Graduation
by Kanye West
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 1249 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,109 out of 1249
  2. Mixed: 42 out of 1249
  3. Negative: 98 out of 1249

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  1. SpencerM.
    Sep 11, 2007
    1
    lyrical mediocrity overshadows any skill that kanye has behind the boards, not to mention his ridiculous pretentious content. somebody call puffy and tell him a twin brother has been discovered. peace
  2. TomS.
    Sep 11, 2007
    0
    I think this album deserves a rating of 4, but I gave it a 0 just to counter some of the overhyped 10's he's been getting. As a matter of fact, both 50 and Kanye have put out uninspired albums at the same time, but at least this is the better of the two. The problem here isn't with the lyrics (which are just decent, not remarkable), but with the production. The hip-hop I think this album deserves a rating of 4, but I gave it a 0 just to counter some of the overhyped 10's he's been getting. As a matter of fact, both 50 and Kanye have put out uninspired albums at the same time, but at least this is the better of the two. The problem here isn't with the lyrics (which are just decent, not remarkable), but with the production. The hip-hop community is seriously off if this can even be considered 'innovative'. 50's beats may be boring, but at least all of his songs don't rely too heavily on samples; the way many of the songs on Graduation do. 50 and Kanye have truly exceeded the worst expectations with these latest releases. Neither of these albums even show a fraction of the potential their debut albums did. And they wonder why the music business is going down the drain?… Expand
  3. ChrisW.
    Sep 10, 2007
    0
    If he would only stick to producing... Sorry Kanye, but you can't rap! You're disgracing the Hip-Hop Community with this garbage.
  4. MoneyB.
    Sep 13, 2007
    0
    Kanye West should stick to producing . The Only Song that is almost flawless is The Good Life and it is because of T-Pain. He is def a over rated artist who is foolish for going against the best.
  5. MikeM
    Sep 13, 2007
    3
    The two leadoff singles were strong enough which lead all to expect the best from this album. However, at the end of the day what we're left with is a sorry excuse for a Kanye album or a rap album in general. The album opens with the completely annoying sample on "Good Morning". "Champion" features some of the better rapping on the album but the song itself is terribly boring. The two leadoff singles were strong enough which lead all to expect the best from this album. However, at the end of the day what we're left with is a sorry excuse for a Kanye album or a rap album in general. The album opens with the completely annoying sample on "Good Morning". "Champion" features some of the better rapping on the album but the song itself is terribly boring. "Stronger" is the catchiest song on the album but the rapping is painfully stupid. "I Wonder" is a terrible song by any standards with another annoying sample and the choppiest stupid rhymes ever put on record. "Good Life" is another radio song but a far inferior to Stronger. "Barry Bonds" and "Drunk Girls" are two desecrations and are an embarasment to rap music. "Flashing Lights" brings the album back to decency but comparing the paparazzi to nazis is kind of ridiculous. "Everything I Am" grounds the album a little bit and saves it from it's electronically influenced consistency. "The Glory" continues in this vein but in all fairness should have been a Common song. "Homecoming" is completely cliched and Common undeniably did it better. "Big Brother" is another droning boring song which makes you wonder what Ye was thinking putting this together. It all ends with "Good Night" yet another boring beat. That pretty much sums it up... make your own conclusions just don't go in expecting much.… Expand
  6. ThorolphJ.
    Sep 13, 2007
    0
    Whenever I hear Kanye rap it makes me wanna puke up my pelvisbone and beat myself to death with it. He's so bad lyrically, a deaf pigeon would spit better. And his production? Please! He was never original, he just started making extremely boring beats, and then kept making the same song for 3 albums. I hate Kanye West. Can't he ever shut the hell up? And can please all the Whenever I hear Kanye rap it makes me wanna puke up my pelvisbone and beat myself to death with it. He's so bad lyrically, a deaf pigeon would spit better. And his production? Please! He was never original, he just started making extremely boring beats, and then kept making the same song for 3 albums. I hate Kanye West. Can't he ever shut the hell up? And can please all the tonedef reviewers out there stop thinking he is good, he's not. He has one flow, one! and its so incredibly annoying.. Like a mosquito when you are trying to sleep. I'd prefer the latter.… Expand
  7. BryanM.
    Sep 13, 2007
    0
    Kanye West is just trash. His music does not even sound like HIP hop its some trash mix of Back Street boys and M J and add some black ness to it. I can not belive anyone likes this guy. 50 cent is a heck lot better. Fuck Kanye that Cock sucker
  8. AdamL
    Oct 21, 2007
    0
    Soul-less garbage. Kanye West is the next P. Diddy.
  9. John
    Dec 6, 2007
    0
    TOTAL CRAP!!! better off burning 12 bux than buying this cd
  10. BrendanD.
    Sep 12, 2007
    3
    Two songs save this from being an utterly useless record: The opening "Good Morning," and the catchy-as-hell "Stronger." But Kanye's samples are not up to snuff with his previous work, and the use of synthesizers isn't as cool as he'd like it to be (hell, it isn't even as cool as it was on "Hey Mama"). The much-lauded collaboration with Chris Martin would have been a Two songs save this from being an utterly useless record: The opening "Good Morning," and the catchy-as-hell "Stronger." But Kanye's samples are not up to snuff with his previous work, and the use of synthesizers isn't as cool as he'd like it to be (hell, it isn't even as cool as it was on "Hey Mama"). The much-lauded collaboration with Chris Martin would have been a cast-off for either artist during their second-album eras; it's especially egregious considering that Chris Martin's vocal lacks the down-home soul of the demo version. Most horrifying, however, is the revelation that Kanye really is making rap music for a white-bread pop audience. This is not a bad audience, mind you; this is the audience that crowned pop greats like ABBA. But Kanye always seemed to have more substance than play-it-in-the-club dance-pop. Maybe we were all just suckered by the emotion he displayed on his first two records, the emotion that's lacking from every song but "Good Morning" on this turkey of a record.… Expand
  11. MicheleS
    Nov 21, 2007
    0
    A pile of S&*t. I regard Kanye West as one of the contributers to the decline of the music industry.
  12. Rayure
    Jun 9, 2022
    0
    Even after 15 years, Graduation still stands out as an futuresque pop rap album. Still sounds timeless.
  13. amertume
    Jul 28, 2020
    0
    The album is built solely on Kanye's ego as usual. All the hype around it falls flat. Nothing new or innovative about it.
  14. Tuneison
    Mar 12, 2019
    1
    More like regurgitation. This is just an awful album in terms of production, lyrics, and just everything. By far Kanye's worst. Not anything I ever want to listen to again.
  15. TheRealZoko
    Jan 23, 2020
    0
    Warning: Kanye fans must stop giving low ratings to Music To Be Murdered By just to stop it surpassing My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
  16. 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
  17. ArkodeepSen
    Jan 24, 2020
    0
    I was just wondering how bad music can be until i found this **** This is the worst thing i have ever heard. I wanna puke on Kanye's face now.
  18. Fra101
    Aug 30, 2021
    0
    It's such a boring album! That's all, just boring, nothing special. Sorry...
  19. anapopescu
    Sep 13, 2020
    0
    So much autotune... Can i have the time I have spent listening to this album back? I wish i could.
  20. JohnSnow41188
    Oct 2, 2020
    0
    Unoriginal work, it feels like Kanye was trying to hard but the results did not pay out.
  21. 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.
  22. MikeMulaney
    Nov 19, 2020
    1
    Generic music, nothing special, typical Kanye egomania top to bottom, not worth the time.
  23. somaontv
    Jul 18, 2023
    0
    Didn't really liked this album the first time i listened to it but eventually came around to it still not one of my favorites but still decent favorite track Drunk and Hot Girls

Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Best Album of 2007
8
#8 Most Discussed Album of 2007
6
#6 Most Shared Album of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. The New York Times
    Feb 9, 2011
    70
    Nearly every song on Graduation is memorable for both its hooks and its overall sound.
    Read full review
  2. AllMusic
    80
    Graduation is neither as bold nor as scattered as "The College Dropout," and it's neither as extroverted nor as sonically rich as "Late Registration." Kanye still makes up for his shortcomings as an MC and lyricist by remaining charmingly clumsy, frequently dealing nonsense through suspect rhyme schemes.
    Read full review
  3. Billboard
    80
    An impressively creative hip-hop album that will hopefully inspire West's peers to try new sonic avenues.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »