It’s actually kinda wild when you think about it. Abel Tesfaye—the man the world knows as The Weeknd—has a relationship with the Recording Academy that is basically a toxic situationship at this point. One year he’s the golden boy in a tuxedo, and the next, he’s calling them corrupt on Twitter. Honestly, if you’re looking for the Grammy performance The Weeknd gave that changed everything, you have to look past the smoke machines and the red suits. It’s a story of ego, "secret committees," and a Super Bowl show that almost broke the music industry’s biggest night.
The Night Everything Changed: 2016 and 2017
Back in 2016, things were simple. Abel was the rising star of "Beauty Behind the Madness." He showed up at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards looking sharp in a black tux. No bandages. No weird facial prosthetics. Just him and a band.
He did a medley of "Can’t Feel My Face" and "In the Night." It was stripped back, almost acoustic at points, which was a huge shift from his "ring of fire" performance at the VMAs the year before. He walked away with two trophies that night: Best Urban Contemporary Album and Best R&B Performance for "Earned It." It felt like the start of a long, happy marriage between him and the Academy.
Then came 2017. This was the peak "Starboy" era. He performed with Daft Punk, and it looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. They were on a stage that looked like a crashed spaceship on a frozen planet. Pink crystals everywhere. Paris Jackson introduced him. It was moody, it was cool, and it felt like The Weeknd was officially the new king of pop.
But then, the vibes shifted. Hard.
Why the 2021 Grammy Performance Never Happened
You probably remember 2020. "After Hours" was everywhere. "Blinding Lights" was literally the biggest song in the world. It broke records for weeks spent in the Top 5 and Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Everyone—and I mean everyone—assumed he was going to sweep the 2021 Grammys.
Then the nominations came out. Zero.
Not a single nomination for the biggest album of the year. It wasn't just a snub; it felt like a targeted hit. Rumors started flying that the Grammys were pissed because he chose to do the Super Bowl Halftime Show. According to reports from the time, there were "testy" negotiations about him performing at both events, which were happening just a week apart.
✨ Don't miss: Leslie From FaZe Rug: What Really Happened to His Longtime Assistant
Abel didn't hold back. He tweeted: "The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency..."
Instead of a Grammy performance The Weeknd would have used to cement his legacy, we got a total boycott. He announced he would no longer allow his label to submit his music for consideration. He cited the "secret committees"—the anonymous groups of people who had the power to overrule the actual voters—as the main reason.
The Surprise Return in 2025
Fast forward a few years. Most people thought the beef was permanent. Then, out of nowhere, Abel showed up at the 2025 Grammys.
Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, actually introduced him. It was a huge "make-up" moment. Mason even talked about the anger from four years ago and pointed to new initiatives like the Black Music Collective as proof that the Academy was trying to change.
Abel performed songs from his sixth album, Hurry Up Tomorrow. He didn't win any of the big solo awards that night, but he was nominated for his feature on Metro Boomin and Future’s "We Still Don’t Trust You."
The 2026 Twist: History Repeats Itself?
If you think the drama ended with that 2025 performance, you haven't been paying attention. Here we are in early 2026, and the cycle is starting all over again.
Despite the "peace treaty" and his appearance on the show last year, The Weeknd was completely shut out of the 2026 nominations for Hurry Up Tomorrow. It’s a literal carbon copy of the "After Hours" snub. Fans are losing it on social media, calling him a "clown" for ending the boycott just to get snubbed again.
It raises a real question: Does the Recording Academy have a bias against dark, cinematic R&B? Or is there still some lingering resentment from that 2021 fallout?
What This Means for You (The Fan)
If you're trying to keep track of it all, here's the reality: The Weeknd doesn't need the trophies anymore. He's proven that he can dominate the charts, sell out stadiums, and change the sound of pop music without their validation.
- Check the Credits: Often, Abel wins Grammys for "Best Melodic Rap Performance" or features on other people's albums while his solo work gets ignored.
- Watch the Old Sets: If you want to see the best Grammy performance The Weeknd ever gave, go back to 2017 with Daft Punk. It’s the perfect blend of his aesthetic and the big-budget Grammy stage.
- Don't Expect a Speech: Even when he wins, he’s famously said his old trophies "mean nothing" to him now.
The lesson here is simple. Awards are cool, but impact is better. Abel has the impact. The Grammys just have the gold-plated gramophones.
To stay ahead of the next cycle of snubs and surprise sets, keep an eye on his XO social media channels. He usually breaks the big news there first—long before any official press release hits the wire. If he decides to go back into "boycott mode" after this latest 2026 snub, that's where you'll hear about it.