Ranking Kanye West’s Albums From Worst to Best

During a 2013 interview with the New York Times, Kanye West discussed his discography in a way he hadn’t done before. It wasn’t quite as pat as Jay Z photographing all of his albums in an ordered stack, but it did shed light on how Kanye thinks of his output. He said that 808s & Heartbreak “redefined the sound of radio,” while admitting that “the fact that I can’t sing that well is what makes 808s so special.” Meanwhile, he called My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy a “backhanded apology.”

Almost immediately his comments were absorbed into the ever-evolving conversation that overtakes the timeline with regularity, about how one ranks Kanye’s discography. Which is his weakest album? Which is his best? He has one of the most impressive rap catalogs ever, spanning seven solo records and two collaborative efforts, and of course there’s no denying his place at the bow of American culture. 

With the one-year anniversary of The Life of Pablo approaching, we’re revisiting the topic to offer our ranking of Kanye West’s albums, from worst to best.