Current Events > Top 35 Kanye West songs (with low effort write-ups)

(+) Yeah! (+)

I did this before with Charli XCX and I wish I had it saved. Not for my low effort write-ups, but just to see the list. Kanye had a long run as my favorite artist, so I have a lot more to say this time

35. Father Stretch My Hands Pt 1 (The Life of Pablo)
https://youtu.be/tulP0t4aCFo

This one has been memed to hell and back because of the first line. Before that, you have one of the strongest minutes of music Ye has ever put on wax. The slowed down Future tag, the gospel sample, the Cudi Chorus... It's all just excellence. Unfortunately this all just ends way too soon.

34. FML (The Life of Pablo)
https://youtu.be/SHfB5HBFeTc

My love for this song is all about the production. The Weeknd doesn't really add much here, but he certainly doesn't make the song less enjoyable. We get a drum fill almost 3 minutes into the song that takes us to this wonderfully offbeat outro. I just can't get enough of it.

33. HAM (Watch the Throne)
https://youtu.be/UtoHI0JEfDg

Well shit. There's not a studio version of this on youtube. This is the defining moment of Watch the Throne. It's robust, flashy, and impressive. This was the victory lap after so many great Ye and Hov collabs.

32. All Day (Single)
https://youtu.be/mc-ccZXsIm4
https://youtu.be/_ABk7TmjnVk

I'm sharing the live version because that was performed before anyone heard the studio cut. The latter is really only notable because Paul Mccartney was involved, but it's really just a peculiar meld of brilliant minds that isn't quite necessary.

The live cut just hits so much harder. The rumor was Kanye packed the stage with an obcene amount of black men to protest racism at the BRIT Awards. There's just so much energy here and Ye has never really rapped like this since. And those flamethrowers bruh

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tag

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Bad_Mojo posted...

tag

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https://youtu.be/YGqE0E-o0RY

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um

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1. runaway

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808s and heartbreaks better top this list

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ShyOx posted...

808s and heartbreaks better top this list

Gross
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Smashingpmkns posted...

Gross

The title is songs not tracks. The songs were the best on that record.

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#31. New God Flow (Cruel Summer)
https://youtu.be/lwkZBq_-G94

The back and forth between Ye and Push in the first verse is so strong. T does his thing, but then Kanye comes in with one of his all-time great verses. The final Ghostface verse is a tad superfluous, but it's still better than the overlong military chant that concluded the single version

30. 4th Dimension (Kids See Ghosts)
https://youtu.be/6Hj5tucYv1Q

Watching the Wyoming rollout of this album live was a real treat. I will never forget that collective moment of everyone losing their shit when the drums hit. The old timey sample here is all that and a bag of sour cream & cheddar Ruffles

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Not bad so far

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SuperExcitebike posted...

I did this before with Charli XCX and I wish I had it saved.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


20. Superlove (Single)
19. Next Level Charli (Charli)
18. Boom Clap (Sucker)
17. Grins (True Romance)
16. 5 in the Morning (Single)
15. Click (Charli)
14. Dreamer (Number1Angel)
13. Famous (Sucker)
12. You're the One (True Romance)
11. Backseat (Pop 2)
10. Nuclear Seasons (True Romance)
9. White Roses (Number1Angel)
8. Cross You Out (Charli)
7. No Angel (Single)
6. Tears (Pop 2)
5. Thoughts (Charli)
4. Gone (Charli)
3. Drugs (No1Angel)
2. Vroom Vroom (Vroom Vroom EP)
1. Track 10 (Pop 2)

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KainWind posted...

20. Superlove (Single)
19. Next Level Charli (Charli)
18. Boom Clap (Sucker)
17. Grins (True Romance)
16. 5 in the Morning (Single)
15. Click (Charli)
14. Dreamer (Number1Angel)
13. Famous (Sucker)
12. You're the One (True Romance)
11. Backseat (Pop 2)
10. Nuclear Seasons (True Romance)
9. White Roses (Number1Angel)
8. Cross You Out (Charli)
7. No Angel (Single)
6. Tears (Pop 2)
5. Thoughts (Charli)
4. Gone (Charli)
3. Drugs (No1Angel)
2. Vroom Vroom (Vroom Vroom EP)
1. Track 10 (Pop 2)

Thanks I feel like it'd be a completely different list if I did that again

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29. Gorgeous (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy)
https://youtu.be/miJAfs7jhak

What a song. The guitar riff, the instantly catchy chorus, the long verses... This is definitely one of Ye's best pure rapping performances. Gorgeous falls down the rankings a bit because the Raekwon verse feels like padding. It doesn't really demand your attention like Kanye's verses

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28. Family Business (The College Dropout)
https://youtu.be/JwAjANmjajc

This is one that even the biggest Kanye haters tend to like. The beat is nice and nostalgic and the lyrics are sweet and reflective. The children's chorus is a tad bit annoying and there are a few of those "did he just say that" awkward lines old Kanye was known for, but I wouldn't say any of that diminishes this classic

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27. Paranoid (808s & Heartbreak)
https://youtu.be/CiY8-LYkCEk

Paranoid is insanely catchy and is guaranteed to get you moving. This is such a well constructed synthpop groove and I love how he just let's it ride in the end with Mr. Hudson and Cudi's chorus popping in and out

26. Ultralight Beam (The Life of Pablo)
https://youtu.be/6oHdAA3AqnE

Let's be real. It's really hard not to just skip to the entree with Ultralight Beam. Chance the Rapper did his damn thing with this feature. "This is my part nobody else speak" still gives me shivers 5 years later. The rest of the song is still great, but you really have to be in the mood for it

25. Monster (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy)
https://youtu.be/pS6HRKZQLFA

Speaking of renegade verses, let's not forget that literal Nicki Minaj had THE BEST verse on MBDTF. It's so cheesy and over the top, but it fits in perfectly on the unorthodox beat. It also makes up for the rare goose egg that Jay-Z lays on the second verse

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JustMyOpinion posted...

Family Business is too low.

These are all songs that I absolutely love. I just like others more

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#1 will be "E.T." feat. Katy Perry

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mah body is ready
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JustMyOpinion posted...

Which of the below are not in your top 25 so I can disagree with your list:

Never Let Me Down
Bittersweet Poetry
Heard Em Say
Roses
Diamonds
The Glory
All Falls Down
Flashing Lights
Big Brother

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Not seen a single Graduation song yet...

That's, imo, his best album.
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I'm not seeing tracks 1-4 on Yeezus yet.

Holy Shit! Somebody listened to 35 KanyeWest songs?!

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JustMyOpinion posted...

Somehow only one Dropout song and nothing from Late Registration or Graduation. Because they're all in the top 25, right?

That's my hope.
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This topic is a failure. All of Kanye's tracks are #1.

I gotta be honest, I didn't know Kanye West had 35 songs.

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24. We Major (Late Registration)
https://youtu.be/_fr4SV4fGAw

I love this beat. The horns give me such a feeling of triumph. Really Doe's hook is epic and fun to sing to. The Nas feature was gamechanging at the time and turned out to be a huge step in squashing the beef between him and Hov. Kanye's "can I talk my shit again" line is legendary and I was lucky to hear him say it live before going on a 15 minute rant

23. All of the Lights + Interlude (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy)
https://youtu.be/nGa2noz5ueE

This was the big radio hit for MBDTF and that's exactly what it's meant to be. It's one of the biggest collections of talent ever assembled. We've got Elton John, Alicia Keys, Kid Cudi, John Legend, Rihanna, Fergie, and so many others contributing to this mini opera. Admittedly, there is a lot of room for improvement. The mixing sounds pretty bad at the end and the Fergie verse was so stupid that it was left off of the radio cut. It's still an amazing work of art despite its flaws and the interlude really makes it special

22. On Sight (Yeezus)
https://youtu.be/uU9Fe-WXew4

We were all wondering where Kanye was going to go with his 6th solo album following MBDTF. On Sight doesn't pull any punches and it perfectly sets the table for the chaotic experimental masterpiece that was Yeezus. The first verse is one of his most underrated. It's full of raw energy and memorable lines. The "he'll give us what we need. It may not be what we want" sample is one of my absolute favorite moments from any song. He could have had that on repeat for a minute straight and it would only improve this outstanding opener

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21. Christian Dior Denim Flow (GOOD Fridays)
https://youtu.be/eLpbc1N9BB8

It's a shame this posse cut was left off of the album in 2010, but I'll agree that it didn't fit the narrative of MBDTF. The chorus is so big and sexy and the lavish strings will keep your head banging for 7 minutes. There is no filler here. Everyone went in, especially Cudi, whose flow is pretty wild in the end

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I can't do any more until late tonight, but here's a bump for night CE

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SuperExcitebike posted...

The "he'll give us what we need. It may not be what we want" sample is one of my absolute favorite moments from any song

I think it sticks out more because it's surrounded by garbage. Holy shit that song is making me wish I didn't have ears.

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You done lost all your senses

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20. Lost in the World/Who Will Survive in America (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy)
https://youtu.be/gtUFRg_5uUM

Lost in the World has such an incredibly cinematic feel to it. I hear this and I can see an entire Spike Lee film in my head. There are so many remarkable moments here. You can suddenly really hear Kanye at the one minute mark. That has always been really cool to me. I felt like driving as fast as possible as soon as the drums hit when I was heading home earlier. The "run for your life" part is both haunting and uplifting. I can honestly say that there is nothing quite like this closer

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SuperExcitebike posted...

21. Christian Dior Denim Flow (GOOD Fridays)
https://youtu.be/eLpbc1N9BB8

It's a shame this posse cut was left off of the album in 2010, but I'll agree that it didn't fit the narrative of MBDTF. The chorus is so big and sexy and the lavish strings will keep your head banging for 7 minutes. There is no filler here. Everyone went in, especially Cudi, whose flow is pretty wild in the end

It saddens me that this isn't officially on any music streaming service.

Fridays were indeed good back then

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I have a feeling "lift yourself" is gonna be #1
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19. Diamonds From Sierra Leone + Remix
https://youtu.be/glTZy-Sujuw
https://youtu.be/4q7OpvvfjWs

I was torn between the more well known remix and the original version of Diamonds. On one hand, you have a really strong show-stealing Jay-Z feature. On the other, you have what may be Kanye's greatest verse ever. Fuck it, I took both. This samples the Diamonds are Forever James Bond theme song. In return, this particular beat has been sampled by Nas, Game, and many others. Hov's "I'm not a businessman, I'm a BUSINESS, man" is one of the best one-liners of all time. OF ALL TIME

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Despite my previous comment, I do respect some your list. Yeezus just doesn't click with me. It's a full out assault to my eardrums. Experiment gone wrong. Kanye's Speeding Bullet 2 Heaven.

My list would irritate people by it being the College Dropout tracklist out of order. It's one my favorite albums of all time.

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18. Say You Will (808s & Heartbeat)
https://youtu.be/d9BMPmfxaoM

I'll never forget my first time listening to 808s. Say You Will is so minimalistic, but less is more in this case. The drums hit extremely hard and the choir adds a seriously dreary layer. I freaking love it and I really appreciate Ye letting that thing ride for 3 captivating minutes. The autotune is used perfectly and Kanye's vocal performance is one of his best ever

17. Robocop (808s & Heartbreak)
https://youtu.be/kVl__NgDAdw

808s has this reputation of being Kanye's sad autotune album, so something like Robocop comes as a surprise. The string arrangement is stunning and invokes so much joy. Ye really was a master of autotune and he sounds like he had a really good time recording this one. And once again, he nailed the outro.


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16. Blood On the Leaves (Yeezus)
https://youtu.be/KEA0btSNkpw

Kanye is the god of the 6+ minute song. I don't think it's even close with other hip hops artists. BotL is one of his most ambitious efforts. The Nina Simone sample hits deep. There's something utterly disturbing about Kanye rapping over "that boy is hanging in the summer breeze". Arca was a major collaborator on Yeezus and I love that her trademark sound is all over this one. The beat drop here is just absolutely ridiculous

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15. Heard Em Say (Late Registration)
https://youtu.be/Ivp0owZH6bI

This is the song that got me into Kanye West. I think I was going through a "can't spell crap without rap" phase at the time and never really gave him a chance. This was on a friend's myspace and I fell in love with the sound instantly. I never liked Adam Levine, but he is awesome on their track. This is another song that strikes that nostalgia nerve for me. The piano sample from Someone That I Used To Love has always made me think of Mr. Rogers. No one on this earth can hate on Mr Rogers

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#1 Bound 2 or GTFO, bro

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SuperExcitebike posted...

18. Say You Will (808s & Heartbeat)
https://youtu.be/d9BMPmfxaoM

I'll never forget my first time listening to 808s. Say You Will is so minimalistic, but less is more in this case. The drums hit extremely hard and the choir adds a seriously dreary layer. I freaking love it and I really appreciate Ye letting that thing ride for 3 captivating minutes. The autotune is used perfectly and Kanye's vocal performance is one of his best ever

17. Robocop (808s & Heartbreak)
https://youtu.be/kVl__NgDAdw

808s has this reputation of being Kanye's sad autotune album, so something like Robocop comes as a surprise. The string arrangement is stunning and invokes so much joy. Ye really was a master of autotune and he sounds like he had a really good time recording this one. And once again, he nailed the outro.

Robocop is legit in my top 10.


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Streetlights better be on here

14. Power (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy)
https://youtu.be/SUtf9Ajlno4

This song was used in so many trailers and commercials in 2010/11 and I wasn't even complaining. Every rapper seemed to want to rap over it on their mixtape. The production is that nice. This is the song that Ye always says took 5000 hours to complete in Hawaii. I doubt that, but it's clear that a lot of care went into this one. The second verse especially has some really nice wordplay and as always, Kanye knows how to end a song. The outro is wild. I might even love the George Condo artwork more than the song. It has been my lock screen for as long as I can remember and I have it framed in my hallway

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SuperExcitebike posted...

16. Blood On the Leaves (Yeezus)
https://youtu.be/KEA0btSNkpw

Kanye is the god of the 6+ minute song. I don't think it's even close with other hip hops artists. BotL is one of his most ambitious efforts. The Nina Simone sample hits deep. There's something utterly disturbing about Kanye rapping over "that boy is hanging in the summer breeze". Arca was a major collaborator on Yeezus and I love that her trademark sound is all over this one. The beat drop here is just absolutely ridiculous

Arca? I felt like the drop was definitely more attributed to TNGHT (Hudson Mohawke & Lunice) than her.