“The Weeknd sets a new record as the top-earning Black male performer in MetLife Stadium history.”
By Website Content Manager
Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
“During the same weekend as the well-known Governors Ball Music Festival in New York City, the singer outperformed the event by selling over 40,000 additional tickets across three sold-out shows.”
The Weeknd has achieved yet another major career milestone.
Following three consecutive sold-out shows at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the 35-year-old artist — born Abel Tesfaye — has officially become the highest-earning Black male performer in the stadium’s history, attracting more than 163,000 attendees, according to a Live Nation statement shared with PEOPLE.
These record-setting concerts coincided with New York City’s well-known Governors Ball Music Festival. Remarkably, The Weeknd sold over 40,000 more tickets than the entire festival combined, the release noted. In partnership with Global Citizen, he also pledged $1 from each ticket sale to support children in need around the world.
On Monday, June 9, the Canadian musician posted on Instagram to mark the occasion, captioning a video of fireworks over MetLife Stadium with, “METLIFE 3 NIGHTS ✅ MAGIC,” as his song “Less Than Zero” played in the background.
As part of his ongoing After Hours Til Dawn Tour, The Weeknd brought out special guests Mike Dean and Playboi Carti. Carti made a surprise appearance during the singer’s set, publicly thanking him for the opportunity.
“I love you so much, man,” Carti told The Weeknd during the Saturday, June 7 performance, attended by PEOPLE. “Thank you for the opportunity. I never thought I’d see myself in this stadium. This is insane,” he said, before the two embraced on stage.
The pair performed recent fan favorites including “Timeless” and “RATHER LIE.” They had previously collaborated on the track “Popular” alongside Madonna.
Throughout the night, The Weeknd treated fans to hits like “Blinding Lights,” “After Hours,” and “Wicked Games,” taking the audience on a two-hour journey through different phases of his musical career. He frequently addressed longtime supporters, referring to them as his “OG XO fans.”
This latest achievement adds to The Weeknd’s impressive resume, which includes four Grammy Awards and the record for the most-streamed song in Spotify’s history — 2020’s “Blinding Lights,” which has surpassed 4 billion streams. He also recently starred in Hurry Up Tomorrow, a film connected to his upcoming 2025 album of the same name.
