Hardest to Love

While previewing the album to Jem Aswad of Variety, the Weeknd shared some information about Hardest to Love's development, stating:

"This one I did originally with [co-writer/co-producer] Oscar [Holter], and then Max [Martin] finished it with me. I wrote this song very fast and it was the last song on the record that I finished. When I made this song I was nervous because I felt like I went overboard with the ambition — I'm ambitious, but I thought maybe this is too much. It wasn't until 'Blinding Lights' [became one of the biggest hits of Weeknd's career] that I knew, a) I could finish this album and b) I could put this song on it. And sometimes it just comes down to the melody. This was the fastest melody that I ever made — I went into a room for 20 minutes and wrote the entire song, and then Max produced it".^[4]

The song was first previewed in a teaser video posted to the Weeknd's Twitter account on March 19, 2020.^[5]

"Hardest to Love" features the Weeknd reminiscing on his past behaviors in a relationship, blaming himself for its demise.^[6] The song refers to some softer points in the U.K. hardcore continuum dating back to the late '90s via drum-'n'-bass while modernizing it with finesse.^[7]

"Hardest to Love" received universal acclaim. "On the standout 'Hardest to Love,' Tesfaye delivers one of the most affecting vocal performances of his career over a glitchy pop soundscape. The song's catchiness belies its melancholy, a sophisticated combination that's a testament to Tesfaye's depiction of a relationship that results in a confusing morass of emotions that we seldom process them in a linear fashion: anger, sadness, gratitude, elation, loneliness. Tesfaye navigates these conflicting emotions in a way that captures the experience of being lost in that swirl," noted Slant Magazine columnist Seth Wilson.^[8] Yahoo Entertainment writer Larry Fitzmaurice exclaimed, "The Weeknd delivers After Hours' most shocking deviation from that gloom and doom aesthetic with the sky-climbing 'Hardest to Love,' a featherweight slice of drum 'n' bass that resembles a lost track from Björk's classic Homogenic".^[9] Rolling Stone journalist praised the song, "On 'Hardest to Love,' a fleet, pretty Max Martin co-write with a Nineties-evoking drum 'n' bass feel, he's the cold-hearted ex stamping out love's final embers, adding a quintessentially Weeknd-ish kicker: "It's hard to let me go," at once self-cancelling and self-absorbed".^[10]

Vice editor Ashwin Rodrigues said, "On 'Hardest to Love,' The Weeknd admits his shortcomings as a romantic partner on top of electric, water droplet synths and a constant, low vibrating drum n bass beat. The track features a hard-to-shake chorus and production that would really put the sound system of a brand new, electric German SUV to the test".^[11] Tom Breihan of Stereogum analyzed, " 'Hardest To Love' adapts glimmering Max Martin melodies to fit the rushing pulse of car-commercial drum-'n'-bass. The record seamlessly combines elite-aesthete sound clouds with big-money pop music. His voice is magnificent. Tesfaye's only gaining greater control of his instrument; he floats airily over these fantastically rich soundscapes that he's commissioned".^[12] 'Hardest to Love' is a taut and disciplined assemblage ready for mass consumption. The piece is built on a stuttering drum beat and major-key melody and is positively uplifting," asserted The Wall Street Journal writer Mark Richardson.^[13]

"'Hardest to Love' pays homage to liquid drum 'N' bass, building a sense of irony as the upbeat instrumental belies a heartfelt confession of wrong-doing. An angelic choir can be heard, creating a sense of hope, greatly showcasing how effective the production throughout this album is," observed Clash Magazine reviewer Ramy Abou-Setta.^[14] GQ Magazine writer Max Cea added, "It's dark and moody, and comes from the perspective of a lonely narrator capturing the way a lot of people are feeling as they pace their living rooms and feverishly refresh the news".^[15]

Following the release of its parent album, "Hardest to Love" debuted at number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 dated April 4, 2020.^[16] On the Rolling Stone Top 100 Songs chart, the song reached its peak of number seven.^[17] In the singer's native country of Canada, "Hardest to Love" reached number 36 on the Canadian Hot 100.^[18]

Credits adapted from Genius.^[19]

• The Weeknd – songwriting, vocals, production, programming, keyboards, bass, guitar, drums
• Max Martin – songwriting, production, programming, keyboards, bass, guitar, drums
• Oscar Holter – songwriting, production, programming, keyboards, bass, guitar, drums
• Shin Kamiyama – engineering
• Cory Bice – engineering assistant
• Jeremy Lertola – engineering assistant
• Sean Klein – engineering assistant
• Serban Ghenea – mixing
• John Hanes – engineering for mixing
• Dave Kutch – mastering
• Kevin Peterson – mastering