In the wake of his trilogy of 2011 mixtapes and his addictive contributions to 2015’s Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack, Abel Tesfaye makes an expert transition from shadowy R&B trailblazer to full-blown pop presence. With assists from Lana Del Rey and Ed Sheeran, Beauty Behind the Madness is a brash collection of electrifying melody and brooding atmosphere. While the silky, Michael Jackson-like vocal moves of “Can’t Feel My Face” made it a Song of the Summer candidate, the hypnotic thump of “The Hills” and the psychedelic serenading of “Often” boast some of The Weeknd's best work to date.