. The buildings at Nygard Cay eventually included a casino, a disco hut (with cameras beneath the dance floor, reportedly to shoot images of revellers from below), and the world's largest sauna, a 6,000 sq ft lodge made from 2ft-thick Canadian pine logs.
In the grounds were fake volcanoes that belched dry ice, a flock of peacocks, stone cobras which hissed steam at sunset, 60 ft towers festooned with hundreds of flaming torches (lit nightly by staff) and giant statues of nude women, purportedly modelled on some of Nygard's favourite girlfriends.
At weekends, he would host lavish parties, which appeared on various TV documentaries, including Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous.
The place became a magnet for freeloading celebrities and, while Kai believes they generally had the most fleeting and brief relationship with Nygard, photos of their visits were then plastered across company literature and websites.
Prince Andrew, to cite one example, was recorded for posterity wandering with the long-haired fashion magnate on the beach, wearing blue shorts and boat shoes.
Born in the 1980s, Kai spent the first three years of his life in the Bahamas until his mother, Patricia, left Nygard, with whom she'd had three children but never married.
They moved first to California and then to the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. Over subsequent years, he had almost no regular contact with the fashion tycoon aside from occasional visits during school holidays, where he met various half-siblings.
'He would have one family weekend per year at his lake cottage, and a few days set aside for Christmas,' says Kai of the somewhat unorthodox arrangement. 'During those times, the days were filled with activities like horseback riding or mini golf.
'He could be a very charismatic person when he wanted to be and the family weekends were very light and brief.'
In the very limited time he spent with his father during childhood, Kai saw nothing that gave him reason to suspect that Peter Nygard was guilty of criminality, though he did have a highly volatile personality.
'He would yell and scream at his staff often, and that always was upsetting to everyone around it, but he would describe his yelling as 'passion' because of his 'high standards',' Kai says.
Nygard's children were further told that he 'lived a consensual, non-monogamous lifestyle,' Kai says. 'He made speeches at dinner to family when we were together to talk about how he hoped everyone got a wonderful partner and wished that he could find that special someone, but that it wasn't the life for him.
'He also had girlfriends that were persistently with him, always two or three, and often they were around for years. He wasn't embarrassed about it. He flaunted it on TV, it was part of his brand, something he showed the whole world. He was proud of it.'
Be that as it may, rumours of predatory behaviour by Nygard —and worse — had occasionally reared their ugly head, only to be quickly suppressed: a relatively easy task before the internet.
In 1980, for example, he was charged with the rape of an 18-year-old, but the charge was dropped when the complainant refused to testify. In 1996, three female employees meanwhile filed sexual harassment complaints in the Canadian province of Manitoba.
It looked like his hand was on her thigh, rubbing.
One, a 39-year-old communications manager, said that, when called into Nygard's office, she would 'find him in a state of undress . . . with his hands down the front of his pants, fondling himself.' He settled by giving the women $18,500 (£13,600) and denied any wrongdoing.
Then, in 2010, a Canadian TV network put out a Panorama-style documentary about Nygard, focusing on alleged sex abuse and harassment of former employees.
It quoted a former stewardess on his private plane who alleged that on one journey — during which Nygard was accompanied by a troupe of topless women — he lost his temper with staff, shouting: 'You are nothing! You are garbage! I am God!'
The programme also alleged that Nygard had engaged in 'inappropriate sexual contact' with a young woman who had been brought to his home in 2003 from the Dominican Republic. Nygard denied that either incident had happened, and sued to stop the documentary being broadcast.
Fast forward to May 2019, however, and those ugly incidents were largely forgotten. Kai, who was by then in his late 30s, had worked for his father's companies for just over two years after leaving college, but quit to pursue a career in activism and health science.
Nygard's trip to Los Angeles afforded them a rare opportunity to catch up, so he attended the aforementioned dinner party in Venice Beach.
As the night wore on, he recalls becoming uncomfortable about his father's behaviour towards an eight-year-old girl, who was attending with her mother, one of Nygard's old girlfriends.
'He's got her sitting right next to him at dinner, which is usually his girlfriend chair. And he's a creature of routine. So I'm already thinking this is weird.
'He's trying to act like the Papa. It was just weird . . . I'm noticing things. I'm noticing that he's telling her little secrets at dinner. Putting his hand close to her ear and going all hush-hush.' At the end of dinner, most of the other 20-odd guests got up to adjourn to the card table. However, Kai adds: 'I'm still watching him. Her chair gets pushed back. He brings her round to him.
'She was on his right side. He brings her to his left side, with his arm around her waist, and I see his elbow change and start moving as if — it looked to me, I couldn't see, but it looked like his hand was on her upper thigh, and rubbing. That's what it looked like to me . . . Everything in my body told me he was doing something terrible.'
'I had a huge adrenaline rush and I immediately told the mother to get her daughter away from him,' he adds. 'I stood up next to him and looked in his eyes. At that moment, for me, it was like all the walls were crashing down around him . . . And I realised that, yeah, he's probably trying to groom that girl.'
Nygard vigorously denied wrongdoing, and even called Kai 'sick' for thinking as much. But Kai was unconvinced.
Then, in February last year, ten women filed a bombshell lawsuit in New York claiming that the fashion magnate had used wealth and status to 'entice underage girls' from 'young, impressionable and often impoverished backgrounds' into his home, where they would be 'plied with alcohol' and (some allege) date-rape drugs, before being taken to Nygard's private quarters, where he would 'assault, rape and sodomise' them. Court papers claimed they were then coerced into joining a globe-trotting harem of sex workers paid thousands of dollars from Nygard's company funds and trafficked around the world on his company's private jet, which reportedly boasts a stripper pole.
One alleged victim, who was just 14 at the time, claimed Nygard raped her and paid her $5,000 (£3,700).
Another said her encounter with Nygard began with him showing her pornography after which he raped her, 'causing her extraordinary trauma and pain', the suit states.
Three of his existing ten accusers were 14 at the time. Three more were 15.
Within days, dozens more alleged victims had come forward. By the summer, some 57 survivors were pursuing legal action — and the number of alleged victims had reached 100.
Kai again confronted his father, only to be told it was all 'lies' and asked to speak out publicly in his father's support. But days later a friend texted Kai to complain about a recent visit to Nygard's house in Los Angeles.
'He said he'd brought a female friend with him, who had one or two drinks and had started to feel very high. Nygard took her up to his room and aggressively had sex with her, not using a condom.
'When I heard that, I knew he was not only as bad as people said he was, but was a dangerous criminal and had to be stopped.' He duly alerted the authorities about the friend's message. In a podcast called Live To Walk Again, released this week, he revealed that he began helping both the police and the alleged victims' lawyers, who he regards as 'heroes'.
Over the summer, Kai also used official positions held in Nygard firms to block two apparent efforts to move assets overseas, amid concerns that the tycoon might flee to evade justice.
PODCAST EPISODE: Peter Nygard Discusses His Father
'Through the course of ten months I also helped several survivors to file criminally against him, and spent countless hours on the phone with survivors, lawyers and authorities,' he says. Last month Nygard was arrested on U.S. charges at a home in the Royalwood area of Winnipeg. He spent Christmas behind bars and has consistently denied any wrongdoing, saying he 'expects to be vindicated' in court.
Kai has renounced his inheritance and is working on 'making the world a better place' by campaigning to close legal loopholes exploited by sex offenders.
'I'm very happy earning my own money, as I have all my life. We've never had a trust fund or an allowance, and since his money has been made through pain and suffering, I won't accept a potential inheritance,' he says.
His father's cash, he says, should instead go towards compensating victims. 'My focus now is to help the healing process.'

Going through old issues of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and posting highlights in my own words. For anyone interested, I highly recommend signing up for the actual site at f4wonline and checking out the full archives.
PREVIOUS YEARS ARCHIVE:
1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999

1-3-2000	1-10-2000	1-17-2000	1-24-2000
1-31-2000	2-7-2000	2-14-2000	2-21-2000
2-28-2000	3-6-2000	3-13-2000	3-20-2000
3-27-2000	4-3-2000	4-10-2000	4-17-2000
4-24-2000	5-1-2000	5-8-2000	5-15-2000
5-22-2000	5-29-2000	6-5-2000	6-12-2000
6-19-2000	6-26-2000	7-3-2000	7-10-2000
7-17-2000	7-24-2000	7-31-2000	8-7-2000
8-14-2000	8-21-2000	8-28-2000	9-4-2000
9-11-2000	9-18-2000	9-25-2000	10-01-2000
10-09-2000	10-15-2000	10-23-2000	10-30-2000

• Bret Hart officially announced his retirement this week due to concussions he suffered starting back at Starrcade from a Goldberg kick. Doctors actually speculated that Hart may have had a concussion going into the match, but the kick magnified the damage. Following the Goldberg match, Hart continued to wrestle for a couple of weeks and got rocked again several times, particularly in a hardcore match with Terry Funk. Doctors said he's suffered about 10% brain damage, some of which may be permanent. Despite the injury, there was always the possibility that he could have remained an on-screen character in some role. But Hart was fired by WCW last week, which basically left him with no real options, since he has no intention of ever working for WWF again and said he doesn't want to end his career by working his way down the minor league food chain like so many other wrestlers do. Dave says Hart will be remembered for many things, and while his career had no shortage of memorable moments, the name Bret Hart will always be mostly associated with what happened in Montreal 3 years ago and with the death of his brother Owen. The first was the most historically influential match in modern times and Owen's death was the biggest mainstream news story in wrestling history. The last 3 years of Bret's life have been hell, from a disappointing WCW run, injuries, and the utter destruction of the Hart family in the wake of Owen's death. Dave thinks it's sad because if this was Japan or Mexico, the wrestling culture there is different. If a star on the level of Bret Hart retired there, they would have elaborate retirement ceremonies and make a huge deal of it. But here in America, he was double-crossed out of the WWF to avoid giving him a fond farewell, and then he was unceremoniously fired from WCW rather than having a chance to officially retire in the ring or give a speech for his fans. Then again, with the state of WCW, nobody would have believed a Bret Hart retirement speech anyway, since everyone would just suspect an angle. But it sucks that he's having to hang up the boots while unemployed and with no outlet to be given the send-off he deserves.
  
• Dave recaps Bret's career, starting as a teenager in the Amarillo territory with Dory Funk, his time in Japan, and then starting in Stampede and working his way up the ladder there (he started as an opening match jobber). Forming the Hart Foundation with Neidhart, their years together in WWF, his singles run, becoming IC and WWF champion when business was down and Vince needed someone who wasn't exploding with steroids to be the face of the company. As WWF champion, business was weak in the U.S. but Hart was a huge draw when WWF toured internationally (which they did a lot more back then because U.S. business was so bad). And then of course, Shawn Michaels, the Screwjob, and off to WCW where he was the hottest star in the business upon arrival. But from there, he was the victim of injuries and horrible booking and Hart in WCW never clicked. Dave goes on and on about the countless times WCW dropped the ball with how they booked Bret. Anyway, Hart has ruled out ever wrestling again, for fear of more brain damage and not wanting to live the rest of his life as a drooling vegetable. He also shot down the idea of ever being a manager because he's unhappy with the direction of the business and says he's leaving the industry entirely, not just the in-ring part. He plans to spend the next year working on a book about his life and doing some acting. Luckily, he should be well off financially. He earned north of 7 figures during his last four years in the business and has a Lloyds of London disability policy that will pay him the equivalent of 6 months salary, which will be another million or so.
  
• Bret Hart announced his retirement in his Calgary Sun column and since you can't just easily find this online anymore, here's what Bret wrote:
  

There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That'll be the beginning." -- Louis La'Amour.
I'm really sorry to have to say that my professional wrestling career is over--forever. Although I've expected it to end for some time now, I could in no way ever prepare for it.
I suppose it doesn't do much good to speak negatively about how this or that has gone for me. I feel it is more fitting right now to remember the more positive aspects of my long and great career. I have not one regret. I'm proud of all my achievements, especially my seven World Heavyweight Championships.
I will miss the cities, the countries, especially the people--all colours, all religions, all ages, all languages. I've always tried my absolute best in every match, in every city, big or small, in countries all around the world.
I cannot begin to explain how proud I am to have touched so many people with the ability to wrestle. My heart is filled with memories. Like when I was mobbed at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem by Palestinian children, tears in their eyes, kissing my hands. In Belfast, Ireland, being cheered on by both Catholic and Protestant fans, the emotions that poured out as I walked around the ring high-fiving our victory together. The time I was in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, where they waved Canadian flags and chanted O Canada! I could go on endlessly, but maybe it's easier to say I was privileged to be the only world champion who really travelled the world.
I hope that my fans who have kept the faith, believing in me, may in some small way take some lesson from me that will help them in their lifetime. I will never forget how touched I was in Rochester, N.Y. in one of my last matches, when a bunch of die-hard fans held up a sign that read: Parking $10, Program $5, Ticket $35, watching Bret Hitman Hart wrestle--priceless."
I'm forever grateful for the doors that opened bringing me to America. Thank you for having me, for giving me so much. I thank all my fans everywhere. I owe you all for everything I am.
As for the wrestlers, it would mean a lot to me to always be remembered as "one of the boys." I've made great friendships that will last my lifetime and look forward to an easier life filled with reminiscing.
To all of you who worked with me, carried me, and trusted me, those who allowed my success to continue while theirs did not, all from a deep sense of tradition and honour. I tried to always work hard to be champion in your eyes first. My greatest accomplishment is knowing that I never seriously harmed one wrestler. It may not seem important, but I want it remembered that in all the years I never, ever refused to lose to another wrestler--except once--and that was that fateful day in Montreal, where it's clear that I stood up for "the boys."
I could begin to list all the great wrestlers I either watched or worked with, but it would take forever. I will simply say that I'd give anything to climb into the ring with so many of you just one more time. To most people, wrestling is stupid, it's fake, it doesn't mean anything. When I think about it, I'm reminded of a quote by George Braque: "Art is a sound turned to light."
I drift back to a time when I was 23 years old, wrestling for my father, in Regina, making $150 a night. It looked like it was going to be a near full crowd on hand to see me take on my arch rival, The Dynamite Kid, in a ladder match. The title and a bag supposedly containing $5,000 dangled from a string above the ring. Whoever could climb the ladder and grab it first would be the winner.
We were both so young when I look back on it now, so intense, when the bell rang, we tore into each other, ferociously, eventually spilling out onto the floor. I went to slam Dynamite's head into a steel chair. He, of course, had his hands up for protection, but I had no idea he would hit it so hard. His head bounced back, I tried to turn, but our heads smashed. I split the back of his head open and shattered my face, one of those rare accidents.
I could tell it was bad. I could poke my finger through a gaping hole in the middle of my nose. The blood poured. We fought on. I remember Dynamite jumping up high, gripping that heavy steel ladder coming down straight down on my head. I didn't move. The crowd gasped. I dreamed a smile--because he never even touched me. He really was the best. Finally, I had him right where I wanted him, but the referee was down. That's when J.R. Foley crept up on the apron and whacked me across the back with his heavy walking stick. Down I went. The crowd was furious--so unfair. Dynamite began to climb to the top, his fingers reaching. Suddenly, I jumped up, throwing a perfect desperation drop kick, just like he asked me. "...just barely touch the ladder with your toes. I'll control how I go over."
Sure enough, the ladder wobbled and tipped, he grimaced, over they both went, with amazing timing. Dynamite leapt off, straddling the top rope, bouncing up and out right on top of J.R. Foley. But the ladder hit the top rope with such force, bouncing all the way back, heading right toward me. I was lucky I saw it. I rolled and rolled as fast as I could. It crashed with a thud, missing my head by only inches. I sat up, checking to see if Dynamite was hurt. He appeared to be all right, but still both of us knew we'd be going for some stitches.
He was riding with me, so he had to duck down when we drove past the fans on the way to the Pasqua Hospital. From there, we drove back home, all night, so that we could wrestle the following night, too tired to say a word to each other.
But if I can stop right there...to somehow try and explain just what it is that I will miss the most about wrestling, I loved it all so much. I stood that big steel ladder up, one step up, climbing higher and higher, the crowd soaring with me, louder and louder, the blood dripping off my nose...reaching...I pulled that belt down and there it was--it happened. The crowd exploded.
We blew the roof off...so loud I could not hear a single sound except the beating of my own heart. If you're lucky enough to find a way of life you live, you also have to find the courage to finally say goodbye.
I'll put my guns in the ground. I can't shoot them any more.

• The WWF/Owen Hart lawsuit was verbally settled out of court, pending a court approval scheduled later this week. Various sources have pegged the settlement at $18 million. It's believed Stu and Helen Hart will receive somewhere between $2-3 million, with the rest going to Martha Hart and her two young children. Martha told the Calgary Sun that the whole ordeal has been a nightmare and she can't say much more for legal reasons but that she's satisfied with the settlement. It's believed that WWF may file suit against the company that manufactured the rigging equipment, but Vince McMahon would only say that they are exploring their options on that. Martha Hart had previously vowed she would never settle before the case went to court, but those close to her say she was tired of the stress and was particularly upset that the case had torn the Hart family apart. Stu and Helen in particular were eager to settle and get it over with. The first round of settlement talks went poorly, with McMahon reportedly offering $17 million and refusing to budge, while Martha's initial asking price was said to be $32 million. It ended with Martha "cutting a promo" on Vince (oh Dave...) and talks broke off. The case was made more complicated by different Hart members' inability to stop talking to the media against lawyers' advice. At one point, Ellie Neidhart (Nattie's mom), who has sided against her parents and with WWF in the case, took a document from Stu Hart regarding all of the Hart children getting money out of the case and passed it on to WWF's lawyers, which engulfed the Hart lawyers in a storm of controversy and nearly blew up their whole case. The original Feb. 2001 court date was postponed indefinitely following that and with no new court date in sight so it was likely to continue dragging on for months and maybe even years. So ultimately, Martha decided to settle (yeah I think to this day, Martha blames Ellie for almost destroying the case and that's why she was forced to settle). As of press time, Bret Hart hasn't yet commented on the settlement, but he knew it was coming. He was on the Observer Live online show the day before it was finalized and said he understood Martha's position and would support whatever decision she made.
  
• The downward spiral of Davey Boy Smith hit a new low this week when he was arrested on 2 separate occasions for allegedly threatening the life of his estranged wife, Diana Hart-Smith. Dave talks about Smith's worsening drug problems in recent years along with all his health issues in between and how he's been in and out of the hospital constantly in the last two years. He also had a motorcycle accident a few weeks ago, multiple rehab stints, etc. Anyway, Smith was arrested on Oct. 25th and again on Oct. 26th. The first time, it was on 2 counts of threatening to kill his wife and her sister Ellie (again...Nattie's mom). After being released the next day, he allegedly threatened his wife again and was arrested again. She thought he was still in custody and went back to the house and was surprised to find him there and that led to the second arrest. Police have been to their house several times in the last few months for domestic disputes. There was also an incident a while back with Smith getting into a fight with Diana's new boyfriend, a Stampede wrestler who wrestles under the name Dick Butkus Jr. during which 85-year-old Stu Hart had to get involved and help break it up. Anyway, Smith spent this past weekend behind bars in Calgary, spending his time signing autographs for other inmates, but was released on the 30th on bail. But he faces 5 charges related to all his threats. Part of the conditions for his release were paying a $10,000 fine and he's not allowed to have any contact with Diana, Ellie, Bruce Hart, or Diana's new boyfriend. (Dave later mentions that Davey Boy is shacking up with Bruce's estranged wife Andrea now. Man, this fuckin' family, I tell ya...) He's also not allowed to drink or take any non-prescribed drugs and is ordered to stay away from where his wife is staying, along with staying away from Bruce Hart's home and Stu Hart's home. He was also ordered to enter rehab, even though he denied in court that he still has a drug problem.
  
• Davey Boy is still under WWF contract, though he hasn't wrestled a match in months. But the WWF has suspended him pending the company's own investigation of the charges. In the past, he blamed his drug issues and back problems from taking a bump on Ultimate Warrior's trap door in the ring when he was in WCW. Dave recaps the series of events that led to him getting rehired by WWF and talks about how they hired Jim Neidhart back as well and it was no secret that Smith, Diana, and Neidhart's wife Ellie were all planning to testify against the family in the Owen Hart case if it had gone to trial. So it wasn't exactly a coincidence that both Smith and Neidhart got jobs that neither of them really had any business getting (Neidhart was hired as a trainer, which everyone knew he wasn't qualified for and Smith was brought back as a wrestler despite a crippling back injury and more crippling drug problem). Neidhart was quietly released a few weeks ago and with the Owen Hart lawsuit finally settled, it probably doesn't look good for Smith (indeed, he never stepped foot in the WWF again).
  
• WCW Halloween Havoc is in the books and was possibly the worst wrestling PPV of the year. At this point, you'd think everyone in WCW would be putting their best foot forward to impress potential buyers, especially if that buyer ends up being the WWF and Vince becomes their new boss. But it was almost all bad matches and abysmal booking. The only bright side is that it was in Vegas and a lot of the tickets were sold to casinos for giveaways, so the show ended up being one of the biggest live gates WCW has had in awhile, even if the crowd wasn't exactly all wrestling fans. Russo is now out of the picture (claiming post-concussion syndrome and stress), but the show was booked by guys like Ed Ferrara and Bill Banks, who are basically mini-Russos and are just keeping his chair warm. So it wasn't quite the same scattershot chaos as most Russo-booked shows, but it still had the same lack of understanding about what makes a good wrestling show that Russo has perfected. Everyone involved (Ferrara, Banks, Terry Taylor, Johnny Ace, etc.) were told to continue Russo's stories rather than changing direction so everything mostly stayed the same.
  
• Other notes from Halloween Havoc: the opening tag title three-way match was the best and really only good match on the show., due to Mysterio, Kidman, and Alex Wright's performances. In typical WCW fashion, they had a top notch snafu showing Palumbo and Stasiak in their street clothes backstage, just seconds after being in their gear and doing a run-in on the previous match. So they put up a thing on the screen that said "taped earlier in the day" to cover for it, but then during the segment, Palumbo and Stasiak were talking about what they just did in the ring minutes earlier. David Flair looked totally lost in his first blood match with Bagwell and even though he's been a midcard star in WCW for over a year now, Dave says if he went to OVW, he'd still be the worst guy on the roster. David Flair is just not ready for the big leagues and it shows. Negative star. Mike Sanders vs. The Cat in a kickboxing match was a total clusterfuck that Cat apparently refused to do the job for since it's "his" gimmick match, so he lost by count-out instead, even though the time limit for the last round had already expired and it was just a mess. Negative half star. Mike Awesome vs. Vampiro is negative 2.5 stars. That's three matches in a row in the negatives, with 2 DUD rankings book-ending them. Dave expected Awesome/Vampiro to actually be good but it had more blown spots than any match he's seen on PPV in years. They were apparently supposed to do a table spot to end the match but they couldn't find any tables under the ring and the match fell apart and Vampiro ended up taking a top rope powerbomb that gave him a concussion and shook him up badly (didn't stop WCW from having him take another powerbomb at the Thunder taping the next day, even though he told them beforehand about the concussion, but we'll get there). And babyface world champion Booker T was booed by a good chunk of the crowd during his match with Scott Steiner.
  
• The latest PRIDE event in Japan drew a sellout crowd mostly due to so many pro wrestlers being involved. It also saw Naoya Ogawa defeat Masaaki Satake in a match most people believed was worked. Ogawa is Antonio Inoki's protege and he's keeping Ogawa protected. Dave says it definitely helps Ogawa keep his name and star power in a highly publicized match, but it doesn't say a lot for PRIDE's credibility. There's also suspicion that Nobuhiko Takada's fight against Igor Vovchanchyn was somewhat worked. Takada lost, but Igor is one of the top ranked heavyweights in the world and Takada went nearly 2 full rounds with him. Most people suspect the finish wasn't worked, but that Igor was told to take it easy on him because Takada is still a big draw and they wanted him to look strong in defeat against a guy he had no chance with. There were several other wrestlers on the card as well. Inoki came out at intermission and announced he was putting together his own show at the Osaka Dome for New Year's Eve (this ends up being the Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye show, which also sees Inoki come out of retirement for his final "match" ever. More on all this in a bit).
  
• Genichiro Tenryu, at age 51, defeated Toshiaki Kawada to win the tournament and be crowned AJPW's newest Triple Crown champion, filling the vacancy left over after previous champion Kobashi left for NOAH. This complicates the AJPW/NJPW angle. There's 2 Tokyo Dome shows coming up in January. The first is NJPW's Jan. 4th show and there's another one near the end of the month that's an AJPW show, but will have some NJPW involvement. But Motoko Baba wants to protect the champion because she's hoping AJPW will still survive after the NJPW angle is over. In the past, companies like UWFI and WAR were desperate to survive and started working with NJPW, only to be devoured by NJPW's booking and left to die after the angle ran its course. Mrs. Baba is hoping to avoid the same fate, so she's not going to let Tenryu work a NJPW show and lose (remember, at the last show, NJPW's champion Kensuke Sasaki lost to Kawada and they won't let that happen 2 times in a row). Now that he's not the champion, it frees Kawada up to have a rematch with Sasaki, where he will presumably return the favor and do the job, but it won't be to unify the titles anymore.
  

WATCH: Genichiro Tenryu vs. Toshiaki Kawada - AJPW Triple Crown Championship match

• Let's look at some various poll results. Every issue has results for the polls they run online every day or so. Usually I skip over these because they're boring but they're kinda interesting this week. "How should WCW handle the situation with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall" got 55% of voters saying Nash should be suspended for going off script on live TV. As for the future of ECW, 30% of voters think it won't last much longer, while most everyone else thinks it will struggle but continue to survive. Whoops. And finally, Bret Hart's greatest match was 35% for the match with Owen at WM10 and 33% for the match with Austin at WM13.
  
• Stan Hansen has an autobiography that was released in Japanese that is selling like crazy in Japan. Hansen is near the end of his career, but he's probably the most popular American wrestler in Japanese history and has been a top star there since the 70s. (Hansen had an English autobiography released in 2012 called The Last Outlaw. I'm not sure if it's the same book translated to English or if there's another one out there in Japanese from 12 years earlier).
  
• NOAH will hold tournaments early next year to crown their first heavyweight, tag team, and junior heavyweight champions.
  
• Shinya Hashimoto was pulled out of upcoming NJPW shows because they're apparently doing an angle where he is starting his own promotion, in order to do a feud with NJPW (turns out this wasn't an angle at all. Hashimoto really did get fired from NJPW around this time and started Pro Wrestling Zero-One. The real story there is murky and no one seems to know for sure exactly what led to his firing. I think he ended up doing one or two more matches for NJPW over the next year or so, but otherwise, this is the end of Hashimoto in NJPW).
  
• Dave recently had a chance to read the book "Bodyslams!" by former WCW ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta and liked it. It's not better than Mick Foley's book or anything, but Dave gives it credit for accuracy. Mostly it glosses over a lot of the scandalous stuff and is more about Cappetta's personal experiences rather than giving much detail on what was happening in the business at the time. Dave thinks the book could have gone into more detail on the things going on behind the scenes in WCW during pivotal periods like when Jim Herd, Kip Frey, or Bill Watts was in charge. Overall, definitely better than The Rock's farce of a book but still lacking what made Foley's and Dynamite Kid's books so fascinating.
  
• Steve Allen, the famous comedian and first ever host of the Tonight Show, died last week at age 78. This is only relevant here because most recently, Allen has been one of the lead spokespeople for the PTC and has been one of the most vocal opponents of WWF programming. Ironically enough, early in his career, Allen worked on TV as a wrestling announcer in the 1950s, though he never took it seriously, and in 1990, he appeared at Wrestlemania 6.
  
• The documentary "Gaea Girls", which is about a young woman trying to get into Japanese women's wrestling, has been winning some awards and been admitted to some film festivals.
  

WATCH: Gaea Girls documentary

• "Walker: Texas Ranger" this week did an episode loosely based on Owen Hart's death. It's about a wrestler, in costume, who fell from the ceiling during a show. Although in the case of this show, it was a murder ordered by a ruthless promoter trying to take over the territory of another promoter, who's a kind, older guy. The obvious parallels were a more evil version of Vince McMahon and a gentler version of Stu Hart. Dave thought the episode sucked and also got really sad by it. Dave says he hasn't watched Over The Edge again since Owen's death and seeing it fictionally re-enacted for a TV show was really depressing.

WATCH: Walker: Texas Ranger re-enacts Owen Hart's death

• Scott Hall was arrested this week for probation violation while he was already in court for a child custody hearing. This charge stems from some 1998 case where he keyed up a limo outside a strip club in Orlando. At the time, Hall had been given probation and ordered to complete a bunch of community service by April of 2000. He never completed the community service, so....probation violation. Hall was in court with his estranged wife Dana and he filed for sole custody of their 2 children, claiming Dana is "emotionally and mentally unstable and an unfit parent" but then Hall got arrested at the courthouse and the hearing was postponed. Speaking of, Dana herself has had 2 contempt-of-court charges against her recently for refusing to let Hall have visitation with their kids when she was supposed to.
  
• PPV news: CMLL in Mexico is holding a big year end show in December and are negotiating for it to air on PPV in the U.S., which would be the first Lucha Libre PPV to air here since When Worlds Collide in 1994. And remember a few months back when a promoter in Australia brought in Dennis Rodman and a bunch of other kinda big name stars and ran a show? Well it will also air on PPV in the U.S. and Canada and Mexico next month. That show was headlined by Rodman vs. Curt Hennig which ended in a double-count out because apparently Rodman refused to do the job. Word is that show was terrible, like this year's version of Heroes of Wrestling, but Australia is so starved for live wrestling that the crowd heat was still off-the-charts.
  
• Juventud Guerrera worked an indie show in Puerto Rico and right now, he's trying to get hired in WWF, or at least stay out of trouble long enough to get rehired by WCW. Guerrera has reached out to WWF through friends he has there, but after what happened with him last month in Australia, WWF apparently isn't interested.
  
• The latest OVW show saw Nick Dinsmore win the OVW title from Rob Conway. On the same show, Brock Lesnar wrestled a dark match against former UFC fighter Ron Waterman. Lesnar won and hey, who knows, maybe he's got a future in beating up UFC fighters.
  
• Ted Dibiase and Nikita Koloff are on a church tour together where they wrestle matches against each other and then preach sermons or something.
  
• The lines between wrestling and MMA got blurrier this week when Atsushi Onita went to the PRIDE offices and met with their promoter. Onita then issued a challenge to Antonio Inoki for a match, saying he wants to retire (of course) and his last match has to be with Inoki. PRIDE officials put out a statement saying they wouldn't promote one of Onita's exploding barbed wire matches, but that they would gladly promote Inoki vs. Onita under PRIDE rules in their ring. Inoki responded, telling reporters that he's retired. There's rumor that Onita will be appearing at Inoki's New Year's Eve show to set up some kind of angle.
  
• Paul Heyman and Sabu have a court date scheduled for later this month over their issues. If you remember, Sabu left ECW to go try to go to WCW but his contract prevented it. Heyman then sued Sabu for breach of contract when he started working other shows (particularly for XPW). Meanwhile, Sabu has also filed some legal paperwork to try to get out of his contract, so hopefully that will all be settled soon.
  
• Speaking of ECW, there doesn't seem to be anything new happening on the TV front. Negotiations with USA have apparently stalled. So....not great news. The latest episode of ECW Hardcore TV shows the signs of how things are going. The in-ring action was good but the show is beginning to look more and more low-budget by the week, as the company continues struggling to stay afloat. The announcers weren't flown in (it was dubbed in later in post-production) and the lighting was terrible.
  
• Still nothing new on the sale of WCW but rumors are flying like crazy because everyone is paranoid. For the first time, in an interview, Linda McMahon acknowledged that it's true that WWF is in discussions to purchase WCW but word is no substantial progress has been made yet.
  
• Notes from Nitro: it was a sad episode because the crowd was tiny and it almost felt like a bad indie show, especially because the small crowd was pretty dead. It was a disaster, with a total of 1,454 fans in the building and only 768 of them paid. Even worse, they tried to paper it but only 33% of the free tickets that were given out were used. WCW literally can't even give this shit away. Ric Flair returned as the new CEO of WCW and got almost no pop at all from the crowd, then cut a boring promo. Dave thinks it's sad that this is where things have gotten for him. The greatest of all time, cutting middling promos in front of a small crowd for a dying company. Then Jarrett came out to talk and the mic went dead. The fans chanted for Scott Hall all through the Kronik/Palumbo & Stasiak match. Kevin Nash was on commentary but after last week, he was finally ordered to stop talking about Hall. So instead of mentioning Hall himself, when the crowd started chanting, Nash kept asking, "What are they chanting?" but the other announcers wouldn't acknowledge him.
  
• Thunder was taped immediately after Nitro and the only notable thing there was a Lance Storm vs. Norman Smiley match that was apparently so bad that Storm went on his website afterward and pre-emptively apologized to the fans for the match. As of press time, it hasn't aired yet so I guess we'll see (the 2000 Thunders aren't on the Network and I can't find this online, so no idea how bad it was or wasn't).
  
• Backstage morale in WCW isn't great, which probably goes without saying. Word is much of the crew, wrestlers and backstage employees alike, are so drained by all the negativity and sale rumors that everyone has pretty much mentally quit. They're all just going through the motions every week now while waiting to see what's going to happen with their jobs.
  
• Buff Bagwell did an interview with the Observer website a few days before the Halloween Havoc PPV and had plenty of interesting things to say. He ripped on Vince Russo for the way he booked himself along with guys like Luger and DDP and basically just how awful Russo's booking is. He also complained about WCW fining people for showing up late. He complained about not getting a big raise like everyone else got back in 1998 because he was out with a neck injury when Bischoff was giving raises and complained about being underpaid compared to all the other "A-talent" like himself. Talked about how screwed up WCW is, saying Lex Luger is being paid $1.3 million a year to do jobs for Hugh Morrus. "Are you kidding me? Hugh is a great guy and all that, but he's not A-talent. I love him to death, but he's never going to draw a dime. We're talking about drawing money and he's never going to draw a fuckin' dime. And Luger is putting him over at house shows? Nothing is adding up. I know for a fact that if they try to get me to job for (David) Flair at Havoc, I'm going to walk out the door. I'm not doing it." In response to all this, WCW put Hugh Morrus over big on Nitro while they had Bagwell job to Luger in 2 minutes on the same show. Well, at least someone in WCW gets punished for the shit they say.
  

IMPORTANT NOTE: For only the second time ever in writing these Rewinds, I have hit the 40,000 character limit. So once again, the rest of this Rewind will be posted in a comment below, so keep scrolling. Upvote it for visibility I guess?

So I combed through the list looking at tour schedules for everybody and marking down when they were playing in the greater Bay Area and what their other tour dates were around OSL. All of that is listed below, but doesn't include musical artists that were suggested by other users but were not playing any of the other tracked festivals.
While the official prediction game is over, feel free to make further predictions in this thread, armed with the tour knowledge listed.
Possibilities:
Headliners:
Adele (no upcoming dates, rumored that she'll never tour again)
Billy Joel (no dates between August 8th in Denver and August 26th in Baltimore)
Bjork (no dates after May 6th-June 1st multimedia show residency in NY)
Bruce Springsteen (no upcoming dates and stated on Twitter that there would be no 2019 tour)
Cher (no dates between May 30th in Vancouver and August 21st in Vegas that is part of her Vegas residency)
Childish Gambino (no dates after June 14th in Tennessee)
Coldplay (no upcoming dates)
Daft Punk (no upcoming dates)
Depeche Mode (no dates after March 29th in Spain)
Diana Ross (no dates after July 22nd in Colorado, has Vegas residency in June)
Drake (no dates after April 26th in the Netherlands, no U.S. dates)
Eagles (no dates after July 8th in Ireland, no U.S. dates)
Eminem (no upcoming dates)
Eric Clapton (no dates after June 10th in Germany, no U.S. dates)
Foo Fighters (no dates between June 29th in Sweden and August 13th in Hungary)
Frank Ocean (no upcoming dates)
Green Day (no upcoming dates)
Guns N Roses (no upcoming dates)
Gwen Stefani (only Vegas residency dates with break between July 26th and October 11th)
Jay-Z (no dates other than Woodstock 50 weekend after OSL)
Kanye West (no upcoming dates)
Kendrick Lamar (no dates after April 7th in Chile, no U.S. dates)
Kids See Ghosts (no upcoming dates, but tour rumored)
Lady Gaga (only Vegas residency dates with break between June 15th and October 17th)
Madonna (no upcoming dates)
Maroon 5 (no dates between June 11th in France and August 31st in Curacao, no U.S. dates)
Miley Cyrus (no dates between June 30th in UK and August 16th at Woodstock 50)
Missy Elliott (no dates after July 5th in New Orleans)
Nicki Minaj (no dates after June 21st in L.A.)
Pearl Jam (no dates between July 6th in UK and September 28th in Dana Point, CA)
Phish (no dates between July 14th in Wisconsin and August 30th in Colorado)
Red Hot Chili Peppers (no dates before August 16th in Japan)
Robert Plant (no dates after July 2nd in Norway, no U.S dates)
Rod Stewart (no dates between July 13th in UK and Vegas residency beginning September 18th)
Roger Waters (no upcoming shows)
Sting (no dates between August 1st in France and August 23rd in Illinois)
The Strokes (no dates between July 21st in France and September 27th in Dana Point, CA)
Tool (no dates after July 2nd in Portugal)
Travis Scott (no dates after July 13th in Switzerland)
Twenty One Pilots (no dates between July 21st in France and August 13th in Hungary)
U2 (no upcoming shows and Bono said cryptic message at last 2018 show that they were "going away now")
7 Tracked Festivals:
King Princess (plays Fillmore April 22, no dates listed past July 28th in Detroit)
4 Tracked Festivals:
Chelsea Cutler (plays Fillmore March 22, no dates listed past April 3rd)
Clairo (plays Pitchfork in Chicago July 21st then Reading UK festival August 23rd)
Denzel Curry (plays Bill Graham Civic opening for Billie Eilish on May 29th, plays Seattle on July 19th then August 16th in Netherlands)
Easy Life (no dates after August 3rd in UK)
Playboi Carti (no dates after June 1st in NY)
Sheck Wes (playing in Montreal on August 9th or 10th)
3 Tracked Festivals
070 Shake (no dates after June 2nd in Spain)
The Band Camino (plays July 14th in Kentucky then September 7th in Tennessee)
Bazzi (no dates after June 2nd in NY)
Bob Moses (plays July 13th in Portugal then August 17th in Utah)
Brockhampton (plays July 14th in Netherlands then August 17th in Japan)
Caamp (no dates after August 2nd in Portland)
Dennis Lloyd (plays Great American Music Hall on April 11th, no dates after June 30th in Switzerland)
Gucci Mane (no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
Hippo Campus (no dates after August 2nd in Iowa)
Hop Along (plays The Independent on April 18-19, no dates after July 12 in Kentucky)
Hozier (no dates after April 14th in Spokane)
Kacey Musgraves (plays August 2nd in Iowa then August 24th in Paso Robles, CA)
Ravyn Lenae (no dates after June 2nd in NY)
Shame (plays The New Parish in Oakland on April 23rd, no dates after July 14th in Finland)
Taylor Bennett (no dates after June 2nd in NY)
Two Feet (no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
Unknown Mortal Orchestra (plays the Greek Theatre on April 19th, no dates past July 26th in Japan)
Walk the Moon (no dates past June 23rd in Delaware)
2 Tracked Festivals:
Alison Wonderland (plays July 21st in Paris then August 15th in Austria)
Blood Orange (no dates after June 3rd in Maryland)
Calpurnia (no dates after July 14th in Kentucky
Castlecomer (no dates after June 21st in Delaware)
Cautious Clay (no dates after June 15th in Norway)
Crooked Colours (no dates after July 21st in Washington)
Diplo (plays August 1st in Minnesota then August 23rd in Netherlands)
Ella Mai (plays The Fox in Oakland on April 23rd, no dates after May 22nd in Tennessee)
Evan Giia (no dates after July 19th in Washington)
Flora Cash (plays August Hall in SF on May 22nd as opening act, no dates after June 21st in Michigan)
Flipp Dinero (no dates after June 21st in Delaware)
Gesaffelstein (no dates after June 2nd in NY)
Gorgon City (plays the Regency Ballroom on April 17th, no dates after July 27th in UK)
Gunna (plays the Fillmore on April 7th as opening act, no dates after July 15th in Croatia
The Interrupters (plays the Regency Ballroom on March 14th, no dates after June 30th in Spain)
J.I.D. (no shows after July 28th in Michigan)
Jpegmafia (plays the Warfield on March 28th as opening act, no dates after July 21st in Chicago)
Judah and the Lion (plays July 26th in Germany, August 10th in Missouri, and August 13th in Colorado)
Khalid (plays July 6th in Canada then September 7th in Germany)
Kid Cudi (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Kygo (no dates after July 9th in Canada)
Lauren Daigle (plays July 31st in Michigan then August 10th in Portland and August 11th in Vancouver)
Let's Eat Grandma (plays the Chapel on April 18th, plays August 8th in Italy then August 29th in UK)
Lil Mosey (no dates after May 24th in Vegas)
Lil Wayne (no dates after June 21st in Los Angeles)
The Lumineers (play July 29th in Denmark then September 21st in New Jersey)
Mansionair (no dates after June 27th in MIchigan)
Medasin (play July 19 in Washington then September 12th in Colorado)
Mura Masa (play June 9th in UK then August 22nd in UK)
Nghtmre (no dates after July 21st in Germany)
Nora en Pure (no dates after July 14th in Germany)
The Nude Party (play the Great American Music Hall on April 25th, no dates after May 10th in UK)
The Record Company (play the Ace of Spades in Sacramento on June 5th, play July 14th in Massachusetts then August 17th in Montana)
Ric Wilson (no dates after July 21st in Chicago)
Ripe (play July 14th in Massachusetts then September 21st in New Jersey)
Rubblebucket (play the Cornerstone in Berkeley on March 28th, no dates after June 22nd in Delaware)
Sales (no dates after April 27 at August Hall in SF)
Shaed (play March 15th at Rickshaw Stop in SF, no dates after June 29th in Denver)
Snakehips (no dates after July 14th in NY)
Soccer Mommy (plays the Great American Music Hall on April 17th and 18th and Bill Graham Civic as opener on October 1st, play July 21st in Chicago then September 25th in Canada)
Still Woozy (play the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, no dates after July 21st in Washington)
Sunflower Bean (play July 26-28 in UK then August 11th in Toronto)
Tank and the Bangas (no dates after June 22nd in Delaware)
Tobi Lou (no dates after June 2nd in NY)
Tyla Yaweh (no dates after June 14th in Tennessee)
Tyler the Creator (no dates after June 21st in Delaware)
U.S. Girls (no dates after July 14th in Canada)
Wallows (play the Fillmore on April 26th and 27th, no dates after July 28th in Detroit)
Yellow Days (play July 27th in Michigan then August 14-17 in Portugal)
Zhu (play Shambhala Music Fest in British Columbia same weekend as OSL)
1 Tracked Festival:
10K.Caash (no dates after May 12 in Florida)
12th Planet (play March 16th at Regency Ballroom, no dates after March 30th in Arizona)
21 Savage (no dates after May 4th in Kansas)
3lau (play March 15th at Pure Nightclub in Sunnyvale, no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
4B (play March 30th at Bill Graham Civic as opener, no dates after July 21st in Germany)
88Glam (no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie (play April 4th at The Fillmore, no dates after April 11th in Massachusetts)
Aaron Aye (no dates after May 31st in NY)
Adia Victoria (no dates between May 26th in Massachusetts and September 21st in Tennessee)
Agoria (play Dreambeach Festival in Spain August 7th to 11th, but unclear what day he may be playing on)
All Them Witches (no dates after June 22nd in Switzerland)
Amber Mark (no dates after July 19th in Chicago)
Ame (no dates after July 21st in Spain)
Andrew McMahon (play March 21st at Fox in Oakland, no dates after June 22 in Delaware)
Anna Lunoe (no shows after July 19th in Indonesia)
Anoushka Shankar (no shows after June 14th in Tennessee)
Aphex Twin (no shows between April 21st at Coachella and August 25th in Paris)
Arkells (play March 27th at Cornerstone in Berkeley, no dates after July 27th in UK)
The Artisanals (no dates after July 14th in Kentucky)
Asian Doll (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Awolnation (no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
BabyG (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Baby Goth (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Bakar (no dates after May 4th in UK)
Bassnectar (no dates after July 20th in Pennsylvania)
Bblasian (no dates after July 13th in Kentucky)
Beach Fossils (no dates after May 3rd in Arizona)
Beach House (playing Bellwether Festival in Ohio on August 9th or 10th)
Beau Young Prince (play March 22nd at The Warfield as opener, no dates after March 23rd in Hollywood)
Bebe Rexha (no dates after May 19th in Alabama)
Bendigo Fletcher (no dates after July 14th in Kentucky)
Big Baby Scumbag (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Big Red Machine (no dates after June 2nd in Spain)
Big Wild (no dates after July 21st in Washington)
Blaatina (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Blac Youngsta (no dates after May 24th in Maryland)
BlackPink (no dates between May 28th in Spain and August 16th in Japan)
Blond:ish (no dates after July 7th in Belgium)
Bloodpop (no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
Blueface (play March 19th at Warfield as Opener and June 28th at Ace of Spades in Sacramento, no dates after that)
Boa (no dates after April 20th in Indiana)
Bombino (play March 27th at the Independent, no dates after June 23rd at San Luis Obispo)
Bones (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Boy Pablo (no dates between July 10th in Norway and August 12th in France)
Brianna Perry (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Bruno Mali (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Bryce Vine (no dates after 19th in Alabama)
Buddy (play March 23rd at Harlow's in Sacramento, no dates after July 13th in UK)
Bumpin Uglies (play April 27th at Bottom of the Hill in SF, play Freakstomp Festival in Ohio same weekend as OSL, but not sure which day)
Burna Boy (play April 17th at Slim's, no dates after August 4th in Portugal)
Calypso Rose (no dates after July 13th in Slovakia)
CamelPhat (no dates between July 5th in Croatia and August 22nd in UK)
Car Seat Headrest (no dates between July 3rd in Nebraska and August 11th in L.A. as opener)
Carly Johnson (no dates after July 14th in Kentucky)
Caroline Rose (no dates between August 9th in Ohio and August 15th in Colorado)
Catfish and the Bottlemen (play March 23rd at Fox in Oakland, no dates between August 3rd in Ireland and August 12th in Hungary)
Charli XCX (no dates between July 21st in Chicago and August 22nd in UK)
Charlotte Gainsbourg (play April 15th at The Regency, no dates after July 26th in France)
Cherry Glazerr (no dates after July 14th in Tennessee)
Chief Keef (no dates after May 8th in North Carolina)
Chief Pound (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Chon (no dates after May 4th in Georgia)
Chris Lake (no dates after May 17th in North Carolina)
CID (no dates after August 3rd in Calgary, Canada)
Cirez D (no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
City Girls (play March 19th at the Warfield as opener, no dates after July 14th in NY)
City Morgue (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
CloZee (no dates between August 3rd in Colorado and August 13th in Italy)
Coca Vango (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Coi Leray (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Cola Boyy (play April 18th at Rickshaw Stop in SF between Coachella weekends, no dates after June 27th in Michigan)
Comethazine (no dates between May 11th in Miami and August 23rd in UK)
Craig Brown Band (no dates after July 28th in Michigan)
CVBZ (no dates after June 27th in Michigan)
D Savage (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
DaniLeigh (no dates after July 14th in NY)
Danny Towers (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Dashboard Confessional (no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
Dave P (no dates after April 19th at Coachella)
Deafheaven (play March 16th at UC Theater in Berkeley, no dates between June 14th in Tennessee and August 17th in Vegas)
Deal Casino (play March 25th at Cornerstone in Berkeley, no dates after May 31st in NY)
Death Cab for Cutie (no dates between July 27th in Japan and August 11th in L.A.)
Deep Dish (no dates after May 25th in Greece)
Dessa (play May 24th at Bottlerock, no dates after June 1st in Vegas)
Deva Mahal (no dates between June 22nd in NY and August 25th in Virginia)
Dillon Francis (no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
DJ Mel (no dates after June 16th in Tennessee)
DMX (play April 21st at UC Theater in Berkeley, no dates after July 27th in Long Beach)
Dombresky (play March 22nd at 1015 Folsom in SF, no dates after June 16th in Tennessee)
Donna Missal (play March 26th at The Independent in SF, no dates after June 13th in Tennessee)
The Doozers (no dates after July 28th in Michigan)
Dorfex Bos (no dates after June 30th in Michigan)
Dr. Fresch (no dates after June 30th in Michigan)
Dragondeer (no dates after June 30th in Michigan)
Ducky (no dates after June 14th in Tennessee)
Dusky (play April 13th at The Great Northern in SF, no dates after June 25th in Albania)
dvsn (no dates after April 19th at Coachella)
Ekali (no dates between July 20th in Pennsylvania and September 12th in Colorado)
Elley Duhe (no dates after May 26th at Bottlerock)
Emily King (no dates after May 5th in NY)
Emo Nite (play March 30th at Rickshaw Stop in SF, no dates after July 26th in NY)
Eprom (no dates after July 18th in Montreal)
Eric Biddines (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Erin Rae (no dates between July 14th in Kentucky and September 27th in SoCal)
Evan Giia (no dates after July 19th in Washington)
Faye Webster (play April 5th at Cafe du Nord in SF, no dates after June 16th in Tennessee)
Fendi P (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
First Aid Kit (no dates after July 14th in Kentucky)
FKJ (play April 10th-11th at The Warfield, no dates between July 12th in UK and August 16th in UK)
Freddie Gibbs (play May 5th at Brick & Mortar in SF, no dates after July 21st in Chicago)
The Frights (no dates after May 24th at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz)
G Herbo (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
The Garden (no dates after April 20th at Coachella)
GASHI ( no dates after July 9th in Canada)
Gat$ (no dates after May 12 in Miami)
Gojira (play July 26th at Shoreline as opener), no dates between August 8th in Nebraska and August 11th in Illinois)
Goldlink (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Go$h (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Goth Babe (no dates after July 28th in Michigan)
Gramatik (no dates between August 3rd in Washington and September 7th in Germany)
Grandson (play April 3rd at Slim's, no dates after May 19th in Alabama)
Great Good Fine OK (no dates after June 1st in Ohio)
Greta Van Fleet (no dates between July 13th in Spain and September 3rd in Australia)
Grizfolk (play March 21st at Fox in Oakland as opener, no dates after March 24th in San Diego)
Grlwood (no dates after July 12th in Kentucky)
Grownboitrap (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Guapdad 4000 (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Gucci Gang (no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
Gus Dapperton (no dates after August 1st in Austria)
Guster (no dates after May 26th in Boston)
Guy Gerber (no dates after July 13th in UK)
Half Alive (no dates between June 21st in Delaware and September 13th in L.A.)
Heidi Lawden (no dates after August 3rd in UK)
Hekler (no dates after July 9th in Ontario)
H.E.R. (no dates after July 13th in UK)
Highly Suspect (no dates after July 12th in Kentucky)
The Him (no dates between May 19th in Alabama and August 17th in Austria)
Hippie Sabotage (no dates after June 19th in Colorado)
Hot Since 82 (no dates between May 27th in Michigan and August 17th in UK)
Hundredth (no dates after June 29th in Netherlands)
Hurray For the Riff Raff (no dates after April 27th in New Orleans)
HYUKOH (no dates after July 14th in UK)
Ibeyi (no dates after July 26th in France)
Ice Billion Berg (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Iceage (play April 23rd at the New Parish, no dates after May 7th in Chicago
Idris Elba (no dates after April 20th at Coachella)
Iglooghost (no dates after May 31st in Spain)
Ilovemakonnen (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Indigochildrick (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Israel Nash (no dates between July 13th in Kentucky and August 24th in New Hampshire)
J Balvin (no dates between July 23rd in Spain and August 16th in Mexico)
Jade Bird (play June 8th at Greek Theater as opener, no dates between August 4th in Iowa and August 23rd in UK)
Jade Cicada (no dates after June 14th in Tennessee)
Jaden Smith (no dates after April 28th in Virginia)
Jambinai (no dates after June 8th in Portugal)
Jan Blomqvist (no dates after July 13th in Germany)
Javiera Mena (no dates after May 17th in Spain)
Jauz (no dates between August 5th in Toronto and August 10th in Vegas and August 11th in Phoenix)
Jaydayoungan (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Jeremy Zucker (no dates between June 1st in Cincinnati and August 22nd in UK)
Jesse Royal (no dates after May 26th in Monterey)
Jim James (no dates after July 7th in Quincy, CA)
Jonas Blue (no dates between July 21st in France and August 24th in UK)
Jony J (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Joywave (no dates after June 22nd in Delaware)
Jukebox the Ghost (no dates after June 2nd in Ohio)
Justin Jay (no dates after May 19th in Alabama)
Kash Doll (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Kevin Gates (no dates after July 31st in Virginia)
The Kid Laroi (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Kid Quill (no dates after June 30th in Michigan)
Kid Trunks (no dates after May 31st in Belgium)
Killumantii (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Killy (no dates after July 11th in Netherlands)
Kilo Kish (play March 23rd at Regency Ballroom, no dates after May 26th in Boston)
King Henry (no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
KirbLaGoop (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
The Knocks (no dates after June 29th in Denver)
Knower (no dates after June 27th in Michigan)
Kodak Black (play March 23rd at The Warfield, no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Kolsch (no dates between July 14th in Belgium and August 17th in Netherlands)
Lancey Foux (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Las Cafeteras (no dates after August 3rd in L.A.)
Las Robertas (no dates after April 19th at Coachella)
Lauren Lane (no dates after April 19th at Coachella)
Lee Burridge (no dates after June 8th in Netherlands)
Leebrian (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Leikeli47 (play April 16th at the New Parish in Oakland, no dates after July 11th in Ottawa)
Lettuce (play March 21-24 at SF Jazz Center, play Telluride Jazz Fest in Colorado on August 9th, 10th ,or 11th)
Lightskinkeisha (no shows after May 11th in Miami)
Lil Baby (play March 18 at Fox in Oakland and March 19 at Warfield, no dates between July 14th in NY and August 22nd in UK)
Lil Berete (no dates after May 18th in Montreal)
Lil Dicky (no dates after June 16th in Tennessee)
Lil Duke (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Lil Durk (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Lil Gotit (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Lil Keed (play April 7th at Fillmore as opener, no dates after May 16th in Atlanta)
Lil Pump (play April 26th at Warfield, play August 9th or 10th in Montreal)
Lil Skies (play April 26th at Warfield, no dates after July 7th in UK)
Lil Tjay (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Lil Uzi Vert (no dates between July 20th in Spain and August 22nd in UK)
Lil Yachty (no dates after July 6th in Vancouver)
Lily Allen (no dates after June 16th in UK)
Liquid Stranger (play March 15th at Slim's, no dates after June 13th in Tennessee)
Lolo Zouai (play May 14th at Rickshaw Stop in SF, no dates after July 14th in NY)
The Lonely Island (no dates after June 29th in Minnesota)
Los Tucanes de Tijuana (no dates after June 13th in Mexico)
Lostboycrow (no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
Loud Luxury (no dates between August 2nd in Vegas and August 22nd in UK)
Lucius (play April 25th at Great American Music Hall and September 21st & 22nd at Greek as opener, no dates between August 4th in Oregon and Greek gigs)
Lykke Li (no dates after July 13th in UK)
Madeintyo (no dates after July 13 in Germany)
Magic City Hippies (play May 25th at Bottlerock, no dates after July 28th in Pennsylvania)
Magic Giant (no dates between June 23rd in Delaware and September 26th in Mendocino)
The Main Squeeze (no dates after August 3rd in Colorado)
Maliibu MItch (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Manu Crooks (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Maren Morris (play March 26th at The Masonic, no dates between August 8th in Canada and August 16th in New Zealand)
The Marias (no dates after July 13th in Kentucky)
Matt Ox (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
MAX (no dates after June 22nd in Delaware)
Megan Thee Stallion (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Melii (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
MEMBA (no dates after August 4th in Colorado)
Members Only (no dates after May 31st in Belgium)
Men I Trust (no dates after July 21st in Michigan)
Mersiv (no dates after July 18th in Pennsylvania)
The Messenger Birds (no dates after July 27th in Detroit)
The Messthetics (play April 22nd at The Chapel in SF, no dates after June 26th in Vancouver)
Migos (no dates after July 21st in France)
Miles Kane (no dates between July 28th in UK and August 30th in Ireland)
MKUltra (no dates after June 2nd in NY)
MO (no dates after July 21st in UK)
Mo Lowda and the Humble (play August 9th, 10th,and 17th in Colorado)
Monsieur Perine (no dates after June 14th in Tennessee)
Moon Boots (no dates after June 23rd in Albania)
Moon Taxi (no dates between July 20th in Maine and September 7th in Tennessee)
Morgxn (no dates after July 27th in Houston)
Mr Eazi (play April 21st at the Regency Ballroom, no dates between June 30th in the Netherlands and November 13th in UK)
Mt. Joy (play March 30th at the Fillmore, no dates between April 7th in San Diego and September 27th in Dana Point, CA)
Mulatto (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Naeem (no dates after May 24th in Boston)
Nahko and Medicine for the People (play May 26th in Monterey, no dates between August 6th in Montana and August 25th in Virginia)
Naked Giants (play May 24th at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, no dates after July 13th in the Netherlands)
NAS (no dates after July 14th in Virginia)
Nate Dae (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Nessly (no dates after May 24th in Georgia)
Nic Fanciulli (no dates after July 7th in Italy)
NIcole Moudaber (play April 6th at The Midway in SF, plays August 9th or 10th in Montreal)
Njomza (no dates after May 31st in NY)
Nocturnal Sunshine (no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
Nombe (no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
Ocho Ojos (no dates after April 21st at Coachella and October 10th at Joshua Tree)
Ookay (play August 10th in Vegas, not playing anywhere August 9th or 11th)
The Orphan The Poet (no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
Otown Marco (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Pardison Fontaine (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Parquet Courts (no dates between July 21st in Chicago and August 29th in UK)
Party Pupils (play March 28th at 1015 Folsom in SF, no dates after July 6th in Hollywood)
Patrice Baumel (play August 9th, 10th, or 11th at We Can Dance festival in Belgium)
Peach Pit (no dates after July 21st in Washington)
Penny & Sparrow (play June 28th at the Fox Theater in Oakland as opener, no dates between July 14th in Kentucky and September 7th in Tennessee)
Perfume (play April 17th at Civic in San Jose, no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
Phosphorescent (no dates between June 22nd in Delaware and September 21st in Tennessee)
Phresher (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
PJ Morton (no dates after July 13th in Kentucky)
PLS&TY (no dates after June 27th in Michigan)
PNB Rock (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Polo and Pan (no dates between June 28th in France and August 24th in France)
Polo G (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Princess Nokia (no dates between July 13th in Spain and September 7th in Germany)
Pusha T (no dates after July 21st in Chicago)
Quando Rondo (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Queen Key (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Rackz God (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Rae Sremmurd (no dates after July 19th in Indonesia)
Rakeem Miles (no dates after July 22nd in Delaware)
Rat Boy (no dates after July 28th in UK)
Razorbumps (no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
The Red Clay Strays (no dates after May 17th in Alabama)
The Red Pears (no dates after April 20th at Coachella)
Rich the Kid (play March 30th at the Warfield, no dates after July 13th in Germany)
Richy Samo (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Rick Ross (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Rico Nasty (no dates after June 2nd in Spain)
Rival Sons (play May 7th at The Fillmore, no dates after August 1st in Norway)
RL Grime (no dates after July 19th in Seattle)
Rob Markman (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Robb Banks (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Rod Wave (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Rosalia (no dates after July 11th in Spain)
Ross From Friends (play April 21st at The Independent in SF, no dates after July 21st in Germany)
Ruen Brothers (no dates after July 14th in Kentucky)
Ruston Kelly (no dates between August 4th in Iowa and November 11th in Dominican Replublic)
SAINt JHN (no dates between July 13th in Germany and August 22nd in UK)
Saweetie (no dates after July 26th in Nebraska)
serpentwithfeet (no dates between April 21st at Coachella and August 29th in UK)
Shallou (play April 26th at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, no dates after July 21st in Seattle)
Shlump (play March 16th at the Regency Ballroom, no dates after August 4th in Calgary)
Shoreline Mafia (no dates after May 24th in Albuquerque)
Sidney Gish (no dates after June 14th in UK)
Siena Liggins (no dates after July 27th in Detroit)
Sir (no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
Ski Mask the Slump God (play April 30th at Bill Graham Civic, no dates after July 7th in UK)
Slenderbodies (no dates after May 19th in Houston)
Smino (play April 9th at the Fillmore and April 14th at the Regency Ballroom, no dates after May 9 in Boston)
SNBRN (play March 23rd at August Hall in SF, no dates after June 30 in Michigan)
Social House (play May 2nd at SAP Center as opener and May 3rd at Golden One Center as opener, no dates after July 13th in Utah)
SoDown (no dates after August 2nd in Washington)
Soja (play June 19th at Mountain Winery in Saratoga as opener, no dates after July 21st in North Carolina)
Sophie (no dates after June 8th in Portugal)
Soulja Boy (no dates after June 25th in Chicago)
Soulection (no dates after May 13th in Bakersfield)
Space Jam the Pilot (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Space Jesus (play April 5th at the UC Theater in Berkeley, no dates after July 22nd in Montreal)
Spaceghostpurrp (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Spazz Cardigan (no dates after July 12th in Kentucky)
Spencer Ludwig (no dates after June 28th in NY)
Splash Zanotti (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Splurge (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Steady Holiday (no dates after April 20th at Coachella)
$uicideboy$ (no dates after July 21st in France)
Sunsquabi (no dates after August 2nd in Colorado)
Suzi Wu (no dates after June 1st in NY)
Sweater Beats (no dates after June 21st in Delaware)
Sylvan Lacue (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
SZA (no dates after June 2nd in NY)
Tale of Us (play April 19th at 1015 Folsom club in SF, no dates between July 14th in Belgium and August 17th in the Netherlands)
Tara Brooks (no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
Tee Grizzley (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
ThouxanbanFauni (play March 29th at the Complex in Oakland, no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Thumpasaurus (no dates after June 27th in Michigan)
Tierra Whack (no dates after June 27th in Michigan)
Tiny Moving Parts (no dates after June 28th in Michigan)
Tokimonsta (no dates after July 18th in UK)
Tokyo Jetz (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Tomasa Del Real (no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
Trampled by Turtles (play August 10th in Washington, not playing August 9th or 11th anywhere)
Trippee Redd (no dates after July 13th in Germany)
Tund3 (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Turnover (play April 23rd at the Regency Ballroom, no dates after June 1st in Japan)
Two Friends (no dates after June 15th in Washington)
T.Y. (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Ty Dolla $ign (no dates after June 1st in NY)
Ty Segall (no dates after April 21st at Coachella)
Tyga (no dates after July 12th in Germany)
Tyler Childers (no dates between August 4th in Oregon and August 24th in the Netherlands)
Unotheactivist (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Valee (no dates after July 19th in Chicago)
Vince Staples (play March 29th at Fox Theater in Oakland, no dates after July 7th in Ireland)
VHS Collection (no dates after June 23rd in Delaware)
Virgil Abloh (no dates after June 29th in Vegas)
The Voidz (no dates after July 13th in Spain)
Waax (no dates after July 19th in Seattle)
Waka Flocka Flame (no dates after May 18th in Montreal)
Walker & Royce (no dates after June 15th in Washington)
Warhol.ss (play March 29th at The Complex in Oakland, no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Whipped Cream (play August 9th or 10th in Montreal)
White Reaper (no dates between June 29th in Kentucky and August 23rd in UK)
Wifisfuneral (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Wiz Khalifa (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
The Wood Brothers (no dates between August 3rd in Iowa and August 16th in Montana)
X Ambassadors (no dates after July 6th in Canada)
Yaeji (no dates after July 13th in Spain)
YBN Cordae (no dates after May 26th in Minnesota)
YBS Skola (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Yella Beezy (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
YNW Melly (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Yoke Lore (play Bottlerock in May, no dates after June 22nd in Delaware)
Young Fathers (no dates after May 26th in Boston)
Young M.A. (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Young Nudy (no dates after May 23rd in L.A.)
Young Thug (no dates after July 7th in France)
Youngboy Never Broke Again (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Yung Baby Tate (play April 14-15th at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz as opener, no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Yung Bae (play April 17th at SJSU Events Center, no dates after August 2nd in Washington)
Yung Bans (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Yung Bleu (no dates after May 10th in Miami)
Yung Simmie (no dates after May 12th in Miami)
Yungeen Ace (no dates after May 11th in Miami)
Ziggy Alberts (no dates after July 11th in Montreal)
Zoey Dollaz (no dates after May 10th in Miami)

The following shows have been added to the WWE Network today:

Hover over links for descriptions

Original

• WWE Ride Along
  
  • 2017
    • Team Extreme Expressway - 11/06/2017

Collections

• WWE Shorts
  
  • 2000
    • Thanksgiving 2000 The Rock - 11/23/2000 (National Car Rental Center - Fort Lauderdale, FL)
  • 2009
    • Thanksgiving 2009 Santino - 11/23/2009 (Giant Center - Hershey, PA)
• AJ Styles: Beyond Phenomenal
  
  • 2016
    • A Phenomenal Debut - 01/24/2016 (Amway Center - Orlando, FL)
    • Instant Chemistry - 01/25/2016 (American Airlines Arena - Miami, FL)
    • In the Fastlane - 02/21/2016 (Quicken Loans Arena - Cleveland, OH)
    • A New Day for Y2AJ - 03/07/2016 (Allstate Arena - Chicago, IL)
    • Welcome to the Grand Stage - 04/03/2016 (AT T Stadium - Dallas, TX)
    • Four Men, One Opportunity - 04/04/2016 (American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX)
    • Challenging the Roman Empire - 04/18/2016 (O2 Arena - London, England)
    • THE Guy and The Phenomenal One - 05/01/2016 (Allstate Arena - Chicago, IL)
    • Join The Club - 05/02/2016 (Scottrade Center - St. Louis, MO)
    • Going to Extremes - 05/22/2016 (Prudential Center - Newark, NJ)
    • Your Time is Up! - 06/19/2016 (T-Mobile Arena - Las Vegas, NV)
    • The Chosen Battleground - 07/24/2016 (Verizon Center - Washington, DC)
    • A Clash of Styles - 08/21/2016 (Barclays Center - Brookyln, NY)
    • AJ Talks Smack - 08/30/2016 (American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX)
    • On the Fringe of Success - 09/11/2016 (Richmond Coliseum - Richmond, VA)
    • Getting Crazy - 09/27/2016 (Quicken Loans Arena - Cleveland, OH)
    • Less Than Worthy - 10/11/2016 (SAP Center - San Jose, CA)
    • A Dangerous Environment - 12/04/2016 (American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX)
    • Second Chances - 12/20/2016 (Joe Louis Arena - Detroit, MI)
    • Overcoming the Odds - 12/27/2016 (Allstate Arena - Chicago, IL)
  • 2017
    • A Matter of Respect - 01/24/2017 (Huntington Center - Toledo, OH)
    • The Champ Who Runs the Camp - 01/29/2017 (Alamodome - San Antonio, TX)
    • Ego and Vengeance - 04/02/2017 (Citrus Bowl - Orlando, FL)
    • The House that AJ Styles Built - 04/04/2017 (Amway Center - Orlando, FL)
    • A New Opportunity - 04/11/2017 (TD Garden - Boston, MA)
    • The Howl of a Lone Wolf - 04/25/2017 (Wells Fargo Arena - Des Moines, IA)
    • An American Prize - 05/21/2017 (Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL)
    • Trying to Break the Bank - 06/18/2017 (Scottrade Center - St. Louis, MO)
    • Phenomenally Patriotic - 07/04/2017 (Talking Stick Resort Arena - Phoenix, AZ)
    • Gold and Old Friends - 07/25/2017 (Richmond Coliseum - Richmond, VA)
    • The Face of America - 08/20/2017 (Barclays Center - Brooklyn, NY)
    • Beyond Phenomenal Intro - 11/06/2017
• Bret vs Shawn: The Rivalry
  
  • 1989
    • Rocking The Foundation - 12/14/1989 (Maple Leaf Gardens - Toronto, Ontario CN)
  • 1990
    • Tempers Flare - 02/12/1990
    • Stricken From the Record - 10/30/1990 (Allen County War Memorial Coliseum - Fort Wayne, IN)
  • 1992
    • A Forgotten Favorite - 04/29/1992
    • Rampage in Ottawa - 06/03/1992
    • The Ladder of Success - 07/21/1992
    • A Heated Exchange - 11/14/1992 (Hulman Center - Terre Haute, IN)
    • The Thankful Champion - 11/25/1992 (Richfield Coliseum - Richfield Township, OH)
  • 1993
    • Surviving Heartbreak - 11/24/1993 (Boston Garden - Boston, MA)
    • Caged Rivals - 12/01/1993
  • 1996
    • Mutual Respect - 02/26/1996 (Cincinatti Gardens - Cincinnati, OH)
    • All Roads Lead to Wrestlemania - 03/11/1996
    • The Boyhood Dream Comes True! - 03/31/1996 (Honda Center - Anaheim, CA)
    • Bitter Reflections - 04/15/1996 (Orange Pavilion - San Bernardino, CA)
    • A Heros Loyalty - 10/21/1996 (War Memorial Auditorium - Fort Wayne, IN)
    • Costly Errors - 12/15/1996 (West Palm Beach Auditorium - West Palm Beach, FL)
    • A Change of Hart - 12/16/1996 (Ice Palace - Tampa, FL)
    • Martyrs and Fallen Heroes - 12/30/1996 (Knickerbocker Arena - Albany, NY)
  • 1997
    • Tensions Explode - 03/24/1997 (Rockford MetroCentre - Rockford, IL)
    • Devious Intentions - 05/05/1997 (Brown County Expo Center - Green Bay, WI)
    • Pressing the Issue - 05/12/1997 (Bob Carpenter Center - Newark, DE)
    • A Grave Mistake - 08/03/1997 (Continental Airlines Arena - East Rutherford, NJ)
    • The Grand Slam Champion - 09/20/1997 (NEC Pavilion Arena - Birmingham England)
    • The Hart Foundation Strikes Back - 09/29/1997 (Pepsi Arena - Albany, NY)
    • A Challenge for the Blue Blood - 10/06/1997 (Kemper Arena - Kansas City, MO)
    • Uh-Oh Canada! - 10/06/1997 (Kemper Arena - Kansas City MO)
    • Dx Is Born - 10/13/1997 (Landon Arena - Topeka KS)
    • A Volatile Situation - 10/20/1997 (Myriad Convention Center - Oklahoma City OK)
    • Vengeance Is Sweet Chin Music - 10/27/1997 (Tulsa Convention Center - Tulsa OK)
    • Actions Speak Louder Than Words - 10/27/1997 (Tulsa Convention Center - Tulsa OK)
    • The Showdown in Montreal - 11/09/1997 (Molson Centre - Montreal Quebec CN)
  • 2002
    • Confidentially Speaking - 05/25/2002
  • 2005
    • The Scene of the Crime - 08/15/2005 (Bell Centre - Montreal Quebec CN)
  • 2010
    • The Reconciliation - 01/04/2010 (Nutter Center - Dayton OH)
  • 2017
    • Bret vs Shawn: The Rivalry Intro - 11/06/2017
• Ric Flair: Forever The Man
  
  • 1991
    • The Best of Both Worlds - 11/30/1991 (Madison Square Garden - New York, NY)
  • 1992
    • For Gold and Glory - 01/19/1992 (Times Union Center - Albany, NY)
    • An Honorable Champion - 04/05/1992 (Hoosier Dome - Indianapolis, IN)
  • 1993
    • The Perfect Exit - 01/25/1993 (Manhattan Center - New York, NY)
    • Ravishingly Controversial - 09/19/1993 (Astro Arena - Houston, TX)
    • A Homecoming to Remember - 12/27/1993 (Independence Arena - Charlotte, NC)
  • 1994
    • Dancing with a Dragon - 04/17/1994 (Rosemont Horizon - Chicago, IL)
    • The Match of the Century - 07/17/1994 (Orlando Arena - Orlando, FL)
  • 1995
    • A Savage Day at the Beach - 07/16/1995 (Huntington Beach - Huntington Beach, CA)
    • Friends, Opponents, Horsemen - 09/17/1995 (Asheville Civic Center - Asheville, NC)
  • 1998
    • The Man and The Hitman - 01/24/1998 (Hara Arena - Dayton, OH)
  • 1999
    • An Icons Challenge - 04/12/1999 (Sun Dome - Yakima, WA)
  • 2001
    • The Nature of the Business - 11/19/2001 (Charleston Coliseum - Charlotte, NC)
  • 2002
    • Professional Animosity - 01/20/2002 (Philips Arena - Atlanta, GA)
    • Running with the Devil - 03/17/2002 (Rogers Centre - Toronto, Ontario, CN)
    • An Envious Rival - 08/25/2002 (Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Uniondale, NY)
  • 2003
    • The Dirtiest Player and The Game - 05/19/2003 (BiLo Center - Greenville, SC)
    • Evolution Dominates - 12/14/2003 (TD Waterhouse Centre - Orlando, FL)
  • 2004
    • An Evolving Connection - 03/14/2004 (Madison Square Garden - New York, NY)
    • Musical Chairs - 07/05/2004 (Winnipeg Arena - Winnipeg, Manitoba, CN)
    • Legends Never Die - 10/19/2004 (BMO Harris Bradley Center - Milwaukee, WI)
  • 2005
    • For the First Time Ever? - 06/27/2005 (Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim - Anaheim, CA)
    • A Naturally Cool Champion - 09/18/2005 (Chesapeake Energy Arena - Oklahoma City, OK)
    • The Bonds of Friendship - 11/01/2005 (Valley View Casino Center - San Diego, CA)
  • 2006
    • The Ultimate Opportunity - 01/16/2006 (RBC Center - Raleigh, NC)
    • A Worthy Endorsement - 01/23/2006 (Charlotte Bobcats Arena - Charlotte, NC)
  • 2007
    • I Will Never Retire - 11/26/2007 (Charlotte Bobcats Arena - Charlotte, NC)
  • 2008
    • The Heartbreaking Truth - 03/24/2008 (Colonial Center - Columbia, SC)
    • A Natural Induction - 03/29/2008 (Amway Center - Orlando, FL)
    • The Nature Boys Swan Song - 03/30/2008 (Citrus Bowl - Orlando, FL)
    • Farewell to a Legend - 03/31/2008 (Amway Center - Orlando, FL)
  • 2012
    • The Horsemen Ride into the Hall - 03/31/2012 (American Airlines Arena - Miami, FL)
  • 2014
    • Legacies Clash - 05/29/2014 (Full Sail University - Orlando, FL)
  • 2016
    • Like Father, Like Daughter - 04/03/2016 (AT&T Stadium - Dallas, TX)
  • 2017
    • Ric Flair: Forever The Man Intro - 11/06/2017

See what new shows are coming up on the schedule
Follow me on Twitter!
The wiki pages with all WWE Network content has also been updated.
^{I am a bot. I will edit this post if more content is added today. Please contact tonyg623 with any bugs or suggestions. Thanks!}