Escape from LA (song)

"Escape from LA"
"Escape from LA"
Song by the Weeknd
from the album After Hours
Released	March 20, 2020
Studio	Noble Street (Toronto, Ontario);
Genre	R&B
Length	5:56
Label	XO; Republic;
Songwriters	Abel Tesfaye; Carlo Montagnese; Leland Tyler Wayne; Mike McTaggart;
Producers	Metro Boomin; The Weeknd; Illangelo;
Audio video
	"Escape from LA" on YouTube

"Escape from LA" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd from his fourth studio album After Hours.^[1] It was released on March 20, 2020, alongside the rest of its parent album as the sixth track.^[2] The song was written by the Weeknd, Illangelo, Metro Boomin, and guitarist Mike McTaggart, while being produced by the former three.

Critical reception

Billboard ranked "Escape from LA" as the worst song from the After Hours album, calling its production "sluggish", and that its descriptive bridge "doesn't do much to heighten the track's lethargy".^[3] In a review of the track, HotNewHipHop called "Escape from LA" a "sexually-charged ballad", calling its lyrics borne of "sun-soaked hangovers" and "passionate break-up sex", and further citing how fans had already called the track a highlight of After Hours.^[4]

Cancelled music video

In an interview with Rolling Stone, it was mentioned that there were treatments for at least three more music videos, (which were "Too Late", "Escape From LA" and "Faith"), however it was "unclear when Tesfaye would be able to film them".^[5] However, only the music video for "Too Late" ended up being filmed, with the status of the videos for "Escape from LA" and "Faith" unknown.

Personnel

The Weeknd – vocals, songwriting, production, keyboards, programming
Illangelo – songwriting, keyboards, programming, engineering, mixing
Metro Boomin – songwriting, keyboards, programming
Mike McTaggart – songwriting, guitar
Shin Kamiyama – engineering
Dave Kutch – mastering
Kevin Peterson – mastering

Charts

Chart (2020)	Peak position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[6]	44
Estonia (Eesti Tipp-40)^[7]	40
France (SNEP)^[8]	88
Greece (IFPI)^[9]	48
Italy (FIMI)^[10]	88
Lithuania (AGATA)^[11]	40
Portugal (AFP)^[12]	49
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[13]	90
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)^[14]	50
US Billboard Hot 100^[15]	39
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[16]	21
US Rolling Stone Top 100^[17]	15

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[18]	Gold	35,000^‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)^[19]	Gold	20,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label(s)	Ref.
Various	March 20, 2020	Digital download streaming	XO Republic	^[20]

References

^ "The Weeknd Reveals 'After Hours' Tracklist". Rap-Up. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^ Ingvaldsen, Torsten (March 20, 2020). "The Weeknd Is Hosting an 'After Hours' Listening Session on Spotify". Hypebeast. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^ "Every Song Ranked on The Weeknd's 'After Hours': Critic's Picks". Billboard. March 20, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
^ Findlay, Mitch (March 20, 2020). "The Weeknd Picks The Wrong Time To "Escape From LA"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
^ "The Weeknd on 'After Hours', His Movie Dreams and Industry Racism". Rolling Stone. September 18, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
^ "The Weeknd Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^ Nestor, Siim (March 31, 2020). "Eesti Tipp-40 Muusikas: Selle nädala kangelased on The Weeknd ja AG". Eesti Ekspress (in Estonian). Retrieved June 8, 2020.
^ "The Weeknd – Escape from LA" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^ "IFPI Charts Digital Singles Chart (International) Week 12 2020". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
^ "The Weeknd – Escape from LA". Top Digital Download. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^ "2020 13-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
^ "The Weeknd – Escape from LA". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^ "The Weeknd – Escape from LA". Singles Top 100. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^ "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^ "The Weeknd Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^ "The Weeknd Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
^ "Brazilian single certifications – The Weeknd – Escape From LA" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
^ "Listen to the Weeknd's New Album After Hours". Pitchfork. March 20, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.

[1] "The Weeknd Reveals 'After Hours' Tracklist". Rap-Up. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

[2] Ingvaldsen, Torsten (March 20, 2020). "The Weeknd Is Hosting an 'After Hours' Listening Session on Spotify". Hypebeast. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

[3] "Every Song Ranked on The Weeknd's 'After Hours': Critic's Picks". Billboard. March 20, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2022.

[4] Findlay, Mitch (March 20, 2020). "The Weeknd Picks The Wrong Time To "Escape From LA"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved January 23, 2024.

[5] "The Weeknd on 'After Hours', His Movie Dreams and Industry Racism". Rolling Stone. September 18, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2023.

[sc_Canada_The_Weeknd-6] "The Weeknd Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

[estonianchart-7] Nestor, Siim (March 31, 2020). "Eesti Tipp-40 Muusikas: Selle nädala kangelased on The Weeknd ja AG". Eesti Ekspress (in Estonian). Retrieved June 8, 2020.

[sc_France_The_Weeknd-8] "The Weeknd – Escape from LA" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

[9] "IFPI Charts Digital Singles Chart (International) Week 12 2020". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2020.

[sc_Italy_The_Weeknd-10] "The Weeknd – Escape from LA". Top Digital Download. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

[11] "2020 13-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. Retrieved May 21, 2022.

[sc_Portugal_The_Weeknd-12] "The Weeknd – Escape from LA". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

[sc_Sweden_The_Weeknd-13] "The Weeknd – Escape from LA". Singles Top 100. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

[sc_UKstreaming_-14] "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

[sc_Billboardhot100_The_Weeknd-15] "The Weeknd Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphop_The_Weeknd-16] "The Weeknd Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2022.

[17] "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2020.

[AustraliasingleCertRef-18] "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 29, 2024.

[BrazilThe_WeekndEscape_From_LAsingleCertRef-19] "Brazilian single certifications – The Weeknd – Escape From LA" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved April 4, 2024.

[20] "Listen to the Weeknd's New Album After Hours". Pitchfork. March 20, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.

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"Escape from LA"
Song by the Weeknd
from the album After Hours
Released	March 20, 2020
Studio	Noble Street (Toronto, Ontario)
Genre	R&B
Length	5:56
Label	XO Republic
Songwriters	Abel Tesfaye Carlo Montagnese Leland Tyler Wayne Mike McTaggart
Producers	Metro Boomin The Weeknd Illangelo

Audio video
"Escape from LA" on YouTube