When I came to school on May 15, I was surprised by how tired everyone around me looked. People drifted in silence, AirPods in, eyes half-open, as if they had stayed up far too early the night before. Many of them, I learned, had. The night before, popular Canadian music artist Aubrey Drake Graham, better known as Drake, released not just one but three separate albums: Iceman, Habibti, and Maid of Honour. Many of my classmates had stayed up until midnight to listen to the songs.
Interestingly, each album released represents a different music genre: Iceman is primarily rap and hip hop, Habibti is R&B, and Maid of Honour is dance/club music. Drake, who has previously found success in each of these genres, sought to satisfy all fans, regardless of genre preference, with the three distinct albums. However, the reception has been rather negative. Jason Greene, former Senior Editor of the American online music magazine Pitchfork, labeled the three albums “the longest filibuster of [Drake’s] existence” and declared them Drake’s “attempt to settle the score.” He added that the attempt “does not succeed.”
Yet when I listened to the albums, I was pleasantly surprised—especially as someone who is not a particularly big Drake fan. While not every song is an artistic masterpiece, the albums are still full of enjoyable music. I believe that one can throw on their headphones, hit shuffle, and simply vibe. In fact, I think the main issue with the album’s reception was listeners’ expectations around Drake’s music. Drake, a massively popular artist, hadn’t made any new albums since 2023, and so fans expected perfection. People who stayed up late expecting albums on par with the iconic Take Care or Nothing Was the Same may have, understandably, been disappointed. But if you are searching for a real, authentic, vibey album to put on to forget about life for a while, I would recommend these three new albums.
“National Treasures,” the ninth track on Iceman, was a clear stand out song which has, deservedly, become particularly popular.
Iceman was certainly the best of the releases and had the most care put into it; however, the remaining two are, undoubtedly, thoughtful projects as well. Public opinion does not change that these three albums were the product of a five-time Grammy winner and the male recordholder for the most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Though everyone may differ in opinion, I would recommend checking Drake’s albums. Because of the albums’ broad range of styles and a sweeping tracklist, you will almost certainly find something interesting.