All of Drake’s Albums: Ranked
April 19, 2023
Drake began making music back in 2006. So here we are, 16 years later, and my rankings of his nine albums.
9. ‘Honestly, Nevermind’
“Honestly, Nevermind” dropped only nine months after the release of “Certified Lover Boy” and featured only one pure rap song, which was the album’s outro, “Jimmy Cooks.” The 21 Savage-assisted banger debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Drakes eleventh chart-topper.
For many fans, the album was a little too experimental. For others, lyrically, it was underwhelming. The dance theme of the album wasn’t the best for Drake and felt like a throwaway type of album with some highs and lows.
8. ‘Scorpion’
“Scorpion” is one of the most biggest Drake albums, with 25 songs and very few features. We see the best of both worlds on this album, as Drake separates this project into two discs; Side A being entirely rap, while Side B is all R&B Drake.
“Scorpion” includes some really good songs such as “God’s Plan,” “Nice For What,” “I’m Upset,” and “Nonstop.” However, compared to his other projects it lacked some quality and and its long track list made some of it forgettable – still a solid project from him.
7. ‘Certified Lover Boy’
While it follows a similar formula to his past releases, “Certified Lover Boy” truly proves that Drake has not lost his touch, but has only grown as an artist and creator.
This 21-track album has a good mix of pop, rap and R&B, once again showing off all of his skills on one project, having some of his biggest hits of 2021 with”Way 2 Sexy” and “Knife Talk.”
6. ‘Thank Me Later’
“Thank Me Later” satisfied both critics and fans at the time of its release. But beyond serving its purpose as a hype-fulfilling studio debut, it falls when compared to many of Drake’s projects (even though “Find Your Love” has remained one of his best songs).
When you look at the track list for “Thank Me Later,” the first thing you’ll notice is how star-studded it is. JAY-Z, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Alicia Keys make appearances on this album. For being his debut studio album, it is well praised and a great entry for him.
5. ‘Views’
“Views” serves as Drake’s fourth studio album, and was one of the most slept-on Drake projects. The album showcases the talents of his label with features from PARTYNEXTDOOR, Majid Jordan, and dvsn, and brings sensitive topics of self-loathing, reflection and betrayal.
Not only does Drake get in touch with his emotional side, but he also brings a taste of dancehall and Caribbean music with “One Dance,” “Too Good” and “Controlla.”
“It has a type of vibe that I really enjoy,” said senior Blake Cunningham.
4. ‘More Life’
“More Life” is a feature-packed project with appearances from many talented artists from across the globe. With its rich production and fun list of collaborators, “More Life” has plenty of bright spots.
Some highlights include Drake’s energy on “Free Smoke,” and his upgrade from “Controlla” to “Blem” on here. The rap features from Young Thug & 2 Chainz on “Sacrifices”and Travis Scott & Quavo on “Portland” are also quite notable.
3. ‘Nothing Was The Same’
This album was Drake’s third studio album, containing the works of many talented artists, including features from his role model, JAY-Z.
This project is considered to be one of the most lyrical of his discography with a strong intro; “Tuscan Leather,” is a 6-minute song with no chorus or hook. This song truly sets the tone for the rest of the album, showing how Drake is able to change up his flows and showcase why he deserves his respect as a rapper. Songs flow into one another tunefully, this album becomes one of Drake’s most cohesive bodies of work.
2. ‘If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late’
“If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” has confidence in every single track, making it hard not to be contagious. Drake talks mostly about his money and his relationships, addresses his haters, and how he truly is the “6 God.”
It’s one of his easiest to play from start to finish, and although it’s evident that part of Drake’s goal with it was to put on banger after banger without giving much thought to transitions or a larger picture, with classics in his catalog such as ”Energy” and ”Legend.”
1. ‘Take Care’
“Take Care” is undoubtedly Drake’s masterpiece; the project that shaped Drake’s career and gave us an authentic glimpse of the places he could go as an artist.
With his honest words and expressive emotions, Drake masterfully created a body of work with the perfect balance of rap and R&B tracks that inspired a generation of artists. With songs like “Look What You’ve Done,” a tribute to Drake’s family, and “Marvins Room,” this album triumphs over all other Drake projects.