Wicked Games
The Weeknd | Artist Essentials
First released: 2011 (year verified)
Original 2011 House of Balloons mixtape recording
MusicAtlas editorial note: The original mixtape's wide spaces and hazy guitar texture give the high lead an unsettled intimacy.
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Release evidence and recording details
First released: 2011 (year verified)
Republic explicitly documents the original mixtape's public website release in 2011, and the distributor separately identifies the Original nine-track program. The later Trilogy commercial presentation and bonus tracks are not selected.
Recording: Original 2011 House of Balloons mixtape recording
Credit: The Weeknd
Role in this collection: Primary artist
Original mixtape: House of Balloons
House of Balloons (Original) - original mixtape program
The explicitly Original nine-track program identifies Wicked Games (Original) and preserves the original March 2011 release year. The later commercial Trilogy presentation and added Twenty Eight are not selected or assigned this date. | Reviewed 2026-10-18
Republic Records - original House of Balloons release history
The label explicitly states that the original mixtape was made public through the artist's website in March 2011, and lists Wicked Games within its original nine-song sequence. The current CD and separately identified bonus track are not treated as the original release format or date. | Reviewed 2026-10-18
In the yearly lists
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About The Weeknd
The Weeknd is the recording name of Canadian singer and songwriter Abel Tesfaye, who grew up in Toronto's Scarborough district. House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence introduced his dark R&B approach in 2011 before their material was gathered for Trilogy. Kiss Land began his studio-album sequence, followed by the wider pop reach of Beauty Behind the Madness and Starboy.
Artist background sources
The Weeknd - Universal Music France biography
Abel Tesfaye identity, Scarborough background, three 2011 mixtapes, subsequent compilation and named studio albums. The source's inconsistent Starboy month, outdated chart positions and inaccurate guest-role wording are omitted. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Profile reviewed: 2026-10-17. Artist background does not establish a song's creative origin or release date.
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