In 2015, a budding Houston artist by the name of Travis Scott released his debut album, Rodeo. It is widely considered possibly the greatest trap album of all time. It took the subgenre to heights it really had never reached before. Travis was able to blend grittiness with artsy in a world where trap meant rumbling 808s and loud hi-hats. He drew out melodies, created elegant and grand atmospheres, and his now signature beat switches, into one near-flawless record.
Tracks like “90210,” “Oh My Dis Side,” “Maria I’m Drunk,” and so many others are classics. It got fans and critics uncontrollably excited about what Scott could do moving forward. Just about a year later on September 2, 2016, Travis capitalized on this hype with the release of his sophomore LP, Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight. A 14-track project where La Flame gunned for mostly ethereal and moody vibes. Many believe this is his most underrated album in his discography and it is easy to see why. The hits on here are very solid with “pick up the phone” with Quavo and Young Thug, “beibs in the trap” featuring NAV, and “through the late night” with one of his idols, Kid Cudi. However, the one cut that stands above the rest is none other than “goosebumps.”
An unexpected feature from Kendrick Lamar had many going insane at the fact that he would hop on a song with Travis. The rapper shared similar thoughts. Around the time of Birds, Scott was interviewed by Hot 97. He talked about how grateful he was to work with Lamar. “Shout out K-Dot, I love you.” He goes on, “Yo I’m on Kendrick’s radar!” Lamar had a show where he had fans singing along to “Antidote.” That is when he knew he needed him for “goosebumps.” The guest verse is one of the best of 2016 with all of his crazy high notes and cadences. Pair it with Travis’ iconic hook and you have a hit. In June 2023 the track surpassed over 2 billion streams on Spotify, cementing Travis as a superstar.
What were your initial thoughts on “goosebumps” by Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar? Is this song and album still in your rotation all of these years later? Where does this project and song rank in Travis’ discography? Was this the best or one of the best albums of 2016? We want to hear what you have to say about all of this. So, leave your opinions in the comments section. Additionally, always stay locked with HNHH for all of the best throwback album and song posts.
Quotable Lyrics:
I get those goosebumps every time, yeah, you come around, yeah You ease my mind, you make everything feel fine Worried ’bout those comments I’m way too numb, yeah, it’s way too dumb, yeah I get those goosebumps every time, I need the Heimlich
Travis Scott has been teasing his next album UTOPIA in an extensive fashion as of late. Overall, this is good timing when you consider how it has been almost five years since the release of Astroworld. At the start of Scott’s career, he came out with five projects in the span of five years. During that time, he went through various stylistic shifts. From the raw energy of Owl Pharoah to the psychedelic musings of Astroworld, Travis has never shied away from experimenting with his sound.
Consequently, fans are expecting a huge shift on UTOPIA which has been in production for years at this point. However, with UTOPIA on the way, now is as good of a time as ever to look back at his first five projects, and rank them from worst to best. The albums in question are simply his solo endeavors. That means Jackboys and Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho won’t be considered.
5. Owl Pharoah (2013)
Firstly, we have Travis Scott’s first full-length project, Owl Pharoah, which dropped back in 2013. At this time in his career, Scott was still trying to figure out what kind of artist he wanted to be. He had writing credits on Yeezus, which suggested he was all about creating new sounds. Upon listening to Owl Pharoah, this experimentation became evident. Tracks like “Quintana” and “Upper Echelon” had a maximalist quality to them that proved to be exciting. From the big choruses to the anthemic production, these songs felt like the first stages of a superstar in the making.
Unfortunately, the rest of the album isn’t able to live up to the singles mentioned above. Much of this has to do with the songwriting and production, which oftentimes feel unfinished. A good example is “Bad Mood/Sh*t On You,” which contains a jarring beat switch halfway through the song. Beat switches are a key feature in Travis Scott’s music; however, these days, he is much more clever about how he does it. Furthermore, the rest of the album can feel clunky thanks to out-of-place features, songs that overstay their welcome, and some glaring attempts at doing Kanye cosplay.
4. Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight (2016)
Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight might be in the lower half of Travis Scott’s discography, but it is by no means a bad album. Overall, BITTSM is an album that helped cement Scott as a hitmaker in hip-hop. From “Goosebumps” with Kendrick Lamar to “Wonderful” with The Weeknd, this album had bangers from front to back. Not to mention, this is also the project that helped turn Nav into a household name, thanks to “Biebs In The Trap.”
At this point, it had been one year since Travis had released Rodeo. Therefore, it can be said that his sound was well-established. The key selling point for Travis at this time was his ability to craft catchy tracks that contained moody yet progressive trap production. Moreover, his autotuned vocals and signature ad-libs were beloved and imitated by many. That said, Travis had all of the ingredients to create a memorable album.
For the most part, he did just that. After all, the first track, “The Ends,” contains a feature from Andre 3000, which is always going to garner attention. Unfortunately, there are times when the album feels like “Travis Scott By The Numbers.” Sure, the songs are good, but at the time of this release, many of these tracks contained ideas we had already heard. It’s easy to see how a fan could listen to Rodeo and then feel like BITTSM is a leftover album.
3. Days Before Rodeo (2014)
Just a year after the release of Owl Pharoah, Travis Scott began preparing for his 2015 album, Rodeo. Part of his rollout was a mixtape called Days Before Rodeo. Much like Owl Pharoah, this album is full of energy and a version of Travis that is still trying to find his sound. However, a couple of things are different here. Firstly, Scott sounds infinitely more confident here. Secondly, the production choices and vocal performances align with what makes Scott such a phenomenal artist.
Starting with the opener, “The Prayer,” we see Travis deliver some of his best verses yet. The production also comes with some significant improvements. This is especially true on the Young Thug-assisted tracks “Skyfall” and “Mamacita.” Perhaps the best part of the album is Travis’s use of guitars on “Drugs You Should Try It” and “Don’t Play,” which actually contains a sample of The 1975’s “Money.” It is in these moments that we see what makes Scott stand out amongst his peers. While his vision hadn’t been fully realized yet, you could see the seeds growing rapidly.
Additionally, there are some truly off-the-wall records on this project that were a product of their time. Albeit, they make for some of the best moments. Examples are “Sloppy Toppy” with Migos and Peewee Longway, where we get some of these artists’ most graphic verses. You also can’t forget “Basement Freestyle,” filled with some of Scott’s most progressive and ridiculous production choices to date. Sure, it may be a raw listen, but this is the project that turned a lot of skeptics into believers.
2. Astroworld (2018)
Travis Scott dropped arguably a modern classic back in 2018 with Astroworld. Overall, this is an album that came with a ton of hype. The artist had been teasing the project for quite some time, and there was this sense that it would be an ambitious endeavor. After all, Scott wanted to make the listener feel like they were at an amusement park. Fans were curious about how he would pull something like that off, but in the end, he somehow succeeded.
From the jump, we are met with “Stargazing,” an ambient delight that eventually devolves into debauchery. As mentioned before, no one likes a good beat switch better than Travis Scott. With “Stargazing,” it is a malfunctioning rollercoaster that transitions us into one of the best verses Travis has ever put to tape. As the album goes on, we are given a barrage of different sounds that are both goosebump-inducing and sometimes even shocking. “Skeletons” with Tame Impala and The Weeknd is a delightful experiment that did wonders for the future of hip-hop and psychedelic rock crossovers. “Stop Trying To Be God” is a beautiful ballad that offers introspection, which Travis doesn’t always provide. Not to mention, who can forget when he introduced us to Don Toliver on “Can’t Say.”
Perhaps the most beautiful moment on the album comes with Astroworld‘s closer, “Coffee Bean.” The production is unlike anything else on the album. All while Travis professes about “being bad news.” Overall, the chord progressions and strings at the song’s end tell a story. It’s as if a night of heavy partying has ended, and now all the partygoers are walking home with the sun slowly rising. Sadness sets in as the joy ride has come to an end.
1. Rodeo (2015)
The number one Travis Scott album on our list is Rodeo. Now, we get it. Some of you will argue for Astroworld. Some may even say Days Before Rodeo is his best. But there is something about Rodeo that is simply too special to discount. In many ways, this is Travis Scott’s “aha” moment. From his vocals to the production to songwriting, you can point to this album and say, “This is quintessential Travis Scott.”
From the jump, this album is presented by T.I., who gives us an introduction reminiscent of Nicki Minaj’s soliloquy on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The opener, “Pornography,” provides the listener insight into Travis’s mind as he is presented with numerous vices he can’t escape. He subsequently gets introspective on “Oh My Dis Side,” where he delivers perhaps one of the best songs of his entire career. From the hedonistic bars on the “Oh My” section to his adoration of Houston on “Dis Side,” we get a real sense of who Travis is and the internal conflicts fame has presented him with.
As for the rest of the album, we get a plethora of moody bangers and some undeniable hits. “3500,” “Antidote,” “Pray 4 Love,” 90210,” and “Maria I’m Drunk” are all 10/10 songs. Furthermore, songs like “Impossible,” “I Can Tell,” and “Apple Pie” are deliberate closers to the album that ensures there is no filler to be found. This is Scott’s most cohesive project, and it’s hard not to put it number one. If it were not for this album, it’s hard to imagine Scott being the star he is today. That said, you have to give it its due.
Let us know your favorite Travis Scott album in the comments section down below.
