Has there ever been a figure in hip-hop – or pop culture for that matter – as polarizing as Kanye West?
If you’ve been a reader of Soul In Stereo for the long haul, you know my personal feelings on ye have swung from “kindred spirit” to “outright Klansman” many times over his historic run. For every president slandering, paparazzi punching, pop-star dissing, Hitler guzzling misstep, Kanye follows it up with some of the best music created in the past two decades. He’s one of only a handful of artists to release undisputed classic albums in this century. And he’s also released a bunch of the worst albums of this century. Like I said, polarizing.
I originally ranked Kanye’s discography about a decade ago, so this list was long overdue for a refresh. Let’s look back at the frustrating brilliance that reshaped hip-hop.
17. Jesus is King (2019)
Soul In Stereo rating: 2 stars out of 5
Edd said: At some point in recent memory, Baby Ye stans have christened this nightmare as a great project. Maybe they’ve been listening to the vastly superior Sunday Service album instead because there is no way you can associate “great” with this monstrosity. Jesus Is King finds Kanye attempting a spiritual reset after a decade of increasingly erratic behavior, but while his Sunday Service Choir sounds immaculate, the album itself often feels rushed, underdeveloped, and strangely shallow. If you haven’t spent much time with gospel music, Jesus Is King might sound groundbreaking thanks to its choir and soulful backdrops, but for anyone familiar with the real thing, this is an underproduced, paper-thin spiritual journey. Jesus is on the mainline, but this ain’t what He wants.
Forgotten favorites: “Follow God,” “On God”
16. Vultures 2 (2024)
Soul In Stereo rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Though I’m far from Ty Dolla Sign’s biggest fan, I was curious about his union with Kanye, hoping that the pairing could give Ye the focus he desperately needed. It SORTA worked for Vultures 1, not so much for part 2. Kanye’s lyrics are somehow even more uninspired than before, bouncing between horny nonsense, tired boasting and small glimmers of introspection. Even the production, once Kanye’s calling card, feels weary and repetitive. Sophomore jinx indeed.
Forgotten favorites: “Slide,” “Bomb”
15. 808s & Heartbreak (2008)
Soul In Stereo rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Ohhh boy. Longtime Soul In Stereo readers know that I’ve been in a near-two decade war over this project, arguing with those who see it as a modern day Songs in the Key of Life, while those of us with functioning ears BEG to differ. Credit where it’s due: 808s & Heartbreak has become one of the most influential albums of its era, thanks to its forward-thinking production and, sigh, its hefty embrace of auto-tune. But that can’t erase the fact that this project is 52 minutes of robotic whining, and emo Optimus Prime ain’t getting play on my speakers. Is it a historic moment for music? Sure. Is it actually good? Playa please.
Forgotten treasures: “Robocop”
14. Ye (2018)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5
Edd said: Remember when Kanye went into the mountains of Wyoming and promises us a slew of classic albums? We did get Pusha T’s best solo outing to date from those sessions, I’m one of three people on planet Earth who enjoyed the Nas project, and there’s one more notable project that’s still to come on this list. But it ain’t THIS ONE. Ye is Kanye’s fractured, unfocused attempt to make sense of himself during one of the most chaotic periods of his career, offering glimpses of vulnerability without providing the answers fans were looking for. When he’s focused, we get a flash of brilliance here and there, but those are very few and far between. Much like a Kanye Twitter rant, Ye sometimes sounds brilliant and deeply personal, but it rarely makes enough sense to become the great album hiding underneath the chaos.
Forgotten favorites: “No Mistakes,” “Violent Crimes”
13. Vultures 1 (2024)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5
Edd said: Vultures 1 is a fascinating snapshot of Kanye West at his most contradictory: the once-relatable family man and the self-proclaimed cultural arsonist somehow trapped on the same album.
The biggest surprise is Ty Dolla Sign, whose Nate Dogg-esque presence repeatedly keeps Kanye’s wandering songs from completely flying off the rails. But it’s not enough, as we’re bombarded with repetitive hooks, random rants, and Kanye sounding more bored than brash. There are a few morsels here for the stadium crowd to latch on to at the next show, but as an overall project, it’s another missed opportunity.
Forgotten favorites: “Problematic,” “Burn, “Back to Me”
12. Donda 2 (2022)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5
Edd said: Remember the $200 Stem Player? Remember the Kim K/Pete Davidson war? Donda 2 is more synonymous with modern day Kanye antics than it is music. Like most Kanye albums in this era, Donda 2 is unfinished and strangely empty with skeletal production, incomplete vocals, repetitive hooks and very few standouts. As always in this era, there are several songs that are bursting with potential, it just goes unfulfilled. Donda 2 kinda feels like an artist’s sketchbook – fun for stans looking to peek into the rough drafts of his creative process, but pointless for those of us wanted solid substance.
Forgotten favorites: “530,” “City of God”
11. Bully (2026)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5
Edd said: Bully is the latest chapter in Kanye’s never-ending battle between brilliance and banality, and to be honest, this is the most focused he’s felt in nearly a decade. The production is easily the album’s biggest strength, with “Preacher Man” being an easy standout thanks to a well-timed sample. Still, the album feels strangely restrained, recycling well-worth themes of God, success and being misunderstood, without the humor, controversy, or bite that once made Kanye’s chaos compelling. Bully feels like Kanye was moving in the right direction but he was too hesitant to put his foot on the gas.
Forgotten favorites: “Preacher Man,” “Sisters and Brothers,” “Punch Drunk”
10. Donda (2021)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5
Edd said: Donda is Kanye’s best solo album since his mid 2010s heyday, which sounds like a compliment until you remember that it’s also a bloated, directionless 27-track monster stretching nearly 109 minutes. The first half contains plenty of genuinely inspired moments, from the eerie production of “God Breathed” to his pronounced chemistry with The Weeknd on “Hurricane.” Unfortunately, the album increasingly collapses under its own weight, with repetitive production, unnecessary remixes and enough filler to make you want to say “DONDA” into the mirror five times just to summon something that will murder Spotify. Donda is frustrating because there’s absolutely a great album here, but for every powerful moment, we have to endure three or four lackluster ones.
Forgotten favorites: “Jesus Lord,” “Off the Grid,” “Hurricane,” “Believe What I Say”
9. The Life of Pablo (2016)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: The Life of Pablo seems to be a bridge between two versions of Kanye – the culture-shifting genius who revolutionized the genre a decade before, and modern-era Kanye, whose embraces counter-culture chaos over elite music curation. That’s probably why The Life of Pablo feels like two separate albums mushed together. On one hand, The Life of Pablo tries to be a greatest-hits recap, pulling sounds and personalities from every era of Kanye’s early career, from the gospel of “Ultralight Beam” to the soulful “Real Friends” and the vintage hip-hop of “No More Parties in LA.” But then we’re assaulted with clunkers like clunkers like “Facts,” “Fade” and “Famous” that are more style than substance. TLOP is clearly a turning point for Ye, for better and worse.
Forgotten favorites: “No More Parties in LA,” “Real Friends, “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1”
8. Yeezus (2013)
Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: When I posted the original version of this album ranking, it was 808s & Heartbreak that had defenders in my DMs, while Yeezus was the black sheep of his discography. Time has been much kinder to this album and today, it’s celebrated as some of his best work. While I clearly disagree – it’s No. 8 for a reason – I absolutely salute Kanye for branching out his sound. It was a strong evolution of his artistry, as he boldly embraced racial and religious cultural divides. But sonically it can be hit or miss: the screeching production and lazy wordplay can be a turnoff at best, and embarrassing at worst. But it was a bold step forward, and it mostly works.
Forgotten treasures: “Bound 2,” “Guilt Trip,” “New Slaves”
7. Cruel Summer (2012)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Sure, this is a GOOD Music compilation instead of proper Kanye album, but it’s a GOOD compilation, so we’ll rightfully celebrate it here. For those who remember at the time, Cruel Summer arrived so late and after so many singles that much of its mystery has already been spoiled, but that didn’t mean the ride was any less worthwhile. Kanye and Pusha T pushed “New God Flow” to heavenly heights, the “Mercy” posse cut has become stuff of legend and there are even hidden gems like “Bliss” with Teyana Taylor and John Legend that deserved way more love. Like most compilations, there are a few songs that feel like outcasts from previous projects and were needlessly tacked on here, but overall, this project would be the swan song of Old Kanye.
Forgotten favorites: “New God Flow,” “Cold,” “Bliss”
6. Kids See Ghosts (2018)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Remember that OTHER great album from the Wyoming sessions? Well, here we are. Kids See Ghosts feels like the project Ye wanted to be, pairing Kanye West and Kid Cudi’s well-documented struggles with mental health with a concise seven-track format that actually gives those ideas room to breathe. Kanye actually has something to say, while Cudi’s recurring themes of moving forward, escaping shame, and taking control of your life makes the album unexpectedly poignant. Cudi’s singing and occasionally mumbly delivery remain weak points — Croonin’ Cudi is still very much not my thing — but the chemistry between the two artists generally works. Kids See Ghosts exceeds expectations by making its point without overstaying its welcome, proving that Kanye and Cudi’s personal demons could produce what they both need – healing.
Forgotten favorites: “Cudi Montage,” “Feel the Love,” “Freeee”
5. Watch the Throne (2011)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: What a moment in time this was. As Jay was transitioning into his role as elder statement and Kanye West was ascending to rap’s elite, Watch the Throne really felt like the union of two titans. Coming in with a ton of hype and living up to most of it, Watch the Throne is a slightly bloated but ultimately satisfying collabo that gave us the last glimpse of Kanye at his lyrical peak, with Jay sounding sharper than he had in recent memory. I’m still not holding my breath for Watch the Throne 2, though, so let’s embrace this greatness.
Forgotten favorites: “Murder to Excellence,” “Who Gon Stop Me,” “HAM”
4. Graduation (2007)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Graduation is a weird album in Kanye’s discography. It represents the end of his original classic trilogy, before things started to go WAY WAY WAYYYYY left in the following years. Because of that, fans tend to overlook some of the albums’ glaring flaws (I’m looking at you “Drunk and Hot Girls” and “Barry Bonds”) to hold tight to nostalgia. Even with those hiccups, Graduation is fantastic, serving as the send-off to Kanye’s original soulful sound before getting all experimental on us. Overall it’s classic Kanye – fun, yet defiant music we call can relate to. Ah, I miss these days.
Forgotten treasures: “Everything I Am,” “I Wonder,” “Champion”
3. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: The 2010s were QUITE the decade for Mr. West. No matter how bad things got (and boy, they got bad) fans can always go back to this one. After wasting his time auto-tunin’ n’ croonin’ his way through the end of the previous decade, Ye finally got back to basics. Sorta. This album saw the return of many of Kanye’s calling cards – namely, the soulful orchestration that made him a phenom in the mid ’00s. But this time, true to the album’s title, everything’s much more dark. Despite its reputation as a flawless project, MBDTF is far from perfect – it can be as pretentious as its creator, bogged down by songs that run three and four minutes too long. Preposterous, yet stunningly brilliant, MBDTF stretched the boundaries of hip hop. Give Ye props for that.
Forgotten treasures: “Dark Fantasy,” “So Appalled,” “All of the Lights (Interlude)”
2. Late Registration (2005)
Soul In Stereo rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Coming off of a landmark debut, Kanye prepared for a showdown with the dreaded sophomore jinx. And as history has proved, he walked away victorious. Late Registration took all the elements of Kanye’s debut and made everything grander. It was like a Sundance film getting a summer blockbuster budget. Best of all, the impassioned soulfulness of its predecessor was just as strong here. The album was a bit too bloated (the usual Kanye weakness) but otherwise it was a rousing success.
Forgotten treasures: “Late,” “Bring Me Down,” “We Major”
1. The College Dropout (2004)
Soul In Stereo rating: 5 stars out of 5
Edd said: People always ask me what makes an album a classic. And I’m sorry Twitter, a classic album isn’t “an album that came out last week that I like a whooooole lot,” it’s a body of work that is not only strong on its own but influences future works. The College Dropout changed the game. In a genre that had become cold and processed, Kanye injected soul back into the art form, something that had been missing since the heyday of A Tribe Called Quest. From bottom to top, the album was flawless and inspired producers to dig in the crates for their own soul samples. Remember all those “chipmunk” soul samples circa 2005? Yeezy taught ’em. And that shouldn’t overshadow Ye’s lyrical themes – he introduced a self-depreciating honesty that was a rarely in hip-hop at the time and resonated across audiences. Kanye is a trendsetter, which is why this album is a true classic – the best album of the 2000s, the best album in his discography and one of the greatest rap albums ever made. Your personal favorite Kanye project wouldn’t exist if this masterpiece didn’t.
Forgotten treasures: “Family Business,” “Spaceship,” “Breathe In, Breathe Out”
Agree with the rankings or did I shortchange your favorites? Speak out in the comments.
my beautiful dark twisted fantasy forver!!!!!!!!
graduation at 4 is crazy icl
It’s good but the bad stuff is pretty bad.