Songs Similar to Blinding Lights by The Weeknd
Released 2019 · Album: After Hours · Pop · Energetic
The Weeknd released "Blinding Lights" in late 2019 as a lead single from After Hours, his fourth studio album, which followed in March 2020. Made with Max Martin and Oscar Holter, it trades the murky R&B of his early mixtapes for a bright, fast synth-pop sound: a pounding drum-machine beat, a looping synth riff that sounds lifted from a 1984 soundtrack, and Abel Tesfaye's high, urgent vocal about racing through a city at night to reach someone. It feels like a driving song even before the lyrics say so, which is a big part of why it has lasted far beyond its release cycle.
Songs that sound like it usually share three things: a quick, four-on-the-floor or gated-snare 80s drum pattern, glossy analog-style synth leads carrying the melody, and a vocal that sounds slightly desperate rather than relaxed. Look toward the 2020s retro-pop wave (Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia era), synthwave acts built on night-drive imagery, and the original 80s synth-pop it borrows from.
20 songs similar to “Blinding Lights”
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Data: Last.fm, updated 2026-10-11.
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FAQ about “Blinding Lights”
What songs are similar to Blinding Lights?
The closest matches are upbeat, synth-driven pop songs with a strong 80s influence: fast drum-machine beats, bright synth hooks and a nocturnal, slightly anxious mood under the danceable surface. On our list, the closest matches are “Save Your Tears” by The Weeknd, “In Your Eyes” by The Weeknd and “we can't be friends (wait for your love)” by Ariana Grande.
Who does Blinding Lights sound like?
It is most often compared to a-ha's "Take On Me", whose galloping beat and synth riff it closely echoes. Listeners also hear Michael Jackson in Tesfaye's phrasing, Depeche Mode and New Order in the cold synth textures, and synthwave artists like Kavinsky and The Midnight in the night-drive atmosphere. In turn, it helped steer Dua Lipa and other 2020s pop toward retro disco and synth-pop.
Is Blinding Lights Pop?
Yes. "Blinding Lights" is a pop song in structure and reach, but more specifically it is synth-pop with heavy synthwave and new wave influence. That is a notable shift for The Weeknd, whose earlier work sat in dark, slow alternative R&B. His vocal style still carries some R&B phrasing, yet the production, tempo and hook-first arrangement place it firmly in mainstream pop.
How do you find similar songs to Blinding Lights?
Follow the tempo and the synths: look for fast, 80s-style drum programming paired with bright analog lead lines and a night-time, driving theme. Retrowave, synthwave and "80s revival pop" playlists are good hunting grounds, as are the rest of After Hours and Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia. SongSimilar's list above ranks matches by listening data, so it also surfaces songs the same listeners play next.