Another Top 10 Kanye West Songs
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The man sure can make some music. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for another top ten Kanye West songs.
For this list, we’ll be looking ten more of the best Kanye West songs and ranking them based on a combination of critical acclaim, lasting legacy, and popularity. If you don’t see a song you think should have been here, be sure to check out the original Top 10 Kanye West Songs video.
#10: “Devil in a New Dress” feat. Rik Ross
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
“Devil in a New Dress” was the fourth song to be released on GOOD Fridays, a free music giveaway to promote MBDTF, and it proved that the album was going to be just as bangin’ as his previous four. The album version of the song appeared with an additional guitar solo and a stellar verse from Rick Ross, which many consider to be the finest of his career. Touching on universal themes like love and heartbreak, the track also has a soulful music and production that samples Smokey Robinson’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?”, which makes it buttery smooth. It’s a standout track on a standout album.
#9: “Blood on the Leaves”
Yeezus (2013)
“Blood on the Leaves” is probably one of the most haunting songs in Kanye West’s discography. It sounds like a nightmare and it haunts your mind long after you’ve listened to it. The tune contains both scathing lyrics about a toxic relationship and a fantastically dark sample from TNGHT that’s filled with booming bass, banging drums, and blaring horns. It also utilizes a sample of Nina Simone’s “Strange Fruit,” a song about the dichotomy between the picturesque American South and the racist, bloody violence of its past. Blood on the Leaves is a bizarre track, but some will call it art.
#8: “Love Lockdown”
808s & Heartbreak (2008)
“Love Lockdown” was a major gamble for Yeezy, but it paid off in spectacular fashion. This minimalist, synthpop-filled song was a major departure from his previous hip-hop releases in terms of the music, thanks to its easily interpreted and accessible lyrics, and West’s autotuned vocals. However, it was a major critical and commercial success, and many considered it to be one of the greatest songs on the album. The verses are comforting and dreamlike, and the chorus sounds like a drum-filled anthem primed for stadium singalongs. While many were flabbergasted by the musical departure, others welcomed it with open arms.
#7: “POWER”
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
Kanye has stated that it took him 5,000 hours to create “Power.” While that seems a little hyperbolic, it’s clear that a lot of work went into this record. The production is astounding and is built around not one but three samples from King Crimson, Continent Number 6, and Cold Grits. Due to its insane beat, brilliant lyrics, and West’s gloriously self-aware attitude, “Power” was considered a return to form from many who disliked 808s & Heartbreak. The lead single rightfully serves as Yeezy’s theme song, as it exemplifies his personality, creative ambition, and ultimate talent. Many hip-hop artists would kill for a song half as good as this one.
#6: “Real Friends” feat. Ty Dolla Sign
The Life of Pablo (2016)
Kanye is arguably at his best when he gets introspective, and “Real Friends” from The Life of Pablo is easily one of the most introspective songs of his career. The lyrics are incredibly passionate and vulnerable, a far cry from the more egotistical and holier-than-thou Kanye we got throughout the first half of the 2010s. The emotional themes are nicely complemented by a melancholy beat that again contrast with previous grandiose productions, allowing us to see Kanye as an artist and a person rather than a mega pop star. It’s a brilliant track that shows the humane and often hidden side of one of the biggest musical artists in the world.
#5: “Homecoming” feat. Chris Martin
Graduation (2007)
By 2007, Kanye was going platinum and making millions. However, he never forgot where he came from. “Homecoming” is a song about his love for Chicago, the city he grew up in and that he represents through his icon status. Chris Martin’s neat little piano riff is adorable and touching, and his vocals are impassioned, even though it’s a little weird that an English musician was included on an ode to Chicago. Graduation was full of bombastic synthpop and songs primed for the top of the charts, so it was nice to see a little introspection and minimalism with this track. It was a refreshing balm on an otherwise lavish pop epic.
#4: “Monster” (2010)
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
“Monster” is a truly monstrous piece of work. The song is like a greatest hits of hip hop, as Kanye, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Nicki Minaj are all present and at their absolute best. The verses are fast and relentless as they flow over a bombastic beat, and the lyrics are both insanely funny and incredibly dark. But perhaps the best part of this song is not Kanye, but Nicki Minaj. Her verse is iconic, as she spits fire, goes hard, and puts on a variety of interesting and funny voices, proving that she can entertain and rap with the best of them. Let’s not forget that Bon Iver’s distorted vocals make an appearance as well.
#3: “New Slaves”
Yeezus (2013)
“New Slaves” proves that West can be just as socio-political as he can be fun. The industrial tune is easily one of Yeezus’s highlights, as it contains some scathing and politically relevant lyrics and an insanely cool sample of Omega. Yeezus does not make for easy listening, as it is a dark and unyielding piece of work, and “New Slaves” is perhaps the most relevant and technically impressive track on the album. Kanye seems to think that the second verse is the greatest verse in the history of rap music, and while that is certainly up for debate, it’s clear that it and “New Slaves” as a whole make up a powerful and unrelenting piece of art.
#2: “Hey Mama”
Late Registration (2005)
“Hey Mama” was composed by West long before it appeared on his sophomore album Late Registration. And even though it was written when he was younger, it is still one of the most memorable tracks on one of his greatest albums. It’s another song that shows the personal side of Yeezy, as he raps about his love for his selfless mother. The tune follows in the vein of other motherly odes like Tupac’s “Dear Mama” and arguably stands with the best of them, as the touching lyrics portray a man who clearly loves and respects his mother and all that she did for him. It also really just makes you want to call your mother and tell her you love her.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Heard ‘Em Say” feat. Adam Levine
Late Registration (2005)
“I Wonder”
Graduation (2007)
“Touch the Sky” feat. Lupe Fiasco
Late Registration (2005)
#1: “Ultralight Beam”
The Life of Pablo (2016)
“Ultralight Beam” is the opening song to The Life of Pablo and what an amazing and thematically relevant opening song it is. The track is a spiritual experience, literally, as the lyrics deal with Kanye’s faith in God and seemingly reference the story of Paul the Apostle, while the music contains Pentecostal-type chants. It also contains a life-affirming message and respects the tradition of religion and gospel music. Regardless of your stance on God, listening to “Ultralight Beam” can be transcendent, as it touches on universal themes like hope and redemption and features an absolutely masterful verse from Chance the Rapper. It’s one of Kanye’s understated masterpieces.
The man sure can make some music. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for another top ten Kanye West songs.
For this list, we’ll be looking ten more of the best Kanye West songs and ranking them based on a combination of critical acclaim, lasting legacy, and popularity. If you don’t see a song you think should have been here, be sure to check out the original Top 10 Kanye West Songs video.
#10: “Devil in a New Dress” feat. Rik Ross
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
“Devil in a New Dress” was the fourth song to be released on GOOD Fridays, a free music giveaway to promote MBDTF, and it proved that the album was going to be just as bangin’ as his previous four. The album version of the song appeared with an additional guitar solo and a stellar verse from Rick Ross, which many consider to be the finest of his career. Touching on universal themes like love and heartbreak, the track also has a soulful music and production that samples Smokey Robinson’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?”, which makes it buttery smooth. It’s a standout track on a standout album.
#9: “Blood on the Leaves”
Yeezus (2013)
“Blood on the Leaves” is probably one of the most haunting songs in Kanye West’s discography. It sounds like a nightmare and it haunts your mind long after you’ve listened to it. The tune contains both scathing lyrics about a toxic relationship and a fantastically dark sample from TNGHT that’s filled with booming bass, banging drums, and blaring horns. It also utilizes a sample of Nina Simone’s “Strange Fruit,” a song about the dichotomy between the picturesque American South and the racist, bloody violence of its past. Blood on the Leaves is a bizarre track, but some will call it art.
#8: “Love Lockdown”
808s & Heartbreak (2008)
“Love Lockdown” was a major gamble for Yeezy, but it paid off in spectacular fashion. This minimalist, synthpop-filled song was a major departure from his previous hip-hop releases in terms of the music, thanks to its easily interpreted and accessible lyrics, and West’s autotuned vocals. However, it was a major critical and commercial success, and many considered it to be one of the greatest songs on the album. The verses are comforting and dreamlike, and the chorus sounds like a drum-filled anthem primed for stadium singalongs. While many were flabbergasted by the musical departure, others welcomed it with open arms.
#7: “POWER”
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
Kanye has stated that it took him 5,000 hours to create “Power.” While that seems a little hyperbolic, it’s clear that a lot of work went into this record. The production is astounding and is built around not one but three samples from King Crimson, Continent Number 6, and Cold Grits. Due to its insane beat, brilliant lyrics, and West’s gloriously self-aware attitude, “Power” was considered a return to form from many who disliked 808s & Heartbreak. The lead single rightfully serves as Yeezy’s theme song, as it exemplifies his personality, creative ambition, and ultimate talent. Many hip-hop artists would kill for a song half as good as this one.
#6: “Real Friends” feat. Ty Dolla Sign
The Life of Pablo (2016)
Kanye is arguably at his best when he gets introspective, and “Real Friends” from The Life of Pablo is easily one of the most introspective songs of his career. The lyrics are incredibly passionate and vulnerable, a far cry from the more egotistical and holier-than-thou Kanye we got throughout the first half of the 2010s. The emotional themes are nicely complemented by a melancholy beat that again contrast with previous grandiose productions, allowing us to see Kanye as an artist and a person rather than a mega pop star. It’s a brilliant track that shows the humane and often hidden side of one of the biggest musical artists in the world.
#5: “Homecoming” feat. Chris Martin
Graduation (2007)
By 2007, Kanye was going platinum and making millions. However, he never forgot where he came from. “Homecoming” is a song about his love for Chicago, the city he grew up in and that he represents through his icon status. Chris Martin’s neat little piano riff is adorable and touching, and his vocals are impassioned, even though it’s a little weird that an English musician was included on an ode to Chicago. Graduation was full of bombastic synthpop and songs primed for the top of the charts, so it was nice to see a little introspection and minimalism with this track. It was a refreshing balm on an otherwise lavish pop epic.
#4: “Monster” (2010)
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
“Monster” is a truly monstrous piece of work. The song is like a greatest hits of hip hop, as Kanye, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Nicki Minaj are all present and at their absolute best. The verses are fast and relentless as they flow over a bombastic beat, and the lyrics are both insanely funny and incredibly dark. But perhaps the best part of this song is not Kanye, but Nicki Minaj. Her verse is iconic, as she spits fire, goes hard, and puts on a variety of interesting and funny voices, proving that she can entertain and rap with the best of them. Let’s not forget that Bon Iver’s distorted vocals make an appearance as well.
#3: “New Slaves”
Yeezus (2013)
“New Slaves” proves that West can be just as socio-political as he can be fun. The industrial tune is easily one of Yeezus’s highlights, as it contains some scathing and politically relevant lyrics and an insanely cool sample of Omega. Yeezus does not make for easy listening, as it is a dark and unyielding piece of work, and “New Slaves” is perhaps the most relevant and technically impressive track on the album. Kanye seems to think that the second verse is the greatest verse in the history of rap music, and while that is certainly up for debate, it’s clear that it and “New Slaves” as a whole make up a powerful and unrelenting piece of art.
#2: “Hey Mama”
Late Registration (2005)
“Hey Mama” was composed by West long before it appeared on his sophomore album Late Registration. And even though it was written when he was younger, it is still one of the most memorable tracks on one of his greatest albums. It’s another song that shows the personal side of Yeezy, as he raps about his love for his selfless mother. The tune follows in the vein of other motherly odes like Tupac’s “Dear Mama” and arguably stands with the best of them, as the touching lyrics portray a man who clearly loves and respects his mother and all that she did for him. It also really just makes you want to call your mother and tell her you love her.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Heard ‘Em Say” feat. Adam Levine
Late Registration (2005)
“I Wonder”
Graduation (2007)
“Touch the Sky” feat. Lupe Fiasco
Late Registration (2005)
#1: “Ultralight Beam”
The Life of Pablo (2016)
“Ultralight Beam” is the opening song to The Life of Pablo and what an amazing and thematically relevant opening song it is. The track is a spiritual experience, literally, as the lyrics deal with Kanye’s faith in God and seemingly reference the story of Paul the Apostle, while the music contains Pentecostal-type chants. It also contains a life-affirming message and respects the tradition of religion and gospel music. Regardless of your stance on God, listening to “Ultralight Beam” can be transcendent, as it touches on universal themes like hope and redemption and features an absolutely masterful verse from Chance the Rapper. It’s one of Kanye’s understated masterpieces.
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