Ranking Every Drake Album From Worst To Best

Drake is one of, if not the biggest, hip-hop artists of all time. He has billions of streams across multiple digital streaming platforms, and at this stage of his career, he could easily retire and reap the benefits of everything he's built. However, he is still hungry for more. Say what you will about his recent output, but his hardcore fans will never go away. With ICEMAN on the horizon, the anticipation is off the charts, and it just goes to show that Drizzy still has the juice.

He has been a mainstay of the music industry for two whole decades, and it's about time we take a look at all of his projects and rank them, from worst to best. In this list, we are taking a look at albums, mixtapes, compilations, and playlists. If you are expecting any EPs, you won't find them here.

Ranking Drake's albums is a painstaking process. His music is so diverse in sound that there is truly something for everyone. Certain fans want to hear him rap, others want to hear him sing. No one is going to be 100 percent satisfied with our ranking, and that is just fine by us. With that being said, behold HotNewHipHop's definitive rankings of Drake's 18 full-length projects.

It’s strange hearing Drake introduce himself to the world. With an artist as ubiquitous as he has been for the last 20 years, you forget there was a time he had to directly tell listeners he was “from Canada,” as he does on the introduction to his debut mixtape, Room For Improvement. Of course, some listeners already knew him from Degrassi: The Next Generation, but he was still Aubrey Graham at that time. In 2006, Drake was born. 

While there were certainly flashes of the stardom that would emerge from Drake, Room For Improvement lives up to its title. Much of the bloated project is derivative of better rappers from that time. Still, there are highlights: “Come Winter" is solid enough to deserve a place on a stronger Drake album, and Trey Songz’s contribution on "About the Game" makes for a memorable moment as well. Otherwise, Room For Improvement is only notable for the career it would pave the way for.

- Cole Blake

Given that this was Drake’s second project (and a mixtape at that), refinement isn’t expected. But even though this listening experience is with a 20-year-old still finding their sound, there are quite a few enjoyable moments. You could see how his first two albums were inspired by Comeback Season through songs like the title track, “Closer to My Dreams", "Man of the Year,” among others. Soulful, smooth, and at times hype, you can also see how much of an influence Lil Wayne was on a hungry Drake. Take, for example, the tracks where he’s rapping over already-made beats from the likes of Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco. But the experimentation over them, along with artists such as (No) Malice, North Carolina duo Little Brother, and Dwele, is cool to look back on to see where Drake was pulling his sounds and approaches from.

- Zachary Horvath

Drake unveiled his eighth studio album, For All The Dogs, in October of 2023. Featuring themes of heartbreak, fame, and ego, it dominated charts in no time, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and racking up record-breaking streaming numbers. It moved an impressive 402K album-equivalent units in its first week, largely thanks to collaborations with the likes of SZA, Yeat, Sexyy Red, and more. The LP is also home to “First Person Shooter,” on which J. Cole reinforced the widespread belief that he, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar are the “big three” of hip-hop. Kendrick ended up challenging this claim on his collaboration with Future and Metro Boomin, “Like That,” marking the start of what would become one of the most-talked-about rap beefs in years.

- Caroline Fisher

While this compilation ranks as a relative lowlight in the Drake discography, it certainly isn’t for a lack of ambition. Even throwaways and leaked cuts like this still boast big features from Young Thug, Chris Brown, and more, as well as one of his most beloved 2020s songs with “Chicago Freestyle” featuring GIVEON. But for better or worse, Dark Lane Demo Tapes slides by on the strength of its isolated tracks, not so much as a cohesive experience. Still, the moodiness and darkness of many cuts on here keep it feeling tight, paired with aggressive lyrical displays like “War” and more fun, peppy moments like “D4L.” While The Boy would more impressively execute many of these ideas on Certified Lover Boy or Her Loss, this still has some slept-on gems. It’s not a definitive project by any means. Rather, more proof that Drake’s vault will always have some hit potential.

- Gabriel Bras Nevares

Drake dropped off his collaborative album with PartyNextDoor, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, just in time for Valentine’s Day in 2025. It served as the hitmaker’s first full-length release since his infamous beef with Kendrick Lamar, and arrived shortly before he toured Australia, Europe, and the UK for the first time in years. Once again, the project debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking the 14th album of the Grammy winner’s career to do so. It moved roughly 246K album-equivalent units in its first week and set a major streaming record, earning the most first-day streams for an R&B / Soul album in Apple Music history. The LP leans into Drake’s R&B sensibilities and centers on themes of love, relationships, and success.

- Caroline Fisher

Hardcore music listeners go nuts for loosies, bonus tracks, and leaks. Sometimes, in the fans’ eyes, these elusive recordings are better than some songs that actually make the official tracklist. But artists like Drake, who churn out hits on a daily basis, have to make some tough decisions when it comes down to sequencing. But luckily, in August 2019, Drizzy decided to surprise his supporters with a whole album’s worth of these cuts on Care Package. Taken from sessions between 2010 and 2016, this 16-track collection is a gem in his discography, as there are some truly iconic songs here. “5 AM in Toronto” has some potent bars that still hit hard to this day. “F*ck your list, everything's lookin' gorgeous / Without me, rap is just a bunch of orphans / But if I stay, then this sh*t is a bunch of corpses.” Or there’s songs like “Can I” and “The Motion” that perfectly define Drake’s cold and moody sound. 

- Zachary Horvath

Scorpion is a unique entry in Drake’s discography for various reasons. First and foremost, it was his first album following the Pusha T beef, and fans had high hopes. There was this sense that Scorpion would be the event album to end all event albums. A project that could destroy some of the narratives that had followed Drake over the previous three years. In the end, it was a valiant effort, albeit one that turned out to be top-heavy when it came to hits.

The first half of this project has songs like “God’s Plan,” “Nonstop,” “Mob Ties,” “Sandra’s Rose,” and even “I’m Upset.” These are considered classics when it comes to Drake’s lengthy catalog. Unfortunately, despite the presence of “Nice For What” and “In My Feelings” on the second half of the record, there just isn’t enough here for the album to sustain itself. Songs like “Ratchet Happy Birthday” overstay their welcome, while the rest is just kind of boring. And don’t get us started on that Michael Jackson feature. A strong second half, and this easily cracks the Drake album Top 10.

- Alexander Cole

Certified Lover Boy was one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of Drake’s career, and finally arrived in September of 2021 following several months of teasing. With appearances from a long list of frequent collaborators like Future, Young Thug, 21 Savage, Travis Scott, and more, it topped charts almost instantly. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and moved over 613K album-equivalent units in its first week. It broke multiple records upon its release, too, becoming the biggest single-day opening in both Spotify and Apple Music history and racking up more than 744 million streams within just a week. Themes of love, paranoia, ego, and self-awareness define the LP, which Drake himself has described as a “combination of toxic masculinity and acceptance of truth.”

- Caroline Fisher

For most fans, it all started here. Drake’s indelibly influential 2009 mixtape was a massive moment in the blog era, letting his competition know that studio-quality projects were now an expectation, not just a bonus. He achieved this by not just delivering high production value with big names and samples, but by also by communicating a specific, idiosyncratic musical identity. Drizzy still hadn’t perfected his hip-hop/R&B fusions, but cuts like “Successful,” “Best I Ever Had,” and “Sooner Than Later” are hearteningly earnest beginnings on that journey.

However, what makes So Far Gone even more special in retrospect is how explicitly these fusions favor one style more than the other. Rather than the melds and half-and-half approaches of later LPs, there’s more significant contrast between tracks like “Ignant S**t” and “Brand New.” This mixtape also contains some of the 6ix God’s best early lyrical displays, such as the intro “Lust For Life” and “The Calm.” His confidence may not have had the scale to back it up back then, but it wouldn’t take long. 

- Gabriel Bras Nevares

Amid a turbulent rollout with fake performances, media appearances, and more to mock, Drake and 21 Savage both leveled up in their careers with the release of Her Loss in 2022. While this was more obvious for Savage despite his relatively brief appearances, Drizzy still took this opportunity to learn from the current meta and revamp his menacing, powerful, and confident persona. Whether it’s teaming up with Lil Yachty all over this LP, complementing 21’s darker approach, or even experimenting with other aesthetics, he did a lot to prove doubters wrong following the house-centric Honestly, Nevermind.

However, Her Loss’ true strength is still in its simplicity and lack of pretensions. There’s not much in the way of Drake and 21 Savage’s compelling trade-offs on “Broke Boys,” “Privileged Rappers,” and “Treacherous Twins”: just solid beats, luxury, lust, and a lot of subliminals. Even though it’s not a surprising record from these artists, it was still a welcome exercise in swagger. The bravado and untouchable mentality on display is a cornerstone of Drake’s 2020s run in music.

- Gabriel Bras Nevares

Honestly, Nevermind was always a bit of a sleeper pick to make the top 10, and quite frankly, if it was up to some of us, this would make its way into the top five. Back in 2022, there was certainly a bit of Drake fatigue making its way throughout the music industry. Certified Lover Boy was fine, but the artist was becoming devoid of risk. The formula was running dry, and the fans wanted to hear something a little different. Thankfully, Honestly, Nevermind was Drake’s remedy to that problem.

This is a house album. Not exactly what you would expect from Drake. It was a huge risk at the time, and following the album’s release, some were calling this Drake’s worst album to date. These knee-jerk reactions couldn’t have been more incorrect. Quite frankly, this is Drake’s most fun project. If he continued down this lane, perhaps we would be having different conversations about the artist. Regardless, songs like “Massive” and “Sticky” are critical to Drizzy’s modern discography. Drake’s music hasn’t been fun in a very long time, aside from flourishes here and there like “Nokia.” At least with Honestly, Nevermind, it reminded us that the biggest artist in the world is allowed to let loose sometimes.

- Alexander Cole

What A Time To Be Alive was the beginning of contemporary hip-hop’s obsession with the collab album. Following the release of Drake and Future’s 2015 hit-filled album, we got projects like Without Warning, Super Slimey, Pluto x Baby Pluto, and even Huncho Jack Jack Huncho. While these projects were good, none have the aura that WATTBA has. It’s a project that fans were not expecting, and with Drake and Future at the peak of their powers, it felt like the entire music industry was going to stand still while these two ran the game.

The album certainly has its critics, with some claiming that the chemistry isn’t always there. However, if one thing is for certain, it is that the hits are here. “Jumpman,” “Digital Dash,” “Big Rings,” and “Live From The Gutter” are some of the best songs in the Drake and Future library. Its placement is high on our list, mainly because of Drake’s performances on the album. There is no denying that Drake was the better artist on this album, even if you’re an unabashed Future fan. One man dominates the tracklist, and it’s what makes What A Time To Be Alive so deserving of seventh place on this ranking.

- Alexander Cole

In June of 2010, Drake delivered his debut studio album, Thank Me Later. The LP was quick to become a fan favorite. It boasted boased features from a variety of major players like Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Alicia Keys, Jeezy, and Nicki Minaj. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, moving an impressive 447K album-equivalent units in its first week. Furthermore, the project also won Favorite Hip-Hop / Rap Album at the 2010 American Music Awards. It even helped Drake earn the title of Best Male Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards, among other accolades. It even secured a nomination for Best Rap Album at the 53rd annual Grammys the following year. However, the award ultimately went to Eminem’s Recovery. The album solidified the Toronto rapper’s position as a force to be taken seriously in hip-hop, showcasing his lyrical abilities and signature melodic flow. It’s since been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

- Caroline Fisher

Drake’s 2017 “playlist,” simply titled More Life, is the perfect album to kick off our Top 5. In 2017, the artist was fresh off Views. An album that carried some of the most ridiculous discourse of Drake’s career. There was this sense that the artist wasn’t inspired anymore. That he had accomplished everything already, and that his lack of hunger was showing. Given Drake’s recent output, this now 10-year-old narrative certainly looks ridiculous. Even more so when you consider what an epic achievement More Life was from top to bottom.

This is an album with a massive array of hits. From “Glow” to “Fake Love” to “Passionfruit” to “Portland” to “Gyalchester,” you’d be hard-pressed to find a Drake album with more bangers. This is an album in which Drake merged numerous sounds with ease. He did so all while bringing forth some of the biggest artists in rap. Quavo, Travis Scott, Young Thug, and Kanye West have some of the best performances on the album. This helped Drake put together one of his most inspired offerings yet. It’s hard to imagine a world without an album like More Life.

- Alexander Cole

Three years after Nothing Was the Same, Drake took fans to the top of the CN Tower in Toronto to put them in the shoes of his hometown’s biggest star. Having just issued a warning for “you boys in the new Toronto” on “Summer Sixteen,” Drake used his fourth studio album, Views, to celebrate the city that moulded him and assert his dominance over it.

Drake’s personality shines with songs like “Child’s Play,” where he raps about fighting with a girlfriend at The Cheesecake Factory and taking his Bugatti to pick up tampons. Humor and extravagance mask deeper self-criticism. It’s no surprise he would host an episode of Saturday Night Live just weeks after the album’s release.

While the project often remains thematically similar to Drake’s previous work, he maintains interest by exploring plenty of new sounds. This marks his first major foray into Jamaican dancehall music, a direction he foreshadowed on three of his singles from Views: "One Dance," "Controlla," and "Too Good."

- Cole Blake

If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is the bane of any hip-hop Drake hater. None of it should work as well as it does. The ghostwriting allegations surrounding this 2015 mixtape, the tough talk, the relative lack of romance, and the significant shift away from the Nothing Was The Same era are all narratives against the Toronto superstar that question his rap credentials. As such, this tape is a mastery of execution and a masterclass in confidence. Drizzy went harder, not more nuanced or apologetic, and it makes for the most consistently thrilling and invigorating piece in his catalog.

“No Tellin’” embodies this tape’s cold and menacing tone, “Jungle” keeps the soul alive for more lovelorn listeners, and “6PM In New York” proves Drake’s pen did not lose its sharpness when it added some more braggadocio. He avoided corny lines in favor of sharp and combative lyricism, fully embracing the legend status his career crystallized. If You’re Reading This is also arguably the most definitive full-length in Drizzy’s career when it comes to “the Toronto sound,” crafting endlessly evocative instrumentals with stark, frigid bite. It’s Drake playing the villain with surgical precision, refusing to turn superstardom into compliant stagnation.

- Gabriel Bras Nevares

Despite Drake’s debut studio album, Thank Me Later, being an immediate hit, it wasn’t until his sophomore effort, Take Care, that he mastered the sound that would come to define his career. Encouraged by the response to his vulnerability on earlier records, he took his emotional candor to new levels in 2011, embracing a rare degree of romantic introspection for hip-hop at the time. Whether it’s drunkenly calling up an ex on the iconic “Marvin’s Room” or using the title track to sing alongside Rihanna, with whom he had a fling in real life, Drake was already expressing a rawness that few artists sustain across an entire project.

Take Care also introduced Drake’s complicated perspective on fame, which would echo throughout the rest of his discography. “They say more money, more problems, don't believe it,” he raps on the closing track, “The Ride.” The lyric is juxtaposed with the cover art, which depicts a dejected Drake staring into a golden chalice. 

Overall, Take Care remains one of the most important releases of the 2010s, bringing emotional honesty to the forefront of hip-hop. It's loaded with many of his best hits as well and features an all-star team of collaborators, including The Weeknd, Rihanna, Birdman, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Stevie Wonder, Lil Wayne, André 3000, and even Kendrick Lamar.

- Cole Blake

It was an incredibly tight race for what Drake’s best project ever is. The ones in our top three we feel are the consensus best trio of albums he has to offer. But ultimately, we could only pick one and we landed on his third studio LP, Nothing Was the Same. One reason is how tight and intentional it sounds. From seamless transitions to themes of how success can also cause worry and uncertainty, Drake really catapulted himself into solidified superstardom with the execution on his end. Production across the board is pretty damn flawless as far as it pertains to albums of his, too. He and Noah “40” Shebib are on the same wavelength, and that also applies to the other talents behind the boards, such as Boi-1da, Dahi, Nineteen85, Detail, etc. Taking this record over the top is the sheer number of hits. “Tuscan Leather,” “Furthest Thing,” Started From the Bottom,” “Worst Behavior,” “From Time…” you get the point. It’s a timeless album and rightfully deserves the number one spot on our list.

- Zachary Horvath