Ranking the Best Drake Albums
Welp, it was nice knowing y’all. In lieu of flowers, send donations to Keith Sweat’s paypal.
I’ve been putting off ranking Drake’s discography for years, mainly because FANS HATE TRUTH and I was in no mood to battle a horde of angry 11th graders upset that I didn’t give a mixtape a six-star review. My wife doesn’t deserve to be a widow.
But hey, I’m you’r friendly neighborhood Unbiased Album Reviewer, and every rapper on a pedestal must get chopped down to size. However, despite my rep, don’t expect this to be a total Aubrey bashing session – when he’s good, he’s very, very good, one of the best in the modern era, in fact. I’ll always give credit when it’s due.
So let’s take a clear eyed, nuanced stroll through the 6 and break down the highs and (horribly low lows) of the Innanet’s favorite rapper. For this list, we’ll be revisiting all six studio albums and his mixtapes, but skipping EPs and compilations like the Heartbreak Drake series and Care Package (most of which are pretty solid, actually).
13. What a Time to Be Alive (2015)
Soul in Stereo rating: 2 stars out of 5
Edd said: I know many of y’all love this mixtape but some people also like licking ice cream in grocery stores and putting it back on the shelves. You, like those cretins, should be arrested. Allegedly this thing was recorded in six days but, by the sound of this obvious cash-in, that’s five more days than I would have given it credit for. This feels more like hastily prepared Future project with Aubrey tacked on for clout instead of a true collaborative project. It’s a graveyard for horrid hooks and lazy bars: “I got a really big team/And they need some really big rings/They need some really nice things.” Yawn. This was headed to 1-star status until the energy picked up on the second half but that’s still not enough to save this zirconia-crusted mess.
Forgotten favorites: “Jumpman,” “30 for 30 Freestyle”
12. Certified Lover Boy (2021)
Soul in Stereo rating: 2 stars out of 5
Edd said: Clearly Drake put as much thought into this project as he did that embarrassing album cover. Like most recent Drake releases – ie, all the ones festering at the bottom of this list – this isn’t so much an album as it is a random collection of songs for streaming sites. There’s no consistency, no overarching narrative to tie them together, no artistic growth – just forgettable offshoots of more popular songs we heard years ago. Even Drake’s die-hards pushed back on this one, so clearly I’m not alone in hating it.
Forgotten favorites: Yebba’s Heartbreak,” “Papi’s Home”
11. Scorpion (2018)
Soul in Stereo rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: IN THEORY this album should have worked. In practice, this album collapses under its own weight. A double-disc (double … stream?) release each showcasing Drake’s rap and R&B sensibilities isn’t the worst idea – and it’s a good way to naturally pad his streaming channels. But what we got was an extremely uninteresting batch of tracks on both sides. Sure, there are a few wins but there’s so much filler that the bad bogs down the good. I’m sure fans will just cherry pick their favorite songs and create their own album a-la-carte (we even did it for you a few months back!) but as an Unbiased Album Reviewer, I have to weigh this project as a whole. And it’s just a whole lot of mediocrity.
Forgotten favorites: “After Dark,” “8 out of 10”
10. Room for Improvement (2006)
Soul in Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5
Edd said: Room for Improvement is Drake’s rarely mentioned debut mixtape, and I listened to it for the first time while working on this retrospective. While it’s a far cry from the artist he’d become, it’s easy to spot his unrefined potential. Drake hadn’t really found his sound yet, instead coming off like Great Value versions of influences like Kanye West, Cam’ron and others, but lyrically he’s pretty sound and the production is decent for its era. It’s more of a historical curiosity than a star-making showcase but, as its title reminds us, better days were ahead.
Forgotten favorites: “AM 2 PM,” “Kick Push Remix,” “All this Love”
9. Dark Lane Demo Tapes (2020)
Soul in Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5
Edd said: Drake’s most recent mixtape kinda came and went, but that’s the case for nearly everything that dropped during the Vortex of Suck that was 2020. Even taking it out of the context of pandemic-era distractions, this release is woefully unremarkable, which says a lot because every time Drake sneezes Hip-Hop Twitter screenshots his germs and celebrates them as the best viral infections of all time. Though there’s absolutely zero here that stands out, it is a bit more cohesive than most of his post-2015 releases. Yes, there’s Tik Tok nonsense like the dreaded “Toosie Slide” AND the usual narcoleptic singing AND Playboy Carti sounding like a cartoon flea but there’s little here that’s offensive, just woefully forgettable.
Forgotten favorites: “When to Say When,” “Landed,” “From Florida with Love”
8. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late (2015)
Soul in Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5
Edd said: Personally, this album was always a turning point for Drake, when the hype officially overshadowed the quality. By 2015 I might not have been the world’s biggest Aubrey stan but I appreciated the talent and thought most of his previous releases were at least solid. This one, though, was a major dip in quality, feeling extremely rushed and unfocused, yet his fanbase went absolutely nuts. Seriously, I had a convo on Twitter with a Drake fan days ago who considered this his best work. I … I’m not hearing what y’all are hearing. What I hear is a handful of good songs drowned out by dull production and uninspiring lyrics. I mean, listen to “Madonna” – he literally sounds like he’s laying in bed while recording. This was a watershed moment for Drake, and not for the better.
Forgotten favorites: “10 Bands,” “6 Man,” “Energy”
7. Views (2016)
Soul in Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5
Edd said: Another album that gets way more props than it deserves. The most frustrating issue with Views isn’t that it’s trash – trust me, there are several good songs here, but the listener is forced to wade through nearly EIGHTY minutes to uncover them all. That’s a shame because the album’s narrative of coping with the headaches that come with maturity, increased personal responsibilities and navigating new relationships is something his aging fanbase can relate to. But Drake puts in minimal effort, sounding like he’s literally sleepwalking through some tracks, and the plodding production does him no favors. It’s the longest 80 minutes of your life.
Forgotten favorites: Views,” “Weston Road Flows,” “Controlla”
6. More Life (2017)
Soul in Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Drake didn’t even attempt to con y’all into thinking this grab bag of random songs was a legit album. Instead it was marketed as a playlist cuz moodz and vibez or whatever. That said, though, there are some real wins here, with the lack of structure actually providing some MUCH-needed sonic diversity compared to the usual sad-sack beats on the albums mentioned previously on this list. Plus, we even got a COHERENT Young Thug verse that didn’t sound like he was reading the phone book upside down. But, once again, the set’s oppressive run time and (the usual) rampant inconsistency make it very tough to sit through.
Forgotten favorites: “Glow,” “Passionfruit,” “4422”
5. Thank Me Later (2010)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Much like J. Cole’s initial outing, Drake’s debut album was met with mixed reviews when it landed – likely because it didn’t live up to the sky-high expectations of the great mixtape that preceded it. That goes for me too, but I believe Thank Me Later has aged pretty well over the years, hence me raising the score this time around for this ranking. Don’t say I never gave y’all nothing. I greatly preferred Sangin’ Aubrey to Rappin Aubrey in the early days, and while he’s no Donny Hathaway by any means, he does an admirable job over the R&B-themed cuts and he admirably holds his own on the rap cuts with bigger stars. Though several album cuts are just OK in grand scheme of things, and the highs aren’t as high as you’d expect, there is a consistent sound that carries the project, making it feel like a complete body of work – a far cry from his modern day releases.
Forgotten favorites: “Fireworks,” “Karaoke,” “Find Your Love”
4. Comeback Season (2007)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: “Shake up the world, that’s what I’m ‘bout to do,” Drake proclaims 3 seconds into this, and give the human Care Bear credit, he wasn’t wrong. If you’re only familiar with modern day Drake, king of empty threats and slave to algorithms, this mixtape will likely throw you off – it’s WAY more Little Brother than Lil Baby. Sales and streams aside, this mixtape is a look at the untapped potential Drake always possessed. Solid lyrics and full-bodied production abound and he feels so natural among more soulful soundscapes. It’s so ironic that Drake’s most mature project came so early in his career. It’s not the Drake the world would come to know, but it was the one I wish we got to spent more time with. If you’re an older fan who has never bothered with any Drake project until now, start here. Also, that album cover looks like a Sears Back to School catalog, and I’m here for it.
Forgotten favorites: “Think Good Thoughts,” “Do What U Do,” “Closer”
3. So Far Gone (2009)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: In hindsight, THIS is the mixtape that should have been called What A Time to Be Alive, not that codeine-flavored catastrophe that would come years later. So Far Gone is the product of right place, right time – a mixtape that felt like an album and spoke directly to young millennial fans who were just beginning to embrace hip-hop. No longer did they have to inherit the artists and sounds beloved by their older siblings (or, sigh, parents – I’m old) they now had an artist all their own who specifically spoke to their experiences. The production was fresh, the blurring of rap and R&B appealing, and the concepts were relatable. That said, it’s definitely not the 5-star release your nostalgia remembers it being (mainly because the girth of the mixtape format) but it was certainly a landmark release for Drake and a turning point for modern hip-hop.
Forgotten favorites: “Successful,” “Sooner Than Later,” “Ignant S***”
2. Nothing Was the Same (2013)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Another fan favorite that has only gotten better over time, Nothing Was the Same just may be peak Drake. Lyrically, he hit his stride, finally finding a distinct sound to call his own (resisting the urge to siphon other artists’ style like X-Men’s Rogue with her gloves off, as he’d become known for later). His R&B flavored tracks were lively and distinct. Most importantly, it sounded like he was having FUN, and that energy propelled him to critical acclaim. My only beef is that some of the album’s most beloved songs are kiiiiiiiiinda overrated in my eyes – I’d put several album cuts above “Worst Behavior” and “Started from the Bottom” for sure – but there’s no denying the impact of this record. Many fans consider it Drake’s best work. Clearly I’m not one of them, but, objectively, it’s pretty good.
Forgotten favorites: “Pound Cakes/Paris Morton Music 2,” “Too Much,” “From Time”
1. Take Care (2011)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: There’s a pretty good chance you realized that this would land in the top spot, and deservedly so. I’ll use my own, ahem, Drake fandom as an example. By 2011, I was already becoming weary of Drake-a-mania – I recognized the talent, sure, but the hype seemed entirely overblown. It would be like calling the second Ant-Man a cinematic masterpiece. It was fun, sure, but grow up. However, Take Care made me sit up and pay attention. Is it a perfect album? No, Drake Stan No. 427, the answer is definitely no – there’s the usual bloated tracklist and goofy songs that have plagued every album on this post – but this album quickly became the template for so many 2010-era pretenders that followed, blending moody R&B, braggadocious flows and hilariously toxic relationship advice into a package that would define an era of music. Think Drake can’t rap? Well, he goes nuts on “Lord Knows.” Say he can’t pull off a competent R&B track? “The Real Her” begs to differ. That’s why I’m always so hard on your boy – when he wants to be great, Drake is one of the best artists of his era. Take Care proves it.
Forgotten favorites: “Lord Knows,” “Under Ground Kings,” “Crew Love”
Leave your death threats in the comments below!
Still enjoying his first and second music/@lbum,he sound unique and he may go on to be the greatest rap/hip hop artist of all time.