808s & Heartbreak
by Kanye West
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1156 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 966 out of 1156
  2. Mixed: 74 out of 1156
  3. Negative: 116 out of 1156

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  1. CamelDubois
    Nov 25, 2008
    3
    Not good, very bad.
  2. Lamerson19
    Nov 10, 2020
    3
    This album goes from solid and understandable, to unlistenable. I understand the influence that this album had on modern day R&B and rap, however this album features songs that totally butcher the type of music he is going for. The autotune can be borderline painful at times, and this features some of his most shallow lyrics and ideas. There are songs that I find enjoyable, however theThis album goes from solid and understandable, to unlistenable. I understand the influence that this album had on modern day R&B and rap, however this album features songs that totally butcher the type of music he is going for. The autotune can be borderline painful at times, and this features some of his most shallow lyrics and ideas. There are songs that I find enjoyable, however the absolute sound trash definitely outweighs the good, this is my personal least favorite Kanye album and I have nothing else to sat.… Expand
  3. WillD
    Feb 5, 2009
    2
    This album straight sucks...plain and simple. I want my money back! This is not the Kanye West I paid 15.00 to hear.
  4. JimmyBluntz
    Nov 26, 2008
    2
    How the mighty have fallen, the innovator is now the imitator. Kayne used to be the breath of fresh air in an otherwise played out, commercialized genre. I can respect Kanye doing something off the beaten path of his usual, but is it really necessary to use the Vocal Auto-Tuner on every track? This album feels like it was thrown together to be released for the Christmas sales rush. Why How the mighty have fallen, the innovator is now the imitator. Kayne used to be the breath of fresh air in an otherwise played out, commercialized genre. I can respect Kanye doing something off the beaten path of his usual, but is it really necessary to use the Vocal Auto-Tuner on every track? This album feels like it was thrown together to be released for the Christmas sales rush. Why else would he abuse the vocal auto-tuner that is so popular right now? I mean, Jim Jones now has a track out that uses this crap. I like Dip-Set, but come on! There are going to be people that say this album is genius and that Kanye ventured out to create something different, and yet others that feel they wasted their money on straight garbage (myself included). There are maybe 2 tracks that I could somewhat listen to all the way (I have yet to listen to the entire album just because I can't stand this commercial garbage). Kayne, you went 2 for 12, a 16% total rating. I went into this album expecting great things, but all I got was a lot of Heartbreak.… Expand
  5. alex
    Nov 28, 2008
    2
    Kayne sold out..this auto tune nonsense is getting out of hand
  6. DerekReiff
    Nov 29, 2008
    2
    This slow stuff isn't his best
  7. alexandergreen
    Sep 4, 2011
    2
    This is Kanye's weakest album. I found most of the songs intolerable, and the rest of it was simply boring. The only track I enjoyed was the single Love Lockdown, even if it has a similar vibe to the rest of the album.
  8. TaariqueD
    Mar 20, 2009
    1
    Here's what I think: how about we give it a 1 for Heartless? It's catchy until you've listened to it for a few times. As for the rest of the album: no thanks. Some artists CAN decide to try another genre and do a good job with it, but others (like Kanye West) should keep doing what they're good at, or at least make some very high-production songs in their new genre. I Here's what I think: how about we give it a 1 for Heartless? It's catchy until you've listened to it for a few times. As for the rest of the album: no thanks. Some artists CAN decide to try another genre and do a good job with it, but others (like Kanye West) should keep doing what they're good at, or at least make some very high-production songs in their new genre. I don't know, but I think this style is better suited to Mariah Carey or Beyoncé. For a (now ex-) rapper to be singing songs like these, even if they do come from the heart, just doesn't fit.… Expand
  9. jaffarraza
    Nov 28, 2008
    1
    this sucked. i shit on kanye for making a pop album after the success he's attained in hiphop
  10. AnonymousMC
    Nov 25, 2008
    1
    sit down and shut it kanye, this blows !
  11. JustinD
    Nov 28, 2008
    1
    This is the first big failure Kanye West has ever had. Auto tune is ruining rap, and slowly taking the best artists with it.
  12. NimrodAneta
    Jun 15, 2016
    1
    One of the worst albums I ever heard, I honestly can't think of a reason for anyone to like it. Kanye can't really sing and the whole album is full with his bad singing mixed with atotune and can't really covers it.
    The subject matter could have been great if he would have done it will. But instead his did it with a bunch of corny lines that sounds like a 12 years old that thinks he will    One of the worst albums I ever heard, I honestly can't think of a reason for anyone to like it. Kanye can't really sing and the whole album is full with his bad singing mixed with atotune and can't really covers it.
    The subject matter could have been great if he would have done it will. But instead his did it with a bunch of corny lines that sounds like a 12 years old that thinks he will never love again after a break up.
    Even the production, something I thought I would never have to complain about in a Kanye album, was very simple and the electronic sound was not done well.    … Expand
  13. MikeMulaney
    Nov 19, 2020
    1
    Generic music, nothing special, typical Kanye egomania top to bottom, not worth the time.
  14. kkrana
    Nov 28, 2008
    0
    no comments.....
  15. RossAldentaler
    Nov 29, 2008
    0
    This album is terrible, Kanye should have saved it until after he was dead.
  16. OshinoKaitoro
    Dec 2, 2008
    0
    I cannot shallow this sh*t.
  17. AnthonyAmato
    Dec 4, 2008
    0
    very happy that there is a option to give a zero for an album. if there was ever an album made that was a disgrace to hip hop and deserved a zero, this is one. what a waste of time. when you are not that good of a rapper and you put something like this out, your career should be in big trouble. i hope he stops polluting our airwaves soon with this garbage
  18. Undergroundmystery
    Aug 25, 2009
    0
    Heartless, is a maybe upgrade to 1 until i heard it more than twice. Kanye was good until he got his hands on some money and now he wants some more and more and it becomes about money not the music, like it was when he first started sad to see one of my favorite emcees drop down this low.
  19. MichaelPhilip
    Dec 15, 2008
    0
    shocking shocking album, that auto-tune is seriously annoying
  20. VinhPham
    Dec 2, 2008
    0
    Why on earth can a singer create this type of art?
  21. drunkestepdaddad
    Dec 3, 2008
    0
    kw sucks.
  22. GrantThornhill
    Nov 29, 2008
    0
    Kanye West is a genius; therefore, he feels the need to try new things. However, Kanye's abandonment of rap in favor of only using autotune and tribal drums is a regrettable choice that has yielded forgettable, if not unlistenable, songs. Kanye shouldn't worry too much though; Neil Yound and Bob Dylan also made some terrible albums during their experimental phases and they are Kanye West is a genius; therefore, he feels the need to try new things. However, Kanye's abandonment of rap in favor of only using autotune and tribal drums is a regrettable choice that has yielded forgettable, if not unlistenable, songs. Kanye shouldn't worry too much though; Neil Yound and Bob Dylan also made some terrible albums during their experimental phases and they are still considered to be among the best musicians of all time. If Kanye wants to be remembered like Michael Jackson, he should focus on improving his raps rather than abandoning them to become a crappier version of TPAIN.… Expand
  23. j30
    Sep 28, 2011
    0
    WHY KANYE! WHY! The biggest WTF record of his career and the auto-tune, don't get me started on the auto-tune. This is his worst and will probably be his worst LP of his career when he's all done. Not to mention his worst producing effort so far. All his greatest attributes go to waste. Sorry folks, just a poor effort from one of Hip-Hop's biggest talents.
  24. TheRealZoko
    Jan 23, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Warning: Kanye fans must stop giving low ratings to Music To Be Murdered By just to stop it surpassing My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy… Expand
  25. Sermanson2002
    Jan 23, 2020
    0
    Parece ser que ahora se vota con poca puntuacion los albumes que creemos que nos lo merercen.
    Gracias fans de Kanye
  26. theapple
    Jan 22, 2020
    0
    The whole album is a joke. Autotune, no talent. I call that album trash, that's it
  27. Fra101
    Aug 30, 2021
    0
    It's such a boring album! That's all, just boring, nothing special. Sorry...
  28. anapopescu
    Sep 13, 2020
    0
    Another rapper that seems to have something to say when in fact the message is all over the place.
  29. JohnSnow41188
    Oct 2, 2020
    0
    Unoriginal work, it feels like Kanye was trying to hard but the results did not pay out.
  30. bushyforest
    Oct 23, 2020
    0
    The album brings nothing special, just another attempt to say something original without the power to follow through with it.
  31. tombradygoat
    Nov 23, 2022
    0
    overrated as **** Below-mid album that gets recognition just from kanye stans.
  32. somaontv
    Jul 18, 2023
    0
    Definitely did not like this album the first time i listened too it but after listening too it a few more times i really warmed up too it my favorite track off of the album is Love Lockdown

Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Most Discussed Album of 2008
2
#2 Most Shared Album of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. Sputnikmusic
    70
    Kanye West’s fourth album 808s and Heartbreak follows the crowd rather than leads it. Where he steps, the footprints of T-Pain are readily visible. His use of auto-tune throughout the album is heavy, and in songs like Heartless and Love Lockdown its use is appealing.
    Read full review
  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    70
    The resounding verdict is that it’s a surprising, but bold and brave progression from last year’s confused "Graduation."
    Read full review
  3. Observer Music Monthly
    80
    It might seem harsh but let's hope he doesn't find too much happiness in the meantime. Loneliness is proving quite the muse.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »