High for This

The producer Cirkut first met the Weeknd after being told about him through a mutual friend, who called him "the next big thing." The two later met for a recording session in Cirkut's home studio. After Cirkut created a bassline and some "general music arrangements", the Weeknd freestyled over the instrumental, which led to the creation of "High for This". The song was recorded in one day, but the two went over it several times before its final version.{{cite news|last=Gonzalez|first=Alex|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/heyfz8/the-weeknd-house-of-balloons-anniversary#:~:text=Cirkut%20first%20met%20The%20Weeknd,Dream%20House%20studio%20in%20Toronto.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810124501/https://www.mtv.com/news/heyfz8/the-weeknd-house-of-balloons-anniversary#:~:text=Cirkut%20first%20met%20The%20Weeknd,Dream%20House%20studio%20in%20Toronto.|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 10, 2022|title=The Weeknd's 'House Of Balloons' Launched A Pop Career Shrouded In Mystery|work=MTV|date=March 19, 2021|access-date=April 4, 2024}}

The song's sheet music, published by Songs Music Publishing at Musicnotes.com, shows that the song is written in the key of B minor and follows a tempo of 69 beats per minute. The Weeknd's vocal range spans from D6 to B4.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0155340|title=High for This|website=www.musicnotes.com|date=January 11, 2016 |access-date=January 31, 2024}} "High for This" starts with a sound that is described by HotNewHipHop as "an eerie, ominous ringing in your ears," while stating that Tesfaye sings the first verse "as though he is on an MDMA-influenced high."{{Cite web |last=Lilah |first=Rose |date=July 10, 2020 |title=The Weeknd's "High For This" Is For The Youth |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/307685-the-weeknds-high-for-this-is-for-the-youth-news |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=HotNewHipHop |language=en}} Billboard{{'}}s Kat Bein had described the track as "moody noise," with "throbbing percussion."{{Cite magazine |last=Bein |first=Kat |date=December 24, 2016 |title=The Weeknd's 20 Best Songs: Critics' Picks |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/weeknd-songs-best-hits-list-7625484/ |access-date=November 30, 2023 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}

The lyrics of "High for This" are described in a review of its parent mixtape by Pitchfork as "[the Weeknd handholding] a partner through some strange sex act",{{Cite web |title=The Weeknd: House of Balloons |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15264-house-of-balloons/ |access-date=November 29, 2023 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} while Highsnobiety further added on, interpreting the lyrics as the Weeknd coaching the listener through "getting high".{{cite web|last=Barnett|first=Donovan|url=https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/25-best-the-weeknd-songs/|title=The 31 Best Songs By The Weeknd To Bump When You Are In Your Feelings|website=Highsnobiety|date=May 2, 2023 |access-date=February 25, 2024}} Rolling Stone went more into detail, stating the line "Open your hand / Take a glass / Don't be scared / I'm right here" was the Weeknd's way to "red-pill" his listeners. Bein interpreted that the song could be his way of telling the listener that they want to be "high for the musical greateness that is to follow, i.e. his whole career."

Consequence ranked "High for This" as the Weeknd's 8th best song, stating that it "embodies" the label of "haunted strip club music", and called its production "cavernous [and] titillating".{{cite magazine|url=https://consequence.net/2023/02/the-weeknd-best-songs-list/|title=The Weeknd's 10 Best Songs|magazine=Consequence|date=February 16, 2023|access-date=February 24, 2024}} Rolling Stone ranked it as the Weeknd's 7th best song, stating it serves as the perfect introduction to the Weeknd's "groundbreaking" aesthetic, and further stating that the song hovers between "darkwave and bedroom R&B".{{Cite magazine |title=The 50 Best Weeknd Songs |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-weeknd-songs-1294728/|date=February 14, 2022|access-date=July 10, 2023}}

In France, the song peaked at 97.{{Cite web |title=lescharts.com - Discographie The Weeknd |url=https://lescharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=The+Weeknd |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website=lescharts.com}} In the United States, "High for This" did not enter the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, but peaked at number 22 on the Hot R&B Songs chart.{{Cite magazine |title=The Weeknd {{!}} Biography, Music & News |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-weeknd/ |access-date=July 5, 2023 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}

Credits adapted from liner notes for Trilogy{{cite AV media notes |title=Trilogy |others=The Weeknd |year=2012 |type=CD liner |publisher=Republic Records |id=3719793}}

• Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) – composer, songwriting, primary artist
• Adrien Gough – composer, songwriting, instrumentation, producer
• Henry Walter (Cirkut) – composer, songwriting, instrumentation, producer

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "High for This"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|title=High for This|artist=The Weeknd|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2011|certyear=2019|access-date=February 10, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=The Weeknd|title=High for This|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2011|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=December 23, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=High for This|artist=The Weeknd|award=Silver|id=16853-4005-1|type=single|relyear=2011|certyear=2020|access-date=February 10, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=High for This|artist=The Weeknd|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2011|certyear=2020|access-date=February 10, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

The song "High for This" was featured in the promo for the final season of the HBO show Entourage in July 2011.{{Cite web |last=Osei |first=Anthony |title=Video: The Weeknd's "High For This" is Entourage's Season 8 Promo Song |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/anthony-osei/video-the-weeknds-high-for-this-is-entourages-new-theme-song |access-date=July 5, 2023 |website=Complex |language=en-us}}

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• {{YouTube|sX9DgavXiN4|High for This (Audio)}}

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Category:2011 songs

Category:The Weeknd songs

Category:Songs written by the Weeknd

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