Certified Lover Boy
by Drake
User Score
3.5

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 1158 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 253 out of 1158
  2. Mixed: 218 out of 1158
  3. Negative: 687 out of 1158
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Tbone413
    Sep 17, 2021
    3
    it’s just not good, it’s the same boring beat every song with nothing unique, special or enjoyable and the features don’t really stand out either. It’s not the worst thing ever created but I just haven’t found anything to enjoy about it
  2. freshie
    Sep 7, 2021
    3
    Drake sounds like he has nothing to prove on CLB - in a bad way. CLB is filled with nostalgic callbacks to soundscapes that defined prior projects in Drake's discography. However, the songs fail to stack up pound-for-pound in terms of quality, compared to his earlier LP's that brought prominence to Toronto's most commercially successful rap export. CLB is prolonged in length with too manyDrake sounds like he has nothing to prove on CLB - in a bad way. CLB is filled with nostalgic callbacks to soundscapes that defined prior projects in Drake's discography. However, the songs fail to stack up pound-for-pound in terms of quality, compared to his earlier LP's that brought prominence to Toronto's most commercially successful rap export. CLB is prolonged in length with too many fillers and too many songs that are carried by features that outshine Drake. The project lacks artistic progression, innovation, and fails to add another layer to Drake's portfolio. It also lacks innovation and lyrical potency - leaving the project soulless and yearning for any form of significance beyond an unnecessary, irrelevant, and soon to be forgotten battle between a project released a week earlier.… Expand
  3. RockyRockatans
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Bland boring old Drake back at it, this time with no for sure radio hits. Feels phoned in. Skip this one.
  4. FlamesFan22
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    I think it’s now safe to say Drake is done. What a wild run it was though. This is probably the most generic and boring album drake has released to date. It’s the end of an era
  5. Ironic
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    SO MIDD lmaoooo "she say im a lesbian, I say me too" LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

    only thing saving him is weezy feature
  6. ryandecarlo
    Sep 7, 2021
    3
    Repetitive, mundane and underwhelming. There are a few solid songs and the production on them is good. Some clever lyrics too but...Sadly, this was very disappointing.
  7. Dannyboy045
    Sep 7, 2021
    3
    After listening to this album 20+ times it's confirmed it's just not hitting for me. One or Two tracks grew on me but for the most part it's just missing that "it factor" that all other Drake albums had. imaginatively… Drake flopped. There’s no inspiration on that album. Just an ego-boosted flex of what he did and who said what to him..newsflash nobody really cares about his repetitiveAfter listening to this album 20+ times it's confirmed it's just not hitting for me. One or Two tracks grew on me but for the most part it's just missing that "it factor" that all other Drake albums had. imaginatively… Drake flopped. There’s no inspiration on that album. Just an ego-boosted flex of what he did and who said what to him..newsflash nobody really cares about his repetitive bars, unnecessary tracklist. It’s not good. Numbers don’t equal great music. This has been the same Drake for 8 years and just feels like we've been cheated and scammed with the lack of effort.… Expand
  8. Cod3nflame
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Meh. It’s an okay album. Not bad. Good at times. Not amazing. Same old Drake we’ve been hearing for almost a decade now.
  9. joshuat17
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    His worst album so far! Making it free in Spotify for a week was just too desperate
  10. bearface98
    Sep 6, 2021
    3
    Following the mediocre release of Scorpion we get Certified Lover Boy their were signs of what to expect from the album with its prerelease rollout with a laughingly bad album cover and a release of cringe inducing merch to go along side with the most embarrassing quotes on them. This was by far the worst LP released from Drake. Whereas we have gotten very mediocre projects in recent yearsFollowing the mediocre release of Scorpion we get Certified Lover Boy their were signs of what to expect from the album with its prerelease rollout with a laughingly bad album cover and a release of cringe inducing merch to go along side with the most embarrassing quotes on them. This was by far the worst LP released from Drake. Whereas we have gotten very mediocre projects in recent years including Views and Scorpion. Certified Lover Boy is a truly bad album. One that feels very bloated just for the sake of streaming numbers. Your main focus as an artist especially one who has been able to financially achieve what Drake has is to create the best body of work you possibly can. Not to release a bloated track list just for the sake of streaming numbers it’s truly pathetic to see artists especially of this caliber to sacrifice the quality of an LP just for more streams and is hopefully a trend that will end soon. With that said we see no growth from Drake here. Just the recycled style he has used for years but this time far less entertaining. Filled with cringey bars, uninspired performances, and tracks that sound very phoned in by drake. Drake has been heavily accused of using ghostwriters in the past but I have a feeling they were used seldom to none here with truly awful bars throughout. Drake gets constantly outshined by features here which is sometimes a good thing but is far too often the case on this project. Before the release of the album Drake took to restarting a beef with Kanye West one that feels he started for clout with his new album releasing. The beef got more intense with the realization that both Kanye and Drake were both releasing albums within a week apart. It looks like Drake will be winning the numbers game which he is great at. But when it comes down to the quality of music, Donda was a far better project. Drake even took to leaking a unreleased Donda track featuring Andre 3000 as a proclaimed diss towards Kanye. Much to his dismay the unfinished track sounds better than most of the tracks on Certified Lover Boy. So hopefully the next time Drake releases a project he’ll not focus on beef but on actually making a good album because this was very far from it. In conclusion Certified Lover Boy is another Drake album that we continue to see on the trajectory of loss of quality of music overtime only this time we see a more big loss of quality than usual, if we’ll see this pattern keep on continuing we’ll remember Drake as an artist who made some catchy hits and solid first projects but also an artist who refused to take risks and chose to stay with the same repetitive formula that never evolved until it was ran into the ground. I’m feeling a light 3 out of 10 on this project.… Expand
  11. liyema_mpompi
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Drake Had a 3 year break from album spree. this album sounds like a compilation of scraped songs that didn’t make it to a romantic movie soundtrack . What makes this outrageous is the fact that he pushed it back with 9months raising more anticipation only to give us a below mid & boring themed project even travis scott could save. i will give it 3/10 because of effort and because he isDrake Had a 3 year break from album spree. this album sounds like a compilation of scraped songs that didn’t make it to a romantic movie soundtrack . What makes this outrageous is the fact that he pushed it back with 9months raising more anticipation only to give us a below mid & boring themed project even travis scott could save. i will give it 3/10 because of effort and because he is drake ❤️.… Expand
  12. SmithViews
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Drake needs growth. He is talking about the same topics he rapped about a decade ago.
  13. Hem9nt
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Drake has done it once again , another mid-album.
    Even the star studded features couldn't save it.
  14. Gabrielachan
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    I really had high hopes for this record but all my hype died when Drake released the cringe cover, the awful merch and the corny lyrics on the billboards. But I was still hoping the album would be better: it isn't.
    The mixing is AWFUL, honestly some songs I had to pause simply because I couldn't stand how bad the mixing was; the lyrics are cringy worthy and the album features a very    I really had high hopes for this record but all my hype died when Drake released the cringe cover, the awful merch and the corny lyrics on the billboards. But I was still hoping the album would be better: it isn't.
    The mixing is AWFUL, honestly some songs I had to pause simply because I couldn't stand how bad the mixing was; the lyrics are cringy worthy and the album features a very problematic song that sexualized lesbians in a very disgusting way (and I am lesbian so not the best experience). The featurings feel waaaay off, it's almost like Drake included them just for the hype and that's awful. The record feels generic, Drake is clearly trying to make scorpion 2.0 but this is so much worst. I liked some of the samples and instrumentals - the beats are REALLY solid - also Drake's flow is probably his best in a long time (which isn't saying much), but the album overall is his worst project and it feels way too long    … Expand
  15. Nikohunt
    Sep 4, 2021
    3
    Same soft signing drake nothing special here there’s a couple of songs drake stays in his lane this album you would forget in a week
  16. Hololuk
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Realmente mas de lo mismo de Drake, mucho relleno creo que es muy flojo este album, tal parece que Drake solo se dedica hacer lo que desde 2012 hace.
  17. Jorge_J
    Sep 5, 2021
    3
    Boring… I’m sure it will chart well and score a couple of hits but it’s a tired formula. Not a lot pushing Drake’s music forward. If you’ve heard Drake joints in the last few years you won’t find anything new in this album
  18. bbatran
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    I'm giving it just a 3/10 because the album is very bland and boring. And I'm a fan of Drake, but no song stands out. Ended up just skipping tracks in 20 minutes. Not even comparing it to DONDA, but I was expecting so much more.
  19. BigDJohnWick
    Sep 22, 2021
    3
    Drake's rapping doesn't land on this one, the bar "say that you a lesbian, yeah me too" just summarizes Drake in this album, super lackluster, production is boring and uninventful, the only good thing about the album is that some choruses are TikTok worthy, but the rest is bland and terrible.
  20. hsch
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    This album is almost as painfully boring as Scorpion with about as much filler. The only good songs here are the opener which is immediatly followed by four of the most bland drake songs ever made. The travis wayne future thugger cudi features are the only thing saving this bland uninspired project that I just can't help but feel is rushed. A real snoozer. The cover art is easily the mostThis album is almost as painfully boring as Scorpion with about as much filler. The only good songs here are the opener which is immediatly followed by four of the most bland drake songs ever made. The travis wayne future thugger cudi features are the only thing saving this bland uninspired project that I just can't help but feel is rushed. A real snoozer. The cover art is easily the most boring and lack luster thing i have ever seen. Once again another drake album where he talks about sex, money and his enormous ego. The beats sound about all the same. Not even future saying "too sexy" could save yet another bland uninspired album. Donda>>>>>>>>>
    Stay mad drake fans.    … Expand
  21. joyrd23
    Sep 4, 2021
    3
    Terrible album, it's the same thing drake has been pushing out for 6 years, how do people genuinely listen to this and say yeah this is it

    Only 2-3 good tracks which are carried by the production rather than substance.
  22. Gunsun
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    I thought it was going to be Drake type from 2011 and 2013 but no, this album is definitely Scorpion pt 2 that simple. In songs that have feats it seems that Drake is the feat. Could be better.
  23. Itayshoham
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    pretty mid ngl, felt very uninteresting at points and overall nothing we haven't heard from Drake. some very cringe bars, one of Drakes weaker projects. Great potential features misused imo, just not a big fan tbh.
  24. Vformusika
    Sep 4, 2021
    3
    Nothing special. same staff over and over again. He can make HUGE hits but not a good album.
  25. DondanotanL
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Nothing new from drake on this album. Same lyrical topics and themes. Flows and melodies we have heard before. I do enjoy some of the production but is super lackluster and bloated. Considering we waited 9 months for it.
  26. JayBMac
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    I’m a big Drake fan and has him in my top 15 favorite music artists/acts of all time. But it pains me to say that never has an album that has disappointed me while I had little to no expectations. CLB is the worst Drake’s album I’ve ever listened to. Even to the point where I kinda hated this album, not because it was horrible, but because it’s the same old Drake. I was bored to the pointI’m a big Drake fan and has him in my top 15 favorite music artists/acts of all time. But it pains me to say that never has an album that has disappointed me while I had little to no expectations. CLB is the worst Drake’s album I’ve ever listened to. Even to the point where I kinda hated this album, not because it was horrible, but because it’s the same old Drake. I was bored to the point of frustration, most of the features felt wasted (especially Future and Travis Scott), and even some of the songs would have been better if Drake was left out because the features were giving more than he did, there are no bangers, and the same stuff Drake has been talking since I was in middle school. Maybe I’m just really spoiled by Drake’s music from 2009 to 2015, but this album ain’t it and the weirdest part is that I kinda hated CLB so much that it made me appreciate Views and Scorpion more and I didn’t like those albums.… Expand
  27. tovlah
    Sep 4, 2021
    3
    Drake stuck in his comfort zone... CLB sounds like a 3rd disc from Scorpion, which already sounded like a 2nd disc from Views. Evolution is necessary for an artist like Drake, who is at a crossroads at this point. Either he heads in a new direction sonically and thematically, or he will become a parody of himself. All in all, CLB is a bad album, which at a first listen, sounds like youDrake stuck in his comfort zone... CLB sounds like a 3rd disc from Scorpion, which already sounded like a 2nd disc from Views. Evolution is necessary for an artist like Drake, who is at a crossroads at this point. Either he heads in a new direction sonically and thematically, or he will become a parody of himself. All in all, CLB is a bad album, which at a first listen, sounds like you heard it all before. Shame...… Expand
  28. luke000
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    There is maybe 1 or 2 songs at best, that i want to come back to and play multiple times.
    Such a disappointing album.
  29. yungcola
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Boring. Bland. Cudi’s feature is great, but not him, nor Baby, Travis Scott, Durk, or even Wayne can save this album.
  30. CRUSTYGUCCISOCK
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Beat choice was great, flows were odd to say the least some lyrics are just comically bad “she said she was a lesbian, me too”. some features phoned in their bars or just took over the song completely. The two songs that shined above the rest would be yebbas heart and IMY2, but that’s mostly because of the energy and heart of the featured artists.
  31. Tannie_t0ssie
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    m i d
    Hshshdhshhshshhshdhdhhdhdhdhhshdhdhhdhdhdhdhhdhdhdhdhhdydyduududydudyjdusjsjjdjdjshdhhdhdhdhhdhdhdudhhdhduduhdhdhdhdhududhdhduududhdhdhhdhdhdhdhhdhdhehdhhdhdhd
  32. Jayz23
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Disappointed to say the least.
    Not sure if its because im not in love nor hate my ex but its been the same ol thing.
  33. Ashmothma
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Am not the biggest Drake fan out there, but expect a level of quality that just wasn't there. After a disappointment from Scorpion, this brought Drake to new lows. Tracks like way 2 Sexy seem catered towards TikTok viral videos - reminiscent of "Ringtone Rappers". The features from Cudi, Thug, Jay Z, and Travis are easily the highs of this album. The lows are the misogynistic lyrics, theAm not the biggest Drake fan out there, but expect a level of quality that just wasn't there. After a disappointment from Scorpion, this brought Drake to new lows. Tracks like way 2 Sexy seem catered towards TikTok viral videos - reminiscent of "Ringtone Rappers". The features from Cudi, Thug, Jay Z, and Travis are easily the highs of this album. The lows are the misogynistic lyrics, the length without a cohesive purpose and lack of memorable songs. Somehow Drake put out a 21 song album without any club hits. One where any of the "best" songs wouldn't feel out of place on any of his previous albums. A star like Drake not creatively progressing at all in his career shows a lack of care, or interest in the music world. It is clear money is the goal - there's nothing wrong with that, but its a disappointment to fans of good music.… Expand
  34. Allezpsg
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    an album for which we waited a long time and it is not the result I expected, the collaborations are good and honestly they are the ones that save the album, similar songs and nonsense
  35. SauceTooMuch
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    I’m a Drake stan, and I hold the 6 God to a much higher standard, considering all the delays, all the GOAT talk, and all the hype leading up to the album release date. What’s up with this cringe cover art? Looks like a 5 year old designed this crap. Most of the songs are boring, lazy, and uninspired. Champagne Poetry has one of the most annoying samples ever. And what’s with Way 2 Sexy andI’m a Drake stan, and I hold the 6 God to a much higher standard, considering all the delays, all the GOAT talk, and all the hype leading up to the album release date. What’s up with this cringe cover art? Looks like a 5 year old designed this crap. Most of the songs are boring, lazy, and uninspired. Champagne Poetry has one of the most annoying samples ever. And what’s with Way 2 Sexy and Knife Talk? Those two songs shouldn’t have even been on the album. There’s a bunch of mid filler type songs such as Get Along Better, and Fountains. The Jay-Z feature was a complete waste. First 5 tracks on the album are a snooze fest. There’s also a bunch of mixing issues on this album. Drake’s vocals on Race My Mind are low, and the outro is much louder. Fair Trade was good, but it did not need a Travis Scott feature. The song should’ve been a solo Drake song. I also wasn’t a fan of the Cudi feature, it sounded weird. The Ross and Wayne feature was okay, not much replay value in my opinion. The outro was also quite boring, as it sounded similar to March 14 and Views. All in all, there were many more lows than highs. Most of these tracks are completely forgettable. I really hope Drake actually puts out something cohesive and concise on his next album. This one is all over the place… Expand
  36. alej_
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Tiene dos que tres tracks recatable, lo demás es igual, sin reinventarse y sonar siempre igual
  37. Jlayfield
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Drake missed for the first time ever. To be clear, I'm not trashing the album because I'm a Kanye fan boy. I was in the top .08% listeners to drake last year on Spotify. He's my favorite artist between him and the Weeknd. This album was painful. There's no way drake listened to this and thought it would be good. I feel like he's trolling us. Even Dark Lane Demo Tapes was better than this,Drake missed for the first time ever. To be clear, I'm not trashing the album because I'm a Kanye fan boy. I was in the top .08% listeners to drake last year on Spotify. He's my favorite artist between him and the Weeknd. This album was painful. There's no way drake listened to this and thought it would be good. I feel like he's trolling us. Even Dark Lane Demo Tapes was better than this, and that was a mixtape technically.

    There was no meditative, introspective drake. No 6pm in New York. No NWTS vibes.

    This album was dull and weird. Between the Jamaican dancehall sound with the Nigerian artist, and the ridiculous amount of features, for the first time in my life, I heard a bad drake album. There were some tough rap songs like Knife Talk. But where were the "Jaded" or "Not You Too". Where were the "Tuscan Leather" or "Furthest Thing"

    Really, really disappointed in this.l "album" if you want to call it that. End of an era. Makes me sad for real.    … Expand
  38. DarrenFelix
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    The production on this album is amazing, and I like the samples. Drake has some great rapping but this seems overshadowed by very distracting corny bars. While a lot of the songs are catchy and have good vibe to them, for some reason they are not hitting the same. There is no real substance to the album, and I feel as though we have not gotten to see drake grow as an Artist. This album isThe production on this album is amazing, and I like the samples. Drake has some great rapping but this seems overshadowed by very distracting corny bars. While a lot of the songs are catchy and have good vibe to them, for some reason they are not hitting the same. There is no real substance to the album, and I feel as though we have not gotten to see drake grow as an Artist. This album is bloated, and it feels like many songs were just thrown on for the sake of it.… Expand
  39. nabrondsojar
    Sep 4, 2021
    3
    Certified Lover Boy starts off solid enough—both "Champagne Poetry" and "Papi's Home" are highlights upon first listen—however, the album immediately nosedives after these two tracks. Whereas these tracks sound grand and thematic with soaring production, the same cannot be said for a majority of the 20+ songs here. The production here is absolutely numbing and sleepy. Boring, really. OneCertified Lover Boy starts off solid enough—both "Champagne Poetry" and "Papi's Home" are highlights upon first listen—however, the album immediately nosedives after these two tracks. Whereas these tracks sound grand and thematic with soaring production, the same cannot be said for a majority of the 20+ songs here. The production here is absolutely numbing and sleepy. Boring, really. One has to ask what he kept postponing the album for when the finished product feels so bloated and unfocused.

    Highlights: Champagne Poetry, Papi's Home, Way 2 Sexy, TSU, Pipe Down    … Expand
  40. RuRu92
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Thank him now ‘cus if you’re reading this it’s too late for him to have taken care on the most mid album going. Makes you wonder what the 9 month postponement was for really? Drake does Drake... again.
  41. Moonman1991
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    After scorpion I was really hoping to see Drizzy do something new. And while it’s not terrible it’s just kinda boring. The rapping is some of drakes better but that’s about all that’s interesting here, surrounded by cheesy poppy chart targeted music
  42. Jcsmoove
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Very repetitive and boring album, carried by production at points. Some features come through but drake throughout the project to me is lackluster
  43. Blewitt_
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    This album might as well be called Scorpion 2. Very bland and boring with some decent features saving the day. It’s nothing too bad to listen to just nothing special enough that rewards the hype towards the Album. Meh.
  44. tieeeeee
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    this album is so boring and underwhelming.
    i mean it’s drake what do you expect.
    maybe like 3 out of the 21 songs were good.
  45. Jordanhulse123
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Not the best album of his. not many good beats and slow flow on most of the songs
  46. CDOGG15
    Sep 3, 2021
    3
    Same old nonsense from a Mans who music hasn’t evolved in almost a decade
  47. Hugomonteiro
    Sep 4, 2021
    3
    Same thing as the last album, Drake sounding criminally repetitive. Unacceptable for a artist of this dimension.
  48. cslvt
    Sep 4, 2021
    3
    pas de musique marquante, aucune prise ds risque, cover décevante. du gâchis vu le casting que présentais l’album. ou est l’ancien Drake?
  49. slimeNOcap
    Sep 4, 2021
    3
    Yeah, we should all appreciate J. Cole much more. CLB doesn't have radio/playlist "hits", nor any substance. Why did he release the 3 songs earlier, those 3 good songs could have turned this from below average to average. Maybe they didn't fit into CLB's concept...CLB's concept being: boring/trash/pointless
  50. nahhdahh
    Sep 5, 2021
    3
    CLB is more geared towards this Back Outside Movement Nothing really stuck to me personally but a few joints. (IMY2,No Friends in the industry, Champagne Poetry & Way 2 Sexy ) Just because its a funny playful record. i Have much respect for Drake but respectfully this doesn't top Scorpion. Waiting For The Next Drop......
  51. llucasmoonteiro
    Sep 7, 2021
    3
    Provavelmente o pior álbum dele

    Pouco efetivo, mais do mesmo. O problema é que isso já faz 5 anos que lança a mesma coisa com nomes diferentes

    Pior ainda é a critica amaciando pra forcar que essa bosta é melhor que o Donda
  52. kidbushido
    Sep 6, 2021
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Easily Drake's weakest album. It's almost sad to see how someone who has gone from covering Lykke Like songs, is now sprewing "Say that you a lesbian, girl me too." Some songs are bangers, some are fun to listen to, but the whole album sounds uninspired.… Expand
  53. LeroyMks
    Sep 6, 2021
    3
    Simply basic album. Which is far from what I expected. there are so many weird lyrics that i can't describe
  54. blondedd
    Sep 7, 2021
    3
    the return of the 6god!!! except it's like a stinky pile of leftovers from the culmination of views and his more recent projects, except more bland, uninspired, less creative, and overall just plain lazy. drizzy drake is carried by featured and it does have a banger or two for sure, but overall pales in comparison to just anything in the industry is just boring, sleep-inducing, and not histhe return of the 6god!!! except it's like a stinky pile of leftovers from the culmination of views and his more recent projects, except more bland, uninspired, less creative, and overall just plain lazy. drizzy drake is carried by featured and it does have a banger or two for sure, but overall pales in comparison to just anything in the industry is just boring, sleep-inducing, and not his best in terms of productions. scary hours and dark lane demo tapes are levels above. the only industry this would survive in is for sedatives. this will most likely age horribly and will be outshined by his next project, in which the 6god will hopefully actually try to do something new.… Expand
  55. bedroom
    Oct 7, 2021
    3
    Drake is a lesbian.
    But for real tho, this album feels so underwhelming it's not worth hearing it if you are not searching for the most generic rap pop hip-hop out there, it's been some time now since Drake stopped trying and I was certainly hoping for a better comeback, I don't know if Drake will ever try again and I doubt it, Drake is so comfortable releasing stuff that will make number    Drake is a lesbian.
    But for real tho, this album feels so underwhelming it's not worth hearing it if you are not searching for the most generic rap pop hip-hop out there, it's been some time now since Drake stopped trying and I was certainly hoping for a better comeback, I don't know if Drake will ever try again and I doubt it, Drake is so comfortable releasing stuff that will make number that he refuses to make something that resembles his beginnings, the first two tracks of the album gave me hope, but the rest of the album is so predictable and empty, is music without a soul or real feelings, he now writes songs that are unremarkable, forgettable and lazy. Lacks a lot, but specially quality, for me it feels like listening to some random generic rapper who makes bland music. If you like Drake, listen to Nothing was the same, because he was damn right.    … Expand
  56. Lavecchia
    Nov 1, 2021
    3
    Had like 2 good songs. Fair trade was saved by Travis Scott, and Get Along Better is Ty Dolla $ign’s song. Album is bloated with Ghost writing and generic trap beats. Album cover is lame
  57. aftergiowhore
    Nov 4, 2021
    3
    The only thing i like about this album is probably the future and the travis scott features. It feels like an repetitive audio book on most of its run time. Just drake being mid nothin new.
  58. evermore13
    Nov 18, 2021
    3
    It demonstrates how sonically rigorous even the most casual, tossed-off Drake songs are. But its storytelling doesn’t always hold up to strict scrutiny. «Certified Lover Boy» is his least musically imaginative album, the one where he pushes himself the least in terms of method and pattern.
  59. Joffnatic
    May 26, 2022
    3
    Drake doesn't seem to have found a direction on this one. He's been sticking to the same damn sound since 2015, and this album is almost no different from his previous in terms of sound. However his features, especially Kid Cudi, Travis Scott and Rick Ross perform great on this album, which is why I'm bumping it up a bit. However to be able to listen to Drake's performance I have to bringDrake doesn't seem to have found a direction on this one. He's been sticking to the same damn sound since 2015, and this album is almost no different from his previous in terms of sound. However his features, especially Kid Cudi, Travis Scott and Rick Ross perform great on this album, which is why I'm bumping it up a bit. However to be able to listen to Drake's performance I have to bring two energy drinks on the bus with me. The ride takes about 15 minutes. This album is not good.… Expand
  60. Gorilla124
    Jun 10, 2022
    3
    Gets washed by every feature. 0 cohesiveness on the album and is a retread of all of his old stuff but just done really badly.
  61. ChiIIaoi
    Jul 19, 2023
    3
    Review só pra lembrar a nota que eu dei pro album:
    album ruim, agora só escrever pra passar dos 75 caracteres.
  62. arkham2014
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    This album lacks any kind of innovation. Even the good songs feel like they've been done better before by Drake himselft. Another lazy and long record by drake just to pull in streaming numbers.
  63. JudgementalDude
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    All hype, with nothing to show. The album was a slog to listen to. Nothing but disappointing tracks with a flicker of greatness to be extinguished the next track. Incredibly dissapointing.
  64. Jannik110
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Very boring, no hits. Such a disappointment, was looking forward for this album.
  65. Rapfan123
    Sep 5, 2021
    2
    Literally just scorpion minus the bangers Unbearably corny writing makes drake look like a fool more often than not.
  66. AnthD13
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Dudes been doing the same **** since 2015, same beats, same lyrics, same flows, same repetitive drake. Pure snooze fest.
  67. Hendrikk
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Whole albums feels like a Drake fan tried to make their worse self made Drake style album with none of the skill Drake used to have.

    From the first song in the album Champagne Poetry, Drake seems to just sew together two different songs into one big song? Its very off putting and seems like a mistake as separately the songs would be good. The album continues at an okay pace with pretty    Whole albums feels like a Drake fan tried to make their worse self made Drake style album with none of the skill Drake used to have.

    From the first song in the album Champagne Poetry, Drake seems to just sew together two different songs into one big song? Its very off putting and seems like a mistake as separately the songs would be good.
    The album continues at an okay pace with pretty average songs and then Love All with Jay Z comes along and ruins it. The main song performed by Drake is fine but verses with Jay Z are truly terrible, Boring and uninspired lyrics delivered like he just wanted to get them done and leave.
    Way 2 Sexy is an awful song. Using the "I'm too sexy for my shirt" sample as a hook was a terrible idea, an absolute crash and burn.
    After yet more mediocre songs 7am On Bridle Path seems somewhat better, still extremely familiar but a nicer well crafted song than the rest.
    But ultimately that's where the album ends in terms of any redeemable songs. The entire album suffers from awful beats, terrible hooks and any lack of vision.    … Expand
  68. Thaylis
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    really gave fame to those who don't deserve it. There is NOTHING good on this album.
  69. Lamboguy188
    Sep 5, 2021
    2
    Personally this album was trash compared to Donda, Donda was over hyped and was as good as I hope but this was a dumpster fire the raping was crap. He can’t rap all songs we’re bad except IMY2 that was pretty good but the rest
  70. Achamp18
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    When “Certified Lover Boy” was announced last year, many drake fans were overjoyed by the potential. Than after a few delays, we were finally treated to a release date, and eventually the cover art. That’s where the problems began. The cover art is bland and boring. It doesn’t even seem like they where going for a “unique” or “artistic” cover art, rather slapped some emojis together andWhen “Certified Lover Boy” was announced last year, many drake fans were overjoyed by the potential. Than after a few delays, we were finally treated to a release date, and eventually the cover art. That’s where the problems began. The cover art is bland and boring. It doesn’t even seem like they where going for a “unique” or “artistic” cover art, rather slapped some emojis together and called it a day. Hell, Kanye’s plain black cover is better than this. Just like the cover, the songs itself are just, boring. He didn’t try anything new, or attempt to create a new sound, but rather slapped some lyrics on plain trap beats. It seems like it was rushed to challenge Kanye’s recently released “donda” and it shows. The features aren’t anything special. the Travis Scott feature was ok, and Kid Cudi putting a end to the long beef with drake was cool, but other than that, there’s no stand outs. I’m not sure what Drake was doing in the 7 months since the announcement, but it obviously wasn’t working on the album. This could’ve been a classic, but now all we have is a playlist of wasted potential.… Expand
  71. DylanR723
    Sep 19, 2021
    2
    It’s hard to enjoy an album even the artist clearly doesn’t enjoy. Drake sounds so bored and tired the whole album. This is by far one of his laziest bodies of work yet. Most of the features are half-assed, and most of the production is lazy and identical throughout the entire project. And it’s hard to enjoy an album that has someone whining and complaining about the same stuff the entireIt’s hard to enjoy an album even the artist clearly doesn’t enjoy. Drake sounds so bored and tired the whole album. This is by far one of his laziest bodies of work yet. Most of the features are half-assed, and most of the production is lazy and identical throughout the entire project. And it’s hard to enjoy an album that has someone whining and complaining about the same stuff the entire 1hr and a half run time. There are very few good/decent songs, one of them being a song Drake isn’t even on—thankfully. Save yourself from falling asleep in boredom. Save yourself from wasting your time, and don’t listen to this half-assed, lazy, sloppy garbage.… Expand
  72. jthor
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. CLB is the same old Drake we’ve been getting for the last 10+ years, except this time it’s only staler and more watered down. Simply put, Drake’s lack of progression and experimentation greatly hinders this album. More so, the lyrical content is nearly identical to what was expressed in Scorpion (except maybe more Kanye subliminals) except the actual bars are somehow lazier and less thought out (For example “Said that you a lesbian, girl me too”). However unlike Scorpion, the songs definitely stand out from one another and don’t all lump in together, which is something that Drake and his team deserve some props for. But other than that, this album is a complete flop that won’t stop millions of people from playing this crap all over the country the next couple weeks/months.

    In terms of his personal battle vs Kanye, which is something everyone is currently invested in right now, Donda is the superior record by a long shot (Like it’s not even close). Even with all of Donda’s flaw and controversies, there are plenty of great, emotional-driven, and experimental tracks that paint Mr. West’s vision beautifully, something I definitely can’t say Drake had on CLB.    … Expand
  73. dperalta
    Sep 5, 2021
    2
    Soooo boring. This isn’t the Drake we all know, specially since the album was pushed back many times.
  74. leumassregor
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    This album starts out very weird. The 1st track has an awkward beat, and Drake's flow certainly does not help at all. The next couple of tracks contain corny lyrics, horrible choruses, and very questionable songwriting. The lyrics by Durk on track 4 are extremely underwhelming and Drake's oddly sudden switch in his vocals is very unpleasant to listen to. Track 6 has okay lyrics. I enjoyedThis album starts out very weird. The 1st track has an awkward beat, and Drake's flow certainly does not help at all. The next couple of tracks contain corny lyrics, horrible choruses, and very questionable songwriting. The lyrics by Durk on track 4 are extremely underwhelming and Drake's oddly sudden switch in his vocals is very unpleasant to listen to. Track 6 has okay lyrics. I enjoyed Drake's soil bar, however the beat is very bland and boring. Travis Scott comes in extremely weak, sounding like he's going to fall asleep. Track 7 is just an absolute joke. The sample in the beginning is just dumb, and Future's lyrics are just so corny to the point where it's nearly unlistenable. Young Thug comes in and unfortunately does not help either, bringing questionable lyrics as well, like "Red diamonds, spaghetti" and "I pray to the chopper under my pillow, tooth fairy". Moving onto track 8, the sample in the beginning is a PAIN to listen to. The strings, however, are a nice little addition, but they quickly go away. The odd beat switch in the middle of the song is very sudden and really just not clean at all. The production on this track is very, very low effort.

    Getting near the middle of the album, there is a glimmer of hope. The production on track 10 I enjoyed, and the songwriting somewhat improved. From here on out, the production improves and the album is listenable. However, that only lasts for a moment. Track 13 goes back to very bad songwriting. "No capper" and "Booty clapper" are some of the lyrics 21 Savage somehow thought would be good on this album. Unfortunately, he'd be wrong. The chorus on this track is also nothing to write home about. It's boring, repetitive, and bland. Track 16 is alright, but the little snippets of piano are unnecessary and awkward. As this track goes on, the more and more boring it gets.

    Moving toward the end of the album, we get a Cudi feature on track 19. I was excited to see what Cudi had to offer, but unfortunately, I was not really blown away by his verse. This track, in my opinion, was plain and underwhelming. Track 20 and 21 were an absolutely horrible way to close out the album. These two tracks were an absolute drag to listen to, and by far the most yawn-inducing tracks on this LP. The production is extremely plain, and Drake's rapping is even plainer.

    In conclusion, this is what I expected from Drake's LP. Yet again, another album where he talks about how rich and horny he is. I hate to say it, but I don't think we're going to get another good album from Drake in a while, especially if he keeps this up.    … Expand
  75. rijk
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    The features carried the album. I waz really excited for this album but it just feels very lazy, especially from an artist like drake
  76. emilxar
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Better having no cover at all than this hideous atrocity, this sin against humankind, this disrespectfulness against everything that the lord holds sacred, this monstrous attempt of doing something funny and clever. I’m a centennial and seriously can’t comprehend Drake’s sense of humor or lack of taste. If the album sounds as bad as de art looks, this might be a solid 3 AT ABSOLUTE BEST.
  77. Dragoshenko
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    This feels like Scorpion without hits. i give a 2 just cuz of some features on the album.
  78. Zappyboi
    Sep 4, 2021
    2
    Drake once again comes through with an album that at its core is perfectly fine, if he hadn't already released it 2 times before. While most of the songs on this thing are decent and exactly what you would expect from a drake album, the fact that he hasn't innovated or tried doing anything new in years speaks to his artistic integrity.
  79. BuloDeMouquim
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Same Drake since 2016 full of corny ass bars and the same dull repetitive track... I just want Thank Me Later Drake back
  80. Uchiha1257
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. All that hype for nothing,same flows same cadence same slowed reverb to rapping songs..a couple switch ups and a few redeemable songs but for the most part it’s average..these songs sound like I could have heard them before…Do better Drake.… Expand
  81. j_mc
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Not progressing from the format or sound of his previous work, Drake has yet again managed to add a safe and disappointing record to his discography. Has Drake forgotten how to make a piece of art rather than a product?
  82. Booljamin
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    This man has been on cruise control since Views. Consistently mid. Probably a few songs that will get radio play but nothing new or exciting.
  83. xfatalismx
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    From a Drake fan I found it painfully, and I mean painfully boring. Girls want girls fun and catchy. No Friends only track that had any decent lyrical content. Knife Talk hard but only because it sounds like a Savage Mode 2 leftover. Other than that 70% of this album is indistinguishable from each other, just the same Take Care style flow. Also he’s still rapping about **** “tings” andFrom a Drake fan I found it painfully, and I mean painfully boring. Girls want girls fun and catchy. No Friends only track that had any decent lyrical content. Knife Talk hard but only because it sounds like a Savage Mode 2 leftover. Other than that 70% of this album is indistinguishable from each other, just the same Take Care style flow. Also he’s still rapping about **** “tings” and sending them back to Metro housing. So **** lame. TSU lyrics have to be some of the worst Drake bars in a hot minute. And it credits R. Kelly so **** Drake for including that. Working on Dying beat incredibly disappointing. Scorpion was better.… Expand
  84. Foozal
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    I expected there to be a few bangers that can act as a single, turns out all the songs are mind-numbingly bad, with the same beat, same flow while the features (Travis and Lil Wayne) did well they could not overcome those basic ass beats.
  85. FlowCZ
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Im dissapointed in what Drake did I feel like in 1 hour and 40 minutes Drake did not have single good bar.
    Beats are good but I still almost fell a sleep when Drake was rappin.
  86. ellgthompson
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    'CLB' is the most BORING, UNINSPIRED album drake has ever made. managing to eclipse the steaming turd that was scorpion. i was expecting something more along the lines of 'Take Care' but this album hasn't even got an ounce of the same substance or feeling behind any of the songs (probably because abel didn't write them) drake doesn't make music like he used to and over time his albums just'CLB' is the most BORING, UNINSPIRED album drake has ever made. managing to eclipse the steaming turd that was scorpion. i was expecting something more along the lines of 'Take Care' but this album hasn't even got an ounce of the same substance or feeling behind any of the songs (probably because abel didn't write them) drake doesn't make music like he used to and over time his albums just seem to be getting worse. the album has next to zero replay-ability, the beats are BORING! and the bars a sub standard.… Expand
  87. nodasani
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Oof

    Well let's start. Firstly I would like to say the album cover doesn't bother me in the since that it attempts humor and fits the vibe. However that may be the problem. The humor here (She say she a lesbian, well me too) is, at the very least hit or miss. The vibe and humor can't carry itself over its long length even with it's amazing features (Scott, Project Pat, Jay-Z), and the bars, although they flirt with classic status, never really reach the mark. The beats (seriously lacking 40s touch) are actually really nice, but nothing trailblazing.

    Now let's talk the beef. Being neither Team Kanye or Team Drake seemed like it would benefit me in this review but honestly makes it harder. With Donda was misshapen, flawed, cconfusing and over long, CLB seemed like a clear cut winner before the rope was cut. However it seems that CLB not only follows suit and falls to same traps that Donda does (minus controversial features), it also is just as self indulgent. The subliminals here grow as stale as they did on Donda. Drake and Kanye need to get a room already. But instead of engaging in tantric sex, they should Collab again. All things said and done, CLB, in all respects and fairness is a very very VERY average Drake album. Which is a disappointment considering anything average from Drake feels like a slap in the face. This album gets a 2.    … Expand
  88. raverdanny
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Lazy, terrible tracks and even worst lyrics. The jay z featured track was good but I couldn’t add it to my playlist due to how bad drake was on it.

    Best tracks for me out of the lot:
    TSU
    7am on Bridle Path
    IMY2

    Every good thing must come to an end I guess. Drake is no longer the bar for good music
  89. Pedrolnb1
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Esperava muito mais de um album do drake..
    Nem as musicas com feat tão esperado, como travsi ficaram em um vibe boa.. pra um cantor que só canta musicas comerciais.
    Apresenta musicas cansativas de se ouvir.
    Musicas que não ouviriamos mais de 1 vez em 1 dia.
  90. Goldenear
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Only 2 songs that are okay:

    No friends in the industry
    Fair trade (even though Travis messed it up)

    Such a let down of an album.
  91. kikeblingbling
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Almost fell asleep… all songs sound similar.. was expecting it to be better than Donda
  92. lordiniquitous
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    I'm a big fan and to have waited this long for a album this bad is unfathomable. This album sounds like 21 tracks of filler/rejects. It's a whole album of previously rejected material.

    It's kind of shocking that he would push back the release date for something this bad. Like, what was he doing that made it better? Is there anything he could did or could've done to make this album    I'm a big fan and to have waited this long for a album this bad is unfathomable. This album sounds like 21 tracks of filler/rejects. It's a whole album of previously rejected material.

    It's kind of shocking that he would push back the release date for something this bad. Like, what was he doing that made it better? Is there anything he could did or could've done to make this album better, other than scrapping it entirely?

    Drake has been one of the biggest, if not the top. global artists over the last decade. Between albums he's released songs that have kept his name and legacy moving upwards. This album feels like a signal that his reign at the top is over....like derailed trainwreck over.    … Expand
  93. ariola
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    drake can do way better than this. Had really high expections from this but..
  94. carlosmantana
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Absolute garbage. Posturing and quiet narcissism and years of #1 hits have made the man forget that he may actually be completely devoid of anything even passing as talent. His camp is clearly full of yes-men who allowed this stinking turd to be 21 songs long. There is nothing compelling about an album written (poorly) in response to (well-earned) and Kanye West, the most easy-to-insultAbsolute garbage. Posturing and quiet narcissism and years of #1 hits have made the man forget that he may actually be completely devoid of anything even passing as talent. His camp is clearly full of yes-men who allowed this stinking turd to be 21 songs long. There is nothing compelling about an album written (poorly) in response to (well-earned) and Kanye West, the most easy-to-insult man in the industry. 21 droning, benign, dull, uninspired songs about this nonsense - a beef no one but those two clowns actually cares about.

    Drake is a blight on the music industry.    … Expand
  95. keithod88
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Garbage, most boring Drake album yet and that’s saying something. At least Scorpion had some bangers ffs.
  96. Tophatpat
    Sep 3, 2021
    2
    Boring and not good, this is definitely one of drakes worst studio album with his flows over melodic beats being at best predictable and descent and at worst, blue face level of offbeat. About 4 out of the 21 songs are the only ones that I can get behind and is the reason this rating is a 2.
  97. Squid96
    Sep 4, 2021
    2
    So bland. Drake hasn’t evolved in the past 6 years. In fact his albums have got gradually worse each time since Nothing Was The Same.
  98. Gutiellatino
    Sep 4, 2021
    2
    Just drake being the same boring drake… I was hoping for something new. After listening to it twice I had to wonder how anybody could find this interesting. Drake must be thanking god for people with odd taste in music
  99. ZKT1
    Sep 4, 2021
    2
    Drake really just f'ing with us
    I MEAN LIKE BRO EVERY SONG IS THE SAME TYPE
  100. Stroh96
    Sep 4, 2021
    2
    Drake has made the same album for the past 10 years and it’s getting inexcusable. Had a few catchy tracks but sounds more like a mixtape.
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Most Discussed Album of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. RapReviews.com
    Oct 19, 2021
    45
    It’s beige, hollow music and that’s what ultimately frustrates your dedicated rap listener because it doesn’t make sense why it’s so damn popular. When you throw the poor writing on top of this, and some real hit-and-miss production into the mix, “Certified Lover Boy” may well be Drake’s worst album.
    Read full review
  2. Slant Magazine
    Sep 13, 2021
    40
    Drake comes across as an artist who’s bought into his mythos and persona a bit too ardently. ... The production on Certified Lover Boy is svelte yet airless, filled with lots of solemn piano lines and muted snares but absent of big flourishes or attempts at pop crossover. It’s an approach that’s likely aiming for tasteful restraint, but the effect is languid and rather directionless.
    Read full review
  3. The Observer (UK)
    Sep 13, 2021
    40
    Things start promisingly with the undulating Champagne Poetry dextrously reflecting on loneliness (“career is going great, but now the rest of me is fading slowly”), while Papi’s Home recalls early Kanye, of all people, with its sped-up samples and laid-back flow. Later, however, that playfulness calcifies into headline-grabbing stunts. ... This is an album destined to be filleted for various #mood playlists, anchored only by its creator’s untouchable fame.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »