Whether you love him or you love to hate him, Drake has undeniably become one of the most important rap voices of the millennial generation.
The release of Drake’s 2009 breakout mixtape, So Far Gone, took him from a teen actor supporting his mother to a promising musician who prompted a record label bidding war. He swiftly landed a deal with Lil Wayne’s label, Young Money Entertainment; in the decade since, Drake has accumulated over 200 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, making him one of the most successful recording artists alive today.
This summer, Drake set a Billboard record by achieving 40 Top 10 hits throughout his career, a title previously held by Madonna. So, we decided to rank all of them, from So Far Gone to Scorpion and every high-profile collaboration in between. Check out our critic’s picks, and read why our top 20 deserve their spots, below.
40. “No Guidance” by Chris Brown ft. Drake (Peaked at #5)
39. “Toosie Slide” (Peaked at #1)
38. “Popstar” by DJ Khaled ft. Drake (Peaked at #3)
37. “I’m Upset” (Peaked at #7)
36. “Greece” by DJ Khaled ft. Drake (Peaked at #8)
35. “Walk It Talk It” by Migos ft. Drake (Peaked at #10)
34. “Nonstop” (Peaked at #2)
33. “Diplomatic Immunity” (Peaked at #7)
32. “Summer Sixteen” (Peaked at #6)
31. “Money In the Grave” (Peaked at #7)
30. “Pain 1993” (Peaked at #7)
29. “Find Your Love” (Peaked at #5)
28. “Yes Indeed” by Lil Baby ft. Drake (Peaked at #6)
27. “Look Alive” by BlocBoy JB ft. Drake (Peaked at #5)
26. “Portland” (Peaked at #9)
25. “Emotionless” (Peaked at #8)
24. “Going Bad” by Meek Mill ft. Drake (Peaked at #6)
23. “Love Me” by Lil Wayne ft. Drake and Future (Peaked at #9)
22. “She Will” by Lil Wayne ft. Drake (Peaked at #3)
21. “Fake Love” (Peaked at #8)
20. “Life Is Good” by Future ft. Drake (Peaked at #2)
Split into a “Drake” half and a “Future” half, “Life is Good” doesn’t flow quite as well as some of the other countless collaborations in Drake’s discography. Still, “Life Is Good” is a fun nod to working hard and reaping the (expensive) benefits.
19. “Don’t Matter to Me” (Peaked at #9)
For “Don’t Matter to Me,” Drake did the unimaginable by using posthumous vocals by Michael Jackson from a 1983 recording session. The result works well for both parties, giving the moody pop tune a supernatural ambiance.
18. “Take Care” (Peaked at #7)
The only thing that comes close to stealing Rihanna’s spotlight on the clubby track “Take Care” is production from Jamie Smith, records his own off-kilter electronica as Jamie xx and performs in the indie pop band, the xx.
17. “In My Feelings” (Peaked at #1)
Sure, its viral dance challenge may have gotten slightly irritating, but “In My Feelings” is still a highlight from the man who basically made being in your feelings cool.
16. “Started From the Bottom” (Peaked at #6)
Having spent most of his childhood raised by a single mother in the suburbs of Toronto and struggling with money, Drake wears his humble beginnings like a badge. “Started From the Bottom” is his reminder that no part of his career was handed to him. “Boys tell stories ’bout the man / Say I never struggled, wasn’t hungry, yeah, I doubt it,” he raps.
15. “F*ckin’ Problems” by A$AP Rocky ft. Drake, 2 Chainz, and Kendrick Lamar (Peaked at #8)
Under his pseudonym C. Papi, Drake co-produced this Grammy-nominated A$AP Rocky smash, featuring verses from some of his most esteemed rapper peers.
14. “SICKO MODE” by Travis Scott ft. Drake and Swae Lee (Peaked at #1)
Upon the release of Travis Scott’s rap suite “SICKO MODE,” it was hard to escape its ubiquitous presence. It became the first hip-hop song to claim a Top 10 spot on the Billboard charts for 30 weeks.
13. “What’s My Name?” by Rihanna ft. Drake (Peaked at #1)
Rihanna’s “What’s My Name” is synth-pop at its finest, equal parts playful and sultry. Even exhausting memes can’t take away from the song’s uber-catchy appeal.
12. “MIA” by Bad Bunny ft. Drake (Peaked at #5)
By now, Bad Bunny is a widely-recognized musical force in the mainland United States. The Puerto Rican reggaeton star recruited Drake for their drunk-in-love earworm “MIA” (“mine” in English), in which we get a rare slice of Drake’s Spanish comprehension skills.
11. “Right Above It” by Lil Wayne ft. Drake (Peaked at #6)
It’s hard for Drake and Lil Wayne to do wrong when they’re together, but “Right Above It” is an example of them at their best. A bombastic, triumphant song with a blaring horn section, this track makes it hard not to feel like a millionaire while listening along.
10. “Make Me Proud” (Peaked at #9)
Lots of bangers from Drake’s magnum opus, Take Care, didn’t see the chart success they deserved. Thankfully, Nicki Minaj’s guest verse on “Make Me Proud” helped propel the song to the Top 10. Backed by a delightfully heavy, banging beat, Drake and Nicki are a perfect match here.
9. “Hotline Bling” (Peaked at #2)
Based on a heavy sample of Timmy Thomas’ 1973 track “Why Can’t We Live Together,” “Hotline Bling” is a muted, mellowed-out track that spotlights Drake’s heartache without getting overly sappy. Paired with a minimal, yet unforgettable music video, “Hotline Bling” proves the power in simplicity.
8. “Passionfruit” (Peaked at #8)
There’s a good reason why “Passionfruit” has been covered by seemingly everyone, from John Mayer to Paramore: It boasts one of the best melodies of Drake’s entire discography. Backed by gentle tropical house instrumentation, the subtleties of “Passionfruit” allow his singing voice to shine—a voice that we tend to occasionally forget is quite good. Mixed together, and the song goes down sweet and easy, like a fruity summer cocktail.
7. “Work” by Rihanna ft. Drake (Peaked at #1)
Sung in Jamaican Creole and featuring heavy dancehall elements, “Work” was an impressive comeback single for Rihanna and marked her third collaboration with Drake. The duet aspect of the song echoes the lyrics of a romantic relationship strained by the pressure to hustle. Though Rihanna is pretty much guaranteed to eclipse anyone who shares a song with her, the line “if you had a twin, I would still choose you” is the highlight of Drake’s appearance.
6. “Forever” (Peaked at #8)
A close second in the world of Drake collaborations is “Forever,” featuring a star-studded lineup of Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem. Having been included in the soundtrack for LeBron James’s basketball documentary, More Than a Game, “Forever” boasts plenty of air horns and self-righteous one-liners, making for a gameday hit that sounds just as good off the court.
5. “I’m On One” by DJ Khaled ft. Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne (Peaked at #10)
Of Drake’s many group efforts, “I’m On One” takes the cake. Led by DJ Khaled, the song features a rattling bass and spazzed-out synths that signal it’s time to party. And though Drake’s “screw it, I’m young” approach to using substances is a bit of a tired trope in hip-hop, “I’m On One” still manages to feel fresh.
4. “Hold On, We’re Going Home” (Peaked at #4)
Though Drake has released a handful of quality pop/R&B hits, “Hold On, We’re Going Home” is inarguably his best in terms of both melody and production. Featuring guest vocals from duo Majid Jordan, the song feels like a timeless entry in Drake’s discography, taking elements of ’80s synth-pop balladry and coating them with a contemporary sheen.
3. “One Dance” (Peaked at #1)
By the release of his 2016 album Views, Rihanna’s dancehall influence had clearly rubbed off onto Drake. “One Dance” features guest vocals from British singer Kyla, as well as vocals and production from Nigerian afrobeats artist Wizkid. In spite of Drake’s apprehension about how the song would be received, it became his first No. 1 hit as a lead artist, the most-streamed song on Spotify (until Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You”), and one of the most successful singles of all time.
2. “Nice for What” (Peaked at #1)
For much of his career, Drake has been labeled as the go-to manufacturer for mopey breakup anthems aimed at straight teenage dudes. But “Nice for What” is, hands down, for the girls those same dudes cry over. An ode to the strong, independent women who can do it all, “Nice for What” turns a Lauryn Hill sample into a club-ready banger. For a man who long seemed hung up on relationships, “Nice for What” is a refreshing reminder of freedom.
1. “Best I Ever Had” (Peaked at #2)
Drake proved he could make a hit right out of the gate with “Best I Ever Had.” Featuring a prominent sample of “Fallin’ In Love” by the 1970s soft rock trio Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, his first-ever Top 10 hit remains his best. “Best I Ever Had” is a surprisingly heartwarming love song that’ll always conjure memories of a special someone.
Even 10 years later, we’re pining for more rap songs with the same energy of “Sweatpants, hair tied, chillin’ with no makeup on / That’s when you’re the prettiest, I hope that you don’t take it wrong.”
