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Alternative Hip-Hop · ranked by score

Best Alternative Hip-Hop Albums, Ranked

82 albums reviewed

Breaking the mold of mainstream rap, alternative hip-hop experiments with unconventional sounds, structures, and subject matter.

We have reviewed 82 Alternative Hip-Hop albums released between 1989 and 2026, averaging 7.5 out of 10. The highest score so far goes to Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city (9.1). Kanye West (7), Beastie Boys (4), Tyler, The Creator (4) appear more than once.

good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar album cover
9.1

The top of the pile

Highest-rated Alternative Hip-Hop albums

  1. 1
    Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012, 9.1)
    9.1
  2. 2
    Madvillain – Madvillainy (2004, 9.0)
    9.0
  3. 3
    A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory (1991, 9.0)
    9.0
  4. 4
    OutKast – Aquemini (1998, 8.9)
    8.9
  5. 5
    A Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders (1993, 8.8)
    8.8

Through the years

By decade

What defines Alternative Hip-Hop

Alternative hip-hop covers rap that sits outside the commercial center of its time: odd structures, unusual samples, rock or electronic influences, abstract or deeply personal writing. De La Soul and the Pharcyde, Outkast's later records, Madvillain and Death Grips all fall under the tag at different moments.

How we score it

Originality is weighted at 10%, the same as on every album, so strangeness alone does not lift a score. The scorecard asks whether the experiment produces songs worth returning to, which is why replay value often decides where these albums land. See the scoring methodology.

Ranked discographies

Kanye West albums rankedBeastie Boys albums rankedTyler, The Creator albums rankedA Tribe Called Quest albums rankedDrake albums rankedMac Miller albums rankedXXXTENTACION albums rankedA$AP Rocky albums rankedArmand Hammer albums rankedbilly woods albums rankedCommon albums rankedDanny Brown albums ranked

Every record, best first

All Alternative Hip-Hop reviews

good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar album cover9.1

good kid, m.A.A.d city

Kendrick Lamar

Hip-HopWest Coast
Madvillainy by Madvillain album cover9.0

Madvillainy

Madvillain

AlternativeHip-Hop
The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest album cover9.0

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

Hip-HopEast Coast
Aquemini by OutKast album cover8.9

Aquemini

OutKast

Hip-HopSouthern
XXX by Danny Brown album cover8.8

XXX

Danny Brown

Hip-HopAlternative
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz album cover8.8

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Little Simz

Hip-HopAlternative
Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest album cover8.8

Midnight Marauders

A Tribe Called Quest

Hip-HopEast Coast
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West album cover8.7

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West

Hip-HopAlternative
The Score by Fugees album cover8.6

The Score

Fugees

AlternativeEast Coast
Paul’s Boutique by Beastie Boys album cover8.6

Paul’s Boutique

Beastie Boys

Hip-HopAlternative
Atrocity Exhibition by Danny Brown album cover8.6

Atrocity Exhibition

Danny Brown

Hip-HopAlternative
CARE FOR ME by Saba album cover8.5

CARE FOR ME

Saba

Hip-HopConscious
Maps by billy woods album cover8.5

Maps

billy woods

Hip-HopAlternative
Labor Days by Aesop Rock album cover8.5

Labor Days

Aesop Rock

Hip-HopAlternative
We Buy Diabetic Test Strips by Armand Hammer album cover8.4

We Buy Diabetic Test Strips

Armand Hammer

Hip-HopAlternative
Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde by The Pharcyde album cover8.4

Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde

The Pharcyde

Hip-HopWest Coast
Room 25 by Noname album cover8.4

Room 25

Noname

Hip-HopAlternative
Aethiopes by billy woods album cover8.4

Aethiopes

billy woods

Hip-HopAlternative
Acid Rap by Chance the Rapper album cover8.4

Acid Rap

Chance the Rapper

Hip-HopAlternative
Haram by Armand Hammer album cover8.4

Haram

Armand Hammer

Hip-HopAlternative
Things Fall Apart by The Roots album cover8.4

Things Fall Apart

The Roots

Hip-HopEast Coast
Run the Jewels 2 by Run the Jewels album cover8.4

Run the Jewels 2

Run the Jewels

Hip-HopAlternative
Chromakopia by Tyler, The Creator album cover8.3

Chromakopia

Tyler, The Creator

AlternativeHip-Hop
Veteran by JPEGMAFIA album cover8.3

Veteran

JPEGMAFIA

Hip-HopAlternative
3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul album cover8.3

3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul

Hip-HopAlternative
Cheat Codes by Danger Mouse album cover8.3

Cheat Codes

Danger Mouse

Hip-HopAlternative
Kids See Ghosts by Kids See Ghosts album cover8.2

Kids See Ghosts

Kids See Ghosts

Hip-HopAlternative
Supa Dupa Fly by Missy Elliott album cover8.2

Supa Dupa Fly

Missy Elliott

Hip-HopAlternative
Big Fish Theory by Vince Staples album cover8.2

Big Fish Theory

Vince Staples

Hip-HopAlternative
Some Rap Songs by Earl Sweatshirt album cover8.2

Some Rap Songs

Earl Sweatshirt

Hip-HopAlternative
Run the Jewels 3 by Run the Jewels album cover8.2

Run the Jewels 3

Run the Jewels

Hip-HopAlternative
Faces by Mac Miller album cover8.1

Faces

Mac Miller

Hip-HopAlternative
Yeezus by Kanye West album cover8.1

Yeezus

Kanye West

Hip-HopAlternative
TA13OO by Denzel Curry album cover8.0

TA13OO

Denzel Curry

Hip-HopAlternative
Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor by Lupe Fiasco album cover8.0

Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor

Lupe Fiasco

Hip-HopAlternative
Operation: Doomsday by MF DOOM album cover8.0

Operation: Doomsday

MF DOOM

Hip-HopAlternative
The Forever Story by JID album cover8.0

The Forever Story

JID

Hip-HopAlternative
IGOR by Tyler, The Creator album cover8.0

IGOR

Tyler, The Creator

Hip-HopAlternative
Take Care by Drake album cover8.0

Take Care

Drake

Hip-HopAlternative
Control System by Ab‐Soul album cover7.9

Control System

Ab‐Soul

Hip-HopConscious
Resurrection by Common album cover7.9

Resurrection

Common

Hip-HopConscious
Saturation III by BROCKHAMPTON album cover7.8

Saturation III

BROCKHAMPTON

Hip-HopAlternative
Ill Communication by Beastie Boys album cover7.7

Ill Communication

Beastie Boys

AlternativeHip-Hop
LIVE.LOVE.A$AP by A$AP Rocky album cover7.6

LIVE.LOVE.A$AP

A$AP Rocky

Hip-HopEast Coast
Check Your Head by Beastie Boys album cover7.5

Check Your Head

Beastie Boys

Hip-HopAlternative
Nightmare Vacation by Rico Nasty album cover7.5

Nightmare Vacation

Rico Nasty

Hip-HopAlternative
Nothing Great About Britain by slowthai album cover7.5

Nothing Great About Britain

slowthai

Hip-HopAlternative
Hello Nasty by Beastie Boys album cover7.4

Hello Nasty

Beastie Boys

AlternativeEast Coast
Man On The Moon: The End Of Day by Kid Cudi album cover7.4

Man On The Moon: The End Of Day

Kid Cudi

Hip-HopAlternative
Section.80 by Kendrick Lamar album cover7.4

Section.80

Kendrick Lamar

Hip-HopWest Coast
God Loves Ugly by Atmosphere album cover7.4

God Loves Ugly

Atmosphere

Hip-HopAlternative
Attention Deficit by Wale album cover7.3

Attention Deficit

Wale

Hip-HopAlternative
“Disco!” by MIKE album cover7.3

“Disco!”

MIKE

Hip-HopAlternative
808s & Heartbreak by Kanye West album cover7.3

808s & Heartbreak

Kanye West

Hip-HopAlternative
Luv 4 Rent by Smino album cover7.3

Luv 4 Rent

Smino

Hip-HopAlternative
The Life of Pablo by Kanye West album cover7.2

The Life of Pablo

Kanye West

Hip-HopAlternative
Long. Live. ASAP by A$AP Rocky album cover7.2

Long. Live. ASAP

A$AP Rocky

East CoastAlternative
Don't Tap the Glass by Tyler, The Creator album cover7.1

Don't Tap the Glass

Tyler, The Creator

Hip-HopAlternative
Quality Control by Jurassic 5 album cover7.1

Quality Control

Jurassic 5

AlternativeHip-Hop
Swimming by Mac Miller album cover7.1

Swimming

Mac Miller

Hip-HopAlternative
Balloonerism by Mac Miller album cover7.0

Balloonerism

Mac Miller

AlternativeHip-Hop
The Album About Nothing by Wale album cover7.0

The Album About Nothing

Wale

Hip-HopAlternative
Awaken, My Love! by Childish Gambino album cover6.9

Awaken, My Love!

Childish Gambino

AlternativePop
The Love Movement by A Tribe Called Quest album cover6.8

The Love Movement

A Tribe Called Quest

Hip-HopEast Coast
More Life by Drake album cover6.8

More Life

Drake

Hip-HopAlternative
Heaven or Hell by Don Toliver album cover6.7

Heaven or Hell

Don Toliver

Hip-HopAlternative
Goodbye & Good Riddance by Juice WRLD album cover6.7

Goodbye & Good Riddance

Juice WRLD

Hip-HopAlternative
17 by XXXTENTACION album cover6.5

17

XXXTENTACION

Hip-HopAlternative
Goblin by Tyler, The Creator album cover6.4

Goblin

Tyler, The Creator

Hip-HopAlternative
Honestly, Nevermind by Drake album cover6.4

Honestly, Nevermind

Drake

Hip-HopAlternative
UTOPIA by Travis Scott album cover6.3

UTOPIA

Travis Scott

Hip-HopAlternative
ye by Kanye West album cover6.2

ye

Kanye West

Hip-HopAlternative
? by XXXTENTACION album cover6.0

?

XXXTENTACION

Hip-HopAlternative
Bully by Kanye West album cover6.0

Bully

Kanye West

Hip-HopAlternative
New Whirl Odor by Public Enemy album cover5.8

New Whirl Odor

Public Enemy

Hip-HopEast Coast
Universal Mind Control by Common album cover5.1

Universal Mind Control

Common

Hip-HopAlternative
Skins by XXXTENTACION album cover4.8

Skins

XXXTENTACION

AlternativeTrap
TRUE MAGIC by Mos Def album cover4.8

TRUE MAGIC

Mos Def

Hip-HopAlternative
Donda 2 by Kanye West album cover4.0

Donda 2

Kanye West

Hip-HopAlternative
Crown Royal by Run‐D.M.C. album cover3.9

Crown Royal

Run‐D.M.C.

Hip-HopEast Coast
Rebirth by Lil Wayne album cover3.8

Rebirth

Lil Wayne

Hip-HopAlternative
Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven by Kid Cudi album cover3.5

Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven

Kid Cudi

AlternativeHip-Hop

Related Genres

Jazz Rap