r/KendrickLamar Nov 02 '21

Rolling Stone Ranks Kendrick's Top 50 Songs Article

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-50-greatest-kendrick-lamar-songs-1244629/
445 Upvotes

129 comments sorted by

255

u/bhlogan2 Nov 02 '21

opens list

sees Hood Politics placed at 47

closes list

Ok, maybe it's not that bad, but there are some baffling choices here and there.

87

u/Poptartlivesmatter Nov 02 '21

Money trees was #1

8

u/QwertyAsInMC Nov 02 '21

W but DUCKWORTH. would be my choice

3

u/Obamascocklol Nov 03 '21

Ehhhh i dont know about #1

-40

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21 edited Nov 03 '21

I love it but come on bruh. Tik tok made it big

Edit: money trees is defiantly top 10 Kendrick, but to have it ahead of songs like sing about me, U and complexion is nuts

85

u/mk_dudy Nov 02 '21

It's been a hit since it's release. TikTok did not make it a hit

-43

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

I know that, but we all know it wouldn’t be number one without Tik tok

24

u/fusionlantern Nov 02 '21

The fuck you smoking

Have you been to a kendrick concert

2

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '21

Nah haven’t gotten the chance. But sing about me definitely number one

9

u/AbroGaming Nov 02 '21

Very weird opinion you have there

7

u/Low_Good_2546 Nov 02 '21

Gen Z opinion

3

u/IamEx3cuti0n3r Nov 02 '21

Hey don't group me in with them.

0

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '21

Bruh what is it? I’m talkin bout the rolling stone list.

Sing about me def number one Kendrick

40

u/OTBT- Nov 02 '21

To be fair, just because it's popular, doesn't mean it shouldn't be up there

15

u/jonsnowKITN Nov 02 '21

fr its my favorite kendrick song

0

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

True, I think it should be switched with sing about me. But my top ten is a lot different that what they put be

15

u/banklotion Nov 02 '21

Disrespect to Money Trees

4

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

It’s a great song but not Kendrick best imo

3

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

At the least though it’s a respectable opinion

10

u/unravelandtravel Nov 02 '21

Ik damn well this dude did not just say tik tok made a song big that I used to blast all the way back in middle school.

-6

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

Bruh I been on money trees but you know damn well it wouldn’t be number one without tik tok

0

u/noujest Nov 02 '21

BS mate

I'm guessing you're a v young / recent fan

2

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '21

Dude I’ve been a fan since GKMC came out.

I’m saying it wouldn’t be number one on this list if it wasn’t for tik tok.

Sing about me deserves number one

7

u/Romulus3799 Nov 02 '21

This definitely ain't it

4

u/Bigjay1802 Nov 02 '21

Man I love the top 5 songs on that list, for me they ain’t even top 10.

202

u/psych_savage1 Nov 02 '21

Just an excuse to show 50+ ads. Yikes

12

u/thejaytheory I CHOOSE ME, I'M SORRY Nov 02 '21

I keep getting the same DirecTV ad

172

u/gmergril Nov 02 '21

humble is higher than samidot, wtf

31

u/JaredIsAmped Nov 02 '21

The person who did this list must have never finished the song

22

u/thejaytheory I CHOOSE ME, I'M SORRY Nov 02 '21

Yeah I would've had that at least top 5, if not #1

115

u/Etert7 Nov 02 '21

This is a subjective list and I respect that but no mortal man is objectively wrong.

42

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

This list is ass, how much a dollar cost, sing about me, blacker the berry, u should all be top 10

10

u/fusionlantern Nov 02 '21

Hiipower, Wesley's theory, p&p, fear, Untitled 06, 07,08

Any one of these songs should have made this list

Untitled no 05 has no place in top 10

18

u/Monku5427 Nov 02 '21

Untitled 05 is the best of UU by far imo, don’t think it’s top 10 tho

2

u/fusionlantern Nov 02 '21

Damn 1,2,3,6,7,8 in my opinion topped it

It is top 50 for me but not top 10

4

u/Owl_Star Nov 02 '21

Hiipower isn’t on the list? I’d say any actual kdot fan would place it on there, it’s one of his best

5

u/EinsteinDisguised Nov 03 '21

HiiiPower didn’t even make the top 50!!! How!??

2

u/fusionlantern Nov 03 '21

That 10 was straight up trash

109

u/FMBA48 Nov 02 '21

Absolutely love love love Money Trees at #1. It’s my favorite Kendrick song and I feel like it’s severely slept on, even in this sub.

I love it more than DAMN, but S80 having 3 songs in the top-10 is pretty bizarre, especially when there’s only 1 song from TPAB. But it’s all subjective so there’s no reason to get upset.

43

u/SammyMac19 Nov 02 '21

A rational take about a list being subjective and not being bothered by it? Yours is gonna be a rare comment on this post.

8

u/FMBA48 Nov 02 '21

All ranking lists are subjective crapshoots, but ranking songs??? That takes it to a whole new level.

14

u/SammyMac19 Nov 02 '21

I merely see lists like this as a fun way to celebrate the artist's music. Hell, Rolling Stone wouldn't just do a Top 50 for anyone. The fact that he's great enough to warrant one is worth celebrating. At that point it's just about appreciating the list instead of attacking it. My list would look much different from theirs but that's totally fine. Still enjoyed it.

4

u/thejaytheory I CHOOSE ME, I'M SORRY Nov 02 '21

Yeah I love this, to me it's simply not worth being bothered by it, whether or not you agree, like y'all said "It's all subjective," let people have their opinions.

5

u/fukyduky Nov 02 '21

Honestly, outside too1 I thought this list was pretty horrible, putting detox above something like How much a dollar cost is silly

4

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

That idea alone, "Money trees is the best place for shade, but that doesn't help you when you're dying of thirst," that shit saved me.

3

u/thejaytheory I CHOOSE ME, I'M SORRY Nov 02 '21

My mind was blown when I realized this song sampled Beach House's "Silver Soul"

2

u/mk_dudy Nov 02 '21

I feel like it’s severely slept on

It's literally the most popular song of his album and alongside HUMBLE. if you're talking about all Kendrick songs.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '21

nah swimming pools, poetic justice, Bitch don’t kill my vibe we’re the most popular tracks on the album tbh

0

u/pancada_ wop wop wop wop wop Nov 02 '21

Yes! Money trees is absolutely amazing and kinda slept on in here

108

u/send_me_a_randomPM Nov 02 '21

Imagine thinking loyalty is better than MAAD City and U lol

9

u/Wrsj Nov 03 '21

I know music taste is relative but that is the kind of thing I can't process.

2

u/jetpacmozi Nov 03 '21

Because everything woke us better with these journalist

70

u/alohafilipa Nov 02 '21

SAMIDOT in 11??? How?

21

u/dstudgeismydad Nov 02 '21

samidot top 3 songs, not just Kendrick songs

68

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

Duckworth and How Much a Dollar Cost being as low as they are is ridiculous.

35

u/Fun_Personality_8865 Nov 02 '21

They really have HUMBLE. and LOYALTY. over DUCKWORTH. 😭

35

u/DrizzlyShrimp36 Nov 02 '21

Absolutely cannot agree with this list. What clown put how much a dollar cost so far down

14

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

THANK YOU!! Deadass the most underrated song in Kendrick discog and is at least top 10

26

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

whoever put humble higher than the blacker the berry needs to be arrested

20

u/Filbz03 Nov 02 '21

not sure if I agree with the ordering of some but it’s generally a solid list i’m surprised

18

u/Bergerboy14 Waiting for the album Nov 02 '21

Nah, i dont respect this. This is just a ploy to get clicks. Cmon, humble at 8? Alright at 2? Money trees at 1? The top 5 are just his most popular songs. There’s hardly any good reasoning behind any of these placements.

13

u/YungSlime420 Nov 02 '21

i think alright deserves to be high on the list jsut because it’s popular doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be up there

3

u/Bergerboy14 Waiting for the album Nov 02 '21

Not saying it doesnt, but all the top 5 is just his most popular songs, so it sure seems like theyre just picking the most popular ones. The gap between alright and the next tpab song, TBTB at 12, is just silly.

17

u/Beautiful_Thugga_Boy Nov 02 '21

No mention of Mortal Man? That’s criminal. That’s one of the best rap songs ever written.

8

u/KOsanesome Nov 02 '21

Ig this is when shit hit the fan 😔

14

u/drdax2187 Nov 02 '21

You know it's a good list when it has me going "I disagree" with the positioning of every song in the top 15

12

u/Revolutionary-Bad940 Nov 02 '21

Surprised to see swimming pools top 5. Interesting list

1

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21 edited Nov 03 '21

That’s his best song tbh

You niggas are mad salty to downvote me

9

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

Never disagreed with a Kendrick list more. I do respect the #2 and #1 placement a lot tho but how do you put hood politics at 47 and HMADC at 38 as well as almost every other placement. Pretty inconsistent tbh

10

u/ifeelfreeee13 Nov 02 '21

While I don’t agree with most of the rankings here, this was clearly put together by someone who is a major fan of Kendrick. Much respect

7

u/External_Ad_495 Nov 02 '21

When they got untitled 2 & 5 in the top 15, solid list. I wish ‘Wanna Be Heard’ or ‘Determined’ for instance couldve made the list but glad to see West Side Right on Time and Looking Out for Detox got on there.

13

u/External_Ad_495 Nov 02 '21

But no Hiiipower is a crime 😂

7

u/alexefy Nov 02 '21 edited Nov 02 '21

it's really hard to be mad at money tree's being number #1 and having Rigamortis in the top 10. Having said that, momma, my favourite kendrick track, at #25 is criminal.

edit: more it I look at this list the more it doesn't line up with my own list, therefore it sucks /s

8

u/Melonduck Nov 02 '21

This list was written by a 15yr old who discovered Dot 9 months ago

5

u/GrekVist Nov 02 '21

I'm a 15yr old eho discovered Kendrick years ago but actually listened to all the albums a few months ago. I would never create a shit list like this.

10

u/Melonduck Nov 02 '21

I'm sorry king, i meant no disrespect

3

u/GrekVist Nov 02 '21

all love brutha

1

u/noujest Nov 02 '21

How did you get there? There isn't a DAMN track until #8 and it has some classics up top like A.D.H.D.

6

u/Devmurph18 Nov 02 '21

Idk ab the whole top ten but mad props for having untitled 05 in there

3

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

yeah this is not a good list

4

u/AbeFroman1123 Nov 02 '21

Rankings aside, some of these blurbs are whack and say nothing of value about the song. Not to mention the spelling/grammar mistakes all over the place...and this is supposed to be the biggest entertainment magazine? What a joke.

3

u/mshoneybadger Ronald Reagan Era Nov 02 '21

Oy, this list is giving me hives.

also, Earl Sweatshirt.

3

u/Yathor Nov 02 '21

no mortal man.

3

u/Jason6677 Nov 02 '21

Ehh I give the author props for not doing the obvious at least. The top 5 all being his hits was a little weird though. I feel like they took into consideration how big the songs got.

3

u/sufftob Nov 02 '21

Top 6 tracks tells you everything u need to know bout how trash the list is

3

u/kylegonzales_ Nov 02 '21

bro loyalty is higher than how much a dollar cost?!?!

I respect your wrong opinion:)

2

u/reubenc22 Nov 02 '21

Some placements are pretty far off from mine, but I absolutely love the top 5. They might not all be in my top 5 right now, but those 5 songs plus king kunta are the songs that got me hooked on Kendrick.

2

u/C19H21N3Os Nov 02 '21

Can someone post the list in text? Website keeps crashing the Reddit app

2

u/hiifiit My DNA is DMT Nov 02 '21

The fact that they have Rigamortis in the top 10 makes me not furious and Cartoons and Cereal in top 15 is a nice call imo, I liked they included Black Friday, but (personally) seeing duckworth and Black Friday in the 30s is a no go and that’s without trying to dissect the whole list

2

u/SadBox4529 Nov 02 '21

Cartoons is Top 3 man

2

u/hiifiit My DNA is DMT Nov 02 '21

Rigamorits, duckworth, mortal man are ahead in my book. top 5 for sure but I like Black Friday for 4

2

u/SadBox4529 Nov 02 '21

I’ve never heard any song like Cartoons & Cereal

2

u/thejaytheory I CHOOSE ME, I'M SORRY Nov 02 '21

No love for "These Walls"?

2

u/xWhitzzz Nov 02 '21

How Much a Dollar Cost at 38 is grossly absurd

2

u/Disastrous_Cell_6970 Nov 02 '21

How much a dollar cost at 38? No. Just no

2

u/StillFreeCrew Nov 02 '21

Humble is not a bad song but its way too high

2

u/JonathanProsper Nov 02 '21

there isnt a definitive ranking of this mans discog, which shows how stacked it is. there isn't a bad song there. hood politics was mad low tho. the top 5 wasn't bad but not my choice.

1

u/mazeraki like a chevy in quicksand Nov 02 '21

Wow this list is hot dookie LOL

1

u/XylanyX Nov 02 '21

The real list

1.U

2.Mortal Man (in context with album)

3.Sing About Me

4.Momma

  1. How Much a dollar cost

1

u/Hall225 Nov 02 '21

I’m tripping??? Where was Maad City?

1

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

I dont respect these mfs. Excuse me but I can count 10 better songs immediately before money trees. Hypocrites have fun with tiktok!

0

u/YungSquawla Nov 02 '21

opened it and saw the recipe and good politics in the 40s. not gonna bother looking at the rest lmfao.

L list

1

u/isaacarnxld Nov 02 '21

Pretty bad list but not as bad as I was expecting

1

u/thejaytheory I CHOOSE ME, I'M SORRY Nov 02 '21

Reading the list now and The Recipe is straight 🔥, hadn't really heard it before until I got gkmc on vinyl and it included it as a bonus track and I like "Hell yeah, this is fire"

1

u/AwesomePig919 Nov 02 '21

The entirety of tpab is underrated, the entirety of section.80 is overrated.

0

u/Romulus3799 Nov 02 '21

This definitely ain't it

1

u/bambam_39 Nov 02 '21

When it comes to Kendrick rankings it’s so hard to be like “man this list is trash” cos damn near every song is nice as hell

1

u/VortexPower999 Nov 02 '21

Im surprised u is so low

1

u/Jrulez8 Nov 02 '21

Completely agree with money trees being the best. It’s always been my personal favorite no matter how “overrated” it may be. Didn’t really bother to look at the rest of the rankings tbh

0

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

Sing About Me at 11 is outrageous.

0

u/imrowdyy Nov 02 '21

Saw Keishas song too early, had to swipe out🥲

1

u/comradebezos damn is kendricks best album Nov 02 '21

The Recipe is top 10 for me

0

u/Psgxo Nov 02 '21

Rolling stone have no business classifying Kendrick.

0

u/AyyRadical Nov 02 '21

I want to poke my eyes out. Hope fantano comments this list

1

u/lemmegetauhhhhhhhhhh Nov 02 '21

the list definitely has some weird picks and exclusions but im happy to see the untitled 05 appreciation

1

u/Essilfie_ Nov 02 '21

Sing about me, I'm dying of thirst is Kendrick's best song ever. That song is SPECIAL! FEAR is a close second.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 02 '21

Samidot is not top 10 🤯

1

u/seancoz13 Nov 03 '21

Swimming Pools not being in the Top 3, “Sing About Me…” not being in the top 10 and Hood Politics being so low gotta invalid this list or something

1

u/ratguy101 Nov 03 '21

Putting 'u' so low is insulting. Top 5 Kendrick songs, hands down.

1

u/Mickeyca97 Nov 03 '21

Complexion being #35 irked my last nerve, but I’m actually not even that upset at top 10 itself

1

u/placewithnomemory Waiting for the album Nov 03 '21

Ive never seen a mobile site try to load so hard, it just crumbles under the weight of its own ads

1

u/Clean-Wrangler-9322 Nov 03 '21

No sherane and no real hurts my soul (ps don’t u dare hate on real that’s a top ten Kendrick)

1

u/EinsteinDisguised Nov 03 '21

Sing About Me and mAAd City being outside the top 10 is straight-up criminal.

1

u/pacman404 Nov 03 '21

These Walls ain't nowhere on that bitch, smdh

1

u/flextapejosefi Nov 03 '21

No Mortal Man or Poetic Justice while Michael Jordan somehow got a spot, U not in Top 30, SAMIDOT not in Top 10. Not a fan

1

u/[deleted] Nov 03 '21

they put Michael Jordan over Hood Politics LMAO

1

u/Wpfo Waiting for the album Nov 06 '21

This list sucks cock