This post has all of the albums I’ve listened to, or plan to listen to. I rate things on a 10-point scale, which I describde throughout the list. I also list off my top 3 tracks on these albums, and any notable themes/ideas I pick up from my listens. At the end is a list of all the albums I plan to listen to, which you can find here.

I used to host this list in my iPhone notes app, where I had a 100-point scale. The problem was that I was really inconsistent and my average for albums was in the mid-80s, which I think is way too liberal. I thought the Fantano model was nice to base this scale off of, so here’s some clarifications:

  • Fantano rates things on a 10-point scale, where any score from 1 to 9 can be further described as light, decent, or strong. Ultimately, he gives a range of two scores to an album (unless they’re a definitive 0 or 10), and one becomes the ultimate rating for an album.
    • For example, when Fantano reviewed Kids See Ghosts, he gave it a “strong 9 to a 10”, ultimately rating it a 10.
    • I think this is a bit too complex, so I’ll stick to one score.
  • Q: How should I map a Fantano 7 into my system?
  • A:
    • Light 7: 7.0-7.3
    • Decent 7: 7.4-7.6
    • Strong 7: 7.7-7.9
  • A 10 is the peak of the scale, but within my 10s is a structure that’s a matter of favour; it’ll be reflected in the order.

10: BENCHMARKS

These albums are the pinnacle. They are the standard to which I compare other media. They show little to no flaws in their art in all aspects (song selection, lyrics, production, themes/stories, structure, etc.)

  • KIDS SEE GHOSTS: KIDS SEE GHOSTS

    • Top 3: Reborn, Cudi Montage, Fire
    • Core idea(s): “In the midst of winter, I found, within me, an invincible summer”; finding solace in madness.

  • The Life Of Pablo: Kanye West

    • Top 3: Saint Pablo, No More Parties In LA, Waves
    • Core idea(s): Representing Kanye as an amalgam of three Pablos-Picasso (artistry), Escobar (controversy), and Saint Paul (faith); the dichotomy of family and celebrity.

9: EXCEPTIONAL

As pieces of art, these albums are nearly immaculate. Their composition is very strong and shows a great amount of detail, depth and care in all aspects. However, a single or multitude of factors in light severity hold these albums back from perfection.

  • Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers: Kendrick Lamar (9.8)

    • Top 3: The Heart Part 5, Mother I Sober, Savior
    • Core idea(s): Man vs. self, Kendrick vs. his internalized guilt and trauma; Nietzsche “keys to your chains” quote.

  • IGOR: Tyler, the Creator (9.7)

    • Top 3: GONE GONE / THANK YOU, I THINK, WHAT’S GOOD
    • Core idea(s): The bad ending of the classic love story.

  • To See the Next Part of the Dream: Parannoul (9.7)

    • Top 3: Beautiful World, White Ceiling, Analog Sentimentalism
    • Core idea(s): How do we face our shortcomings?; the dichotomy of ideal and reality.

  • To Pimp A Butterfly: Kendrick Lamar (9.6)

    • Top 3: The Blacker The Berry, u, You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said)
    • Core idea(s): Man vs. society, Kendrick vs. institutionalized and systemic racism; the pressures of leadership; “Fulfillment as a leader.”

  • Blonde: Frank Ocean (9.5)

    • Top 3: Self Control, White Ferrari, Pink & White
    • Core idea(s): Duality; “How far have we come and how far can we go?”

  • My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy: Kanye West (9.4)

    • Top 3: Runaway, POWER, Lost In The World
    • Core idea(s): Maximalism; reconciling with fame.

  • Ants From Up There: Black Country, New Road (9.2)

    • Top 3: Basketball Shoes, Good Will Hunting, The Place Where He Inserted The Blade
    • Core idea(s): Examining co-dependence and the harm it does on both parties.

8: EXCELLENT

Overall great albums. They are strong in a variety of facets such as song selection, lyrics, and production, but are often lacking to a moderate extent in other aspects, which hold it back in a greater way than more exceptional albums.

  • DAMN.: Kendrick Lamar (8.8)

    • Top 3: XXX, FEAR, DUCKWORTH
    • Core idea(s): Man vs. supernatural, Kendrick vs. the intricacies of life.

  • ye: Kanye West (8.7)

    • Top 3: Ghost Town, No Mistakes, Violent Crimes
    • Core idea(s): Bipolarity and mental health; a child in an adult’s body, “We’re still the kids we used to be.”

  • Rodeo: Travis Scott (8.7)

    • Top 3: Nightcrawler, Maria I’m Drunk, Pray 4 Love
    • Core idea(s): The ‘rodeo’ of life, “Will he make it? / Was it worth it? / Did he win? / Will he survive/ The rodeo?”

  • good kid, m.A.A.d city: Kendrick Lamar (8.6)

    • Top 3: Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst, Swimming Pools (Drank), m.A.A.d city
    • Core idea(s): Man vs. world, Kendrick vs. the violence of Compton.

  • The Money Store: Death Grips (8.6)

    • Top 3: Hacker, Punk Weight, Get Got
    • Core idea(s): Societal disarray.

  • E•MO•TION: Carly Rae Jepsen (8.6)

    • Top 3: Run Away With Me, Your Type, E•mo•tion/All That

  • DAYTONA: Pusha T (8.6)

    • Top 3: The Games We Play, If You Know You Know, What Would Meek Do?
    • Core idea(s): “The luxury of time.”

  • 808s & Heartbreak: Kanye West (8.5)

    • Top 3: Street Lights, Heartless/Love Lockdown, Welcome To Heartbreak
    • Core idea(s): Grief and loss; stasis.

  • House Of Balloons: The Weeknd (8.5)

    • Top 3: House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls, The Morning, High For This
    • Core idea(s): Lust; over-indulgence.

  • I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU: JPEGMAFIA (8.4)

    • Top 3: either on or off the drugs, don’t rely on other men, i recovered from this
    • Core idea(s): Laying a blank slate; reconciling with yourself.

  • Time ’n’ Place: Kero Kero Bonito (8.3)

    • Top 3: Only Acting, Swimming, Dear Future Self
    • Core idea(s): Ideal vs. reality; “Life isn’t what you built it up to be.”

  • 4:44: Jay-Z (8.2)

    • Top 3: Legacy, The Story Of O.J., 4:44
    • Core idea(s): Repentance; seeking salvation and absolution.

  • BRAT: Charli xcx (8.2)

    • Top 3: Sympathy is a knife, Everything is romantic, Von dutch
    • Core idea(s): Exploring vulnerability; meta-analysis of pop as a genre.

7: GOOD

A definitively good album, that is great in all aspects as previously described. However, several factors hold these albums back from surpassing this status, such as occasionally lacking production, often unsubstantial lyrics, etc.

6: SATISFACTORY

These albums are middling. They may be great in some aspects but quite lacking in others, thus holding them back from being considered definitively ‘good’.

5: AVERAGE

By all measures, these albums are simply average. They aren’t terrible at what they seek out to do, but aren’t very good at it either.

4: MEDIOCRE

Falling just below the bar, these albums have more flaws than upsides; flaws that are present enough to weight down these albums in their artistic pursuits.

3: BAD

This is the point in the scale where the flaws in an album become more damning than those with a greater score. Often, this is shown through severly deficient aspects, but there are still some redeemable factors to hold these albums up.

2: AWFUL

The upsides are few and far in between. Outside of them, these albums have glaring flaws in most if not all aspects.

1: TERRIBLE

These albums are almost completely unremarkable. What holds them back from being any worse is a single or few redeemable qualities.

0: APPALLING

There is nothing to be found. No trace of artistry or even an attempt at it. This is the lowest point in media.

Unlistened or Unreviewed

  • Modal Soul: Nujabes
  • Vaudeville Villan: Viktor Vaughn
  • Tetsuo & Youth: Lupe Fiasco
  • Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…: Raekwon
  • Friends That Break Your Heart: James Blake
  • The Low End Theory: A Tribe Called Quest
  • Aquemini: OutKast
  • ALL-AMERIKKAN BADA$$: Joey Bada$$
  • GINGER: BROCKHAMPTON
  • Solar Power: Lorde
  • Atrocity Exhibition: Danny Brown
  • Depression Cherry: Beach House
  • Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager: Kid Cudi
  • Donuts: J Dilla
  • My Name Is My Name: Pusha T
  • Hell Hath No Fury: Clipse
  • In the Aeroplane Over the Sea: Neutral Milk Hotel
  • Melodrama: Lorde
  • Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers): Wu-Tang Clan
  • Little Dominique’s Nosebleed: The Koreatown Oddity
  • CASE STUDY 01: Daniel Caesar
  • ASTROWORLD: Travis Scott
  • Swimming: Mac Miller
  • Circles: Mac Miller
  • 98.12.28 男達の別れ: Fishmans
  • Pure Comedy: Father John Misty
  • Section.80: Kendrick Lamar
  • K.T.S.E: Teyana Taylor
  • Black On Both Sides: Mos Def
  • There Existed an Addition to Blood: clipping.
  • CARE FOR ME: Saba
  • Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star: Black Star
  • LP!: JPEGMAFIA
  • Soft Sounds from Another Planet: Japanese Breakfast
  • Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven: Godspeed You! Black Emperor
  • Loveless: My Bloody Valentine
  • Rough and Beautiful Place: Mydreamfever
  • The Color In Anything: James Blake
  • Smiling With No Teeth: Genesis Owusu
  • The Powers That B: Death Grips
  • For The First Time: Black Country, New Road
  • Blue Rev: Alvvays
  • Big Fish Theory: Vince Staples
  • VULTURES 1: ¥$
  • VULTURES 2: ¥$
  • After The Magic: Parannoul
  • Sky Hundred: Parannoul
  • The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess: Chappell Roan
  • CHROMAKOPIA: Tyler, the Creator
  • GNX: Kendrick Lamar
  • Dare Iz A Darkside: Redman