Drake is a rapper most known for his hits “God’s Plan,” “Nice For What,” “Nonstop,” & more.
The musician has worked with many popular rappers & has won five Grammy Awards with over 50 nominations.
He confirmed the official release date for his next album, For All The Dogs, on Sept. 6, 2023.
Will 2023 bring a new album for Drake? As many know, a Drake album is more than a release– it’s an event, one that usually shatters streaming and sales records. Drake (born Aubrey Graham), 36, released his most recent album, Honestly, Nevermind, in Jun. 2022, and is now ready to give listeners another impressive record!
His first studio album, Thank Me Later, was released in 2010 and topped both the charts in the United States and in his homeland of Canada. It’s currently certified Platinum by the RIAA, which remarkably is his lowest-selling album to date. 2011’s Take Care (with singles “Headlines,” “Make Me Proud,” “The Motto” and the title track team-up with Rihanna went platinum six times, a feat he would match five years later with 2016’s Views (“Hotline Bling,” “Pop Style,” and another collab with Rihanna, “Too Good.”)
In between Take Care and Views, Drake dropped 2013’s Nothing Was The Same, an album currently certified 4x Platinum. 2018’s Scorpion went Platinum five times, despite arriving to mixed reviews (it currently has a score of 67 on Metacritic, though none of Drake’s albums have a higher score than Nothing Was The Same’s 79). Even Drake’s mixtapes make money, with If Your Reading This It’s Too Late, What a Time to Be Alive, and More Life all getting certified Platinum (or more) by the RIAA. So, there’s clearly an audience that wants a new Drake Album.
Here’s what we know so far!
When Will Drake New Album Be Released?
The 36-year-old took to social media on Sept. 6, 2023, to announce the release date for his next album. “FOR ALL THE DOGS SEPTEMBER 22,” he captioned a video of a crowd cheering for his father, Dennis Graham. A few weeks prior, he teased the upcoming album by releasing the official artwork.
Drake took to Instagram on Aug. 21, 2023, to reveal the cover art for the record, which was notably illustrated by his son, Adonis, 5. The cover features a hand-drawn image of a dog with pointy ears and bright-red eyes. The animal is missing a snout, teeth, and a tail. This will be his first album release since 2022’s Her Loss.
What Is Drake’s New Album Called?
Drake seemingly announced the album’s name when he released the cover art in Aug. 2023. The new record is set to be titled For All The Dogs, as he captioned the post, “FOR ALL THE DOGS Cover by Adonis.” Soon after he shared the news, his 141 million followers went wild and took to the comments to react. “ADONIS COMING THRU WITH THE PICASSO,” one admirer gushed, while another added, “We need the release date.”
What’s Drake’s New Record Going To Sound Like?
Fans are eager to know what the new album will bring for Drake’s sound. Although no new details have been released, his most recent albums Honestly, Nevermind and Her Loss will likely be good examples to look at sound wise.
His 2021 album Scary Hours 2 featured “Wants and Needs” with Lil Baby, “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” with Rick Ross, and “What’s Next,” a song that debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. It dethroned Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” which ruled the roost for the prior eight weeks. The other two tracks debuted at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, making Drake the first artist in history to have three songs debut in the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100.
“What’s Next,” according to Rolling Stone’s Jeff Ihaza, features “Drake’s signature elastic flow punctuated by humble brags.” Still, the author noted that “you get the sense that bragging about being successful is getting tiresome, even for Drake.” On “Lemon Pepper Freestyle,” Drake and Rick Ross come off as “two hardened mob bosses who know their time is coming, whether it’s from a hungry new generation that’s increasingly difficult to predict, or from the pressures of adulthood.” The author also describes “Wants and Needs” as Lil Baby track that features Drake’s “new flow that manages to meander, sort of hypnotically.”
Drake could be priming himself for a second act, one where he’s a more mature — but still dynamic — figure in hip-hop. In 2020, he collaborated with Giveon, Headie One, Bryson Tiller, Popcaan, and Young Bleu. Earlier in 2021, he featured on Drakeo The Ruler’s “Talk to Me.” While Drake has, according to Rolling Stone, “been accused of leeching off of younger artists for relevance,” these recent features might hint at what his next album might sound like. It’s safe to expect a little R&B influence, possibly some Brooklyn or Latin-inspired Drill, and Drake’s signature weaving of his soft side with his tough-guy image.
Who Will Be Featured On Drake’s New Album?
As of Aug. 2023, it’s unclear who – if there anyone – will feature on this new album. Scorpion (2018) had features from Jay-Z (“Talk Up”) and Static Major and Ty Dolla Sign (“After Dark,”), but the album’s biggest songs were “God’s Plan,” “Nice For What,” and “In My Feelings.” Drake collaborated with 21 Savage in 2022 for their album, Her Loss, which another great example of his most recent style.
If Drake wants to silence those who think he’s washed and about to retire, he could recruit his fellow Toronto native (and frequent collaborator) The Weeknd for a collab. Following After Hours, The Weeknd is having arguably his hottest moment so that he could lend some shine to a Drake track. Champagne Papi could also bring PARTYNEXTDOOR, Popcaan, and other members of the OVO roster to contribute a verse.
What Songs Are On Drake’s New Album?
The official album’s song list has yet to be revealed by Drake. He is, however, currently on tour for his It’s All a Blur Tour. The tour kicked off in Jul. 2023 and is set to end in Oct. 2023. The proud dad made headlines ahead of releasing the cover art when he shared a photo with his son on Aug. 11, 2023. “‘Just because you put a guy in a tuxedo doesn’t make him a good guy’ – Allen Iverson,” he captioned the photo of him braiding his son’s hair. Watch this space for updates on For All The Dogs.
