Aubrey Graham, professionally known as Drake, is one of the greatest music artists of our generation, regardless of genre. After all, he has the most Billboard Hot 100 songs (358) and top 10 hits (80) of any music artist ever. His 13 number one songs are also the most of any rapper ever.
Though he is primarily a rapper, Drake makes music for many different tastes. He has come out with hip-hop, pop, and R&B tracks throughout his career, and even experimented with house music on his 2022 album Honestly, Nevermind.
Drake’s versatility is what makes listening to him so enjoyable, and why he has been my favorite artist for a few years now.
Ben North, who is an avid Drake listener and senior at New Hartford, said, “I would say Drake is so enjoyable to listen to because of his versatility. He can rap over any trap beat or just a chill beat, but then he can switch it up to R&B.”
In my (probably biased) opinion, all of Drake’s albums are above average and worth listening to. But, some are better than others, so here are my rankings from 16 through 1.
**Underlined tracks are in my top 10 Drake songs
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What a Time To Be Alive
Collaboration w/ Future | Released on Sept. 20, 2015 | His 6th record | 11 songs
What a Time To Be Alive features Future rapping over his usual trap beats and Drake primarily showcasing his rapping ability as well. The majority of the production was done by the great Metro Boomin, making it the strongpoint of the mixtape. The first nine tracks had verses from both Drake and Future, before “Jersey” and “30 for 30 Freestyle” being just Future and just Drake, respectively. It is a solid trap record, but the lack of variety leaves me not revisiting it as often as the rest of Drake’s albums.
Best tracks: “30 for 30 Freestyle,” “Jersey,” “Jumpman,” “Diamonds Dancing,” “Big Rings”
Best features: N/A
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Dark Lane Demo Tapes
Released on May 1, 2020 | His 11th record | 14 songs
Dark Lane Demo Tapes is a collection of songs that were either previously released on SoundCloud or leaked to the internet, with a few new releases mixed in. Drake showcases a lot of different styles on the mixtape, from R&B on “Not You Too” to UK Drill on “Demons” and “War.” “Toosie Slide” debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 following its release as a single in April. I appreciate the versatility he shows, and there are some underrated tracks, but nothing jumps out at me.
Best tracks: “Deep Pockets,” “Chicago Freestyle,” “When To Say When,” “Desires,” “Time Flies”
Best features: Giveon on “Chicago Freestyle,” Chris Brown on “Not You Too,” Future & Young Thug on “D4L”
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$ome $exy $ongs 4 U
Collaboration w/ PartyNextDoor | Released on February 14, 2025 | His 16th record | 21 songs
Drake has had some great collabs with R&B star PartyNextDoor in the past, so $$$4U was something I was very excited for, especially considering it had been over a year since For All The Dogs dropped. Overall, this album had some high highs and some very low lows. On “Die Trying,” Drake sings over upbeat production and PND has great verses as well, making for an enjoyable, catchy track. It has quickly become one of my favorite Drake songs to date, but unlike “Die Trying,” much of this album has darker production. Some of these darker songs such as “When He’s Gone,” “Raining In Houston,” and “OMW” make for a few of Drake and PND’s classic “late night drive” tracks. But, some of both artists’ performances were lackluster, and the lyrics were corny on a few tracks. For example, “Meet Your Padre,” a Mexican inspired song, was horrendous and received a lot of negative media attention, rightfully so.
Best tracks: “Die Trying,” “Spider-Man Superman,” “Small Town Fame,” “When He’s Gone,” “Raining In Houston,” “Moth Balls”
Best features: Pim on “Pimmie’s Dilemma,” Yebba on “Die Trying”
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Honestly, Nevermind
Released on June 17, 2022 | His 13th record | 14 songs
Easily Drake’s most experimental album, Honestly, Nevermind explores dance music with house influence. It received nominations for Top Dance/Electronic Album and Top R&B album at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards. The project features a number of producers, which made for different styles from song to song, which I enjoyed. “A Keeper” and “Texts Go Green” are solid lowkey songs, and “Jimmy Cooks” was completely different from the rest of the album, a trap song that didn’t make the cut for Her Loss. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 as a single four months before the album’s release.
Best tracks: “Massive,” “Flight’s Booked,” “A Keeper,” “Jimmy Cooks,” “Texts Go Green”
Best features: 21 Savage on “Jimmy Cooks”
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So Far Gone
Released on February 13, 2009 | His 1st record | 18 songs
Drake’s first project has a lot of solid tracks, but there are quite a few I don’t come back to. This was Drake’s breakthrough as an artist, following two self-released mixtapes in 2006 and 2007 that were never released on streaming. “Best I Ever Had” is a more upbeat pop-rap song, while on “The Calm,” Drake sounds hungry while rapping over a downtempo beat. “Let’s Call It Off” and “Little Bit” have good appearances by Peter Bjorn and John and Lykke Li, respectively, which add to Drake’s performances on those tracks. There are some very good songs on So Far Gone, but I simply don’t relisten to it as often as the 11 albums in front of it.
Best tracks: “Best I Ever Had,” “Ignant ****,” “Houstatlantavegas,” “Let’s Call It Off,” “Little Bit,” “The Calm,” “Say What’s Real”
Best features: Lil Wayne on “Ignant ****” and “Uptown,” Peter Bjorn and John on “Let’s Call It Off,” Lykke Li on “Little Bit”
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For All The Dogs
Released on October 6, 2023 | His 15th record | 23 songs + 6 from Scary Hours Edition
If you include the Scary Hours Edition, For All The Dogs is Drake’s longest album. With 29 songs, not many artists are going to go 29 for 29, but there are a lot of great tracks on here that I thoroughly enjoy. There are a variety of styles, from R&B on “Members Only” with PartyNextDoor, to trap on “What Would Pluto Do,” among other tracks. On the Scary Hours Edition, Drake did not miss, and his storytelling was outstanding, especially on “Stories About My Brother.”
Best tracks: “Tried Our Best,” “What Would Pluto Do,” “Bahamas Promises,” “Members Only,” “Drew A Picasso,” “8am in Charlotte,” “Stories About My Brother” (SHE), “Red Button” (SHE)
Best features: 21 Savage on “Calling For You,” J. Cole on “First Person Shooter” and “Evil Ways” (SHE), SZA on “Slime You Out” and “Rich Baby Daddy,” PartyNextDoor on “Members Only,” Chief Keef on “All The Parties”
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Care Package
Released on August 2, 2019 | His 10th record | 17 songs
Similar to Dark Lane Demo Tapes, Care Package is a compilation of songs Drake released from 2010 to 2016 that weren’t released on streaming services. A lot of these tracks are slower with a darker vibe, but on “5 Am in Toronto” and “Jodeci Freestyle” Drake showcases his flow over faster-paced beats. “Paris Morton Music” is a standout track that samples Rick Ross’s “Aston Martin Music,” which Drake was featured on. Care Package has a lot of great songs on their own, but its incohesiveness doesn’t allow me to put the project any higher on my list.
Best tracks: “Club Paradise,” “Paris Morton Music,” “I Get Lonely,” “5 Am in Toronto,” “Dreams Money Can Buy,” “The Motion,” “Jodeci Freestyle”
Best features: J. Cole on “Jodeci Freestyle,” Rick Ross on “Free Spirit,” James Fauntleroy on “Girls Love Beyoncé”
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Her Loss
Released on November 4, 2022 | His 14th record | 16 songs
From here on out, I consider all of these albums to be the “best of the best” in terms of Drake’s work. Her Loss was the first Drake project I listened to the entirety of at the time of its release, and it did not disappoint. I must admit, I was not a huge fan after my first listen, but it certainly grew on me. “Middle of the Ocean” features Drake’s best flow to date in my eyes, and the beat switch is great. 21 Savage has great performances throughout the album in his own right as well. The tracks range from some more lowkey tracks with “Hours in Silence” and “I Guess It’s **** Me,” to high energy rapping on “More M’s,” “On BS,” and “BackOutsideBoyz.” I love the energy Drake and 21 show throughout the project, and pretty much everything is good quality.
Best tracks: “Middle of the Ocean,” “Hours in Silence,” “***** & Millions,” “I Guess It’s **** Me,” “Privileged Rappers,” “Circo Loco”
Best features: Travis Scott on “***** & Millions”
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Scorpion
Released on June 29, 2018 | His 9th record | 25 songs
Scorpion is Drake’s longest release, totaling about an hour and a half across 25 tracks. Drake raps about many of his common topics like fame, relationships, and his “underdog” story. There are countless quality songs, including rapping on “Nonstop” and “Mob Ties,” R&B on “Jaded,” and outstanding production from 40, No I.D., and DJ Premier on songs like “Emotionless,” “Summer Games,” and “Sandra’s Rose.” Also, the posthumous vocals from Michael Jackson on “Don’t Matter To Me” were a great addition to the project. Scorpion has many great songs, but none are in my top ten for Drake overall. Also, there are 5+ tracks that I never come back to, which can’t be said for the 7 albums in front of it.
Best tracks: “Sandra’s Rose,” “Nonstop,” “Emotionless,” “8 Out Of 10,” “Mob Ties,” “Can’t Take A Joke,” “Summer Games,” “Jaded,” “Blue Tint,” “Don’t Matter To Me,” “Nice For What”
Best features: Jay-Z on “Talk Up,” Michael Jackson on “Don’t Matter To Me”
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If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
Released on February 13, 2015 | His 5th record | 17 songs
Like Scorpion, there are many great songs on If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, but none are top tier Drake tracks in my eyes. But unlike Scorpion, there are zero misses out of 17 tracks, and that is what separates the two. On “You & The 6,” one of Drake’s most emotional tracks, he thanks his mother and the city of Toronto (the 6) for helping him get through tough times. With the exception of the R&B track “Jungle,” and collaboration with PartyNextDoor on “Preach,” much of this project is uptempo rap and “hype” music. “Energy,” “10 Bands,” “No Tellin,” “6 God,” and “6 Man” all fit this bill. Plus, the production on “6PM in New York” is incredible and one of Drake’s best “timestamp” songs in his catalog. Overall, IYRTITL is a great record with few flaws.
Best tracks: “You & The 6,” “Jungle,” “6PM In New York,” “Preach,” “Star67,” “Legend,” “Know Yourself,” “6 Man”
Best features: PartyNextDoor on “Preach” and “Wednesday Night Interlude,” Lil Wayne on “Used To,” Travis Scott on “Company”
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Nothing Was The Same
Released on September 24, 2013 | His 4th record | 13 songs + 2 from Deluxe edition
Perhaps Drake’s most classic or nostalgic album, Nothing Was The Same offers some of Drake’s best pure rapping ability on songs like “Tuscan Leather” and “Worst Behavior.” Drake was quoted as saying that Nothing Was The Same “…is not some straight rap album, I’ll never do a straight rap album… I make songs for the people,” in an interview with MTV. Tracks such as “Furthest Thing” and “Hold On, We’re Going Home” are examples of the non-”straight rap” Drake is talking about. “Too Much” is the best song on the album in my eyes, as Sampha’s vocals flow perfectly with Drake’s rapping, and the production is excellent. From top to bottom, this project is very, very good and anyone can definitely make the case for it to be higher; most Drake fans have it higher on their list.
Best tracks: “Furthest Thing,” “Tuscan Leather,” “Too Much,” “Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2,” “From Time,” “Worst Behavior,” “Come Thru” (Deluxe), “Connect,” “Hold On, We’re Going Home”
Best features: Jhené Aiko on “From Time,” Sampha on “Too Much,” 2 Chainz & Big Sean on “All Me” (Deluxe), Jay-Z on “Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2”
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Certified Lover Boy
Released on September 3, 2021 | His 12th record | 21 songs
Certified Lover Boy was not very well-received by the general public at the time of release, partly due to the album cover, and also because of the lyrical content. At first, I did not think this body of work was among Drake’s best either, but as I listened to it more, my thoughts quickly changed. Just about every featured artist on here adds to the quality of the album, from Yebba on her interlude, to Jay-Z’s chill verse on “Love All.” Songs like “Race My Mind” and “Get Along Better” are two of the best songs on the album but weren’t among the most streamed, which shows just how stacked this record is. The only thing keeping CLB from placing any higher on my list is that most of the album is hip-hop, but Drake raps very well. The production on songs like “TSU,” “The Remorse,” and “You Only Live Twice” is outstanding, and all of the producers really outdid themselves on the project. CLB is easily the most overhated album in Drake’s catalog, and definitely worth a listen.
Best tracks: “Champagne Poetry,” “Get Along Better,” “Love All,” “TSU,” “N 2 Deep,” “Pipe Down,” “Race My Mind,” “7am On Bridle Path,” “Fair Trade,” “You Only Live Twice”
Best features: Yebba on “Yebba’s Heartbreak,” Jay-Z on “Love All,” Lil Baby on “Girls Want Girls,” Future on “N 2 Deep,” Tems on “Fountains,” Lil Wayne & Rick Ross on “You Only Live Twice”
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More Life
Released on March 18, 2017 | His 8th record | 22 songs
I still come back to every song on More Life, and that is quite impressive for a 22 song album. I believe it is the best Drake album in terms of lyricism, and it features just about every style of music Drake has to offer. Songs like “Madiba Riddim” and “Passionfruit” have a very summer-like, tropical feel, which is very unique to his discography. Then at the other end of the spectrum, you see trap with “Gyalchester” and “Portland,” featuring great verses from Quavo and Travis Scott. On the closing track “Do Not Disturb,” Drake raps for over four minutes, and it could be the single best rapping performance of his career. It’s an amazing track that was actually my favorite of his for a while. More Life’s versatility is what makes it so enjoyable to listen to, and it’s just a classic Drake record.
Best tracks: “Do Not Disturb,” “Fake Love,” “Lose You,” “Teenage Fever,” “4422,” “Madiba Riddim,” “Get It Together,” “Free Smoke,” “Passionfruit”
Best features: Jorja Smith on “Jorja Interlude” and “Get It Together,” Sampha on “4422,” Quavo & Travis Scott on “Portland,” 2 Chainz & Young Thug on “Sacrifices,” PartyNextDoor on “Since Way Back,” Kanye West on “Glow”
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Thank Me Later
Released on June 15, 2010 | His 2nd record | 14 songs
Thank Me Later, Drake’s first official studio album, is tied for the second shortest Drake album based on number of tracks, but each of those 14 tracks are great quality. From his iconic intro on “Over,” to the vocals and ambient production on “Fancy,” there is a lot that this album has to offer. Much of this album’s lyrics relate to love, money, and heartbreak, including “Miss Me” and the Kanye West-produced pop song “Find Your Love.” The production is great on every song, as common Drake collaborators 40 and Boi-1da produced most of the album. Almost 15 years later, this album has so much replay value, and that is a testament to how good Drake’s music is.
Best tracks: “Over,” “Show Me A Good Time,” “Fancy,” “Unforgettable,” “Miss Me,” “Find Your Love,” “Thank Me Now,” “The Resistance”
Best features: Alicia Keys on “Fireworks,” Nicki Minaj on “Up All Night,” T.I. & Swizz Beatz on “Fancy,” Jay-Z on “Light Up,” Lil Wayne on “Miss Me,” Jeezy on “Unforgettable”
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Views
Released on April 29, 2016 | His 7th record | 20 songs
Views is a Drake album that not only has its radio hits, but some under the radar bangers as well. “Keep The Family Close” is a top 2 Drake intro track, which many fans consider to be the best Drake tracks consistently. “Feel No Ways” is a track with fun, upbeat production but lyrics about a manipulative relationship. Three of the five singles for the album were dancehall songs: “Controlla,” “One Dance,” and “Too Good,” all of which are great upbeat tracks. Along with those songs, Views is a great summer album overall, including the PartyNextDoor collab “With You” and “Summers Over Interlude,” performed by Majid Jordan, which I would say is the best interlude on a Drake project ever. Drake still showcases his rapping ability on songs like “Hype,” “9,” and “Weston Road Flows,” which is a tribute to Weston Road in Toronto, where Drake grew up. “Fire & Desire” and “U With Me?” are two of Drakes best R&B tracks ever, which just shows how truly elite this album is. You have pop, hip-hop, and R&B songs all executed perfectly in the same project, and it’s quite impressive.
Best tracks: “Feel No Ways,” “Keep The Family Close,” “Weston Road Flows,” “Hype,” “Controlla,” “One Dance,” “Summers Over Interlude,” “Fire & Desire,” “Views,” “With You,” “9,” “U With Me?”
Best features: Rihanna on “Too Good,” PartyNextDoor on “With You”
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Take Care
Released on November 15, 2011 | His 3rd record | 19 songs
Take Care, Drake’s third album, is where he really started to take off and become widely known as one of the best in the game. In my eyes, he is the best in the game, and this album is his best work. It is the most cohesive project in his discography and ranked 95th on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It truly is a timeless album, and “Headlines” is still frequently played at parties and sporting events 15 years later. “Over My Dead Body” features beautiful production and is Drake’s best intro track ever. “Look What You’ve Done” is Drake’s best storytelling track ever, in which he gives a touching tribute to his mother, grandmother, and uncle. “HYFR” is a crazy track with Drake and Lil Wayne going verse-for-verse. “Lord Knows” is similar, where both Drake and Rick Ross both display unreal performances over a great beat. “Crew Love” has a very solid feature from The Weeknd, as well as André 3000 on “The Real Her.” Those are two artists that you wouldn’t expect Drake to pair well with, but his versatility is so impressive. On “The Ride,” Drake raps over beautiful production, as he does on countless songs on this record. Take Care is an amazing album, and it’ll live on long after Drake caps off his music career.
