King of the Fall

"King of the Fall" is a song by Canadian singer the Weeknd.[1] It was released as a promotional single to streaming services on July 20, 2014, to promote his King of the Fall Tour.[2] The song was later officially re-released by XO and Republic Records on September 25, 2020.[3] It accompanied the release of his remixed track "Rambo (Last Blood)" on the deluxe edition of Bryson Tiller's first studio album Trapsoul.[4] A remix of the song featuring American rapper Ty Dolla Sign and Canadian rapper Belly was released on October 20, 2014, shortly following the release of the remix for "Often".[5]

"King of the Fall"
2014 release single art
Promotional single by the Weeknd
ReleasedJuly 20, 2014 (2014-07-20)
Recorded2014
Genre
Length5:01
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • DaHeala
  • Mike Dean
  • Brandon Hollemon
  • the Weeknd
Music video
"King of the Fall" on YouTube
Alternate cover art
The Weeknd standing in a city with buildings visible behind him.
Cover art for the 2020 commercial release

Background and release

The initial release of "King of the Fall" followed that of his 2014 single "Often" (which was released a month prior) and the announcement of his 2014 King of the Fall Tour.[6][7] The two songs were released to promote his aforementioned tour and to get fans excited for his second studio album Beauty Behind the Madness, which included "Often" but excluded "King of the Fall".[8]

The song was officially released to streaming services and digital retailers on September 25, 2020, after a six year period of unofficial uploads to streaming platforms such as Spotify.[9] It followed the official release his remixed track "Rambo (Last Blood)" and the special Kiss Land episode of his Apple Music 1 radio show Memento Mori, which featured unreleased demos and songs from his early career.[10]

Critical reception

"King of the Fall" is considered by critics and fans alike as being a staple song in the Weeknd's discography.[11] Alyson Lewis from uDiscover Music ranked the song as being Tesfaye's second most career defining track, complimenting his delivery and saying that song contains some his most potent verses.[12] Pranav Trewn from Stereogum ranked the song as being the ninth best in his discography, with him praising his singing and rapping on the song and calling it a "tour de force of all the places the Weeknd's voice can go".[13]

Commercial performance

In 2014, due to its limited initial release, "King of the Fall" was only eligible to chart at number one on the US Billboard + Twitter Trending 140. However, following its official release to digital retailers and mainstream streaming services in 2020, the song was able to debut at number 18 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart.

Music video

The music video for "King of the Fall" was released on August 28, 2014.[14][15] It was directed by Kid Studio and features the Weeknd walking through his hometown of Toronto.[16] [17]

Charts
Chart (2014) Peak
position
US Billboard + Twitter Trending 140 (Billboard)[18] 1
Chart (2020) Peak
position
US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard)[19] 18

Release history
Region Date Format Label(s) Ref.
Various July 20, 2014
[20]
Various September 25, 2020
[21]

References
  1. "The Weeknd Announces "King of The Fall" Tour". Complex. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  2. "New Music: The Weeknd 'King Of The Fall'". Vibe. July 21, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  3. "The Weeknd's "King Of The Fall" Returns to Streaming Services". HYPEBEAST. September 25, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  4. "Verizon to Launch Streaming Entertainment Series, Sets Dave Matthews Performance". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  5. "Listen to The Weeknd's "King of the Fall (Remix)" f/ Ty Dolla $ign and Belly". Complex. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  6. "The Weeknd 'King Of The Fall' Tour Dates". Rap Radar. June 26, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  7. "The Weeknd unveils new song 'Often' - listen | NME". NME. June 25, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  8. "The Weeknd to release new single in June, denies rumours of album dropping in August | NME". NME. May 12, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  9. "The Weeknd's tweet gets 'After Hours' trending months after release, excited fans want 'King of the Fall' live". meaww.com. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  10. EDT, Janice Williams On 9/25/20 at 12:24 PM (September 25, 2020). "No, The Weeknd's "King of the Fall" isn't a new song but you can finally listen to it". Newsweek. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  11. "The Weeknd Finally Brings "King of the Fall" to Streaming Services". exclaim.ca. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  12. Lewis, Alyson (February 16, 2020). "Best Weeknd Songs: 20 Career-Defining Tracks From The Starboy". Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  13. "The 10 Best The Weeknd Songs". April 9, 2018. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  14. "Watch The Weeknd's "King of the Fall" Video". Complex. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  15. "Watch: The Weeknd's video for "King of the Fall"". August 29, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  16. "The Weeknd Is So Sad and Lonely in 'King of the Fall' Video". Spin. August 29, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  17. "The Weeknd Tours Toronto's Party Scene in 'King of the Fall' Video". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  18. "Billboard Twitter Real-Time(2014)". Billboard Chart. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  19. "The Weeknd Chart History - Hot R&B Songs". Billboard. October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  20. "Listen: The Weeknd's new song "King of the Fall"". Consequence of Sound. July 20, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  21. "The Weeknd Releases "King of the Fall" on Streaming Services". Hypebeast. September 25, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
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