ReviewsListsDiscographyArtistsGenresCover ArtAbout
Discography Ranked

All Ab-Soul Albums Ranked Best to Worst (2026)

Ab-Soul has released six studio albums, and this page ranks all six, from Longterm Mentality (2011) to Soul Burger (2024). His early mixtapes Longterm and Longterm 2: Lifestyles of the Broke and Almost Famous and his work with Black Hippy are not ranked.

Ab-Soul6 albums7 min readUpdated October 2026West Coast Hip-Hop

Quick Take

Consensus PeakControl SystemMetacritic 83 and a defining TDE albumThe DebutLongterm MentalityKendrick, Q and Jhené on his first retail albumMost UnderratedSoul BurgerA tight tribute to a late friend

Why it ranks here

Finished in the shadow of the death of his longtime girlfriend and collaborator Alori Joh in February 2012, Control System balances Illuminati-baiting wordplay with raw mourning on "The Book of Soul". Kendrick Lamar joins him on "ILLuminate", Danny Brown and Jhené Aiko on "Terrorist Threats". It scored 83 on Metacritic, Pitchfork gave it 8.1, and Complex named it the 20th best album of 2012.

Context

His second album, released May 11, 2012 on TDE, initially only through iTunes; it entered the Billboard 200. The back cover carries a dedication to Alori Joh.

Highlights

  • Bohemian Grove
  • Pineal Gland
  • Mixed Emotions
  • ILLuminate
  • The Book of Soul

Weak Spots

  • Over seventy minutes long
  • Some conspiracy material has dated

Production

Tae Beast · Sounwave · Dave Free · Skhye Hutch · Tommy Black

Influence

Established him as the most intricate lyricist in Black Hippy and remains the album his reputation rests on.

Replay Value

Very high.

Why it ranks here

His first retail release followed a run of TDE projects by Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul has said he used them as reference points while trying to stand apart. The production from Tae Beast, Sounwave and others is warm and jazzy, and Kendrick on "Moscato", Schoolboy Q on "Hell Yeah" and Jhené Aiko on "Nothin' New" round it out. Critics received it warmly.

Context

Released April 5, 2011 through Top Dawg Entertainment; it reached No. 73 on the R&B/hip-hop albums chart.

Highlights

  • Real Thinkers
  • Gone Insane
  • Nothin' New
  • Moscato
  • Almost There

Weak Spots

  • Nearly an hour with some generic stretches
  • Less distinctive than Control System

Production

Tae Beast · Sounwave · Ayiro · AAyhasis · Tommy Black

Influence

Part of the 2011 TDE run that set up Black Hippy's breakout.

Replay Value

High; it rewards repeat listens.

Why it ranks here

These Days... widened his sound with beats from Purity Ring, DJ Dahi, J. Cole, Kenny Beats and Mac Miller (as Larry Fisherman), and guests from SZA to Lupe Fiasco, Rick Ross, Action Bronson and Danny Brown. It debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200, his highest peak, but scored 70 on Metacritic, and The A.V. Club called it an oddly distant album.

Context

Released June 24, 2014 on TDE, with first-week US sales of about 21,800 copies.

Highlights

  • God's Reign
  • Tree of Life
  • World Runners
  • Closure
  • Stigmata

Weak Spots

  • Nearly ninety minutes long
  • Guest-heavy and unfocused

Production

Purity Ring · DJ Dahi · Tae Beast · J. Cole · Larry Fisherman

Influence

Its wider sound and star guests marked his move toward a bigger audience.

Replay Value

Moderate.

Why it ranks here

Named for his best friend Doeburger, who died in December 2021 and is credited as a writer on every track, Soul Burger is his tightest album in a decade at fifteen songs and fifty-four minutes. Producers include 9th Wonder, Beat Butcha, Sounwave and Schoolboy Q, and guests include Doechii, JID, Vince Staples and Lupe Fiasco. Complex ranked it No. 35 among 2024's albums.

Context

His sixth album, released November 8, 2024 on TDE; lead single "Squeeze 1st 2" nods to a Jay-Z song.

Highlights

  • 9 Mile
  • California Dream
  • Squeeze 1st 2
  • Crazier
  • Peace

Weak Spots

  • Received less attention than his early albums
  • Some features overshadow him

Production

9th Wonder · Beat Butcha · Sounwave · Schoolboy Q · Tae Beast

Influence

Led to the World Famous Soul Burger Tour in 2025.

Replay Value

Moderate to high.

Why it ranks here

Titled after his birth name, Herbert Anthony Stevens IV, his first album in six years gathers DJ Premier, Hit-Boy, Boi-1da, DJ Dahi and James Blake among its producers, with Joey Badass, Big Sean and Jhené Aiko as guests. The reception was lukewarm: Pitchfork and The Needle Drop both gave it 6 out of 10.

Context

Released December 16, 2022 on TDE after four singles, beginning with "Hollandaise" in April.

Highlights

  • Hollandaise
  • Moonshooter
  • Do Better
  • Herbert
  • Gotta Rap

Weak Spots

  • Sixty-six minutes and eighteen tracks
  • Big-name production that rarely coheres

Production

DJ Premier · Hit-Boy · Boi-1da · DJ Dahi · Sounwave

Influence

Ended a six-year gap between albums.

Replay Value

Moderate.

Why it ranks here

Titled after an Aleister Crowley quote that Ab-Soul reads as a statement of free will, and described by him as a love story, Do What Thou Wilt. runs seventy-seven minutes with producers from Mike Will Made It to WondaGurl. Mac Miller and Rapsody appear on "The Law". Reviews split sharply: HipHopDX praised it, but Pitchfork gave it 4.4 and it scored 64 on Metacritic, the lowest of his albums tracked there.

Context

Released December 9, 2016 on TDE; it reached No. 34 on the Billboard 200.

Highlights

  • Braille
  • Huey Knew THEN
  • D.R.U.G.S.
  • Evil Genius
  • The Law

Weak Spots

  • Pitchfork's 4.4 reflected real problems with focus
  • Several tracks split into overlong suites

Production

Pakk Music Group · Skhye Hutch · Bentley Haze · Mike Will Made It · WondaGurl

Influence

Its reception preceded the longest gap of his career.

Replay Value

Moderate.

Essay

The Complete Picture

Control System is Ab-Soul's defining record and one of the best albums TDE released in its early-2010s peak. Longterm Mentality is a strong debut, These Days... a glossier, uneven follow-up, and the later albums each contain great verses inside long, unfocused tracklists. Soul Burger, built as a tribute to a late friend, is the most coherent of the recent records.

Start with Control System, then Longterm Mentality to hear where it came from.

Read next
More discographies →Latest reviews →

Ab-Soul Albums in Order

  1. 2011Longterm MentalityRanked #2
  2. 2012Control SystemRanked #1
  3. 2014These Days...Ranked #3
  4. 2016Do What Thou Wilt.Ranked #6
  5. 2022HerbertRanked #5
  6. 2024Soul BurgerRanked #4

Ab-Soul Albums: Common Questions

What is the best Ab-Soul album?
We rank Control System (2012) as the best Ab-Soul album, with a score of 8.8/10: Grief and conspiracy in TDE's golden year.
How many Ab-Soul albums are ranked here?
This ranking covers 6 Ab-Soul projects, released between 2011 and 2024.
What is the earliest Ab-Soul album in this ranking?
Longterm Mentality (2011) is the earliest release in this list. We rank it #2.
What is the most recent Ab-Soul album in this ranking?
Soul Burger (2024) is the most recent release in this list. We rank it #4.
Which Ab-Soul album is ranked lowest?
Do What Thou Wilt. (2016) sits at #6 with a score of 6.4/10.