

James Shotwell of Under the Gun wrote that the single fits well within Abel's prior output, but that "Abel's ability to create something altogether hypnotic regardless of production never ceases to amaze." Brian Mansfield of USA Today noted that "when a song takes its hook from a horror film- Wes Craven's 1977 cult classic The Hills Have Eyes-you know there's bound to be trouble." "The Hills" received critical acclaim, with most reviewers praising the Weeknd's return to form after his pop-oriented direction with " Earned It". That's probably the most important song in my career because it is the Weeknd and the irony being it was the most successful song that I had ever done. It's the perfect marriage of that." While promoting After Hours, the Weeknd claimed to have recorded 67 versions of the song. 'The Hills' was an opportunity for us to go back to the classical, original the Weeknd moments of our first mixtapes that I co–produced and mixed in their entirety, and then bringing that into a new context, with a pop arrangement and chords in a faster tempo. Producer Illangelo stated "I'm very optimistic and positive with anything I put my energy towards, so for me, Abel's success now is what I imagined it always should have been. The vocals in the song span from C3 to E ♭5. The song is written in the key of C minor in common time with a tempo of 113 beats per minute. In May 2019, "The Hills" was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling more than ten million copies, making it the Weeknd's first diamond-certified record. A music video for the song was released on May 27, 2015, directed by Grant Singer. It also made the top 10 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States, the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, replacing his own " Can't Feel My Face". In the singer's native Canada, the song peaked at number one. "The Hills" was a critical success, appearing on several year-end lists. It was released on May 27, 2015, as the second single from his second studio album, Beauty Behind the Madness (2015). " The Hills" is a song by Canadian singer the Weeknd.
