Every Kendrick Lamar Album In Order Of Release

Long before his name was associated with one of the most infamous rap squabbles of all time, Kendrick Lamar had created a niche for himself as one of hip-hop’s most forward-thinking, conscious rappers. Because of that level of genius, his albums have become artifacts, specifically for Black culture. He began releasing mixtapes while still in high school, including Youngest Head N***a in Charge (Hub City Threat: Minor of the Year), which introduced him as a precocious voice from the West Coast. By 2005, he had signed with Top Dawg Entertainment, the label that would nurture his ascent into hip-hop royalty. Over the next few years, he dropped a string of increasingly polished mixtapes—Training Day (2005), No Sleep ‘Til NYC (2007, with Jay Rock), and C4 (2009), a tribute to Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III.

Shedding the K.Dot moniker in favor of his birth name, Lamar released his self-titled EP in 2009, signaling a creative shift. His breakthrough moment came with 2010’s Overly Dedicated, which cracked the Billboard charts and introduced a wider audience to the future Pulitzer winner. Since then, Lamar has released six studio albums, one compilation, five mixtapes, a soundtrack and an EP. In the United States alone, he has achieved five number-one albums on the Billboard 200 and racked up over 71 million album sale units worldwide, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As one of hip-hop’s most prolific lyricists, Lamar’s discography is a blueprint of creative evolution, introspection and resistance. Since emerging from the streets of Compton, Lamar has contributed to the rap conversation with each release by honing his craft, studying the greats and effortlessly tackling subjects like race, faith, trauma and America’s long-standing tensions with Black identity.

Kendrick Lamar’s Discography

Lamar is a Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper, songwriter and producer from Compton, California. He began his musical journey as a teenager under the moniker K.Dot, releasing his first mixtape at 16. His music is primarily inspired by West Coast rap, jazz, funk and soul with razor-sharp social commentary, storytelling and personal reflections. Known for concept-driven projects and a refusal to compromise his vision, Lamar has been praised for his witty lyricism, thematic depth and willingness to challenge the status quo. He has won 17 Grammy Awards and made history with his 2017 album DAMN., which earned him a Pulitzer Prize for Music, a first for a hip-hop artist. Despite his widespread success, Lamar hasn’t been immune to controversy. His layered verses sometimes attract criticism and debate, from critiques of mainstream hip-hop to religious allusions and social justice themes that unsettle listeners. Still, he represents a breath of fresh air in the hip-hop genre.

Kendrick Lamar’s Albums In Order Of Release

1. Section.80 (2011)
2. good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012)
3. To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)
4. DAMN. (2017)
5. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022)
6. GNX (2024)

With multiple Grammy wins and chart-topping projects, Kendrick Lamar’s catalog is widely considered one of the most important in 21st-century music. Whether you’re discovering his work for the first time or retracing his impact, Lamar’s albums provide an introspective look into an artist constantly refining his craft.

1. Section.80 (2011)

Lamar’s first studio album, Section.80, arrived on July 2, 2011 under Top Dawg Entertainment and introduced fans to his dense lyricism and socially conscious introspection. The project analyzed systemic injustice, addiction and generational trauma with a poeticism that was rare, especially in mainstream rap. Standouts like “A.D.H.D.” and “Ronald Reagan Era” showcased a young and rising rapper unafraid to challenge systems and provoke thought. While it didn’t earn major awards, Section.80 laid the groundwork for what would become one of hip-hop’s most critically acclaimed and commercially successful careers.

2. good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012)

Released on October 22, 2012, good kid, m.A.A.d city was Lamar’s breakout project and a defining album of the 2010s. Often referred to as a “short film by Kendrick Lamar,” the project is a concept album tracing a day in his teenage life in Compton, where joy, danger, faith and fear seemed to collide for Lamar. From the hypnotic “Backseat Freestyle” to the meditative “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst,” Lamar layered his narrative with prayerful voicemails, skits and a sense of impending doom. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys but lost. Nonetheless, good kid, m.A.A.d city became certified 3x Platinum and is widely cited as a modern masterpiece in hip-hop. The project also combined autobiographical storytelling with sonic innovation and features from Drake and Jay Rock, combined with hits like “Swimming Pools (Drank)” and “B—, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” helped to garner the work seven Grammy nominations and made it go triple platinum.

3. To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

Lamar’s third album, To Pimp a Butterfly, was released on March 16, 2015, and challenged the idea of what a traditional hip-hop album could be. In more ways than one, To Pimp a Butterfly became a combination of an academic thesis, a political statement, a sermon and a psychedelic jazz experiment. Drawing on inspiration from Miles Davis, George Clinton and Gil Scott-Heron, the album experimented with funk, soul and free jazz, all while discussing Black radical politics. “King Kunta” critiqued power structures, “The Blacker the Berry” grappled with internalized racism and “u” exposed mental health struggles. Its climax, “Mortal Man,” also included a fictional interview with Tupac Shakur. The album’s unapologetically Black political themes, from institutional racism to economic disenfranchisement, resonated during the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. Tracks like “Alright” became Black protest power anthems. The album earned Lamar five Grammy Awards and huge critical acclaim. It’s been hailed as a modern classic and cemented Lamar’s status as hip-hop’s poet laureate. While the album didn’t top the pop charts, it changed Black culture.

4. DAMN. (2017)

Lamar’s DAMN. is his most commercially successful album to date and a monumental achievement in music history. The 2017 release incorporated radio-friendly hits like “HUMBLE.” and “DNA.” with more profound philosophical musings on morality, loyalty and fate. It won five Grammys, including Best Rap Album, and made Lamar the first rapper to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. With its stripped-back production and layered lyricism, DAMN. solidified his reach as both a rap icon and commercial powerhouse. But beyond its recognition, DAMN. represented an important moment in Lamar’s evolution, where sober reflection met accessibility. Tracks like “FEAR.” and “DUCKWORTH.” offered haunting insights into survival and fate, while the album’s nonlinear sequencing and dual themes of “wickedness” and “weakness” compelled fans to engage with it as a spiritual and psychological work. It proved that Lamar could dominate charts without compromising substance, and it deepened his status as a hip-hop artist and a generational thinker shaping the cultural dialogue.

5. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022)

After a five-year hiatus, Lamar returned in 2022 with Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, a double album exploring therapy, generational trauma, fatherhood and fame. Even though it was more introspective and less commercially driven than DAMN., this album was raw and confessional, with records like “N95,” “Father Time” and “Mother I Sober.” The body of work featured artists like Baby Keem, Beth Gibbons and Sampha. It was praised and critiqued for its raw vulnerability and nonconformist structure. The album debuted at number one, adding to Lamar’s growing list of chart-topping projects. Mr. Morale symbolized a decisive turn inward, revealing a Lamar who was no longer preoccupied with acclaim but instead fixated on healing and truth-telling. The album pulled no punches as it addressed childhood trauma, infidelity, toxic masculinity and even cancel culture with a startling level of blunt honesty. The album also exposed Lamar as an artist at the peak of his introspective power, willing to sacrifice mass appeal to say something real. In doing so, Lamar challenged listeners to confront their wounds and expanded what hip-hop could be: a space for therapy, accountability and personal reckoning.

6. GNX (2024)

GNX, Lamar’s sixth studio album, arrived without warning on November 22, 2024, marking a new era for the rapper. Released through his creative imprint pgLang and Interscope Records, the album is his first since parting ways with longtime collaborators Top Dawg Entertainment and Aftermath. Titled after the iconic Buick Regal GNX, the project landed in the cultural conversation following Lamar’s headline-grabbing feud with Canadian rapper Drake, fueling speculation and anticipation. The guest list on GNX was expansive and surprising, featuring a mix of West Coast up-and-comers and established voices, including SZA, Roddy Ricch, Dody6, Wallie the Sensei, Lefty Gunplay, Siete7x, AzChike, Hitta J3, YoungThreat and Peysoh. The sonic palette was equally dynamic, shaped by longtime collaborator Sounwave and genre-crossing producer Jack Antonoff, alongside Mustard, Sean Momberger and jazz virtuoso Kamasi Washington. GNX debuted to widespread critical acclaim and entered the Billboard 200 at number one, securing Lamar’s fifth chart-topping album. The record reached number one in the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Australia, and charted within the top five in countries like Nigeria, France, Poland and Hungary. Supported by the singles “Squabble Up,” “TV Off” and “Luther,” the album has set the stage for the Grand National Tour, his collaborative tour with SZA, which is scheduled for the summer of 2025.

Bottom Line

Lamar’s rich discography has represented authentic storytelling, cultural commentary and sonic evolution. Each album has been more layered and ambitious than the last, and with each release, Lamar has proven to be a singular force in contemporary music, a visionary who refuses to be boxed in by genre, convention or commercial expectation. As his legacy continues to play out, Lamar remains not just one of the best lyricists of his generation but a cultural architect shaping the sound and soul of modern hip-hop.