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All Vince Staples Albums Ranked Best to Worst (2026)

Vince Staples has released seven studio albums, and this page ranks all seven, from Summertime '06 (2015) to Cry Baby (2026). His mixtapes — Shyne Coldchain Vol. 1, Winter in Prague, Stolen Youth and Shyne Coldchain II — and the EPs Hell Can Wait and Prima Donna are not ranked.

Vince Staples7 albums8 min readUpdated October 2026Hip-Hop

Quick Take

Consensus PeakSummertime '06No I.D.'s stark double album about Long BeachBoldest SwerveBig Fish TheoryDetroit techno meets dry Long Beach rapLate-Career PeakCry BabyHis first independent album, rock-edged and political

Why it ranks here

Summertime '06 is Vince Staples' defining statement: two short discs about the summer he says his youth was stolen in Long Beach. No I.D. produced most of it, with Clams Casino and DJ Dahi adding sharper edges, and the sound is sparse, bass-heavy and bleak. "Norf Norf" became a cult hit, "Señorita" and "Jump Off the Roof" are standouts, and the album scored 87 on Metacritic.

Context

His debut studio album, released June 30, 2015 through ARTium, Blacksmith and Def Jam; it debuted at No. 39 on the Billboard 200.

Highlights

  • Lift Me Up
  • Norf Norf
  • Jump Off the Roof
  • Señorita
  • Summertime

Weak Spots

  • At twenty songs, the second disc has a few interchangeable tracks
  • Its relentless bleakness can be hard going

Production

No I.D. · Clams Casino · DJ Dahi · Christian Rich

Influence

Set the template for his unsentimental Long Beach storytelling and showed No I.D. could build an album as stark as any of the era.

Replay Value

High — each disc runs under thirty minutes.

Why it ranks here

Big Fish Theory is Vince Staples' boldest swerve. Inspired by Detroit techno and UK club music, it pairs his dry voice with Zack Sekoff, Sophie, Flume, Jimmy Edgar and GTA, and Kendrick Lamar, Damon Albarn, Kilo Kish and Ty Dolla Sign appear. "Big Fish", "BagBak" and "Yeah Right" sound unlike any other rap of 2017, and the album scored 89 on Metacritic, the highest of his career.

Context

His second studio album, released June 23, 2017 through Blacksmith and Def Jam; it debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200.

Highlights

  • Crabs in a Bucket
  • Big Fish
  • 745
  • Yeah Right
  • BagBak

Weak Spots

  • The club production can overwhelm the writing
  • Thirty-six minutes leave a few ideas half-explored

Production

Zack Sekoff · Christian Rich · Sophie · Jimmy Edgar · Ray Brady · GTA

Read our full Big Fish Theory review →

Influence

Its fusion of rap with house and techno anticipated the club-rap crossovers of the following years.

Replay Value

Very high — built for both headphones and speakers.

Why it ranks here

Cry Baby is Vince Staples' first independent album and one of his most direct. It mixes political rap with rock and punk, and like Dark Times it has no guest artists, so the focus stays on him. Saint Mino and Mike Hector handle most of the production, and the singles "Blackberry Marmalade", "White Flag" and "Cotton" carry the album's anger. It scored 87 on Metacritic.

Context

His seventh studio album, released June 5, 2026 through Loma Vista and his own Section Eight Arthouse label, his first release as an independent artist.

Highlights

  • Blackberry Marmalade
  • Go! Go! Gorilla
  • White Flag
  • Only in America
  • Cotton

Weak Spots

  • Its newness makes its long-term place hard to judge
  • The rock textures will not suit every fan of his earlier sound

Production

Saint Mino · Mike Hector

Influence

Too new to measure, but its reception confirms he is still widening his sound a decade in.

Replay Value

High — ten songs in thirty-five minutes.

Why it ranks here

Dark Times is Vince Staples at his most inward. It is his first album without guest vocalists, and producers Michael Uzowuru and LeKen Taylor keep the sound soft and spacious, so the writing about fame, loss and Long Beach comes through. "Black&Blue", "Étouffée" and "Why Won't the Sun Come Out?" are among his most affecting songs, and Metacritic logged an 82.

Context

His sixth studio album, released May 24, 2024 through Blacksmith and Def Jam, and his last release with the label.

Highlights

  • Black&Blue
  • Government Cheese
  • Shame on the Devil
  • Étouffée
  • Why Won't the Sun Come Out?

Weak Spots

  • Its quiet register lacks the immediacy of his earlier albums
  • A few interludes feel unfinished

Production

Michael Uzowuru · LeKen Taylor · Saint Mino · Jay Versace · Cardo

Influence

Its stripped-down, guest-free approach carried straight into Cry Baby.

Replay Value

High — thirty-five minutes that reward close listening.

Why it ranks here

His self-titled fourth album is his shortest and most intimate. Kenny Beats produced every song, and the low-key beats leave room for Vince's anxious reflections on violence, trust and growing up. "Law of Averages" and "Are You with That?" are sharp singles, and "Take Me Home" with Fousheé is a quiet highlight. It scored 84 on Metacritic.

Context

Released July 9, 2021 through Motown and Blacksmith, his first album after moving from Def Jam to Motown.

Highlights

  • Are You with That?
  • Law of Averages
  • Sundown Town
  • Taking Trips
  • Take Me Home

Weak Spots

  • So brief it can feel like a sketch
  • The understated production rarely surprises

Production

Kenny Beats

Influence

Began the reflective, Ramona Park-centered run that continued on his next two albums.

Replay Value

High — short enough to loop.

Why it ranks here

Ramona Park Broke My Heart is named after the Long Beach neighborhood where Vince grew up and continues the conversational themes of his self-titled album on a bigger canvas. "Magic" with Mustard has a West Coast bounce, "Rose Street" and "When Sparks Fly" are tender, and "East Point Prayer" with Lil Baby works well. It scored 82 on Metacritic but is less distinctive than his best.

Context

His fifth studio album, released April 8, 2022 through Motown and Blacksmith.

Highlights

  • Aye! (Free the Homies)
  • DJ Quik
  • Magic
  • When Sparks Fly
  • Rose Street

Weak Spots

  • Sixteen tracks dilute the focus
  • Several songs drift by without leaving a mark

Production

LeKen Taylor · Saint Mino · Dahi · Mustard

Influence

Deepened the Ramona Park mythology that runs through his catalog.

Replay Value

Moderate to high — "Magic" and "Rose Street" are the returns.

Why it ranks here

FM! is framed as a takeover of Big Boy's Los Angeles radio show, with skits and short interludes from Earl Sweatshirt and Tyga between songs. Kenny Beats' production is bouncy and summery, and "Fun!", "Feels Like Summer" and "Run the Bands" are among his catchiest. NPR heard sharp commentary on how Black music is sold, and it scored 81 on Metacritic, but its brevity makes it the slightest album here.

Context

His third studio album, released November 2, 2018 through Blacksmith and Def Jam.

Highlights

  • Feels Like Summer
  • Outside!
  • Relay
  • Fun!
  • Tweakin'

Weak Spots

  • Barely twenty-two minutes, with skits
  • The radio concept is more frame than story

Production

Kenny Beats · Hagler

Influence

Began his partnership with Kenny Beats, who went on to produce all of his next album.

Replay Value

High — it plays like a mixtape you finish without noticing.

Essay

The Complete Picture

Vince Staples' catalog is a run of strong albums with no real low point. Summertime '06 is the classic, Big Fish Theory the boldest swerve, and Cry Baby a late-career peak; the Kenny Beats and Motown-era records in between are shorter and quieter but just as sharp.

Start with Summertime '06, then Big Fish Theory to hear how far he can stretch, and Dark Times or Cry Baby for the mature version of him.

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Vince Staples Albums in Order

  1. 2015Summertime '06Ranked #1
  2. 2017Big Fish TheoryRanked #2
  3. 2018FM!Ranked #7
  4. 2021Vince StaplesRanked #5
  5. 2022Ramona Park Broke My HeartRanked #6
  6. 2024Dark TimesRanked #4
  7. 2026Cry BabyRanked #3

Vince Staples Albums: Common Questions

What is the best Vince Staples album?
We rank Summertime '06 (2015) as the best Vince Staples album, with a score of 9.0/10: A cold, cinematic double album about a lost summer.
How many Vince Staples albums are ranked here?
This ranking covers 7 Vince Staples projects, released between 2015 and 2026.
What is the earliest Vince Staples album in this ranking?
Summertime '06 (2015) is the earliest release in this list. We rank it #1.
What is the most recent Vince Staples album in this ranking?
Cry Baby (2026) is the most recent release in this list. We rank it #3.
Which Vince Staples album is ranked lowest?
FM! (2018) sits at #7 with a score of 7.7/10.