Was Drake’s ‘Views’ Slept On? | Genius News

Drake’s 2016 album ‘Views’ cemented Toronto’s place in hip-hop with its dancehall-influenced hits and remains one of the 6 God’s most commercially successful albums to date. Yet, its reception upon release was lukewarm compared to the works that came before it. His upcoming album ‘Certified Lover Boy’ has yet to drop, but Drake has already compared it to ‘Views’ in his lyrics and on social media. As we celebrate its five-year anniversary - Genius News compares the high expectations set for the album with its growing legacy to figure out why ‘Views’ is the most underrated album in the Drake library.
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[@Breezyz]

"Come with a classic, they come around years later and say it's a sleeper"

[@monkeypruductions1113]

What's that from 😏

[@jf13579]

👁👄👁

[@GRAv111]

@@monkeypruductions1113 wants and needs ft lil baby

[@dakota5796]

@@monkeypruductions1113 what’s next....I think

[@slimshady8252]

@@dakota5796 im screamin out yolo yea that’s still the motto

[@TranquilAura77]

Wouldnt say "slept on" more so underappreciated just as Drake is as a whole being able to create mutliple hits and classics for many many different genres.

[@yungin_isaac]

I think it was slept on I even slept on it to me views was disappointing at first then it grew on me and I love that album!

[@drewtube6838]

PREACH

[@tiwaanawo816]

@@drewtube6838 FACTS im happy to see a thread on the internet that acknowledges Drake's success

[@hfjemini5]

I know consider this his best album, my favorite album

[@abrahampena1263]

This album isn't bad by any means But it ruined him, at least in my opinion

[@TheMNHShow]

Feel No Ways is the most slept on song

[@colekrafton]

fr one of my favorite songs of all time

[@tiwaanawo816]

Keep family closer is even better

[@TheMNHShow]

@@tiwaanawo816 but it’s not as slept on as Feel No Ways 😒

[@velozmamut448]

It's just tooooooo good

[@Bakslash]

Best song

[@Shownnlights]

The memes of hotline bling *still stand strong till this day😂*

[@hum4950]

Look my channel pls

[@solserpentine325]

Shut up

[@rev5396]

they rlly dont

[@rajin4]

Ayo u we’re on the Portland vs Spurs comment section

[@Theboy1gwe]

Definitely 😂😂

[@y.o.s6000]

Feel no Ways & Faithful stay hitting years later.

[@da_god_record1340]

Literally one of the best songs on views

[@abhiramreddy8538]

and controlla

[@Bigmagana]

Faithful is a masterpiece

[@Demsky83]

The dvsn version of Faithful is 10x better.

[@y.o.s6000]

@@Demsky83 just heard it, drake and pimp c really elevated the song or at least prevented it from feeling monotonous. Still good tho.

[@_mzf_]

Childs Play was a masterpiece

[@cottonisbaked]

Big facts

[@user-mb1sd4qn1n]

It’s a shame how many people’s heads this album went over... imagine having a that bad of a taste in music 💥 #KeepTheFamilyClose ⚠️

[@theprinceofeverything1975]

@@user-mb1sd4qn1n keep the family close is an incredible intro, as are many of Drake's intros

[@rivaldovola9896]

That second verse is soo fire🔥🔥🔥

[@theprinceofeverything1975]

@@rivaldovola9896 which one?

[@Bilnation]

‪This was definitely slept on. They expectations were so high, a lot of people couldn't accept it for what it was.

[@mauhuff]

I feel like this was the album that made him a quintessential popstar- for better and for worse.

[@Ventus7777]

Weston Road Flows was on instant repeat for a month on my headphones after the release

[@jennyneon]

Views is just underrated.

[@cookingforanne7431]

@Kaeree Connie Naupo pp

[@zenith3865]

Views is one of my favorite albums. It’s one of the only drake albums i consistently return to and listen to in full. I’m not big rap fan in the first place. I genuinely love the album

[@willapple8145]

Me too. Redemption is my favorite

[@aly1266.]

Same! Redemption & Faithful 🔥

[@genikhairav7662]

Yes because it isn't really a rap album.

[@anonymousdonkey.]

The album isn't even a rap album. It has more r&b style

[@tempoclasse2907]

What genre are you a fan of?

[@kiddream5749]

The entire album is a masterpiece

[@misterelephant3202]

Nothing will slap harder than the Views from the 6 Leaks

[@1of1fr]

What were the leaks

[@neo1675]

@@1of1fr good question

[@kaidms]

@@neo1675 controlla with popcaan instead of beanie man, views from the 6 which has a new verse that was cut from and remixed from u with me, and a couple more tracks not as good as those two

[@beatsbyalvin]

One of the things about this album I hated initially were the lack of rap songs. Just Hype, Grammys and Pop Style but the rest grew on me

[@301stealz]

U obv didnt listen to the album, views is a rap song

[@beatsbyalvin]

@@301stealz I couldn’t be bothered to list all the rap songs obviously there is more than what I said you still get the point

[@edgincornell4359]

Just Hype, Grammys and Pop style? Well how about 9, U with me, Still here, Weston Road Flows, Views track. Aren't they rap songs?

[@ajiteshsharma9840]

@@edgincornell4359 thats what im saying this album had a healthy collection of r&b, pop, and rap

[@Truthlight403]

Fax

[@wristbreak]

I’m from London and I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t rate views. It was literally the soundtrack to summer 16

[@RY-xc1cx]

Barely any mentions in the comments about fire & desire… definitely top 3 drake songs ever, gets you in your feels every time 🤣

[@tonia4750]

OMDSSS

[@tonia4750]

THROWING DIRT ON MY OLD NAMEEEE

[@KashMoneyZack]

Just tell me should I cut all of these other girls right out of my life cause we never decidedddddd

[@dyllonj]

The reason why Views is slept on is because he dropped 'If You're Reading This It's Too Late". We all expected a lot more hardcore rap songs like 'Hype' and 'Grammys'. Trap was hitting heavy those days

[@CarlosMorales-hn4pu]

Exactly dude that's what I was expecting, I hated on this album

[@joshennn]

FACTS I was so disappointed cuz I wanted more grungy tracks but got way more melodies than I expected. I love it now though

[@Amir-qz4bn]

@@joshennn the musical landscape in 2016 was also way more different compared to now where melodic sounds are one of the bigger elements in the mainstream

[@joshennn]

@@Amir-qz4bn facts

[@urkelsaloneurkelbeatz5287]

0:52 - The Hype 3:13 - The Sound 6:48 - The Length 8:48 - The Legacy

[@kingdrafted1775]

"If they don't have a story these days they'll make one"

[@reezyl2046]

OHHHHHH 9!

[@kalillita]

Now Afrobeats, Dancehall & Reggueton is the new Pop, bro was ahead of time with views

[@zayis220]

Don’t forget about the DMX samples on views! R.I.P DMX❤️

[@user-mb1sd4qn1n]

Ah Which song

[@dakota5796]

@@user-mb1sd4qn1n u with me?

[@misterman6691]

it’s an interpolation to be clear

[@YoungPoseidon]

@@misterman6691 he sampled X voice Ig you wanna be technical 😒

[@Breezyz]

The memes we got from hotline bling make the whole album a classic fasho 🤣💯

[@yanameisawesome]

thing is though, hotline bling came out a while before views, by this time it had already gotten cold. what's even worse is you could argue hotline bling isn't even really part of the album. it's the last song on it and the fact that it doesn't really to anything to "conclude" the album in some type of special way makes it feel more like it was slapped on there for streaming revenue or just because of it being popular, not because it actually was supposed to be part of what he envisioned for the album.

[@raffidedeyan4230]

@@yanameisawesome this guy said everything I wanted to say but better. Nice job

[@ace2nice]

Especially the “Drake the type of guy” memes 🔥🔥

[@Amir-qz4bn]

@@yanameisawesome Idk why he put Hotline on the album (despite it being a "Bonus" track but is on all editions of the album) especially as One Dance was taking off to be his biggest hit at the time right before the album drop and i mean look at the numbers that song is one of the top 3 most streamed songs ever on spotify with almost 3 billion streams. Hotline Bling is nowhere to be found, and imo i feel like that's his most overplayed hit of all time as well. The title track of Views is a perfect outro and we didnt need anything further to sell the point that the album is done lmao

[@alexblack4145]

Views was a masterpiece when it came out. Still is one the best produced projects as a whole I’ve ever heard. Totally seamless and coherent

[@bryanlocs1143]

Listen to “summers over interlude” in a dark room with a blunt and come back

[@briabridges8895]

Ty

[@Demsky83]

That’s DVSN

[@VickStarkiller]

Preferably around late August

[@juanmontes3868]

@@Demsky83 lol it’s majid Jordan

[@KashMoneyZack]

Probably top 10 drake song all time for me and it’s not even by him lol

[@Ganeralmiridious]

i loved the sound he went for with one dance, too good, fire & desire, controlla... i never got why people hated on it

[@aneshaelizabeth]

I’m not even a Drake fan and I can admit that Views was slept on! It’s one of my favorite albums by him alongside Take Care. 2016 was a great year in music history.

[@kadeemwinter1148]

I was just listening to "Views" its a classic imo

[@Toby_-]

This album was definitely overhated when it came out. Views is one of those albums that gets better as time passes. 7/10 imo

[@joshennn]

Nah that's definitely an 8/10 for me. Perfect album for driving at night in Toronto

[@jimmybrown991]

10/10 classic

[@is300jayy4]

It’s a classic bruddas

[@gravediggass]

10 stop being modest

[@MrSunjay14]

I respect your OPINION. Lol why don’t others

[@aa2992]

Views is incredible. It came out while I was living in the cold Northeast US, similar to Toronto winters. I moved to SoCal and I can't listen to it like I used to because it reminds me of hardships in 2016. The album works like a time machine.

[@traycewilliams]

2016 was just a great year let’s be honest 😂💯

[@vithursan.b]

life hasnt been the same since

[@tahjzus837]

facts smh@@vithursan.b

[@ronnypooky]

classic album, i wouldn't say it was slept on but underappreciated. dude can make hits in any genre, legend

[@droseotc4734]

except for rap

[@luisgarcia1096]

This album only got better and better ever since it’s release. hands down

[@ByeByeDeadName]

It was one of the biggest albums of that year and Hotline Bling was one of the biggest songs of the last decade. No, it was not slept on.

[@c.ron_onthetrack]

Tell me how i was just listening to this album 💀💀💀

[@hunterheflin]

no lie was bumping feel no ways earlier today 😂

[@c.ron_onthetrack]

@@hunterheflin bro i was bumpin keep the family close 🤣

[@user-mz3ni8yu4v]

@@hunterheflin same 😂

[@willapple8145]

@@c.ron_onthetrack who hurt you ahhahaaha

[@c.ron_onthetrack]

@@willapple8145 me 😫😔

[@Oni_revenge]

Don’t understand how someone’s best album can b so slept on

[@tiwaanawo816]

Iyrtitl?

[@the.regulargamer]

Nwts?

[@Oni_revenge]

@@the.regulargamer deluded included?

[@Aj-bh6zy]

Nwts?

[@isoaqua5825]

Feel no ways was super underrated

[@92soldier]

The first time 9 came on, I was driving through the harbour bridge in Sydney on a clear night, that song for me redefined the sounds and the mood of the city

[@nelly3561]

As the years go by I find myself appreciating views so much more

[@yungmatt009]

Absolutely. The internet did what the internet did and copied each other’s opinions instead of trying to enjoy it themselves.

[@user-mb1sd4qn1n]

Exactly ⚠️💥

[@oneeyedlair]

Nope. People with good taste know this album is garbage

[@reezyl2046]

"9" seemed like a personal type song, but it slaps hard

[@dvcz96]

I was honestly surprised on how much flack the album got the first year or two...this album got my attention and love from the get go, now it's considered under appreciated or slept on. Lol, how times really do change.

[@versaceplug2761]

Fire and desire best song on the tape

[@jackmckee9327]

The sound and the vibe of this album is different from anything else I’ve heard even from Drake himself.

[@quentincuster7356]

I don’t care what anyone says, Views was the best drake album ever, Weston road flows, 9, u with me?, even keep the family close are classics people still haven’t realized they are some of the best songs ever.

This is crazy!

[@southside6719]

Views was so much for the city y’all couldn’t appreciate like we did in the 6 album captured everything bout the city 10/10

[@crystalsolis]

To me, 9 is a fire track and the most classically Toronto-sounding one from Views. Always a hit in my playlist.

[@icarus9980]

i’d argue views is a masterpiece, it is almost flawless man

[@droseotc4734]

full of fillers bad album

[@-angelp]

crazy that this is the first album that I dat down and listened to fully, i was expecting more tracks that sounded like summer sixteen but the amount of diverse songs made me open up to so much more as a music listener, eventually i was playing this album everyday when i was in high school and loved the majority of the album

[@yk6hunnid]

My favourite album of all time. I just played it front to back for the anniversary

[@Nathi929]

Views is aging like fine wine bro

[@boogie6272]

views is literally my whole 2016 , i’m from toronto as well so this album means a lot to me

[@sijcecilio]

Feel No Ways is my favorite song of all time. It just brings me back to better and simpler days and it even though it's a mellow song, I can listen to it no matter how I'm feeling.

[@mrq.1236]

It’s not bad just long for no reason and has loads of filler lines. Not filler songs, but filler lines. It’s also very inconsistent but I guess I can’t complain because that was the point since it was inspired by Toronto winter (cold trap songs = winter, dancehall vibes = summer)

[@lulanononwo6276]

Facts

[@oatmealhoney7446]

Views is when I started to seriously pay attention to him

[@AN-yn8uk]

Not even from 'nothing was the same' ?

[@danielajayi6389]

I will fairly say views is an underrated classic from drake

[@wihans]

it was literally the best summer of my life when views dropped.. i miss it so much. not slept on just under appreciated bc the other b-sides were just as good as the mains

[@ethanferrer1577]

Being from Toronto, I will always be grateful for this album

[@cedricgant8535]

Feel no ways, hype, still here, childs play, pop style & hotline bling all are classics.

[@dondadabih1389]

Views was so dope, 9- meh U with me- fire feel no ways- dope hype- solid weston road flows- fire redemption- flames with you- dope faithful- solid still here- flames Controlla- Ion gotta say too much this was the summer anthem one dance- solid Grammys- Top 3 drake x future childs play- fire too good- fire fire and desire- makes me wanna call my ex views- if i was you i wouldn't like me either this was so fuego There was honestly no real misses on this tape and it's aging like fine wine.

[@mikef5238]

Man “Hotline Bling” takes me back bro

[@antz97]

Definitely slept on icl but grown to like it as time progressed. Top 10 tracks 1.KTFC 2. Weston Road Flows 3. Fire and Desire 4. Controlla 5. One Dance 6. Child’s play 7. With You 8. Views 9. Summers over interlude 10. Faithful

[@skat3r430]

I love Views. Was going through some shit and the album helped me get through it

[@sicksadworld765]

More Life and Views are so under appreciated, both aged like fine wine 🍷

[@user-mb1sd4qn1n]

Great commentary ⚠️💥

[@jackdonahue8845]

Such a great time for music

[@SangaTembo]

Well put together video genius🔥

[@eightykbeats]

Definitely a bit underappreciated. Still bumpin' it to this day!

[@trentonrestoule9318]

Views BEEN a gem of an album

[@harrywilkins3014]

You was ridingTTC metro, I had the place boomin

[@yilongwei4592]

listening to Views just make me feel like I'm living Drake's lavish life , just think about how much those high quality sounds and production would cost

[@chibsagu]

'High quality sounds and production' Lmao

[@yilongwei4592]

@@chibsagu you ain't feeling it that's OK

[@Kevin257]

Love “Views” it’s just such a chill album that you can vibe at anytime

[@flayedtwig4550]

simple answer: yes

[@nineteenct]

Weston Road Flows 🔥🔥

[@nathanhirmiz5792]

I adored views since release day. Classic.

[@TWardlawYT]

The CD is a classic, Western Road Flows, 9, Feel no ways, Child’s Play, Fired and desire, Views, Too Good 😌

[@Grt1n]

I hated this album when it came out but I had downloaded the whole thing anyways (thanks streaming). Then one day I played One Dance on the album by accident and I just kept it playing not realizing I was Vibing to the entire album. This album is up there IMO.

[@todhysteria]

It was highly slept on, it’s a classic, I still go back to this album atleast once a month

[@styl1ssttt]

views is one of the best drake albums from the 2010s imo

[@30thtm78]

All drake's albums are amazing

[@xboxboisatitsfinnecewadlo5194]

Lol

[@dubemmba9602]

They can all be classics if we’re being honest

[@xaviersanchez2270]

Views is a certified Toronto classic idc what anyone says, that summer when this came out Drake literally owned the radio. Controlla, western road flows, one dance, too good, Childs play in opinion this is Drakes peak he’ll never make an album this good again.

[@MrMishal03]

His best album and a classic! One of my all time favourite albums 💯

[@PRODingleballz]

Feel no ways and Fire and Desire are stillin hittin

[@ninjya_bakon]

U with me?, Weston Road Flows, Feel no ways and Hotline Bling are absolute gems.

[@AmandaAlexandraa]

I feel like for a lot of people they were iffy at first with this album but it definitely grew on them and became classic. Especially after hearing iyrtitl, there was definitely high expectations!

[@jayc5756]

I think that ppl may have expected something different or something. But now years later, Everybody...well most ppl say they love it and its a great album. So it is what it is

[@JamesReviews]

Feel No Ways and Weston Road Flows 🔥🔥🔥

[@Baababaadu]

Bruh this album was one album I couldn't ran away from during the summer of 2016 it was every where

[@sethseth2534]

this album turned him into a powerhouse whether you like it or not, it was all UP up from here

[@briansaenz1617]

This album is a movie I love that y’all making this video.

[@alexzavgarza]

i remember when views came out i had that on replay allllll day everyday…

[@spinitback8884]

Views was always a vibe. People can say what they want but it was cold.

[@PlantbasedPapi]

“Feel a way “ was a hiiiiit 🔥

[@levon.babayan]

Yes

[@rosedemai1230]

Yes, especially One Dance! 😊

[@samurai5258]

Here before 1 million views ❤️

[@janayarroyo22]

Absolutely 💯 just played controlla yesterday 👑

[@valdo4932]

Views is a classic to me

[@gie3973]

I think the general issue with this project was the lack of rap music on it , it took me a while to like it aswell. Must have been a year later when I thought damn, this project is great .

[@thehousegallery8663]

The album is a masterpiece.