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808s & Heartbreak
by
808s & Heartbreak Image
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1156 Ratings

  • Summary: The fourth album for the Grammy-winning rapper features Young Jezzy, Lil Wayne, Mr. Hudason, and Kid Cudi.

Top Track

Heartless
In the night, I hear 'em talk, The coldest story ever told Somewhere far along this road, he lost his soul to a woman so heartless How could you be... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. Delusions of Adequacy
    100
    It’s with his latest masterpiece, 808s & Heartbreak, that he has demonstrated, with impeccable skill, that he is supreme, yet again.
  2. Vibe
    90
    In 2008 Kanye struggled through tragedy so great that it forced him to go left. And ironically, at his darkest hour, Kanye has created his greatest album to date.
  3. Mojo
    80
    It is his most facinating, and bewildering, record to date. [Jan 2008, p.104]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. The Guardian
    80
    It is the stylised, minimal music that lends the album its power, and which helps West convince as a man beset by demons and femmes fatales.
  5. The Boston Phoenix
    75
    Kanye is after a very specific sound on this release, the dead-eyed, auto-tuned vocals and canned pianos contributing to a harrowing vision of emotional shellshock. The songs bleed into one another; only 'Love Lockdown,' with its magnificent drum breakdown, really grabs you by the throat.
  6. Rolling Stone
    70
    This noble failure of an album might easily have been a noble success if he had tweaked the Fun-o-Meter just a bit. A slight pitch correction could have done the trick.
  7. Uncut
    40
    The lo-fi production makes everything sound like an unfinished demo, the songs are largely forgettable and the AutoTune’d vocals become a little tedious.

See all 36 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 118 out of 160
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 160
  3. Negative: 32 out of 160
  1. thatguynamed20r
    Jun 12, 2011
    10
    Perfect album, I feel like Kanye is going on a journey, that is relatable and compassionate, I feel like I am following in his footstepsPerfect album, I feel like Kanye is going on a journey, that is relatable and compassionate, I feel like I am following in his footsteps through his albums, Street lights is basic, yet the way he sings with so much emotion, it makes it meaningful and important and seem so deep.… Expand
  2. ww@ww.ww
    Nov 26, 2008
    10
    w
  4. F4lC0N_
    Dec 24, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Esse álbum mudou minha vida e minha visão da música. As Batidas de 808 encontradas em Say You Will, Além de Robocop(Minha Favorita), Heartless, Love Lockdown, Bad news, Coldest Winter dentre outras. Nada a reclamar.… Expand
  5. JosephA
    Nov 28, 2008
    8
    I think it sounds great, to me very much one of the most interesting and bold releases of 2008; very original & unique. I like it a lot.
  6. chidime
    Apr 1, 2016
    8
    Just absolutely terrific. Kanye shows us his creative side once again. Such an absolutely cohesive effort. On this album, we see Kanye showingJust absolutely terrific. Kanye shows us his creative side once again. Such an absolutely cohesive effort. On this album, we see Kanye showing us his emotional side like never before. By singing, not rapping, he adds a different angle to the pain we have witnessed in previous albums. The production is top-notch and the lyrics/melodies fitting. Bravo Kanye! The only drag-down for me is that some songs just linger on without much going on. Cut this down to 9 songs and nothing essential will be missing.

    BEST- Say You Will, Love Lockdown, RoboCop
    WORST- None really.    … Expand
  7. clem666
    Mar 30, 2021
    6
    Only a year after the great 'Graduation' Kanye goes back to work to produce '808s Heartbreak' which totally varies by its style, the themesOnly a year after the great 'Graduation' Kanye goes back to work to produce '808s Heartbreak' which totally varies by its style, the themes adressed and its structure. No doubt that the overly famous 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' already was in gestation as it was meant to come out two years later.

    As its title suggests this project significantly gravitate around the concepts of love, rupture and loss. Anyway Kanye surprisingly made the choice to rap and sing less in order to let even more place to the music itself. This choice make the production appear to the fore. And this one is particular as it often sounds repetitive, overly simple and sometimes looking effortless. The first track 'Say You Will' is a perfect example as it simply consists in 6 minutes of the same repetitive monotone beat. And it goes the same way for the second half on 'Bad News'. If it can contribute to the charm of the project it surely also makes it seem more shallow and superficial than it is as it underlines Kanye's lack of artistic and content ideas. It reduces this album replayability. The track 'Robocop' is really weird as I find its production both deep and original and dull with its robotic useless repetitve sounds. 'Pinocchio Story' also made me cring a bit. What idea is this to put a 6 minute-long live track as outro of such an album ?

    The presence of Kid Cudi is a miracle since him and Kanye are meant to work in duo in order to craft some of the most powerful songs and albums (like 'Kids See Ghosts' to only cite one). Their symbiosis is truly impressive. Excepted him the other guests also bring more versatility to the whole content and deliver some interesting verses.    … Expand
  8. kkrana
    Nov 28, 2008
    0
    no comments.....

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Awards & Rankings

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