ICEMAN by Drake

Drake ICEMAN

42
ChoruScore
10 reviews
Established consensus
May 15, 2026
Release Date
OVO/Republic
Label
Established consensus Mostly negative consensus

Drake's ICEMAN greets the listener as a bruised spectacle - a sprawling, grievance-fueled collection that critics say reveals more about celebrity grievance than creative rebirth. Across professional reviews, the record's moments of brittle vulnerability and radio-ready confrontation are outweighed by excess, bloat, an

Reviews
10 reviews
Last Updated
Jun 25, 2026
Confidence
89%
Scale
0-100 critics
Primary Praise

The best song is argued as "Firm Friends" because it represents the album's nadir and most toxic moments.

Primary Criticism

The best song, "Make Them Pay", stands out because it combines focus and striking lines amid a bloated tracklist.

Who It Fits

Best for listeners looking for vulnerability and beef with Kendrick Lamar, starting with National Treasures and Make Them Know.

Standout Tracks
National Treasures Make Them Know Ran To Atlanta

Full consensus notes

Drake's ICEMAN greets the listener as a bruised spectacle - a sprawling, grievance-fueled collection that critics say reveals more about celebrity grievance than creative rebirth. Across professional reviews, the record's moments of brittle vulnerability and radio-ready confrontation are outweighed by excess, bloat, and recurrent self-pity, leaving the question of whether ICEMAN is any good answered with qualified skepticism.

The critical consensus landed at a 41.8/100 score across 10 professional reviews, with reviewers consistently noting uneven quality control and recycled formulas. Critics praised isolated standouts: “National Treasures” and “Burning Bridges” drew repeated nods for eerie synths and moodier production, while “Make Them Know” and “Make Them Cry” appear in several roundups as sharper expressions of vulnerability or confrontation. Reviewers from The Guardian, Pitchfork, and Slant Magazine highlighted how those best tracks balance atmosphere with pointed lyricism, but they also warned that too many songs collapse into bravado, petty diss tracks, or low-energy R&B filler.

While some critics found moments of creative spark and radio-ready hooks, many framed the project as spectacle-first - a livestream and publicity machinery that amplifies drama more than songwriting. Several reviews compare the record unfavorably to Drake's stronger work, calling attention to shrinking friendships, label disputes, and a recurring feud narrative that shadows the music. In short, reviewers agree that the best songs on ICEMAN are worth seeking out, but the album's overabundance and inconsistent production dilute those highs.

For a deeper read into why critics regard certain cuts as highlights and why the record feels bloated, the full reviews below unpack the highs and the many lows of ICEMAN.

Critics' Top Tracks

The standout songs that made critics take notice

1

National Treasures

2 mentions

"we can see the 6ix God at his most focussed on tracks like ‘National Treasures"
Clash Music
2

Make Them Know

1 mention

"I’ll never forget that July, the worst that I’ve felt in a while"
Clash Music
3

Ran To Atlanta

5 mentions

"Ran to Atlanta" credits eight producers, including Atlanta heavy-hitters Wheezy and Southside, and yet it sounds so limp and thin"
Pitchfork
the issue is that the great moments are adrift amid a lot of underwhelming stuff: filler along the lines of Janice STFU ... and B’s on the Table, during which guest 21 Savage sounds as if he’s bored out of his mind.
T
The Guardian
about "B’s On The Table"
Read full review
5 mentions
39% sentiment

Track Ratings

How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.

View:
1

Make Them Cry

3 mentions
05:07
2

Dust

3 mentions
41
03:09
3

Whisper My Name

0 mentions
03:42
4

Janice STFU

4 mentions
58
03:57
5

Ran To Atlanta

5 mentions
93
04:07
6

Shabang

1 mention
5
03:08
7

Make Them Pay

3 mentions
05:01
8

Burning Bridges

2 mentions
75
03:45
9

National Treasures

2 mentions
100
03:20
10

B’s On The Table

5 mentions
58
02:17
11

What Did I Miss?

1 mention
03:14
12

Plot Twist

0 mentions
03:15
13

2 Hard 4 The Radio

1 mention
83
03:03
14

Make Them Remember

3 mentions
53
05:23
15

Little Birdie

1 mention
9
02:56
16

Don’t Worry

1 mention
9
04:06
17

Firm Friends

2 mentions
19
05:02
18

Make Them Know

1 mention
100
04:08

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What Critics Are Saying

Deep insights from 16 critics who reviewed this album

Critic's Take

Drake arrives on ICEMAN bruised and reflective, and the best tracks - notably “Make Them Pay” and “Make Them Know” - are where that vulnerability cuts deepest. Joe Simpson writes with a measured frustration, praising moments of razor-sharp penmanship on “National Treasures” while lamenting the album’s filler and lack of quality control. The review positions these songs as the best tracks on ICEMAN because they balance emotional exposure with focus, even as the project is diluted by excess. Overall, Simpson frames the album as sometimes brilliant but ultimately bloated, making the standout songs feel like punctuation rather than the spine of the record.

Key Points

  • The best song, "Make Them Pay", stands out because it combines focus and striking lines amid a bloated tracklist.
  • The album’s core strengths are its moments of vulnerability and sharp pen, though those are undermined by filler and lack of quality control.

Themes

vulnerability beef with Kendrick Lamar aging and reputation inconsistent quality streaming-driven bloat

Critic's Take

Jayson Greene dissects Drake's ICEMAN with a weary, acidic patience that lands hardest on tracks like “Firm Friends” and “Make Them Pay”. He paints the best songs as moments where Drake briefly sharpens his aim, but the music mostly drifts into the same grousing, self-pitying grooves that have hollowed his recent work. Overall, the review treats the supposed standouts as tastefully poisonous curios rather than triumphant returns, the pleasures fleeting and begrudging.

Key Points

  • The best song is argued as "Firm Friends" because it represents the album's nadir and most toxic moments.
  • ICEMAN's core strengths are occasional sharp insults and brief moments of vitriol, undermined by repetitive grievances and flimsy production.

Themes

repetition and self-pity stream inflation and industry grievance declining production quality score-settling and petty insults

Critic's Take

Drake overwhelms rather than rewards on ICEMAN, the reviewer’s voice cutting straight to the album's glut of material and its diminishing returns. The critic frames the release as an excess - forty-three songs and two-and-a-half hours - and suggests that the sheer volume makes it a trying listen, which is central to why the best tracks fail to shine. Mention of the album alongside the additional releases implies that none of the standout moments are rescued by context, leaving listeners asking which are the best tracks on ICEMAN and finding the answer unsatisfying. The tone is blunt, sardonic, and dismissive, and it positions quantity as the chief flaw that buries any individual song merits.

Key Points

  • The review implies no clear standout song because the album's excess drowns individual tracks.
  • The album's core strength is ambition and scale, but that same scale becomes its primary weakness.

Themes

excess overload listener fatigue
40

Critic's Take

In his characteristically weary, mordant voice Ed Power finds the best moments on ICEMAN not in triumph but in barbed confrontation, notably on “Janice STFU” and “Make Them Remember” where Drake lashes out with thinly veiled shots. Power’s prose is scathing and conversational, and he frames the album as a listless, self‑pitying response to the Kendrick Lamar feud rather than a triumphant set of best songs on ICEMAN. The reviewer highlights how the AutoTune snap of “Janice STFU” and the accusatory lines on “Make Them Remember” are among the handful of tracks that actually register, even if they fail to lift the record. Overall the sense is that the so‑called standouts are marooned in a fog of mediocrity, moments of bite in an otherwise beige album.

Key Points

  • The best song moments are the confrontational tracks - “Janice STFU” and “Make Them Remember” - because they contain the album's rare sparks of ire.
  • ICEMAN’s core strength is Drake’s knack for performative introspection, but it is undermined by listless delivery and bland production.

Themes

self‑pity feud with Kendrick Lamar introspection blandness/mediocrity anger
40

Critic's Take

In a defensive mood on ICEMAN, Drake leans into rap-mode confrontation and the Kendrick Lamar feud, and the best tracks - notably “Dust” and “Ran To Atlanta” - are the clearest expressions of that energy. “Janice STFU” offers glimmers of pop appeal, while “B’s On The Table” stands out for its guest slot and a slowly growing hook that hints at what the album could have been. The record sputters across 18 songs with repetitive beat switches and self-pitying lyrics that make even its bright spots feel muted.

Key Points

  • The best song moments come from tracks that confront the Kendrick Lamar feud directly, especially "Dust" and "Ran To Atlanta".
  • ICEMAN's core strengths are occasional hooks and guest spots, but they are undermined by repetitive beat changes and self-pitying lyrics.

Critic's Take

Drake sounds drained and defensive on ICEMAN, a record that trades on familiar tricks rather than discovery. The review singles out “Dust” and “Shabang” as examples of the album’s weary posturing, where boastful lines land as evidence of creative stagnation. The result is an album of tired signatures rather than memorable songs, so the best songs here register more as curiosities than triumphs.

Key Points

  • The best song mentions ("Dust") are notable only because they illustrate Drake's exhausted flexing rather than musical triumph.
  • ICEMAN’s core strength is polished production, but its weaknesses are lethargic delivery and lack of memorable songwriting.

Themes

decline bravado uninspired production irrelevance auto-tune/trap reliance

Critic's Take

In this piece Miranda Wollen tracks Drake’s theater of excess on HABIBTI, noting the triple-release spectacle and a record full of jabby, attention-seeking moments. She writes in an amused, slightly scornful tone, cataloguing the digs and public stunts while implying the music is subsidiary to the performance. The review makes clear the album’s best moments are those that register as crisp, pointed blows in the diss catalogue - songs that deliver clear, quotable lines - but Wollen suggests the overall listening experience is weighed down by cornball theatrics. If you search for the best songs on HABIBTI, the review points you toward the tracks that concretely land lines and public jabs rather than sprawling indulgences.

Key Points

  • The reviewer implies the best songs are the ones that land sharp, quotable disses amid the spectacle.
  • The album’s core strength is Drake’s ability to manufacture headlines and memorable lines, even if the music often feels secondary.

Themes

publicity stunts dissing rivals excess and self-mythologizing

Critic's Take

Drake arrives on ICEMAN bruised and candid, and the best songs on ICEMAN - notably “Make Them Cry” and “Make Them Pay” - do the emotional heavy lifting, alternating hurt with full-throated confrontation. The album’s quieter, reflective moments give way to sharper, radio-ready cuts like “Shabang” that still flex his melodic instincts, while hometown anthems such as “National Treasures” ground the record. In short, if you want to know the best tracks on ICEMAN, look to those that balance confession with aggression and a few slick singles that could live on the airwaves.

Key Points

  • The best song is the emotionally raw “Make Them Cry”, which frames the album’s vulnerability and therapy-like confessions.
  • ICEMAN’s core strengths are its candid lyricism about the Kendrick aftermath, a mix of confrontational diss tracks and a few slick, radio-ready moments.

Themes

vulnerability feud and retaliation loyalty to hometown radio-ready singles shrinking friendships

Critic's Take

She singles out “Make Them Cry” as a superb, sharp return to vulnerability, praising its five-minute openness and personal details. By contrast she derides “What Did I Miss?” and “2 Hard 4 the Radio” as cheesy and self-important, evidence that the best tracks on ICEMAN are smothered by bloat. The review reads like a plea: there is one excellent album here if Drake would only let the Iceman thaw.

Key Points

  • “Make Them Cry” is best because it returns Drake to rare vulnerability with personal, emotive detail.
  • The album's core strength is occasional sharp songwriting, while its weaknesses are bloat, erratic production and misogynistic moments.

Themes

self-editing and bloat label dispute and independence vulnerability versus bragging autotune and misogyny

Critic's Take

Drake stages a spectacle around ICEMAN, with the livestream and its music video making ICEMAN's momentum feel like the story rather than the songs. The review leans into how the visuals and stunt amplify interest in the record, singling out “What Did I Miss?” as the focal point of that push. In the same brisk, reportage tone the piece notes the warehouse setting and local reaction, which frames why listeners might search for the best songs on ICEMAN or the best tracks on ICEMAN - they are following the spectacle as much as the music. The writing is observational and factual, pointing readers to “What Did I Miss?” as the clearest standout from the livestream.

Key Points

  • The best song is “What Did I Miss?” because it was showcased as the new single and music video during the livestream.
  • The album's core strength is its promotional spectacle and local Toronto linkage that amplifies listener interest.

Themes

publicity stunt livestream promotion local Toronto connection

Critic's Take

The provided review contains no discussion of Drake or ICEMAN, so there are no best songs to extract. Because Classic Rock's text is a magazine index and unrelated features, I cannot identify the best tracks on ICEMAN or praise specific songs like “Make Them Cry” in the reviewer’s voice. If you can supply a review that actually discusses Drake’s album, I will produce a reviewer-voiced narrative focusing on its top songs.

Key Points

  • No track-level commentary exists in the provided review, so no best song can be determined.
  • The review text is magazine content unrelated to the album; there is insufficient evidence to assess strengths.

Critic's Take

The Quietus’ round-up voice picks out highlights with a wry, knowing tone, and when it names Drake it does so among other notable releases rather than as a focal point. The reviewer’s cadence is conversational and slightly sardonic, treating Drake’s contribution as one of several noteworthy pieces rather than the centerpiece.

Key Points

  • The piece treats ICEMAN as part of a broader set of peripheral highlights, valuing memorable moments over deep analysis.

Themes

monthly highlights peripheral releases standout tracks in roundups

Critic's Take

This review contains no discussion of the songs on ICEMAN by Drake, so there is no basis here to name the best songs or best tracks on ICEMAN. The text instead details legal wrangling and defamation claims, offering no appraisal of “Make Them Cry” or any other track. Because the reviewer focuses on litigation, readers seeking the best tracks on ICEMAN will need to consult a music-focused review.

Key Points

  • No specific tracks from the album are discussed in the review, so the best song cannot be determined from this text.
  • The review's core focus is legal dispute and defamation claims rather than musical evaluation.
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Sputnik Music

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Critic's Take

Drake remains a conflicted craftsman on ICEMAN, where production often carries the load while lyrics and length hamper momentum. The reviewer keeps returning to the idea that a beat can make a song, praising tracks like “Make Them Cry” and “Make Them Remember” as highlights that showcase his shift toward trap and cloud-tinged R&B. There is impatience toward filler and overlong sequencing, yet genuine enthusiasm for standout moments, which is why the best songs on ICEMAN feel like concentrated statements rather than sprawling indulgences. Overall, the voice is admiring but critical - the album has clear high points but would have benefited from tighter editing.

Key Points

  • The best song is best because production elevates Drake's vocal and trap tendencies into concentrated highlights.
  • The album's core strengths are its production choices and successful fusion of R&B, cloud-rap, and trap, tempered by excess length.

Themes

production vs lyrics album length and filler trap influence feature quality