Kanye West: All 6 Albums Ranked From Worst To Best
3. Late Registration
This is where the list gets particularly controversial, as there are many that would thrust Late Registration straight to the upper echelons of lists of the greatest albums of all time - not just those by Kanye West. It all comes down to personal taste. Some regard Kanye's beautiful, early melodic albums as his career high-points, while others prefer his darker, more experimental records. As such, Late Registration and the album at number 2 on the list can be seen as effectively being on a par in terms of quality. Late Registration is a gorgeous release. That is in no way hyperbolic. Of all of Kanye's albums, there can be no doubt that this is the one that best shows off his (and co-producer Jon Brion's) production skills. While Gold Digger would go on to be Kanye's most widely-recognised single, its success masks a wealth of hidden gems that show just how impressive the star's grasp of string arrangements and samples actually is. This is, undoubtedly, an album to be listened to on headphones. It is cinematic in scope. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59qR4kRdhLE&list=PLQio_0iIGCTOK2iU-Ve-ojnfwHz--A4xE There are so many high moments on Late Registration. We Major, featuring an incredible guest spot from Nas, juxtaposes the guest rapper's deep, aggressive voice with gorgeous harp and horn arrangements. Gone crosses a Cam'ron guest spot with a stunningly emotional sample from Otis Redding's It's Too Late. Crack Music, which could have easily descended into run-of-the-mill gangsta rap, features delicate choral vocals throughout which lift it to ethereal levels. Hey Mama practically features an entire chamber orchestra, with xylophones, handclaps, choral vocals, mixed percussion and a subtle jazzy bass line all contributing to perhaps Kanye's most subtle composition. Immediately after this release, Kanye would begin to move away from the soul-sampling and orchestral forms of his early work. Late Registration remains the last and greatest statement of that era.
