Over the past 10 plus years, Drake has built up one of the best discographies of his generation, a catalogue of classic albums, mixtapes and hit songs that is rivalling even his biggest idols – Jay-Z and Kanye.
There are many facets of Drake’s illustrious career which make the Toronto rapper one of the biggest stars in rap. Right from those first mixtapes, with their penchant for rapping about his hometown and womanizing tales to songs that deal with his paranoid loneliness, Drake has always had a way of putting a microscope on his feelings.
On this list, we list the best songs off every Drake album to date.
So Far Gone (EP)
Released: September 15, 2009
Best song: “Uptown” (featuring Bun B and Lil Wayne)
Honourable mentions: “Houstatlantavegas”, “Successful” (featuring Trey Songz and Lil Wayne), “Best I Ever Had”
A complete game-changer when it dropped, Drake’s So Far Gone mixtape ranks as one of the greatest hip hop mixtapes of all time. Featuring a slew of deep cuts and hit singles like “Best I Ever Had” and “Successful”, the tape quickly established Drake as the frontrunner artist of his generation. On “Uptown”, flanked by the always reliable Bun B and his mentor, Lil Wayne, Drizzy flexes his rapping skills as he more than holds his own with the legends.
Thank Me Later
Released: June 15, 2010
Best song: “Find Your Love”
Honourable mentions: “Over”, “Shut It Down” (featuring The-Dream), “Light Up” (featuring Jay-Z), “Miss Me” (featuring Lil Wayne)
Originally written by Kanye, Jeff Bhasker and No I.D. for Rihanna, “Find Your Love” ended up becoming one of Drake’s biggest international hits and solidifying his place at the top of the rap game. In a 2010 XXL story, Kanye revealed that Drake’s success from this song made him nervous about the upstart.
Kanye: Drake was the first thing that actually scared me and put pressure on me, because it was the first thing that was blatantly from a similar perspec- tive and lane. When I feel pressure, I step my game up. So I believe that Drake made great music for people to love and enjoy, but he also forced me to step my game up, because I have to be Kanye West.
Kanye West, “Kanye West’s La Dolce Vita” [Originally Published October 2010] | XXL
Take Care
Released: November 15, 2011
Best song: “Marvins Room”
Honourable mentions: “Crew Love” (featuring The Weeknd), “Take Care” (featuring Rihanna), “Lord Knows” (featuring Rick Ross), “Cameras / Good Ones Go Interlude”, “Look What You’ve Done”, “The Ride”
Drake’s sophomore album features some of his most iconic tracks to date. From celebratory Weeknd-collaboration “Crew Love” to the incredible title track to deep album cuts like “Look What You’ve Done” and “The Ride.” But “Marvins Room” is just on another level when it comes to the Drake-iest Drake songs.
Nothing Was the Same
Released: September 24, 2013
Best song: “Tuscan Leather”
Honourable mentions: “Started from the Bottom”, “Worst Behavior”, “Hold On, We’re Going Home” (featuring Majid Jordan), “The Language”, “Too Much” (featuring Sampha)
So Far Gone was his breakthrough, Take Care is his most Drake album ever, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is my personal favourite, but Nothing Was the Same is Drake’s best album to date. Drizzy just sets off the album perfect with “Tuscan Leather”, rapping for 6-minutes straight on some Dipset-Heatmakerz shit.
If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
Released: February 13, 2015
Best song: “Know Yourself”
Honourable mentions: “Legend”, “Energy”, “10 Bands”, “6 Man”, “You & the 6”, “Jungle”
Drake: I always used to be so envious, man, that Wiz Khalifa had that song “Black and Yellow,” and it was just a song about Pittsburgh. Like, the world was singing a song about Pittsburgh! And I was just so baffled, as a songwriter, at how you stumbled upon a hit record about Pittsburgh. Like, your city must be elated! They must be so proud. And I told myself, over the duration of my career, I would definitely have a song that strictly belonged to Toronto but that the world embraced. So, “Know Yourself” was a big thing off my checklist.
Peak Drake | The FADER
What a Time to Be Alive (with Future)
Released: September 20, 2015
Best song: “Jumpman”
Honourable mentions: “Digital Dash”, “Big Rings”, “Diamonds Dancing”, “30 for 30 Freestyle”
Over five years removed since What a Time to Be Alive , re-listening to that album now, I realised just how packed full of bangers it was. And “Jumpman” is the biggest and best banger off the whole project. Future and Drake are locked in perfectly, and the production courtesy of Metro Boomin is just stupid.
Views
Released: April 29, 2016
Best song: “Weston Road Flows”
Honourable mentions: “U with Me?”, “Controlla”, “One Dance” (featuring Wizkid and Kyla), “Too Good” (featuring Rihanna)
As bloated and uninspired as Views was, it still had a handful of great Drake songs that have aged really well. “Weston Road Flows” is just peak lyrical Drake, doing what he does best: getting shit off his chest in the most relatable way possible.
More Life
Released: March 18, 2017
Best song: “Do Not Disturb”
Honourable mentions: “Passionfruit”, “Gyalchester”, “Portland” (featuring Quavo and Travis Scott), “Sacrifices” (featuring 2 Chainz and Young Thug)
“Do Not Disturb” features Drake as his contemplative best. Fresh off the biggest album of his career to date, the Toronto superstar looks around and wonders why he feels so empty. It’s one of the most lyrical Drake songs ever , no doubt about it.
Scorpion
Released: June 29, 2018
Best song: “Nice for What”
Honourable mentions: “God’s Plan”, “8 Out of 10”, “Sandra’s Rose”, “In My Feelings”
Even if you don’t like Drake, or didn’t enjoy Scorpion , it’s almost impossible not to love “Nice for What.” From the beat to the Lauryn Hill sample to the beat breakdown, this song is just perfect.
Dark Lane Demo Tapes
Released: May 1, 2020
Best song: “Chicago Freestyle”
Honourable mentions: “Toosie Slide”, “Desires” (featuring Future), “D4L” (with Future and Young Thug), “From Florida with Love”
This was the 2020 version of Drake’s 2013 classic, “Too Much,” this time Sampha is replaced with Giveon, who steals the show with an indelible hook. Drake interpolating Eminem’s “Superman” was just fucking genius.
Certified Lover Boy
Released: September 3, 2021
Best song: “You Only Live Twice”
Honourable mentions: “Champagne Poetry”, “Knife Talk”, “7AM on Bridle Path”
Certified Lover Boy kinda just came and went. Featuring Drake’s worst number one song to date, “Way 2 Sexy,” the album was forgettable and way too long (which is becoming a common issue with the rapper’s later albums). But “You Only Live Twice” featuring Lil Wayne and Rick Ross is just classic Young Money, 2011-2012, MMG shit.
