Timeless (The Weeknd and Playboi Carti song)

The Weeknd and Playboi Carti first collaborated on the song "Popular" with American singer Madonna, released as part of the now scrapped soundtrack album from The Idol.^[2] Following the collaboration, the Weeknd went on to praise what he and Carti brought together on the track and during their sessions.^[3] On August 26, 2024, Carti posted on his Instagram a photo of himself and the Weeknd on FaceTime, teasing at a possible second collaboration.^[4]

On September 7, during his "one night only" concert in São Paulo, Brazil, the Weeknd performed eight tracks off of his then-upcoming album Hurry Up Tomorrow, including a live debut of "Timeless" and a medley of "Fein" by Travis Scott and Carti, as well as the Weeknd's "Until I Bleed Out".^[5][6][7] The concert was followed up by the release of "Dancing in the Flames", which was intended to be the lead single of the Weeknd's then-upcoming album Hurry Up Tomorrow.^[8] On September 25, The Weeknd shared a social media post with a screenshot from the music video of "Timeless".^[3] He simultaneously confirmed the song to be released on September 27 as the album's second single.^[9]

Upon the album's release, "Dancing in the Flames" was removed from the track listing of Hurry Up Tomorrow, and "Timeless" was therewith reworked as the project's lead single.^[10] The single's cover features a man wearing a King Baldwin mask with the title "Timeless" on it.^[11]

It also served as the official theme song for WWE's WrestleMania 41, marking the Weeknd's sixth straight year in a row that his track served as the theme song for the annual event.^[12]

Upon release, "Timeless" received generally positive reviews from music critics. Pitchfork's Kieran Press-Reynolds praised the track's "tasteful" and "seamless" sound, describing it as "cosmic lounge music with catchy lyrics" such as the main hook "Ever since I was a jit knew I was the shit".^[13][14] However, he critiqued the song's "deeply manicured" production and strategic timing, noting that despite its title, both artists seem aware that "their fame won't last forever."^[14]

The song initially met a moderate success but gained in popularity, streaming and sales following the release of "Hurry Up, Tomorrow", topping the charts in India and Greece, and reaching the top ten in Denmark, Austria, Canada, Iceland, Germany, Norway, Poland, Malaysia, Switzerland and New Zealand, top twenty in Sweden, Australia, France, Hungary, Japan and Singapore, top thirty in the Netherlands, and top fifty in Belgium and Italy.

The music video would be teased two days before the single's initial release; a still picture from the music video was posted on the Weeknd's Instagram page.^[16] The music video was eventually released on the Weeknd's YouTube page, three days after the song's release.^[17] Directed by Gunner Stahl and LouieKnows, who both previously had worked frequently with Playboi Carti, and produced by production company Sands,^[18] the video depicts the two musicians performing with young women inside a dark, blacked out soundstage, briefly followed by visuals of the previous album, After Hours, depicted as "Hell", the first part of Divine Comedy.

The video earned a nomination for Video of the Year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.

A remix of "Timeless", featuring American rapper Doechii, was released on May 9, 2025.^[19] The remix was released as promotion for the film Hurry Up Tomorrow.^[20] The Weeknd's verse is missing from the remix, with only Playboi Carti's part remaining intact.^[21]

• Digital / streaming single^[22]

1. "Timeless" (with Playboi Carti) – 4:16

• Digital / streaming single^[23]

1. "Timeless" (with Playboi Carti) [Remix] – 3:48
2. "Timeless" (with Playboi Carti) – 4:16
3. "Timeless" (with Playboi Carti) (instrumental) – 4:16

Credits adapted from Tidal.^[24]

• The Weeknd – vocals, songwriting, keyboard, associated performer
• Playboi Carti – vocals, songwriting
• Mike Dean – co-production, songwriting, mixing, synthesizer, mastering, studio personnel, associated performer
• Ojivolta – co-production, songwriting
• Pharrell Williams – production, songwriting, mixing, studio personnel
• Twisco – co-production, songwriting
• Gozshu - songwriting
• Devon "Lawson" Chisolm – songwriting
• Jarrod "Twisco" Morgan – songwriting
• Kobe "BbyKobe" Hood – songwriting
• Mark Williams (Oji) – songwriting
• Raul Cubina (Volta) – songwriting
• Tariq "BL$$D" Sharrieff – songwriting
• Tommy Rush – assistant mixing, studio personnel
• Sage Skolfield – co-mixing, engineering, studio personnel
• Mike Larson – engineering, studio personnel
• Marcus Fritz – vocal mixing, studio personnel