Less than Zero (The Weeknd song)

2022 single by the Weeknd

"Less Than Zero"

Single by the Weeknd
from the album  Dawn FM
Released| July 7, 2022 (2022-07-07)
Genre|

* Synth-pop
* new wave

Length| 3:32
Label|

* XO
* Republic

Songwriter(s)|

* Abel Tesfaye
* Max Martin
* Oscar Holter

Producer(s)|

* The Weeknd
* Max Martin
* Oscar Holter
* Oneohtrix Point Never

The Weeknd singles chronology
| "Out of Time"
(2022)  | "Less Than Zero"
(2022)  | "Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)"
(2022)

|
|

"Less than Zero" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released to French contemporary hit radio on July 7, 2022, as the fourth and final single from his fifth studio album Dawn FM (2022).[1] The song was written by the Weeknd, Max Martin, and Oscar Holter, and produced by the three alongside Oneohtrix Point Never.

## Background and promotion

[edit]

The song's name was first revealed on January 5, 2022, when Canadian singer the Weeknd posted the track listing for the song's parent album Dawn FM (2022).[2][3] A lyric video for the song directed by Micah Bickham was released on January 9, 2022.[4] It was also one of the songs performed in the television music special The Dawn FM Experience.[5]

The song was given a limited single release in France, with it being sent to contemporary hit radio on July 7, 2022, in the country.[1]

"Less than Zero" served as one of the two official theme songs for WWE's WrestleMania 39, marking the fourth straight year a song by the Weeknd served as the theme song for the annual event.[6]

## Lyrics and composition

[edit]

"Less than Zero" has been described as a slow-dance new wave and synth-pop track where the Weeknd sings about remaining regretful sentiments he has after the end of a relationship and how he blames himself. It is in the key of C major.[7][8][9][10][11]

## Critical reception

[edit]

"Less Than Zero" was met with widespread acclaim. Critics noted the song as a highlight on the record, with particular praise being given to the song's production, lyrics, its acoustic ending and The Weeknd's emotionally resonant vocals.[7][12] Critics from Billboard noted that the song had the ability to potentially achieve the top 40 success that the singles from the Weeknd's previous After Hours predecessors had.[13]

## Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[14]

* The Weeknd – vocals, background vocals, songwriting, production
* Max Martin – guitar, keyboard, bass, background vocals, programming, songwriting, production
* Oscar Holter – guitar, keyboard, bass, programming, songwriting, production
* OPN \- production
* Şerban Ghenea \- mixing
* Dave Kutch – mastering
* Kevin Peterson – mastering
* Jeremy Lertola - engineering
* John Hanes - engineering
* Matt Cohn - engineering
* Sam Holland - engineering
* Shin Kamiyama - engineering

## Charts

[edit]

Chart performance for "Less than Zero"  Chart (2022)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (ARIA)[15] | 47
Australia Hip-Hop/R&B Singles (ARIA)[16] | 18
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[17] | 32
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[18] | 46
Denmark (Tracklisten)[19] | 33
France (SNEP)[20] | 82
Global 200 (Billboard)[21] | 24
Greece International (IFPI)[22] | 14
Iceland (Tónlistinn)[23] | 21
India International Singles (IMI)[24] | 16
Lithuania (AGATA)[25] | 30
Portugal (AFP)[26] | 39
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[27] | 56
South Africa (TOSAC)[28] | 63
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[29] | 67
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[30] | 57
US Billboard Hot 100[31] | 53

## Certifications

[edit]

Certifications for "Less than Zero"  Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[32] | Gold  | 35,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[33] | Gold  | 20,000‡
France (SNEP)[34] | Gold  | 100,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[35] | Gold  | 15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] | Silver  | 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Release history

[edit]

Region  | Date  | Format  | Label(s)  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

France  | July 7, 2022  | Contemporary hit radio |

* Universal

| [1]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Pineau, Marine (July 7, 2022). "Après Take My Breath, The Weeknd choisit Less Than Zero en guise de single". Retrieved August 22, 2022.
2. ^ Kaufman, Gil (January 5, 2022). "The Weeknd Reveals Tracklist For 16-Song 'Dawn FM' Album". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
3. ^ "The Weeknd Enlists Jim Carrey and Quincy Jones for His New 'Dawn FM' Album". GQ. January 5, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
4. ^ "The Weeknd – Sacrifice Video". Contactmusic.com. January 9, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
5. ^ Kreps, Daniel (February 21, 2022). "The Weeknd to Premiere 'Dawn FM Experience' Special This Weekend". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
6. ^ "WWE WrestleMania 39 Official Theme Song Reportedly Picked". WWE. January 17, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
7. ^ a b Barr, Natalia (January 26, 2022). "The Weeknd's New Hit, Gunna's Hotshot Single and the Other Best Songs of January". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 22, 2022 - via www.wsj.com.
8. ^ "THE WEEKND Less Than Zero". ElectricityClub.co.uk. January 15, 2022.
9. ^ Grow, Tomás Mier, Waiss David Aramesh, Julyssa Lopez, Charles Aaron, Angie Martoccio, Elias Leight, Jon Freeman, Mosi Reeves, Jon Blistein, Sarah Grant, Joe Gross, Simon Vozick-Levinson, Jon Dolan, Kory; Mier, Tomás; Aramesh, Waiss David; Lopez, Julyssa; Aaron, Charles; Martoccio, Angie; Leight, Elias; Freeman, Jon; Reeves, Mosi; Blistein, Jon; Grant, Sarah; Gross, Joe; Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Dolan, Jon; Grow, Kory (February 14, 2022). "The 50 Best Weeknd Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 22, 2022.`{{cite magazine}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
10. ^ Muñoz-Schaefer, Ursula. "The Weeknd Is Our Most Prescient Pop Star". Miami New Times. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
11. ^ Holiday, Harmony (January 14, 2022). "On 'Dawn FM,' The Weeknd is both suffering and saved". Retrieved August 22, 2022 - via NPR.
12. ^ Caramanica, Jon (January 10, 2022). "The Endless Pop Shimmers of the Weeknd". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2022 - via NYTimes.com.
13. ^ Mamo, Heran (January 7, 2022). "Every Song on The Weeknd's 'Dawn FM' Album, Ranked: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
14. ^ The Weeknd - Dawn FM, January 7, 2022, retrieved February 28, 2025
15. ^ "The Weeknd – Less than Zero". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
16. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. January 17, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
17. ^ "The Weeknd Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
18. ^ "The Weeknd Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
19. ^ "The Weeknd – Less than Zero". Tracklisten. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
20. ^ "The Weeknd – Less than Zero" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
21. ^ "The Weeknd Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
22. ^ "Official IFPI Charts - Digital Singles Chart (International) - Week: 02/2022". ifpi.gr. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
23. ^ "Tónlistinn – Plötur – Vika 2 – 2022" [The Music - Albums - Week 2 - 2022] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
24. ^ "Top 20 Charts". Indian Music Industry. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. January 17, 2022. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
25. ^ "2022 2-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. January 14, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
26. ^ "The Weeknd – Less than Zero". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
27. ^ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
28. ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100 Week 02-2022". The Official South African Charts. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
29. ^ "The Weeknd – Less than Zero". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
30. ^ "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
31. ^ "The Weeknd Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
32. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
33. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – The Weeknd – Less than Zero" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
34. ^ "French single certifications – The Weeknd – Less Than Zero" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
35. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – The Weeknd – Less than Zero". Radioscope. Retrieved December 23, 2024. Type Less than Zero  in the "Search:" field.
36. ^ "British single certifications – The Weeknd – Less than Zero". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 1, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Official Audio on YouTube
* Official Lyric Video on YouTube
* The Dawn FM Experience Performance on YouTube

* v
* t
* e

The Weeknd songs

* Discography
* Songs

Trilogy|

| House of Balloons|

* "High for This"
* "House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls"
* "The Morning"
* "Wicked Games"
* "Twenty Eight"

|

Thursday|

* "The Zone"
* "Rolling Stone"

Echoes of Silence|

* "D.D"
* "Echoes of Silence"

Kiss Land|

* "Belong to the World"
* "Live For"
* "Wanderlust"
* "Kiss Land"
* "Odd Look"

Beauty Behind the Madness|

* "Tell Your Friends"
* "Often"
* "The Hills"
* "Acquainted"
* "Can't Feel My Face"
* "Earned It"
* "In the Night"
* "Prisoner"

Starboy|

* "Starboy"
* "Party Monster"
* "False Alarm"
* "Reminder"
* "Rockin'"
* "Secrets"
* "Stargirl Interlude"
* "Sidewalks"
* "Six Feet Under"
* "A Lonely Night"
* "All I Know"
* "Die for You"
* "I Feel It Coming"

My Dear Melancholy|

* "Call Out My Name"
* "Try Me"
* "Wasted Times"
* "I Was Never There"
* "Hurt You"

After Hours|

* "Alone Again"
* "Too Late"
* "Hardest to Love"
* "Scared to Live"
* "Snowchild"
* "Escape from LA"
* "Heartless"
* "Faith"
* "Blinding Lights"
* "In Your Eyes"
* "Save Your Tears"
* "Repeat After Me (Interlude)"
* "After Hours"
* "Until I Bleed Out"

Dawn FM|

* "Gasoline"
* "How Do I Make You Love Me?"
* "Take My Breath"
* "Sacrifice"
* "Out of Time"
* "Here We Go... Again"
* "Is There Someone Else?"
* "I Heard You're Married"
* "Less than Zero"
* "Moth to a Flame"

The Idol|

* "Double Fantasy"
* "Popular"
* "One of the Girls"

Hurry Up Tomorrow|

* "Wake Me Up"
* "Cry for Me"
* "São Paulo"
* "Baptized in Fear"
* "Open Hearts"
* "Reflections Laughing"
* "Enjoy the Show"
* "Timeless"

Other songs|

* "King of the Fall"
* "Love Me Harder"
* "Might Not"
* "Pray for Me"
* "Lost in the Fire"
* "Power Is Power"
* "Smile"
* "Over Now"
* "Off the Table"
* "Hawái"
* "You Right"
* "Better Believe"
* "Die for It"
* "Hurricane"
* "One Right Now"
* "Creepin'"
* "Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)"
* "K-pop"
* "Another One of Me"
* "Young Metro"
* "We Still Don't Trust You"
* "Dancing in the Flames"
* "Rather Lie"

Featured songs|

* "Crew Love"
* "Remember You"
* "One of Those Nights"
* "Sexodus"
* "Elastic Heart"
* "Or Nah"
* "Might Not"
* "Nocturnal"
* "Low Life"
* "6 Inch"
* "Wild Love"
* "Some Way"
* "Comin Out Strong"
* "Lust for Life"
* "A Lie"
* "Curve"
* "What You Want"
* "Skeletons"
* "Wake Up"
* "Price on My Head"
* "La Fama"
* "Tears in the Club"
* "Poison"
* "Circus Maximus"

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