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Discography Ranked

All The Game Albums Ranked Best to Worst (2026)

The Game has released eleven studio albums, and this page ranks all eleven, from The Documentary (2005) to The Documentary III (2026). The independently released Untold Story (2004), his compilations, soundtrack albums and mixtapes are not ranked.

The Game11 albums13 min readUpdated October 2026West Coast Hip-Hop

Quick Take

Consensus PeakThe Documentary586,000 copies in its first weekThe RivalDoctor's AdvocateA No. 1 album without Dr. DreBest Later AlbumThe Documentary 2A 75 on Metacritic ten years on

Why it ranks here

The major-label debut is the record the rest of the catalog is measured against. Pitchfork called it "the best West Coast street-rap album since DJ Quik's 2002 LP Under tha Influence" and described the production as "a rich, triumphant sonic tapestry", and Billboard named it one of the best rap albums of its year. The complaints were about the rapping more than the music: The A.V. Club praised the beats and criticized how often he drops other rappers' names.

Context

Released January 18, 2005 through Aftermath, G-Unit and Interscope, with guests including 50 Cent, Eminem, Nate Dogg and Faith Evans. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 586,000 copies in its first week and holds a 72 on Metacritic. It is his only album on all three labels: he left after a feud with 50 Cent.

Highlights

  • Hate It or Love It
  • How We Do
  • Dreams
  • Westside Story
  • Put You on the Game

Weak Spots

  • Constant references to other rappers and albums
  • Robert Christgau dismissed it outright

Production

Dr. Dre · Kanye West · Scott Storch · Timbaland · Just Blaze · Cool & Dre

Read our full The Documentary review →

Influence

Certified double platinum by the RIAA in March 2005, with 2.5 million copies sold in the US by that November. "Hate It or Love It" earned two Grammy nominations, and the album is often credited with reviving interest in West Coast rap.

Replay Value

High. The singles and the production carry it.

Why it ranks here

Made after his split from Aftermath and G-Unit, the second album set out to show the debut was not only the work of its executive producers. AllMusic wrote that "every track here is as good as or better than those on his debut", and The New York Times heard it as sounding "much more like a Los Angeles album than its predecessor". Not everyone agreed: Entertainment Weekly felt it did not live up to the first album, and Rolling Stone called it "a middling yet pleasurable record".

Context

Released November 14, 2006 through Geffen, with no production from Dr. Dre. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with about 358,000 copies in its first week, his second chart-topping album in a row, and received an average score of 73 out of 100 from 20 reviews.

Highlights

  • It's Okay (One Blood)
  • Let's Ride
  • Wouldn't Get Far

Weak Spots

  • AllMusic found it "nothing new" after the debut
  • Runs more than 73 minutes

Production

Kanye West · Just Blaze · Scott Storch · Hi-Tek · will.i.am · Swizz Beatz

Influence

Had sold 969,000 copies in the US by October 2007. It is the album most often set against The Documentary in arguments over his best work.

Replay Value

High throughout.

Why it ranks here

Ten years after the debut, the sequel arrived as the first half of a two-part project and drew some of the strongest reviews of his career: a 75 on Metacritic and 4.5 out of 5 stars from Billboard. It gathers much of West Coast rap's past and present in one place.

Context

Released October 9, 2015 through Blood Money and eOne, with guests including Dr. Dre, Drake, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and Future. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 95,000 album-equivalent units.

Highlights

  • 100
  • On Me
  • Step Up

Weak Spots

  • Another album of more than 73 minutes
  • Leans heavily on its guests

Production

Boi-1da · DJ Premier · Hit-Boy · Mike WiLL Made-It · Cool & Dre · will.i.am

Influence

His seventh top-ten album in the United States.

Replay Value

Good overall.

Why it ranks here

Released one week after The Documentary 2 as the other half of the same project. It has the higher Metacritic score of the two, a 79, though from only six reviews, and it sold about half as much in its first week.

Context

Released October 16, 2015 through Blood Money and eOne, with guests including Nas, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, DJ Quik, Busta Rhymes and will.i.am. It debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 with 48,000 album-equivalent units.

Highlights

  • El Chapo
  • Like Father Like Son 2
  • Magnus Carlsen

Weak Spots

  • Follows a 73-minute album with another one a week later
  • Fewer reviews to judge it by

Production

DJ Quik · The Alchemist · DJ Mustard · Battlecat · DJ Khalil · Skrillex

Influence

His eighth top-ten album in the United States.

Replay Value

Good overall.

Why it ranks here

Released on his fortieth birthday and advertised as his final album, Born 2 Rap has the highest Metacritic score in his catalog, an 82, from four reviews. AllMusic called it "a dense volume of street storytelling and especially reflective lyricism". The length is the issue: NME wrote that "there's a flawless project somewhere among the album's 25 tracks, which could certainly do with trimming", and HipHopDX said it "feels more like a playlist".

Context

Released November 29, 2019 through Prolific and eOne, with guests including Ed Sheeran, 21 Savage, Anderson .Paak, Nipsey Hussle, Chris Brown and Miguel. He resumed recording in 2021.

Highlights

  • West Side
  • Stainless
  • Welcome Home

Weak Spots

  • 25 tracks and 90 minutes
  • The score rests on only four reviews

Production

Swizz Beatz · Streetrunner · DJ Khalil · Focus... · Travis Barker

Influence

The best-reviewed album of his independent years.

Replay Value

Moderate. Better in parts than in one sitting.

Why it ranks here

His fifth album is built around a religious theme, and reviewers responded to the focus. XXL called it "a praiseworthy album blessed with sterling features", and The Washington Post wrote that although "a few songs stray from the main concept", it mostly "sticks to its compelling theme". It holds a 66 on Metacritic from 13 reviews.

Context

Released December 11, 2012 through DGC and Interscope, his last album for both labels. At under 57 minutes it is one of the shorter albums in the catalog.

Highlights

  • Celebration
  • All That (Lady)
  • Ali Bomaye
  • I Remember

Weak Spots

  • Some songs leave the concept behind
  • Relies on a long list of guests

Production

Cool & Dre · Boi-1da · Jake One · S1 · Dr. Dre

Influence

The last album released on DGC Records before the label became inactive in 2013.

Replay Value

Good overall.

Why it ranks here

The third album split critics more than the first two. USA Today gave it a perfect score, and AllMusic called it a "scattershot album" that "is easy to recommend despite its flaws". It holds a 65 on Metacritic from 20 reviews.

Context

Released August 26, 2008 through Geffen, with guests including Lil Wayne, Nas, Ice Cube, Common, Raekwon, Ne-Yo and Keyshia Cole. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with about 239,000 copies, narrowly behind Slipknot's All Hope Is Gone after a recount of that week's sales.

Highlights

  • My Life
  • Game's Pain
  • Dope Boys
  • Camera Phone
  • Let Us Live

Weak Spots

  • More than 76 minutes long
  • Uneven from song to song

Production

Kanye West · Cool & Dre · Scott Storch · J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League · Hi-Tek · J. R. Rotem

Influence

The close chart race led to what was described as the first SoundScan recount requested by a label.

Replay Value

Moderate. Best for its singles.

Why it ranks here

At 53 minutes and with only two credited guests, 1992 is the leanest album of his later years. Its Wikipedia article documents no critical reception, so this placement is provisional and based on the album's place in the catalog.

Context

Released October 14, 2016 through Blood Money and eOne, with guest appearances from Jeremih and Jason Derulo. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with 32,000 album-equivalent units.

Highlights

  • All Eyez
  • True Colors / It's On
  • Baby You

Weak Spots

  • Little documented critical coverage

Production

Cool & Dre · Scott Storch · Terrace Martin · BongoByTheWay

Influence

His ninth top-ten album in the United States.

Replay Value

Moderate.

Why it ranks here

Three years separated LAX from its follow-up, and the result has the lowest Metacritic score of his major-label albums, a 61 from 16 reviews. AllMusic heard "an obsession-free, almost relatable success", while The A.V. Club wrote that he "runs himself ragged trying to realize the masterpiece he pictures in his head".

Context

Released August 23, 2011 through DGC and Interscope, with Dr. Dre, Pharrell Williams and Mars as executive producers and guests including Snoop Dogg, Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 98,000 copies, replacing Watch the Throne.

Highlights

  • Red Nation
  • Pot of Gold
  • Martians vs Goblins

Weak Spots

  • More than 72 minutes long
  • Slant found it crowded with guests

Production

Cool & Dre · DJ Khalil · DJ Premier · Hit-Boy · Pharrell · Dr. Dre

Influence

His third and, so far, last No. 1 album on the Billboard 200.

Replay Value

Moderate.

Why it ranks here

Announced the evening before its release, the eleventh album continues the series that began with his debut. Early reviews were mixed, praising the production and performances and questioning some of the subject matter. With little coverage so far, this placement is provisional.

Context

Released August 21, 2026 through Numinati and FTS Global Management, with guests including Black Thought, Drake, E-40, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg and YG.

Highlights

  • No Brakes
  • The Part
  • LA Monster

Weak Spots

  • Mixed early reviews
  • Too recent to judge

Production

Cool & Dre · Conductor Williams · Statik Selektah · Mike & Keys · London on da Track

Influence

Too recent to judge.

Replay Value

Unknown so far.

Why it ranks here

The tenth album is the longest and the least well received, with a 59 on Metacritic from five reviews. Pitchfork gave it 5.7 out of 10 and called it "exhausting" for its length and "frustrating" for how it borrows from other styles and older artists.

Context

Released August 12, 2022 through 100 Entertainment and Virgin, with guests including Kanye West, Big Sean and Drake. It debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 with 25,000 album-equivalent units.

Highlights

  • Eazy
  • Stupid
  • The Black Slim Shady

Weak Spots

  • 159 minutes long
  • Pitchfork found its references to other styles and older artists frustrating

Production

Timbaland · Swizz Beatz · Mike Dean · Hit-Boy · DJ Mustard

Influence

Includes "Eazy", made with Kanye West, and "The Black Slim Shady", a diss track aimed at Eminem.

Replay Value

Low as a full album.

Scores come from each album’s scorecard review. A score marked ~ is an editorial estimate for an album we have not reviewed in full yet. Albums are ranked by score; ties keep our editorial order.

Essay

The Complete Picture

The Documentary and Doctor's Advocate are the two albums critics still argue over as his best, the first made with Dr. Dre and 50 Cent and the second made to prove he did not need them. The 2015 pair, The Documentary 2 and 2.5, is the strongest of the later work, and Born 2 Rap has the best reviews of his independent years despite its length.

Start with The Documentary, then Doctor's Advocate. After those, The Documentary 2 is the best way into the second half of the catalog.

Read next
Full artist profile →More discographies →Latest reviews →

The Game Albums in Order

  1. 2005The DocumentaryRanked #1
  2. 2006Doctor's AdvocateRanked #2
  3. 2008LAXRanked #7
  4. 2011The R.E.D. AlbumRanked #9
  5. 2012Jesus PieceRanked #6
  6. 2015The Documentary 2Ranked #3
  7. 2015The Documentary 2.5Ranked #4
  8. 20161992Ranked #8
  9. 2019Born 2 RapRanked #5
  10. 2022Drillmatic – Heart vs. MindRanked #11
  11. 2026The Documentary IIIRanked #10

The Game Albums: Common Questions

What is the best The Game album?
We rank The Documentary (2005) as the best The Game album, with a score of 7.3/10: The debut that put the West Coast back on the charts.
How many The Game albums are ranked here?
This ranking covers 11 The Game projects, released between 2005 and 2026.
What is the earliest The Game album in this ranking?
The Documentary (2005) is the earliest release in this list. We rank it #1.
What is the most recent The Game album in this ranking?
The Documentary III (2026) is the most recent release in this list. We rank it #10.
Which The Game album is ranked lowest?
Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind (2022) sits at #11 with an estimated score of 5.2/10.