Make Believe
by Weezer
  • Record Label: Geffen
  • Release Date: May 10, 2005
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 325 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 183 out of 325
  2. Mixed: 45 out of 325
  3. Negative: 97 out of 325

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  1. Chris182
    Apr 26, 2021
    7
    Whenever i think of albums that get way too much hate, Make Believe always comes to mind. This is not amazing, its not even great but its still a pretty good listen. I know a lot of people put this as their least favourite Weezer album but don't let those preconceived notions sour your listening experience. Its far from their best but definitely not one of their worst.
    Best Songs: Perfect    Whenever i think of albums that get way too much hate, Make Believe always comes to mind. This is not amazing, its not even great but its still a pretty good listen. I know a lot of people put this as their least favourite Weezer album but don't let those preconceived notions sour your listening experience. Its far from their best but definitely not one of their worst.
    Best Songs: Perfect Situation, Haunt You Every Day, The Damage In Your Heart, This is Such a Pity, Hold Me
    Worst Songs: Freak Me Out, We Are All On Drugs, My Best Friend, The Other Way    … Expand
  2. Seffor
    Jun 22, 2020
    8
    A seriously under-appreciated weezer album. Fans simply hate this album because it was weezer's most mainstream.
  3. NolanLundgaard
    Apr 11, 2020
    8
    Make Believe by Weezer: 7.29

    Beverly Hills: 1 Perfect Situation: 1 :) This Is Such A Pity: 1 :) Hold Me: 1 Peace: 0.75 We Are All On Drugs: 0.5 The Damage In Your Heart: 0.75 Pardon Me: 1 :) My Best Friend: 1 The Other Way: 1 :) Freak Me Out: 0.5 Haunt You Every Day: 0.75 10.25/12 ~ .854 -> 7.29 Weezer obviously put a lot of effort into Make Believe, as it is a really    Make Believe by Weezer: 7.29

    Beverly Hills: 1
    Perfect Situation: 1 :)
    This Is Such A Pity: 1 :)
    Hold Me: 1
    Peace: 0.75
    We Are All On Drugs: 0.5
    The Damage In Your Heart: 0.75
    Pardon Me: 1 :)
    My Best Friend: 1
    The Other Way: 1 :)
    Freak Me Out: 0.5
    Haunt You Every Day: 0.75

    10.25/12 ~ .854 -> 7.29

    Weezer obviously put a lot of effort into Make Believe, as it is a really good album. As always, their music is really well done and fun to listen to and jam to, but this time around, they have started adding more powerful lyrics, as can be seen in a couple songs in Make Believe. To start, Beverly Hills was a pretty good song, if a little repetitive. It was really fun to jam to, though. Perfect Situation was a perfect song, I liked the “crunch” effect during it, and it was nice because here the effect was used in moderation, as compared to Weezer’s first album. This Is Such A Pity surprised me with unusually powerful lyrics for Weezer, while retaining Weezer’s fun and energetic spirit. Hold Me was similar. The music was slower, but the lyric power was strong, and its ending was really good with the harmonizing guitar solo. Peace was a pretty good song, though it wasn’t as powerful as the previous two songs or as upbeat and fun as some of the others in this album, though it was still a good listen. I was kind of confused with We Are All On Drugs. I thought it was a funny idea for a song, but I didn’t think any band would actually perform something like this. Either way, the music was good. I also enjoyed The Damage In Your Heart, as it contained some power. Pardon Me was an amazing song. It was a well done apology, so it had great lyrics. It was combined with outstanding music, which made it a personal hit. My Best Friend was awesome except for the staccato chorus, which didn’t seem like it fit in the song. I thought The Other Way was a great track from this album. Freak Me Out was okay; the lyrics were odd (even for Weezer) and the music was so-so, although the bassline was amazing in its simplicity. Haunt You Every Day was okay lyrically, though I liked the music. Overall, another strong performance by Weezer. I would recommend Make Believe to all rock fans, as I think they will really like this work from Weezer. Highlights: Beverly Hills, Perfect Situation, This Is Such A Pity, Hold Me, Pardon Me, My Best Friend, and The Other Way.    … Expand
  4. peo
    Mar 1, 2019
    7
    This album its not that bad , in fact is a good album at all. I know the album has a lack of cohesion and have a few tracks that are really bad.
    But the best things of the album ends up having more weight altogether
  5. EricPToronto
    Jun 8, 2018
    9
    This may not be the Blue, Green or White album. It may not be as original as Pinkerton but it is a beautifully crafted throwback album. It gets inspiration from a simpler rock and roll time while mordernizing classic teen agnst with gorgeous power chords. It's unfortunate that two of the weakest tracks on the album, Beverly Hills and We Are All On Drugs, were released as singles. RiversThis may not be the Blue, Green or White album. It may not be as original as Pinkerton but it is a beautifully crafted throwback album. It gets inspiration from a simpler rock and roll time while mordernizing classic teen agnst with gorgeous power chords. It's unfortunate that two of the weakest tracks on the album, Beverly Hills and We Are All On Drugs, were released as singles. Rivers sounds like an emotional mess on tracks like Hold Me and This Is Such A Pity ... and those that love Weezer will bask in every second of his soul searching agony. I would argue that this is the most underrated of the Weezer albums. If you haven't listened to it in a while, throw it on and give it a spin. It has aged quite well.… Expand
  6. MoralSupport
    May 23, 2018
    0
    You ever try to inhale an egg whole? That is the equivalent of trying to listen to this album without slitting your wrists and hanging yourself by your d*** from a tree. There's Weezer, and then there's weezer. This isn't either, this is what would happen if Guantanamo Bay warden's were tasked with making an album to torture prisoner's with.
  7. MysticManiac
    Apr 25, 2018
    3
    Everything on this album can be summarised in a word: Generic

    There's seriously nothing here worth listening to. There are some moments where you think something might happen but then it just dissolves into mediocrity. At least with Raditude and Hurley, there were some highlights, and while this album doesn't really get as bad as some of the moments on Raditude or "Where's My Sex" from    Everything on this album can be summarised in a word: Generic

    There's seriously nothing here worth listening to. There are some moments where you think something might happen but then it just dissolves into mediocrity. At least with Raditude and Hurley, there were some highlights, and while this album doesn't really get as bad as some of the moments on Raditude or "Where's My Sex" from Hurley, it's basically just generic mediocrity throughout    … Expand
  8. Mumbizz01
    Feb 2, 2018
    2
    Make Believe is an album that is uninspired, uninteresting and sometimes even boring to listen to. Unfortunately, Make Believe is the beginning of the end for Weezer until nearly a decade later.
  9. kirsten123
    Nov 24, 2017
    8
    A very belated review of a very unfairly criticized album. MB is the sound of Weezer nailing the near perfect power pop aesthetic. Forget Pacific Daydream which is trite rubbish by comparison and give this a try.
  10. Danm95VFF
    May 11, 2016
    5
    It's not quite the car crash that Raditude would prove to be. It tries to fuse the melancholy demeanour of Pinkerton with a much more radio-friendly punch never heard from the band before, and falls short for the most part, and much of the album isn't particularly memorable though it tries hard to be.
  11. Rhaith
    May 5, 2016
    8
    Easily one of the most under-appreciated Weezer albums. While the lyrical work doesn't come close to anything from Pinkerton or Blue, ever song fits so well together in that buttery alt-rock-pop zone.
  12. Swishalicious29
    Apr 1, 2016
    3
    Not much redeemable on this album. "Beverly Hills" and "We Are All on Drugs" are two of the worst singles that Weezer has ever put out. The beats are pretty stagnant and only feature a few chords like on "Perfect Situation" and the lyrics on "Freak Me Out" are laughable. This was the moment Weezer went mainstream, and the result is some pretty terrible tunes.
  13. Shady313
    Mar 22, 2015
    8
    8/10 .................................................................................................................................................
  14. alecvl08
    Jan 28, 2015
    3
    I think this album could hold the world record for most stupid lines of lyrics in a single album. Literally, every song has a major flaw somewhere, with the singles being the biggest offenders. Also, Weezer had no idea what sound or genre they were going for on this album. Beverly Hills and This Is Such a Pity are only separated by one track, but they sound like they could've come from twoI think this album could hold the world record for most stupid lines of lyrics in a single album. Literally, every song has a major flaw somewhere, with the singles being the biggest offenders. Also, Weezer had no idea what sound or genre they were going for on this album. Beverly Hills and This Is Such a Pity are only separated by one track, but they sound like they could've come from two different artists. What was Cuomo thinking when he wrote lyrics like the ones on Freak Me Out? (Man, you really freak me out/I'm so afraid of you/and when I lose my cool/I don't know what to do.) These could've been written by a mediocre ninth grade English student. It sounds cheap, and it is.… Expand
  15. Ricko
    Dec 15, 2014
    6
    I've split Weezer into 3 periods. Early Days (Blue and Pinkerton) which was the band at the peak of their creative powers and when the created 2 modern classics. Then we have the early 00's (Green and Maladroit) which were not quite as good but still decent albums and really good fun. Then you have everything that followed - mediocrity - the rare ok tune and then lots of more mediocrity.I've split Weezer into 3 periods. Early Days (Blue and Pinkerton) which was the band at the peak of their creative powers and when the created 2 modern classics. Then we have the early 00's (Green and Maladroit) which were not quite as good but still decent albums and really good fun. Then you have everything that followed - mediocrity - the rare ok tune and then lots of more mediocrity. This is the start of the third Weezer period. The lead single "Beverly Hills" doesn't really sound like a Weezer track, more bland aimless AOR rock than the geeky surf/punk pop the band became renowned for. The good songs on this album can only really be classed as decent rather than great and even at that there are very few of these (We are All on Drugs, The Other Way are the only ones that immediately come to mind). The rest of the songs on this record fall somewhere under poor, average or boring and if I'm honest this album marks the beginning of the end for the band and where I stopped taking any real interest of note in what Weezer were doing.… Expand
  16. bleed0range
    Oct 15, 2014
    9
    I'll never understand why so many people give this album such a hard time. I'll admit it's a little too mid-tempo at times and could have been better, but it's a pretty solid and "classic" Weezer album imo.
  17. godwinkent888
    Oct 10, 2014
    8
    I'm not really sure why people prefer Hurley and Raditude over this. I mean, yes, I particularly didn't like the slickness of the production and the sometimes generic lyrics, but it's still good. Not as good as TBA and Pinkerton, though.
  18. AlphaMexican
    Sep 29, 2014
    2
    This lazy, dull, and shameless album had me try and "Make Believe" my way to a better Weezer album. It's so lifeless, the songs drag on forever, it tries to have heart and sincerity but fails on almost every occasion. Beverly Hills is catchy, but depressing at a closer listen and it's also lazy. That's the whole problem with this album, the songs are lazily constructed both in terms ofThis lazy, dull, and shameless album had me try and "Make Believe" my way to a better Weezer album. It's so lifeless, the songs drag on forever, it tries to have heart and sincerity but fails on almost every occasion. Beverly Hills is catchy, but depressing at a closer listen and it's also lazy. That's the whole problem with this album, the songs are lazily constructed both in terms of music and lyrics. Most songs only use 2 chords, and is a complete step-down from Weezer's previous album, Maladroit. There are a few classic Weezer songs, Perfect Situation and Haunt You Every Day, but other than that this album sucks.… Expand
  19. Jamison12
    Sep 26, 2013
    6
    A couple of really good tracks do a valiant effort for trying to make up for other poorly written, fairly bad songs. Don't get me wrong, I love Weezer, and if I let that bias in this review, I give it 10/10, but I find myself listening to their other albums more often than Make Believe.
  20. j30
    Aug 15, 2011
    5
    Not a terrible album but not a good one either. Average at best.
  21. ChrisA
    Aug 22, 2010
    7
    A very inconsistent album that still has enough good songs to make it good. The first half is great and favourites are Hold Me and Peace. From there I find the album goes downhill with songs that have mediocre lyrics. I find that out of all Weezer albums I listen to this the least. I rated it the same as Raditude as it does have deeper songs, however it is not as catchy and fun. DespiteA very inconsistent album that still has enough good songs to make it good. The first half is great and favourites are Hold Me and Peace. From there I find the album goes downhill with songs that have mediocre lyrics. I find that out of all Weezer albums I listen to this the least. I rated it the same as Raditude as it does have deeper songs, however it is not as catchy and fun. Despite this I still enjoy it and feel it earns a 7 rating.… Expand
  22. JordanF.
    Aug 17, 2008
    8
    Ok. the album itself is pretty bad... but nonetheless, it holds my all-time favorite song: "Haunt You Every Day".
  23. BriJ.
    Feb 23, 2008
    10
    This album is not Pinkerton or the Blue album. It is better. It shows that they have evolved and every song is very catch. To me, the weakest songs are the 2 that got the air play; Beverly Hills and We are all on drugs. Those 2 were ok, but the rest of the album was awesome. Take it for what it is. It's happy upbeat power pop. There's nothing with that when in this day things This album is not Pinkerton or the Blue album. It is better. It shows that they have evolved and every song is very catch. To me, the weakest songs are the 2 that got the air play; Beverly Hills and We are all on drugs. Those 2 were ok, but the rest of the album was awesome. Take it for what it is. It's happy upbeat power pop. There's nothing with that when in this day things are so depressing. This is one of my most listened to cd's still? My concern would be whether they will be able to top this cd on their next one, if there is a next one.… Expand
  24. EC.
    Feb 20, 2008
    1
    The album that ruined Weezer for me. I could care less about their upcoming '08 album. I would call this their sell out album, but they sold their souls to their record label years ago. It's just painfully obvious on this album. When the nostalgia fades (if you every even feel it during any of these songs) you're just left with a bitter realization that one of the most fun The album that ruined Weezer for me. I could care less about their upcoming '08 album. I would call this their sell out album, but they sold their souls to their record label years ago. It's just painfully obvious on this album. When the nostalgia fades (if you every even feel it during any of these songs) you're just left with a bitter realization that one of the most fun bands of the 90s is officially irrelevant.… Expand
  25. LucasW.
    Feb 16, 2008
    6
    Good album musical skill, and songs such as hold me as well as haunt you every day are very well crafted, however after listening i feel unsatisfied. It has no ability to evoke feeling.
  26. MikeS.
    Nov 25, 2007
    7
    I can only hope that "tout ensemble" will be back to cuomo's old writing days,not that make believe was particularily bad,its just not up to true weezer standard!
  27. HexG.
    Nov 17, 2007
    4
    Only 2 or 3 songs here are worthy of being on a weezer album, the rest are just plain, boring and uninspired and the idea of putting "Butterfly" on this record is baffling. "This Is Such A Pity" and "The Damage In Your Heart" are just awful when you think of the music these guys have created together in the past. For me, this is Weezers poorest album by far.
  28. JoeB.
    Aug 8, 2007
    8
    Considering that most music reviewers are self-pretentious idiots with not a hint of musical knowledge within them (seriously - I bet that the some of these reviews are by journalists not important enough to cover real news), it's not surprising that an album as catchy and well-made as Make Believe is disregarded and even blatantly insulted. Have a look at some of the unfavourable Considering that most music reviewers are self-pretentious idiots with not a hint of musical knowledge within them (seriously - I bet that the some of these reviews are by journalists not important enough to cover real news), it's not surprising that an album as catchy and well-made as Make Believe is disregarded and even blatantly insulted. Have a look at some of the unfavourable reviews: wtih the exception of one or two, they rant on almost exclusively about the lyrics. What about the catchy guitar and vocal hooks? Well, here's what CokeMachineGlow's Clayton Purdom has to say: "You can… Expand
  29. A.J.C.
    Mar 27, 2007
    0
    There is not much to say here, except everything. It's painful, yes, but it needs to be done. For someone like me who's been following Weezer since I was 12 and popped in the Blue album, their tour de force and in my opinion the album that they've painfully tried to recreate ever since Pinkerton (which in reality was one of the best albums of the 90's) was critically There is not much to say here, except everything. It's painful, yes, but it needs to be done. For someone like me who's been following Weezer since I was 12 and popped in the Blue album, their tour de force and in my opinion the album that they've painfully tried to recreate ever since Pinkerton (which in reality was one of the best albums of the 90's) was critically assaulted. I don't ever want to dream of the feeling a musician as devoted as Rivers Cuomo must get when he goes out on a limb and pours his feelings into an album like Pinkerton, only to have it rejected for not being as upbeat and catchy as his previous album. Ever since then, that one Rolling Stone review, Cuomo and crew have been on a downword spiral. Several failed attempts to revisit that pop music bliss that was Blue...but in my opinion they could have tried a million times to get that old juice flowing again only to be thouroughly dissapointed each time. Blue album was fantastic, not only because of its music and lyrics, but because it stood out in an era where heavy guitars and scraping metal along with kitchy pop plastered the top 40. Since then, Blue has influenced so many bands and knock offs that any reattempt at that originality again by Cuomo would be futile. And don't get me wrong when I say this...in no way am I implying Make Believe would have been as big as Blue had their release dates been switched, Make Believe is a horrifying album. There is nothing appealing at all about these contrived and cliche melodies, these do goody high school jock band lyrics, this fake innocence Cuomo evokes when he sings "girl, you really freak me out" when in reality, after his shaky voice croons these words, he goes backstage and pisses all over everything he once created, then lights it on fire. Never in my life would I have expected Cuomo, a man as humble as to turn his cheek to his fellow Harvard classmates who neglected to even notice him while they blasted "Buddy Holly" through a boombox, to sell out like this. Sell out may even be an understatement, Cuomo promotes and seems to adore this album with so much idiocy and obliviousness he may not even think he's sold out. I'm sorry sir, but I would say when you start touring with Taking Back Sunday and the Fray, you've given your heart to the record industry.… Expand
  30. BrendanD
    Mar 5, 2007
    9
    It's now been nearly two years since what may end up having been the final Weezer release came out, and I have to say, upon its initial release, I drubbed it just like anyone else. I agreed mainly with the Pitchfork assessment, that this was a weak record, especially by the saviors of power-pop, the spiritual inheritors to mid-'70s Cheap Trick, etc., etc. Recently, however, I It's now been nearly two years since what may end up having been the final Weezer release came out, and I have to say, upon its initial release, I drubbed it just like anyone else. I agreed mainly with the Pitchfork assessment, that this was a weak record, especially by the saviors of power-pop, the spiritual inheritors to mid-'70s Cheap Trick, etc., etc. Recently, however, I began noticing something. Being on the cusp of turning 23, having recently graduated college, and being somewhere in between longing to be back amongst teenage peers and wanting to act like a grown-up, I started reflecting on the music I've loved throughout my life. Since I grew up in the '90s, Weezer was amongst those bands I considered my favorite. Then I started thinking, what has Weezer actually DONE for me? Well, go back to the Blue Album -- it's an album about being a freshman or sophomore in high school; by junior year, however, you've gotten MORE melodramatic, thinking your life is just one big fricking soap opera -- and that's where Pinkerton comes in. By the time you're ready to at least pretend to act like a grown-up, around 18 or 19, you're dating, screwing, drinking, doing drugs, things like that, and that's where the Green Album works. And when you're getting ready to finish up your college career and thinking that the real world's coming soon, so you'd better cherish what little time you have left, Maladroit (which, by the way, means "awkward," a perfect explanation of what it feels like to be about 21), goes down perfectly. Then comes "Make Believe." It's easy to dismiss this as the worst of Weezer's records (which it isn't; that distinction, and screw the Weezophiles who worship at the Japanese-fetish temple, goes to Pinkerton); but this actually cuts deeper once you're in that mode of being just-about-ready to grow up and move on with your life. Take "We Are All On Drugs," for example. Dissed by most as Weezer turning from the slightly ambiguous turn on drug use to an anti-drug anthem, people have missed what it's about: it's about not being a kid anymore but still feeling like you want to party as if you are. This is an album about how much growing up sucked in retrospect, but how absolutely frightening it is to think you might not be able to live a carefree life anymore. The fact that Rivers Cuomo is stuck in a perpetual state of arrested development is unimportant; this album holds up really well, despite the shoddy and glitzy production by Rick Rubin.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Most Discussed Album of 2005
86
#86 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
52

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 25
  3. Negative: 8 out of 25
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    67
    Weezer's most conventional disc... a cleaner-sounding record heavy on way-earnest power ballads. [13 May 2005, p.85]
  2. Rolling Stone
    80
    A breakthrough for Weezer... Cuomo's songs are his most plaintive and brilliant since Pinkerton. [19 May 2005, p.74]
  3. Pitchfork
    4
    Sometimes an album is just awful. Make Believe is one of those albums.
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