Drake’s Views hit #1 for 1st of 13 weeks

Views Drake

Released: April 29, 2016 Peak: 113 US, 12 RB, 12 UK, 112 CN, 11 AU Sales (in millions): 8.0 US, 0.4 UK, 9.6 world (includes US and UK) Genre: rap

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. Keep the Family Close (5/21/16, 68 US, 33 RB) 9 (5/21/16, 45 US, 21 RB) U with Me? (5/21/16, 44 US, 20 RB) Feel No Ways (5/21/16, 53 US, 23 RB) Hype (5/21/16, 33 US, 14 RB) Weston Road Flows (5/21/16, 54 US, 26 RB) Redemption (5/21/16, 61 US, 28 RB) With You (with PartyNextDoor) (5/21/16, 47 US, 21 RB) Faithful (with Pimp C & Dvsn) (5/21/16, 72 US, 36 RB) Still Here (5/21/16, 40 US, 17 RB) Controlla (5/21/16, 16 US, 5 RB, 18 UK, 27 CN, 49 AU, sales: 3.64 million) One Dance (with Wizkid & Kyla) (4/5/16, 110 US, 11 RR, 20 A40, 118 RB, 115 UK, 17 CN, 17 AU, sales: 12.69 million) Grammys (with Future) (5/21/16, 38 US, 18 RB) Child’s Play (5/21/16, 49 US, 20 RB) Pop Style (4/5/16, 16 RB, 4 RB, 33 UK, 19 CN, 44 AU, sales: 2.2 million) Too Good (with Rihanna) (5/21/16, 14 US, 39 A40, 3 RB, 3 UK, 9 CN, 3 AU, sales: 4.41 million) Summers Over Interlude Fire & Desire (5/21/16, 75 US, 30 RB) Views (5/21/16, 86 US, 43 RB) Hotline Bling (7/31/15, 2 US, 1 RB, 3 UK, 3 CN, 2 AU, sales: 10.08 million) Total Running Time: 81:14

Rating: 3.958 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: Drake’s fourth album, Views, maintained a streak in the U.S. as his fourth to reach number one and sell a million copies. The album spent a whopping 13 weeks atop the Billboard album chart and every song charted on the Billboard Hot 100. During the debut week for Views, Drake set a record for having 20 songs on the chart simultaneously. WK Most notable were the five official singles, all of which reached the top 20. Most notable were “Hotline Bling” (#2) and “One Dance,” his first chart-topper as a lead artist. Critics were lackluster about the album, saying that Drake wasn’t challenging himself artistically. MTV’s Meghan Garvey said he was unwilling or unable to “significantly evolve beyond his time-tested signature sound.” WK The A.V. Club’s Evan Rytlewski said Drake “had done this before and done it better.” WK The Daily Telegraph’s Neil McCormick said that “in spite of some evocative production and Drake’s impressive rapping skills, his continued ‘navel gazing’ demonstrated a lack of emotional maturity and insight.” WK “Drake needs to lighten up and add some new colors to the paintbox.” AMG “As before, he casts himself as both the melancholy bachelor looking out over the city from his penthouse manor, and the criminally underrated rap genius demanding his due and it’s one album too many for both personas. He’s already delved deeply into his insecurities, lambasted all his exes, and displayed his fierce self-pride, never shying away from telling everyone exactly where he started and how far he’s come. Frankly, it's become as boring and annoying as a needle stuck in a groove.” AMG Emma Garland of Vice wrote that what the album “lacks in lyrical sentiment, it makes up for in musicial experiementation and production.” WK Red Bull Music’s Elliot Sharp described it as “chill, slow, smooth, soft, silk, and sleepy.” WK Views was Drake’s “first full foray into Jamaican dancehall music” WK while also integrating R&B, trap, Afrobeat, pop alongside his familiar rapping. “Of the songs that stand out, his uptempo, Caribbean-flavored duet with Rihanna (Too Good) is the most enjoyable; One Dance, another song with a Jamaican dancehall feel, is another fun track.” AMG The latter was considered the official second single for the album. The former initially charted when the album was released, but later resurfaced as the fifth and final official single from the album. “The hugely catchy hit song” WK Hotline Bling was considered the first official single, although it was released nine months prior to the album and only included as a bonus track on Views. Pop Style and Controlla were also officially released as singles in support of the album. “Still, these poppy moments feature Drake as the wounded lover, being treated poorly yet again.” AMG “A few other tracks connect, like the almost light-hearted Feel No Ways, which makes good use of a stuttering Malcolm McLaren sample.” AMG “The nostalgic Weston Road Flows comes close, with the great Mary J. Blige sample running through the track, but stumbles when Drake name drops Katy Perry and brags about wrecking marriages. The track, like so many others made up of over-blown boasts, seems to be fighting a battle that was won long ago.” AMG Notes: “Hotline Bling” was added as a bonus track.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Drake AMG All Music Guide review by Tim Sendra WK Wikipedia First posted 12/12/2020; last updated 3/4/2024.