The Weeknd Net Worth: How Rich is the World's Most Popular Artist in 2025?

In the global entertainment economy, few modern artists illustrate the power of disciplined brand building as clearly as Abel Makkonen Tesfaye. Known professionally as 'The Weeknd', Tesfaye has evolved from a chart-topping musician into a vertically integrated enterprise built on intellectual property, touring scale and strategic partnerships. 

By late 2025, discussions around The Weeknd’s net worth extend well beyond recorded-music royalties. The Weeknd stands as a case study in modern entertainment capitalism. His net worth reflects not just musical success, but disciplined asset management, controlled brand expansion and a clear understanding of intellectual property economics. In financial terms, The Weeknd is no longer simply an artist, he operates more like a blue-chip entertainment asset rather than a traditional pop star.

In this article, Pulse examines one of the most instructive wealth-building stories in the modern pop culture: the financial evolution of Abel Makkonen Tesfaye.

• Full Name: Abel Makkonen Tesfaye

• Date of Birth / Age: 16 February, 1990 (age 35 as of 2025)

• Birthplace: Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada

• Nationality: Canadian

• Occupation: Musician (Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Actor)

• Religion:  Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity

• Parents: Makkonen Tesfaye (Father) and Mrs.  Samrawit Hailu (Mother)

• Marital Status: Single

• Years Active in Music: 2009 - Present

• Net Worth: $600 million USD (est.)

• Annual Earnings: Approximately $145 million USD (as of 2025)

• Category: Highest-Paid Musicians/ Most Streamed Musicians of All Time/ Best Selling Musicians of All Time / Guinness World Record Holders/ Oscar Nominees/Most Diamond-Certified Recording Artists

• Instagram: @theweeknd

• Facebook: @theweeknd

• X(formerly Twitter): @theweeknd

• TikTok: @theweeknd

• YouTube: The Weeknd

The origin story of the man behind The Weeknd is one of Scarborough’s most famous exports. Born in 1990 to Ethiopian immigrants in Toronto, Abel Tesfaye’s path to a skyrocketing financial portfolio began in a state of relative precarity. After dropping out of secondary school, Tesfaye famously spent his nights crafting the dark, atmospheric sounds that would eventually form House of Balloons. This era of his life, often characterised by anonymity and a DIY aesthetic, laid the groundwork for the brand equity that fuels The Weeknd's net worth today. He didn't just want to be a singer; he wanted to own the narrative, a move that has historically protected his net worth from the predatory contracts of the early 2010s.

The story behind the moniker is a cornerstone of his "Starboy" lore. At age 17, Abel Tesfaye made a life-altering decision that would eventually lead to the massive net worth he enjoys today. He dropped out of high school, convinced his friend and creative director La Mar Taylor to do the same, and literally "left one weekend and never came back home".

During a 2015 New York Times interview with The Weeknd, published shortly before the release of "Beauty Behind the Madness," Tesfaye recalls the "worst look anyone could ever have" from his mother as he drove away, a look of utter failure. This emotional trauma became the creative fuel for his dark, moody discography that would eventually drive billions in revenue

Following legal trouble at age eighteen, Tesfaye left the apartment and found work folding clothes at an American Apparel store, a period he later described as pivotal to his eventual drive for success. While working retail, Tesfaye began writing music, initially intending to sell songs to other artists because he disliked his own voice. In late 2010, a friend uploaded several tracks to YouTube, where they gained traction online.

Adopting the name The Weeknd and keeping his identity anonymous, he quietly built momentum as his songs circulated, even as coworkers unknowingly played his music at work.  Abel originally hated his birth name and chose "The Weekend" to commemorate that life-changing departure. He dropped the "e" (The Weeknd) to avoid a trademark conflict with a Canadian pop-rock band, a move that inadvertently made his brand globally distinct.

The turning point came when the world's most streamed rapper, Drake, shared his music on his blog in December 2010, igniting international interest. In 2011, The Weeknd released three mixtapes, House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence, for free online, while collaborating and touring with Drake. Already an international sensation by the time he signed with Republic Records in 2012 through his own XO imprint, he remastered the mixtapes as Trilogy, which went platinum. After his debut studio album Kiss Land underperformed commercially in 2013, The Weeknd recalibrated his approach with guidance from Republic Records.

He refined his performance skills and began working with producer Max Martin, leading to a string of major hits including “Earned It,” “The Hills,” and “Can’t Feel My Face.” His 2015 album Beauty Behind the Madness became a global blockbuster, topping charts worldwide, becoming the most-streamed album of the year, and earning Grammy Awards. Subsequent albums such as Starboy (2016), After Hours (2020), and Dawn FM (2022) cemented The Weeknd as one of the dominant artists of his generation, producing record-breaking singles such as “Blinding Lights” and earning multiple Grammys. He headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2021, launched major global tours, and expanded into film and television with HBO’s The Idol in 2023. Despite mixed critical reception, the series generated successful music releases, underscoring his continued commercial influence across platforms.

However, as of December 2025, the brand of "The Weeknd" has become so valuable that Tesfaye is preparing to "kill" it. In multiple interviews, the hitmaker has expressed a desire to close the chapter on the character, potentially releasing future work under his birth name, Abel Tesfaye.

Understanding The Weeknd's discography reveals the evolution of his artistry and commercial success over the years. His albums are a collection of work that has garnered significant attention and impact in the music industry. Below is a look at the albums that have shaped his career.

The "Trilogy" Foundation: Before his major label releases, The Weeknd built a significant following with his early work.

• Impact: Originally released as free mixtapes, these were later repackaged as Trilogy (2012) under Republic Records. This move effectively brought his underground popularity to a wider audience, leading to a Platinum certification and establishing his presence in the music world.

• Commercial Performance: Debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Impact: While considered an album that delved into darker themes, it solidified a dedicated fanbase that has supported his career through various stylistic changes.

• Commercial Performance: 1.5 million copies sold in the US alone. Impact: This album marked a shift towards a more pop-friendly sound. Hits like "Can't Feel My Face" and "The Hills" achieved massive popularity, expanding The Weeknd's reach significantly.

• Commercial Performance: 2x Platinum; No. 1 in over 80 countries on iTunes. Impact: Collaborations with artists like Daft Punk broadened his appeal to electronic and international markets. The "Starboy" era established him as a global artist and led to various brand partnerships.

• Commercial Performance: Debuted at No. 1. Impact: This EP demonstrated his ability to achieve chart success with shorter, more experimental projects, maintaining momentum between his full-length albums.

• Commercial Performance: The project was unarguably one of the biggest R&B albums of the decade. Impact: Featuring the global phenomenon "Blinding Lights," this album achieved massive streaming numbers and critical acclaim, solidifying his status as a major force in popular music.

Commercial Performance: Topped charts in over 10 countries. Impact: It was an album that leaned into synth-pop, it further demonstrated The Weeknd's versatility and continued ability to produce chart-topping and widely streamed music.

• Commerical performance: The 22-track project serves as the conclusion to the second trilogy that began with After Hours (2020) and Dawn FM (2022). It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 490,500 equivalent album units in its first week, the largest debut for any artist in 2025 and the biggest sales week of Tesfaye’s entire career. Impact: For the first time, the music was explicitly tied to a feature film. The Hurry Up Tomorrow film, starring The Weeknd, Jenna Ortega, and Barry Keoghan, was released by Lionsgate on May 16, 2025. While the album was a critical triumph, the film had a more polarised reception, grossing approximately $7.7 million worldwide against an estimated $15 million budget. Nonetheless, Music critics praised the album’s "cinematic finale" (9.5/10 from many outlets).

The Weeknd's impact extends beyond his solo albums, with notable contributions to soundtracks and collaborations:

• "Earned It" (Fifty Shades of Grey): A commercially successful track that introduced him to a wider audience through film.

• "Pray for Me" (Black Panther): A high-profile collaboration that connected his music with a major cinematic universe.

• The Idol (Soundtrack): Despite the show's reception, the music, including collaborations with other artists, has performed well on streaming platforms. The progression from the atmospheric sound of Trilogy to the chart-topping success of After Hours and beyond highlights The Weeknd's strategic evolution as an artist. By consistently exploring new sounds and collaborating with diverse artists, he has cultivated a broad appeal that spans various demographics.

To understand the reason why The Weeknd has such a gargantuan appeal musically, one must examine the "product" he delivers. Abel is a Light-Lyric Tenor with a vocal range spanning over three and a half octaves (E2 to C6). His voice is defined by a high-tessitura "mixed voice" and an effortless falsetto that frequently draws comparisons to Michael Jackson.  A critical factor in The Weeknd's unique "melismatic" style, which is the ability to sing many notes on one syllable, is his upbringing with Ethiopian music, which he credits for his vocal flexibility.

The Weeknd often employs a "purposefully numb" or detached vocal affect, which perfectly complements his darker lyrical themes. The evolution of his sound has been a strategic pivot from "PBR&B" (alternative R&B) to global pop dominance

The Weeknd's musical style can be broken down into three key eras:

• The Early "XO" Era: His early work (House of Balloons) was characterized by "fogged, crepuscular production," slow tempos, and unconventional samples from punk, shoegaze, and alternative rock.

• The Pop Pivot: Starting with Beauty Behind the Madness (2015) and Starboy (2016), The Weeknd integrated 80s-style synth-pop and disco influences, collaborating with Max Martin and Daft Punk to make his "dark impulses" radio-friendly.

• The "Gothic" 2025 Sound: By his latest 2025 project, Hurry Up Tomorrow, his style has evolved into what he describes as "gothic" and "operatic," featuring heavy electronic and synth-pop elements with "sleek, chrome-plated hooks".

As of December 2025, The Weeknd's net worth is estimated at a staggering $600 million USD, accoring to figures from the industry's go-to source Celebrity Net Worth. This impressive figure places him among the wealthiest musicians globally. The Weeknd net worth is a calculation of all his assets (music catalogue, real estate, investments, liquid cash) minus any liabilities.

The exponential growth of The Weeknd's net worth over the years is a key talking point in financial circles. It has tripled since 2021, showcasing the explosive earning potential of a modern, multi-hyphenate entertainer. Every stream, ticket sale, and business deal adds another layer to The Weeknd's net worth, creating a robust and diversified financial empire. The Weeknd is consistently one of the highest-paid entertainers globally, and in active touring years his earnings can approach $90 million before taxes. With more than 70 million records sold worldwide, he ranks among the best-selling artists of his generation.

The Weeknd's earnings fluctuate significantly depending on his touring schedule, but they are consistently high. Historically, he has been one of Forbes' highest-paid entertainers, pulling in an estimated $92 million in one scoring period in 2017. In recent years, his income streams have diversified further.

His 2024 income from Spotify alone may have reached over $50 million, with total music revenues potentially exceeding $200 million in that year. In 2025 alone, The Weeknd's Net Worth is bolstered by an estimated $120 million to $150 million in pre-tax earnings. This income is derived from a diversified stream of royalties, high-value endorsements with brands like Apple and Pepsi, and the sustained performance of his back catalogue.

• 2015: $30 Million USD (Breakout success of Beauty Behind the Madness including "The Hills," "Can't Feel My Face").

• 2017: $85 Million USD (Starboy album, first major global stadium tour, "Legend of the Fall").

• 2020: $150 Million USD (Release of After Hours and "Blinding Lights," setting the stage for massive future royalties).

• 2023: $380 Million USD (Start of the 'After Hours til Dawn' stadium tour; massive initial gross figures provide a major boost to his net worth).

• 2025: $600 Million USD (Current valuation based on diversified portfolio, major real estate holdings, and the $1 billion catalogue asset).

• 2011: < $50,000 USD (Early mixtape releases).

• 2014: $10 Million USD (Early touring, soundtrack work ("Earned It").

• 2017: $92 Million USD (Starboy era peak).

• 2021: $40 Million USD (Pandemic-suppressed touring,but the Super Bowl Halftime show ensured media visibility and high brand value maintenance).

• 2023: $110 Million USD (Initial stadium tour surge).

• 2025: $285 Million USD (Global domination and catalogue monetization; driven by high-margin stadium dates and his $1 billion catalogue valuation payout structures). 

The growth in The Weeknd's net worth is most visible when comparing his humble beginnings to the stadium-sized monster his business has become.

The Weeknd's first live performance took place at the Mod Club in Toronto on July 24, 2011. The venue had a capacity of roughly 600 people, and tickets were sold for a nominal fee. He reportedly walked away with less than $5,000 after expenses.

The present day reality is vastly different when you compare that to the After Hours til Dawn Tour in 2025. His average nightly take-home pay is estimated at $4 million to $6 million per stadium stop. This represents a staggering 120,000% financial growth in per-show earning power over 14 years.

According to Billboard Boxscore’s 2025 Year-End Chart, The Weeknd’s After Hours til Dawn Tour generated $336.7 million USD in ticket sales during the 2025 tracking period. This reflects 46 stadium dates across North America and Australia, with over 2.2 million tickets sold.

In November 2025, Live Nation confirmed that the After Hours til Dawn Tour officially surpassed $1 billion USD in total gross revenue. This milestone makes it the highest-earning tour by a solo male artist in history. While the tour itself has grossed over $1 billion since 2022, the $336.7 million earned specifically in 2025 was the primary engine that pushed The Weeknd's net worth to its current $600 million. 

Per Pollstar, the 35-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter achieved the insane milestone by extending his “After Hours Til Dawn Tour” with another North American leg in 2025, and that run propelled him to No. 5 on Pollstar’s 2025 Year End Top 200 Tours Worldwide chart with a gross of $306,255,590 off 2,005,301 tickets sold.

“After Hours Til Dawn” began with a North American leg in the summer of 2022, and the singer then embarked for Europe and the U.K. in the following year before visiting Latin America.The Weeknd performed only four last year in Australia but resumed the tour in 2025 with concerts in the U.S. and Canada. In total, The Weeknd has performed 153 concerts over three years.

The Weeknd made a triumphant return to Los Angeles and played four sold-out nights at SoFi Stadium, grossing a whopping $34 million USD from 199,290 tickets. Those four shows across five nights set a record at the venue. With six concerts at SoFi Stadium throughout his run, The Weeknd has performed more shows at Southern California’s NFL stadium than any other male solo artist. It is one of many records the influential pop star set in 2025. Tesafaye is also the top-grossing Black male artist in the history of venues in New York, Denver, Santa Clara, Seattle, Edmonton, Montreal, Orlando, Arlington and Houston, according to Live Nation. Notably, in Seattle, The Weeknd sold out the Lumen Field, home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, and hauled in a staggering $9,969,625 USD in one night.

The megastar scored a major haul last summer at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where he performed three nights and grossed a total of $29,796,461 off 162,832 tickets.

And the pop star isn't slowing down. The Weeknd already has 48 shows scheduled in Latin America, Europe and the U.K. in 2026, setting him up to shatter even more touring records across the globe.

In the fiscal year 2025, The Weeknd's estimated personal gross annual earnings are $285 million USD. This figure reflects his total income across all business verticals before taxes and management fees. To understand how he "cleared" nearly $300 million this year, we must look at the specific "pipes" moving capital into the XO empire.

• Touring: As mentioned earlier, The Weeknd's After Hours til Dawn Tour officially surpassed $1 billion in total gross revenue in November 2025. For the 2025 calendar year specifically, the tour grossed $336.7 million from 46 stadium dates. After stadium overhead, production, and promoter splits, The Weeknd's personal take-home is estimated at $145 million USD for the year.

• Streaming & Physical Sales: The Weeknd's fifth No. 1 album, Hurry Up Tomorrow (2025), and a catalog generating $55 million in annual net profit contributed approximately $80 million USD in music royalties this year.

• Catalogue Partnership Dividends: In December 2025, The Weeknd closed a landmark $1 billion catalogue partnership with Lyric Capital. While the total valuation is $1 billion USD, the deal structure (likely involving an 18.2x multiple of annual royalties) provided a massive liquidity injection, estimated at $80 million to $100 million USD in up-front payments for 2025.

• Brand Partnership & Business Ventures: Endorsement deals with Puma, Nespresso (Samra Origins), and Bacardi, alongside his film production revenue, added an estimated $40 million USD.

The undisputed peak of his live performance revenue (and a massive boost to The Weeknd's net worth) occurred at Lumen Field, home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, as part of his After Hours Til Dawn Tour. The show which took place on July 12, 2025, was the performance where he grossed a career-high $9,969,625 USD.

It officially crowned him the highest-grossing Black male solo artist in the history of Lumen Field. The performance officially surpassed his own record-gross at Wembley Stadium, London ( $9.25 million) on August 18, 2023, making it his new single-night record. While the Wembley show had higher attendance (roughly 89,000 vs. 68,000 at Lumen Field), the Seattle date benefited from significantly higher average ticket prices and premium "dynamic pricing" models prevalent in the 2025 North American market. By 2025, the total gross for his stadium tour has eclipsed $1 billion USD, with The Weeknd benefiting from a roughly 30% profit margin after production, taxes, and management fees.

In December 2025, the financial world was rocked by the $1 billion valuation of The Weeknd's music catalogue. Unlike artists who sell their rights entirely to pay off debt, Tesfaye entered a strategic "partnership" with Lyric Capital. He received a massive upfront payment (estimated at $250 million) while retaining a significant equity stake in the future royalties. This ensures that while his liquid cash increased, the long-term appreciation of his work continues to boost his net worth. This deal effectively acted as a "Series A" funding round for his personal brand, valuing his creative output on par with a mid-cap tech company.

NO. As of December 18, 2025, Abel Tesfaye has not yet crossed the official threshold into the billionaire ranks, despite several headlines suggesting otherwise. Currently, The Weeknd's net worth is estimated at $600 million. The confusion regarding his billionaire status stems from two massive "billion-dollar" milestones achieved this year: his $1 billion music catalogue partnership and his After Hours til Dawn Tour, which surpassed $1 billion in total ticket sales in November 2025.

While these figures represent the massive scale of his business, they do not equate to his personal bank balance. In the catalogue deal, the $1 billion figure is an asset valuation. It is a reflection of what his songs are worth on the open market, rather than a liquid cash payment to him. The Weeknd partnered with a company called Lyric Capital. They looked at all his old songs (like "Blinding Lights" and "Starboy") and decided those songs are worth $1 billion because of how much money they make every single year. Instead of selling his music and walking away like other iconic musicians have done in the past, The Weeknd basically took out a massive "loan" or investment against his songs. He got a huge pile of cash upfront (estimated around $250 million) while still keeping control and ownership of his music. 

To reach billionaire status, The Weeknd's net worth would need to nearly double, a feat he is strategically positioned to achieve within the next three to four years. By choosing a partnership with Lyric Capital rather than a flat sale, he has maintained equity in his music while receiving a massive liquidity injection of approximately $200 million in 2025 alone.

This cash, combined with his record-breaking $336.7 million gross from touring this year and his expansion into high-margin industries like film and his Samra Origins coffee line, creates a clear financial roadmap. While he is currently a "half-billionaire," the trajectory of The Weeknd's net worth suggests he is on track to join the likes of Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, and Rihanna as a music-industry billionaire by 2028.

In 2025, The Weeknd's shows averaged $7.3 million to $13.9 million USD in gross ticket sales per night. While he doesn't "charge" a flat fee for his own tour, industry standard dictates that a superstar of his caliber takes home approximately 80% to 85% of the net revenue after stadium expenses and taxes have been paid. This nets him an estimated $2.67 million to $5 million USD in personal profit per stadium stop.

For billionaires or a major corporations looking to book The Weeknd for a private set in 2025, his "booking fee" is among the highest in the world. For a standard private performance, The Weeknd's starting rate is $1 million to $1.5 million USD, according to figures from Anthem Talent Agency. This fee can escalate significantly based on location, travel requirements, and the duration of the set. During peak festive seasons, these prices are often "quoted upon request" and can double. Beyond the fee, any private performance requires a world-class production rider, which can add hundreds of thousands to the total bill.

With The Weeknd's net worth reaching half a billion, his spending has changed from flashy luxury purchases to smart, long-term investments which include:

• Philanthropy: The Weeknd has often been lauded for his philanthropy. The Canadian star has donated over $15 million to various causes since 2020, including $5 million to the World Food Programme.

• Business Ventures: The Weeknd owns a significant stake in OverActive Media (an eSports giant) and is the primary financier of XO Records.

• Film Production: The Weeknd has funneled millions into his own film projects, including the 2025 feature film Hurry Up Tomorrow, treating his music career as a launchpad for a Hollywood studio empire.

The Weeknd's net worth is also anchored by a robust real estate portfolio which includes:

• The Bel Air Estate: Purchased for $70 million USD in 2021, this 33,000-square-foot mansion features a Turkish hammam, a movie theater, and a music studio.

• The LA Penthouse: He previously owned a "mansion in the sky" at the Beverly West building, sold for roughly $19 million USD.

As for The Weeknd's car collection, his garage boasts a curated fleet worth an estimated $5 million USD. The Weeknd reportedly owns a McLaren P1 (valued at $1.5million USD), a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ (The coupé version typically commands around $670,000 USD, while the limited-edition SVJ Roadster often exceeds $840,000 USD).

The Weeknd also reportedly owns a Bentley Mulsanne (valued at  $170,000 USD), a Classic 1980s Porsche 911, which is often featured in his music videos.

To understand the stability of The Weeknd's net worth, it is pertinent to highlight the industry validation that keeps his brand at a premium. As of late 2025, The Weeknd's career total of major wins stands at 482 awards from over 900 nominations. Below is a definitive list of The Weeknd's major career wins:

• Grammy Awards (4): Best Urban Contemporary Album (Beauty Behind the Madness), Best Urban Contemporary Album (Starboy), Best R&B Performance ("Earned It"), and Best Melodic Rap Performance ("Hurricane").

• Billboard Music Awards (22): Including Top Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, and Top R&B Artist across multiple years.

• Juno Awards (24): Dominating the Canadian music landscape with wins for Artist of the Year and Album of the Year.

• American Music Awards (6): Including Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.

• MTV Video Music Awards (4): Including Video of the Year for "Blinding Lights."

• BRIT Awards (2): International Male Solo Artist.

• Academy Award (Oscar) Nominations (1): Best Original Song for "Earned It."

• Primetime Emmy Nominations (2): For his Super Bowl LV Halftime Show.

• SOCAN Awards (18): Recognizing his prowess as a songwriter, a key driver of The Weeknd's net worth.

While he holds 4 Grammys from earlier in his career, industry analysts estimate he was "robbed" of at least 12 additional nominations and potentially 5 wins between 2021 and 2024.

The most significant hit to the "Grammy brand" occurred in 2021. Despite having the most successful song in the world with "Blinding Lights", a track that fundamentally inflated The Weeknd's net worth through billions of streams, The Weeknd received zero nominations for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.

At Pulse, we look at the numbers: After Hours was a critical and commercial juggernaut. To have the year's most impactful album ignored by the Academy was a statistical anomaly that many attributed to "secret committees" and backroom politics. This snub led to a public declaration from Tesfaye that he would no longer allow his label to submit his music for Grammy consideration, a move that arguably increased his value by making his brand feel more rebellious and independent.

Despite a highly publicized reconciliation and a massive 2025 campaign, The Weeknd's net worth remains untouched by any new Grammy gold, as he was once again completely shut out of all categories for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. Despite making a dramatic, surprise return to the Grammy stage at the 67th Annual Awards to perform a medley of "Cry For Me" and "Timeless", when the 2026 nominations were announced on November 7, 2025, Hurry Up Tomorrow, an album that debuted at No. 1 with nearly 500,000 units, was nowhere to be found.

Unlike his Dawn FM era, it was confirmed that Tesfaye’s label, Republic Records, actively submitted his work in several major categories, including Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. Yet, The Weeknd received zero nominations.

His previous decision to boycott the Grammys was a calculated risk. For most artists, Grammy wins lead to a "Grammy Bump" a spike in sales and touring fees that directly feeds into their net worth. However, for The Weeknd net worth, this bump was unnecessary. Instead of chasing the trophy, Tesfaye focused on The Super Bowl LV Halftime Show - a self-funded $7 million investment that generated a massive return on investment for The Weeknd's net worth through global exposure.

Asides the Grammy's The Weeknd was also blacked out by the VMAs. In September 2025, despite receiving 7 nominations, including Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for "Timeless", he went 0-for-7. The night was dominated by Lady Gaga, who won four awards including Artist of the Year, leaving Abel empty-handed despite his massive commercial numbers.

While the latest snub sparked immediate outrage, the financial reality is that The Weeknd net worth has outgrown the need for these accolades.

Streaming is the "passive income" engine of The Weeknd's net worth. The Canadian star doesn't just participate in streaming; he dictates its ceiling.

• Total Monthly Listeners: 115 million (Peak in 2025).

• All-Time Most Streamed Song: "Blinding Lights" (Over 5.1 billion streams).

• Most Songs with 1 Billion Streams: 18 songs (A world record).

• First artist to reach 100 million monthly listeners.

• YouTube: 55 million subscribers with over 28 billion total views. Visuals for the "The Hills" and "Starboy" both exceed 2 billion views.

• Apple Music: The Weeknd set the record for most pre-added album in history with After Hours (over 1 million pre-adds).

• Guinness World Records (4 Total): Most streamed album on Spotify in one year (Beauty Behind the Madness).

• Most consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100 (90 weeks for "Blinding Lights").

• First artist to simultaneously hold the top three spots on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart.