At a glance
- Key
- C major
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Main progression
- I–V–vi–IV
- Chords used
- Am · F · C · G
Summary
"Save Your Tears" blends 1980s synth-pop nostalgia with modern R&B sensibility, channeling the spirit of Wham! and Depeche Mode through The Weeknd's signature falsetto. Released as the fifth single from After Hours, it peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in its remix with Ariana Grande and earned 2.15 billion streams globally.
Chord Sheet
Chords Used
Progression by Section
Chorus
Verse
Chord Diagrams
Musical Analysis
The harmony of 'Save Your Tears' is intentionally simple — a four-chord diatonic loop in C major that recalls the accessible pop songwriting of the 1980s. What makes it distinctive is not harmonic complexity but rather how the production layers bright synths,…
History
"Save Your Tears" was written by The Weeknd alongside Swedish hitmaker Max Martin, Oscar Holter, and co-writers Belly and DaHeala as part of the sessions for After Hours. The track channels 1980s synth-pop aesthetics, with an array of bright synths and ominous…
“The production combines elements of trap, dance music, and 80s synth-rock, encased in dense atmospherics and heavy on crisp, bright keys”
Full musical analysis
The harmony of 'Save Your Tears' is intentionally simple — a four-chord diatonic loop in C major that recalls the accessible pop songwriting of the 1980s. What makes it distinctive is not harmonic complexity but rather how the production layers bright synths, slick hand-claps, and atmospheric pads over this foundation. Max Martin's expertise in crafting maximally catchy hooks within minimal harmonic frameworks is fully on display, channeling the spirit of Wham! and Depeche Mode through a modern lens.
"Save Your Tears" was written by The Weeknd alongside Swedish hitmaker Max Martin, Oscar Holter, and co-writers Belly and DaHeala as part of the sessions for After Hours. The track channels 1980s synth-pop aesthetics, with an array of bright synths and ominous melodies crafted to support a breakup narrative where The Weeknd acknowledges breaking someone's heart the way someone once broke his.
"Save Your Tears" blends 1980s synth-pop nostalgia with modern R&B sensibility, channeling the spirit of Wham! and Depeche Mode through The Weeknd's signature falsetto. Released as the fifth single from After Hours, it peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in its remix with Ariana Grande and earned 2.15 billion streams globally.
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Song DNA
Genre
Pop
Era
Modern
Mood
Melancholic
Tempo
Upbeat
Key
Major
Texture
Layered
Sound
Synth-heavy
Feel
Groovy
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Statistics
27.8M
Plays
1.9M
Listeners
2.2M
Genius Views
8
Annotations
100%
Popularity
3:36
Duration
4/4
Time
Credits
Written by
Produced by
From the album After Hours