Ranking Kendrick Lamar albums from worst to best

Kendrick Lamar has one of the most impressive discographies in hip-hop history. Several of his projects rank among the greatest albums that the genre has ever seen, while the rest of his catalogue remains of the highest quality. In addition to his six studio albums, this ranking will also include his 2016 compilation album Untitled Unmastered, as well as his mixtape Overly Dedicated.

8. Overly Dedicated (2010)

Despite being almost 15 years old, Overly Dedicated is Kendrick’s most recent mixtape. It is also the only one of his mixtapes which can currently be found on streaming services. Even though the mixtape might easily be considered the weakest of Kendrick’s commercial projects, it is still a very entertaining listen with numerous great tracks. Songs like “Barbed Wire” and “Ignorance Is Bliss” are the project’s biggest standouts.

7. Untitled Unmastered (2016)

A compilation album made up of previously unreleased demos from the To Pimp a Butterfly era, Untitled Unmastered is quite strong as a standalone project. Many of the songs on the short, concise tracklist are noteworthy, even though they were never able to find a place on an official studio album. It speaks more to the quality of To Pimp a Butterfly than it does to the quality of these eight tracks.

6. Section.80 (2011)

The immense quality of Kendrick Lamar’s debut album was a sign for what was to come. Tracks such as “A.D.H.D.” and “Rigamortus” remain as some of Kendrick’s best and most iconic songs, while also serving as an introduction to him as an artist for many of us. And while the album includes arguably some of the worst songs in Kendrick’s entire discography, such as “No Make-Up” and “Tammy’s Song,” the vast majority of the project is up to his usual standard.

5. GNX (2024)

After winning one of the most memorable and exciting feuds in hip-hop history, Kendrick Lamar capped off 2024 by releasing another outstanding studio album in GNX. At just 44 minutes long, GNX is Kendrick’s shortest studio album to date. Even at its reduced length, the project manages to leave a strong impact on the listener with almost every track having an important and unique position on the album. Almost 15 years after bursting onto the scene, Kendrick remains at the top of his game.

4. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022)

While Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers might be Kendrick Lamar’s least accessible album, it is still an incredible listen, nonetheless. As a concept album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers deals with some of the most deeply personal subject matter of any Kendrick Lamar project. Sure, it is not something you want to listen to every day, but it still holds a very special and unique place within Kendrick’s discography. 

3. Damn (2017)

An album great enough to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018; although it sits firmly in third place among Kendrick’s legendary discography. The argument can be made that the writing on Damn is as strong as the writing on any of Kendrick’s other albums. Songs like “Duckworth,” “Fear,” and many others help to showcase just how meticulously written the majority of the album is. Damn is easily great enough to be the best album in the catalogue of most rappers.

2. To Pimp A Butterfly (2015)

What else can be said about this album that hasn’t already been said? It is the definition of a masterpiece, while also being the defining hip-hop album of the 2010s decade. From a musical standpoint, the album blends together a variety of different genres including jazz and soul, yet it never truly drifts away from being a hip-hop album. The album’s social and political commentary helps to lift it beyond just being a tremendous musical achievement. To put it simply, To Pimp a Butterfly is a work of art that exemplifies how hip-hop can have a real impact on society.

1. Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (2012)

As amazing as To Pimp a Butterfly is, I will still contend that Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City is Kendrick’s best album. The project stands out as the single greatest storytelling album ever released—one where the transitions from song to song play out just like scenes in a movie. The concept and narrative of the album never fails to be simultaneously interesting and entertaining. The tracklist also features many of Kendrick’s best ever songs, including what the majority of people consider to be his magnum opus: the 12-minute masterpiece, “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst.”