Often

{{Infobox song

| name = Often

| cover = The Weeknd - Often.png

| alt =

| border = yes

| type = single

| artist = the Weeknd

| album = Beauty Behind the Madness

| released = {{Start date|2014|7|31}}

| recorded = 2014

| studio = Bota Studios (Toronto, Ontario){{cite AV media|date=August 28, 2015|title="Often liner notes"|url=https://genius.com/album_cover_arts/385248}}

| venue =

| genre =

| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=10}}

| label =

XO
Republic

| writer =

| producer =

Ben Billions
The Weeknd
DaHeala

| prev_title = Wanderlust

| prev_year = 2014

| next_title = Love Me Harder

| next_year = 2014

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|JPIhUaONiLU|"Often"}}

}}

"Often" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on July 31, 2014, as the lead single from his second studio album, Beauty Behind the Madness (2015).{{cite web |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/often-single/id904807676 |title=Often – Single by The Weeknd |work=iTunes Store |location=United States |publisher=Apple |access-date=August 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111095520/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/often-single/id904807676 |archive-date=November 11, 2014 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.republicplaybook.com/track/the-weeknd-often/ |title=The Weeknd 'Often' |publisher=Republic Records |access-date=August 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227211848/http://www.republicplaybook.com/track/the-weeknd-often/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 27, 2014}} The song contains a sample from "Ben Sana Vurgunum" by Turkish singer Nükhet Duru.{{cite web |url= http://www.sabah.com.tr/kultur_sanat/2015/02/17/grinin-elli-tonunda-nukhet-duru-surprizi |title=Grinin Elli Tonu'nda Nükhet Duru sürprizi |publisher=Sabah |location=Turkey |language= tr |access-date=April 19, 2016}}

"Often" peaked within the top 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top 70 of the Canadian Hot 100. The song won two awards at the 2015 Much Music Video Awards, Video of the Year and Best Director.{{Cite web |last=Mojallal |first=Freddie |date=June 23, 2015 |title=MMVA 2015 - Much Music Video Awards |url=https://torontoguardian.com/2015/06/mmva-2015-much-music-video-awards/ |access-date=March 7, 2023 |website=Toronto Guardian |language=en-CA}}

Background

The Weeknd initially released "Often" exclusively on the streaming service SoundCloud on June 25, 2014. The song was officially released on Apple Music a month later, on July 31.

Composition & lyrics

According to the sheet music published by Songs Music Publishing at Musicnotes.com, "Often" is written in the key of G minor, and follows a tempo of 68 beats per minute. The Weeknd's vocal range spans from F4 to G5.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0159628|title=The Weeknd "Often" Sheet Music - Download & Print|work=musicnotes.com|date=January 11, 2016 }}

The lyrics of the song primarily explore the theme of sex, with Stereogum saying that the Weeknd sings about "how good [he] is at fucking," but that he makes it sound like an "absolutely exhausting burden."{{cite web|first=Tom|last=Breihan|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1688859/the-weeknd-often/news/|title=The Weeknd – Often|website=Stereogum|date=June 25, 2014|access-date=January 28, 2024}}

Critical reception

Justin Davis of Complex said that the Weeknd was "less dour and a little more excited on this song in comparison with most of the releases from his debut studio album, Kiss Land (2013), and "Often" turns him back to his more lyrical days with a stronger delivery." April Clare Welsh of NME stated the Weeknd "sounds like R Kelly on Viagra, spoiling a track that’s seductive enough on its own with lines like 'Baby I can make that pussy rain often.'"

Commercial performance

In the United States, "Often" debuted at number 97 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on the week of November 1, 2014. On the week of February 7, 2015, the song peaked at number 59. The song spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart. On December 7, 2016, the single was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and streaming equivalent units of over three million units in the United States.

In Canada, the song debuted at number 95 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart on the week of November 1, 2014. On the week of February 28, 2015, it peaked at number 69 on the chart. The song spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart. The single was certified gold by Music Canada for sales of over 40,000 copies in Canada.

Music video

A music video for "Often" was released on August 21, 2014. It depicts the Weeknd in a hotel room, accompanied by several women in various implicit states of undress.{{Cite web |title=The Weeknd's "Often" Video Is, of Course, Vaguely NSFW |url=https://www.thefader.com/2014/08/21/video-the-weeknd-often |access-date=March 7, 2023 |website=The FADER |language=en}}

Remixes

The official remix features additional verses from Rick Ross and Schoolboy Q.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhDxS2WwYgE|title=Often (feat. Rick Ross & The Weeknd)|publisher=YouTube|date=April 6, 2015|access-date=March 22, 2022}} Another remix, by Norwegian record producer and DJ Kygo was also released.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsDfFE2i0Ws|title=Often (Kygo Remix)|publisher=YouTube|date=April 7, 2015|access-date=March 22, 2022}}

Charts

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col"| Chart (2014–2021)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|Canada|69|artist=The Weeknd|rowheader=true|access-date=July 10, 2015}}

{{single chart|Billboardcanadachrtop40|48|artist=The Weeknd|rowheader=true|access-date=August 16, 2019}}

{{single chart|Czechdigital|60|year=2015|week=20|rowheader=true|access-date=March 22, 2022}}

{{single chart|Dutch100|65|artist=The Weeknd|song=Often|rowheader=true|access-date=March 22, 2022}}

{{single chart|Ireland3|67|artist=The Weeknd|rowheader=true|access-date=March 24, 2022}}

{{single chart|Norway|12|artist=The Weeknd|song=Often|rowheader=true|access-date=July 1, 2015}}

{{single chart|Portugal|176|artist=The Weeknd|song=Often|rowheader=true|access-date=March 1, 2022}}

{{single chart|Sweden|55|artist=The Weeknd|song=Often|rowheader=true|access-date=July 10, 2015}}

{{single chart|UK|65|date=2015-09-04|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2015}}

{{single chart|UKrandb|13|date=2015-09-04|rowheader=true|access-date=September 4, 2015}}

{{single chart|Billboardhot100|59|artist=The Weeknd|rowheader=true|access-date=July 10, 2015}}

{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|15|artist=The Weeknd|rowheader=true|access-date=July 10, 2015}}

{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphopairplay|40|artist=The Weeknd|rowheader=true|access-date=March 26, 2022}}

{{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|22|artist=The Weeknd|rowheader=true|access-date=August 31, 2017}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2014) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2014/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs\|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2014\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=October 7, 2021}} \| 97

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

! scope="col"| Chart (2014)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2014/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2014|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=October 7, 2021}}

| 97

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (2015) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/hot-r-and-and-b-songs\|title=Hot R&B Singles: Year-End 2015\|magazine=Billboard\|publisher=Billboard.com\|access-date=October 7, 2021}} \| 23

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (2015)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/hot-r-and-and-b-songs|title=Hot R&B Singles: Year-End 2015|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Billboard.com|access-date=October 7, 2021}}

| 23

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=4|type=single|relyear=2014|certyear=2024|access-date=February 7, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Diamond|certyear=2024|relyear=2014|access-date=September 23, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Canada|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Platinum|number=3|certyear=2019|relyear=2014|access-date=February 4, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|certyear=2024|relyear=2014|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|id=14447|access-date=October 5, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2014|relmonth=07|certyear=2020|access-date=August 5, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2014|certyear=2023|id=10679|access-date=March 21, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Mexico|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2014|certyear=2017|access-date=October 6, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|relyear=2014|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=December 23, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Norway|certyear=2015|relyear=2014|relmonth=6|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|access-date=September 23, 2015}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Portugal|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2014|certyear=2021|id=file_2021-02-25-14-35-14.pdf|access-date=October 3, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2014|certyear=2025|access-date=February 26, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|certyear=2015|certweek=40|relyear=2014|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Platinum|type=single| access-date=September 1, 2015}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|certyear=2020|relyear=2014|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Platinum|type=single|id=13631-4005-1|salesamount=739,000|salesref={{cite news|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-weeknds-biggest-songs-on-the-official-chart__32366/|title=The Weeknd's biggest songs on the Official Chart|date=August 4, 2021|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=March 24, 2022}}|access-date=December 12, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=The Weeknd|title=Often|award=Platinum|number=4|certyear=2019|relyear=2014}}

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