Drake may not make albums like he used to, but nobody builds anticipation like him anymore.
Like 59% of my classmates, I was looking forward to watching the ice melt — literally and figuratively. Excitement for Drake’s new album started building as early as Aug. 2024. As an adamant Drake fan, I picked up on the clues long before he installed a 500-ton ice block in downtown Toronto.
One thing Drake did exceptionally well with this release was the buildup. Every part of the rollout aligned perfectly with May 15, 2026, the day the ice block was expected to completely melt. By the time the album dropped, the Internet was already in a frenzy.
Like any sane person, I stayed up so I could listen to the album the second it released. But did I think it would compare to Drake’s older albums? Honestly, no.
In recent years, Drake’s music has started to feel repetitive and less polished, first showing up in albums like “Certified Lover Boy” and “Honestly, Nevermind.” Songs such as “Way 2 Sexy” and “Calling My Name” felt more focused on trends and replay value than strong storytelling or emotional depth, which made some of his newer music blend together. Going into “Iceman,” I’d hoped he would tap back into the same lyrical energy he had on “Take Care,” which is still my favorite album of his because it balanced emotional beats with memorable production and sharp writing. Tracks like “Marvins Room,” “Headlines” and “Take Care” showed a more reflective and personal side of Drake that made the album feel genuine and complete. I wanted the soulful, introspective Drake that fans have been asking for ever since his older albums helped define an era of music.
Then, to my surprise, Drake released not just “Iceman,” but two additional albums, “Habiti” and “Maid of Honour,” alongside it. For a moment, I genuinely thought I was in heaven. Getting three Drake albums right before summer honestly felt unreal. All I wanted to do was put my AirPods in, tune the world out and listen.
But instead of sounding intentional, the flood of music made the releases feel rushed and severely underdeveloped. Many of the tracks blended together with repetitive, bland beats that rarely changed pace or tone, making the albums drag despite their massive tracklists. The lyrics also lacked the sharp storytelling and introspection that Drake is known for, as he relied on shallow lines and recycled themes about fame, money and relationships. Songs like “What Did I Miss?”and “Janice STFU” are some of the clearest examples, with repetitive hooks and simplistic lines that feel unfinished, not memorable. In “What Did I Miss?” Drake repeats phrases about loyalty and betrayal without adding much beyond that, while in “Janice STFU,” he leans on basic insults and repetitive flexes rather than meaningful writing. Instead of listening to carefully crafted verses, many songs sounded like rough drafts that were pushed out too quickly.
Rather than leaving satisfied, I finished the albums disappointed. Now Toronto speculated that Drake released three albums at once to separate himself from OVO Sound after suing the label last year over disputes involving ownership and business agreements. Considering how incomplete parts of the albums sounded, that explanation feels believable.
After listening to the album multiple times, I decided to rank every track from best to worst based on my own opinion and overall enjoyment.
Even though I think “Iceman” falls into Drake’s mid-tier work, I also know this reaction is part of a pattern with his music. Every time Drake releases an album, people rush to call it bad, only for the songs to slowly become mainstream favorites months later. The same thing happened with “Honestly, Nevermind.” When it first released, people heavily criticized it, but weeks later, songs from the album started dominating playlists and social media.
I first started noticing this trend with “Honestly, Nevermind” because the online reaction and the actual replay value of the album felt completely disconnected. A lot of Drake’s music seems to age better than it lands on first listen. Part of that, I think, is because audiences expect one specific sound from him, so when he experiments with different styles, the immediate response is disappointment rather than patience. But over time, once the hype cycle and Internet jokes die down, people start listening to the music for what it actually is instead of what they expected it to be.
I think the same thing is going to happen with “Iceman.” The album is not terrible — it just does not reach the level of greatness Drake used to consistently produce. Fans, especially me, were expecting the “old Drake,” but it’s 2026 now, and maybe this newer sound is simply who Drake has become as an artist.
Ironically, Drake’s first album title, “Thank Me Later,” perfectly describes the way his music ages. From 2009 to 2026, Drake’s ability to create catchy, replayable music has stayed consistent, even if his lyricism and storytelling are not what they once were.
“Iceman” was decent, but it was not everything fans hyped it up to be. I expected more, just like many other listeners probably did. Still, if Drake’s track record proves anything, it’s that some of these songs will probably be everywhere by summer — whether people want to admit it or not.
