808s & Heartbreak
by Kanye West
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1156 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 966 out of 1156
  2. Mixed: 74 out of 1156
  3. Negative: 116 out of 1156

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  1. carisio
    Sep 8, 2021
    8
    my comfort album, i love this. Underrated imo but i can see why ppl dont like this so much. We cant forgot that 808 was probably the most influent album of the past decade, abusing the autotune
  2. wishmasterownsmysoul
    Feb 15, 2009
    7
    To really prove ur worth as a musician (or an artist in general) you need to break out of your comfort zone. His comfort zone is being an awesome rapper. In this album he is singing thourhg 95% of the songs and the auto-tune in spite of being overused to some extent is definitely catchy. "heartless" & "love lockdown" are the highlights. It is an experiment that has worked well, kind of To really prove ur worth as a musician (or an artist in general) you need to break out of your comfort zone. His comfort zone is being an awesome rapper. In this album he is singing thourhg 95% of the songs and the auto-tune in spite of being overused to some extent is definitely catchy. "heartless" & "love lockdown" are the highlights. It is an experiment that has worked well, kind of reminds me of Outkast's speakerboxx/the love below. A break away from convention that is inspiring.… Expand
  3. ipsed.
    Aug 25, 2009
    7
    Kanye is a exceptional at metaphors. A successful genre move!
  4. JimFraederichs
    Nov 30, 2008
    7
    Different. Not really rap. Kanye listens to too much Daft Punk. Personally, I'm intrigued by this album, musically, I'm kinda bored with it. It's basically a Hip-hop/emo album.
  5. AjayD
    Jan 14, 2009
    7
    I am disappointed with kanye this time! There are some standout tracks like heartless, amazing, see you in my nightmares, robocop! over produced and lacks emotions.
  6. eliasarias
    Nov 25, 2008
    7
    for any one who ever had their heartbroken, you can relate to the confusion of what hes expressing.
  7. rollingstone82
    Aug 14, 2010
    7
    A surprisingly alright album from one who is known to do better.

    After the loss of his mother and the breakup with his girlfriend, Kanye was living in the doldrums for a while. And this album is the result of his sad soul poured on to a 12-track compact disc. Critics didn't expect much except failure for 808s. The idea of a good rapper doing a whole album in Auto-Tune seems pretty hard    A surprisingly alright album from one who is known to do better.

    After the loss of his mother and the breakup with his girlfriend, Kanye was living in the doldrums for a while. And this album is the result of his sad soul poured on to a 12-track compact disc.

    Critics didn't expect much except failure for 808s. The idea of a good rapper doing a whole album in Auto-Tune seems pretty hard to swallow. But the day Love Lockdown premiered, I knew that the track was different yet beautiful and that the album would not be as bad as it was predicted to be. The bass like beat and Kanye's poignant lyrics and vocals really put me in a trance. A few months later when Heartless came out, I felt more than ready for the album.

    It isn't that bad. Ye gives pain at its most futuristic and most painful. He is a heartbroken robot searching for love while also lamenting it. His emotions are so real even if they are transmitted from this weird box. It only emphasizes his dark situation. He tries to comfort himself saying he feels great and unafraid but we all know the room of despair he keeps within.

    But the album is repetitive not just in content but also in production. Beats feel overused and at times boring. And guest spots don't really help much save for Kid Cudi's chorus on Welcome To Heartbreak. Otherwise, Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne don't seem like right choices for a melancholic album like this (really, a slow and overrated rapper and a high-pitched Weezy who wants to be a singer).

    But Ye still shines on an otherwise decent album. It definitely isn't the statement of his career but it is a good look at the egoistic Louis Vuitton Don's heart.    … Expand
  8. jfrotylpe532
    Dec 2, 2012
    7
    Kanye West is a talented rapper, and there is not many of those out there. This time he is going a more pop route and instead of rap-offs he does more serious and meaningful things in his cd. and I respect that.
    B
  9. TheWalrus2000
    Mar 11, 2013
    7
    Whether he meant it or not, Kanye transitions from rap to a more pop like setting. To me this was pretty cool but for others this transition might feel sloppy and boring. Whatever the case, Kanye still provides meaning and brilliant imaginative lyrics to this different type of album.
  10. fifi3
    Jul 28, 2019
    7
    It's a flawed album with some of Kanye's worst tracks (Bad News, RoboCop), but it was still massively impactful in the landscape of hip hop. It changed the sound and subject matter of the genre forever as Kanye created a new lane. An innovative and experimental project at its core, it is a very important piece of it's genre, and does establish it's mood very well, with terrific productionIt's a flawed album with some of Kanye's worst tracks (Bad News, RoboCop), but it was still massively impactful in the landscape of hip hop. It changed the sound and subject matter of the genre forever as Kanye created a new lane. An innovative and experimental project at its core, it is a very important piece of it's genre, and does establish it's mood very well, with terrific production and vulnerable themes.… Expand
  11. Nickogo
    Jul 13, 2019
    7
    Problemy osobiste, śmierć matki i rozstanie z kobietą doprowadziły Kanye Westa do wniosku, że tym razem nazbierało się w nim tyle emocji, pomysłów i melodii, że sam hip hop to medium niewystarczające i postanowił trochę poeksperymentować.

    Jakiegokolwiek rapera nie uznano by za najlepszego pewne jest jedno - gdyby dać mu Rolanda TR-808 i kazać tylko śpiewać efekt byłby raczej mierny.    Problemy osobiste, śmierć matki i rozstanie z kobietą doprowadziły Kanye Westa do wniosku, że tym razem nazbierało się w nim tyle emocji, pomysłów i melodii, że sam hip hop to medium niewystarczające i postanowił trochę poeksperymentować.

    Jakiegokolwiek rapera nie uznano by za najlepszego pewne jest jedno - gdyby dać mu Rolanda TR-808 i kazać tylko śpiewać efekt byłby raczej mierny. Kanye natomiast tworzy kolejny wielki projekt, który od dnia swego wydania zainspirował masę ludzi. Znalazło się wielu hejterów, którzy uważali, że jest to niepotrzebny eksperyment, ale dziś patrząc wstecz trudno przecenić wpływ tego albumu na rozwój Westa jak i całej branży.

    Już Graduation było znaczącą zmianą stylistyki w kierunku muzyki pop, ale 808s to skok na główkę. Aranżacje tworzone za pomocą Rolanda TR-808 nie tylko przywołują na myśl lata 80 i takich artystów jak Newman (duh), ale są po prostu niezwykle estetyczne, ładne i wpadają w ucho. Melodia w "Welcome to Heartbreak" czy "Amazing" to S klasa, Robocop zaraża swoją beztroską i nastrojem, Love Lockdown i plemienne bębny to już legenda. Coldest Winter? Ok, może 80% tego utworu Tears fo Fears, ale w wykonaniu Kanye to wersja 2.0.

    Zawsze uważałem, że używanie auto-tune to swego rodzaju faux pas. Spodobało mi się to co powiedział na ten temat Kanye, a mianowicie, że kiedyś lubił kolor różowy, aż nie dowiedział się, że jest "gejowski". Auto-tune to dobra zabawa i zakładanie z góry, że używanie go to nietakt psuje pewną wolność twórczą i chęć wyrażania siebie. Ok, zgoda. Gdyby wszyscy muzycy używali auto-tune tak jak Kanye West, czyli aby dodać jakąś wartość, zamiast po to, by zakrywać swoje niedoskonałości przyznam - byłem w błędzie.

    Czy album ma wady? "See you in my Nightmares" to chyba najgorsza piosenka jaką słyszałem w całej dyskografii KW. Lil Wayne po prostu ją zmasakrował, jego flow i głos są odpychające, a po przepuszczeniu przez auto-tune nie da się tego słuchać. "Pinocchio story" to też bardzo słaby pomysł. Sześciominutowe nagranie z koncertu w słabej jakości gdzie Kanye opowiada o Gepetto i pragnie być "Real Boy"? Just no.    … Expand
  12. Shaymooose
    Sep 7, 2019
    7
    Very influential no deny, but his voice ain't the greatest let's be real.

    Best Tracks: Welcome to Heartbreak, Paranoid, Love Lockdown, Pinocchio Story, Coldest Winter, Heartless, Say You Will.
    Worst Tracks: Robocop, Bad News, See You in My Nightmares
  13. enkhilada
    Dec 2, 2020
    7
    When a young heartbroken rap star tries to write a sentimental pop album 808's and heartbreak is what you get. Even if the lyrics and beat seem simple or repetitive and the autotune is overused it all contributes to the mood of the project. This is far from Kanye's best but I still enjoyed it a lot.
  14. The-X-Territory
    Mar 8, 2021
    7
    Whilst I understand what Kanye was doing here, this album just doesn't appeal to me as much as his previous 3 do. It's definitely not bad, it just doesn't reach the greatness of his education themed albums.
  15. monkeeh
    Jul 26, 2021
    7
    808's is Kanye's most important album in my opinion. Although I believe a few of the songs miss really hard like Amazing, personally I really liked it. This was Kanye's therapy project in a time where his mental health was at risk and what he provided was a different singing, autotune orientated project that inspired a lot of artist that thrive today like Lil Uzi Vert and Juice WRLD. Songs808's is Kanye's most important album in my opinion. Although I believe a few of the songs miss really hard like Amazing, personally I really liked it. This was Kanye's therapy project in a time where his mental health was at risk and what he provided was a different singing, autotune orientated project that inspired a lot of artist that thrive today like Lil Uzi Vert and Juice WRLD. Songs like Heartless and Welcome To Heartbreak present this versatility Kanye has that no one had seen before which partly was at fault for its poor reception at first and how it grew on people over time. In conclusion, although not the perfect project, it was a really fun and emotionally hitting journey and should not be disregarded as one of Kanye's worst.… Expand
  16. narolo
    Mar 30, 2022
    7
    goodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgood
  17. JamesJennings
    May 3, 2022
    7
    My least favorite Kanye album gets as high as a 7, that's a testament to how talented he is. Nothing really wrong with this album, just doesn't suit my taste much. If you like autotune and moody music, this is totally for you.
  18. Blonisco
    Jan 26, 2023
    7
    好吧我承认我真的不太喜欢这专……凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数凑字数
  19. Urbanlistener
    Apr 28, 2015
    6
    Strange, but not bad, 8o8s & Heartbreak his Kanye's weakest effort to date by relying way too much on auto-tune and commercial club pop songs and not enough on his hip-hop genius.
  20. Recon97
    Oct 4, 2017
    6
    I honestly like this album more than dislike, but some of the songs on it are AWFUL. With only half-decent production, really hit-or-miss autotuned singing, and really lackluster lyrics, this is one of Kanyes worst. Still not as bad as Yeezus, tho! 6/10
  21. 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 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    Only 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
  22. andyn823
    Jun 6, 2020
    6
    "808s and Heartbreak" is Kanye's experience of pop music. I think this album is an OK album. Catchy beats, clean contents. One thing that I don't like of this album... repetitive lyrics. For example, ("Goodbye my friend will I ever love again" x3 times in "Coldest Winter") This album, I think, is emotional and a little bit of creative. My favorites on this album are "Coldest Winter","808s and Heartbreak" is Kanye's experience of pop music. I think this album is an OK album. Catchy beats, clean contents. One thing that I don't like of this album... repetitive lyrics. For example, ("Goodbye my friend will I ever love again" x3 times in "Coldest Winter") This album, I think, is emotional and a little bit of creative. My favorites on this album are "Coldest Winter", "Welcome to Heartbreak", "Paranoid", "Street Lights", 'See You In My Nightmare".… Expand
  23. Wowisawow
    Apr 16, 2021
    6
    I don't really like this album that much. It's just not my style. But I can respect that it's shaped this decade's music for the good
  24. garfield7081
    Mar 25, 2022
    6
    one of kanye's weaker albums, each song is really hit or miss.

    best song: see you in my nightmares

    worst song: pinocchio story
  25. NateP.
    Nov 26, 2008
    5
    The first half of the album is quite nice, especially "Welcome to Heartbreak." The rest of the album, however, fades into a string of songs that are extremely bland, whiny, and just not amusing.
  26. NicoMontuoro
    Jul 8, 2013
    5
    Inconsistent album. There are a lot of unnecessary autotune and vocoder. Yeah, that was the Kanye's idea to write the songs, but sometimes the autotune hits your ears and that's horrible. The album has a good part around the middle(Amazing, Love Lockdown, Paranoid, RoboCop) but it has terrible songs later like Bad News or See You In My Nightmares. Not good at all.
  27. BenBacon
    Dec 1, 2008
    4
    I hate 50 Cent. Let me "say it twice" (thanks, Sway Dasafo): I hate 50 Cent. But 'twas Curtis who summed it up best, "It sounds like T-Pain's album. I would rather buy T-Pain's album from T-Pain." I am well on my way to an ulcer from T-Pain's incestuous use of the auto-tune function. And now Kanye's a biter (even though he claims to have created it on his first I hate 50 Cent. Let me "say it twice" (thanks, Sway Dasafo): I hate 50 Cent. But 'twas Curtis who summed it up best, "It sounds like T-Pain's album. I would rather buy T-Pain's album from T-Pain." I am well on my way to an ulcer from T-Pain's incestuous use of the auto-tune function. And now Kanye's a biter (even though he claims to have created it on his first commercial drop)? Blerg! Now, I must quote the brilliant Tina Fey, for only her words will suffice: WHAT the WHAT?!… Expand
  28. Atum_
    Jun 8, 2020
    4
    I don't care. I don't like this album. The autotune is just annoying and some of the beats are just bad. I get that he was in a very dark place while recording this, but it doesn't mean that the music is any good. What's even worse is how influencial this record is. It spawned a generation of immitarors, doing an even worse jon than Kanye on this moody auotuney sub-genre. I wish this albumI don't care. I don't like this album. The autotune is just annoying and some of the beats are just bad. I get that he was in a very dark place while recording this, but it doesn't mean that the music is any good. What's even worse is how influencial this record is. It spawned a generation of immitarors, doing an even worse jon than Kanye on this moody auotuney sub-genre. I wish this album never was. That being said, favorite track: Heartless and Amazing… Expand
  29. CamelDubois
    Nov 25, 2008
    3
    Not good, very bad.
  30. Lamerson19
    Nov 10, 2020
    3
    This album goes from solid and understandable, to unlistenable. I understand the influence that this album had on modern day R&B and rap, however this album features songs that totally butcher the type of music he is going for. The autotune can be borderline painful at times, and this features some of his most shallow lyrics and ideas. There are songs that I find enjoyable, however theThis album goes from solid and understandable, to unlistenable. I understand the influence that this album had on modern day R&B and rap, however this album features songs that totally butcher the type of music he is going for. The autotune can be borderline painful at times, and this features some of his most shallow lyrics and ideas. There are songs that I find enjoyable, however the absolute sound trash definitely outweighs the good, this is my personal least favorite Kanye album and I have nothing else to sat.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. Sputnikmusic
    70
    Kanye West’s fourth album 808s and Heartbreak follows the crowd rather than leads it. Where he steps, the footprints of T-Pain are readily visible. His use of auto-tune throughout the album is heavy, and in songs like Heartless and Love Lockdown its use is appealing.
    Read full review
  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    70
    The resounding verdict is that it’s a surprising, but bold and brave progression from last year’s confused "Graduation."
    Read full review
  3. Observer Music Monthly
    80
    It might seem harsh but let's hope he doesn't find too much happiness in the meantime. Loneliness is proving quite the muse.
    Read full review
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