Sign In to rate and review

CRITIC REVIEWS

100
The Irish Times
The biggest question of all after this supernova, jawdropping experience is where the hell Monae goes from here.
100
The Independent
It's a breathtaking blizzard of creative imagination.
100
AllMusic
Monáe might not have much appeal beyond musical theater geeks, sci-fi nerds, and those who like their genres crossed-up, but no one can deny that very few are on her creative level.
100
God Is in the TV
It's a debut that goes against the grain and is all the better for it.
100
The Guardian
Behold, pop music has found its latest superstar.
91
Paste
Monáe may be an alien or an android, but if this is just the beginning, she may wind up a legend.
91
Entertainment Weekly

On The ArchAndroid, the real story ... is her arrival as an uncontainable new talent.

91
A.V. Club
Monáe’s inexhaustible swagger and singular style sell both the high-concept theatrics and the schizophrenic sonics.
90
Drowned in Sound

It may not seem restrained, but trust when I say that nothing less than a dissertation or thesis will suffice for such a mind-bogglingly massive album.

90
Spectrum Culture

The ArchAndroid is ... a career-defining performance and is deserving of all the accolades it and Cindy Mayweather’s hyper-creative brainchild are sure to receive.

90
Sputnikmusic
As it stands, this is the pop album of the year, and it's tough to see how anything is going to beat it.
90
musicOMH

One can but marvel at the impressive range, ambition (realised) and detail of this deeply polished, professional yet utterly, brilliantly bonkers album. An album destined, surely, to take its place among the classics of its age.

90
PopMatters

Suite II boasts a range of moods and musical styles that could be released on its own. Suite III, while maintaining the quality of the other Suites, wouldn’t be my choice for a standalone release—largely because it’s really strange.

90
SPIN
Monáe can really sing; she could follow in Beyoncé’s designer pumps if she wanted, but she’s clearing a new path for black female entertainers.
90
No Ripcord

For a first album, The ArchAndroid is astoundingly accomplished.

89
Beats Per Minute
Monáe may be one of the fresh artists to help redefine pop music in the new decade. And even if she doesn’t – even if this album doesn’t sell much and she never quite breaks into the mainstream – at least she’s walking the tightrope and doing her own thing on her own terms.
85
Coke Machine Glow

She is what we say we want. The ArchAndroid is not my favorite album of the year so far, but it is undoubtedly the best.

85
Pitchfork

Where many concept albums run a high risk of being pompous, cryptic, and self-important, Monáe keeps things playful, lively, and accessible.

80
Slant Magazine

She's turned out a landmark debut that contains a full LP's worth of excellent songs and almost no bad ones, and she's done it entirely on her own highly idiosyncratic terms. And where her ambition just barely gets the better of her abilities, she puts on such a relentlessly entertaining show that you can certainly understand why she thought she could pull the whole thing off.

80
Billboard
“The ArchAndroid” could be the stuff of stage or screen, 3-D without the annoying glasses.
80
The Skinny
There is a masterpiece here, but it’ll take a little skipping to find it.
80
NOW Magazine

Her major label debut is blowing minds the way Outkast once could, with a musical creativity that can’t be denied.

80
NME
Her ambition is flabbergasting, let alone that she executes it with bundles of fun and a fizzing personality.
80
The Telegraph
Here, at last, is an urban artist with all-unifying appeal.
80
The Needle Drop
All animae references aside, this thing is great for dozens of reasons: immediate, conceptual, varied, and engaging.
80
HipHopDX

ArchAndroid is nothing short of stunning, and should serve as an example to those stuck exploring exhausted archetypes.

80
Under the Radar

The ArchAngel [sic] succeeds at being an album of strong songs that incorporate the theme, providing a satisfying whole without struggling to wring songs from its story.

80
Evening Standard
Impeccable inspirations brought together by an extraordinary new talent.
79
Pretty Much Amazing
This album is like nothing you’ve ever heard before and simultaneously like everything you’ve ever heard before.
75
Prefix

In spite of the album’s potential obesity at 18 tracks of wildly different musical ideas, the three keep the weight off by welcoming coherence and by evenly spreading out their interests.

70
Rolling Stone

Her full-length debut ... is so ambitious, so freighted with sounds and ideas and allusions, it threatens at times to sink under its own weight.

70
Consequence of Sound
Monáe is able to accomplish something rarely seen in pop music: an epic album that stretches across multiple genres while still holding the majority of the listener’s attention with catchy hooks and beats.
40
Mojo
A case of bombastic ambition only occasionally matched by musical nous.
KIDWITHGUNs
100

🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤

Monáe, Monáe... where have you been all my life?

"The ArchAndroid", is the kind of record that puts the American singer about a million steps ahead of her competition. You can argue that... as far as contemporaries go, by far she has the superior level of artistry under her belt. And when it comes to her discussions of political and social drawbacks, her approach has turned out to be far more prevalent and descriptive compared to the rest... she ... read more

Maqtheus
100

ÁLBUM DO SÉCULO.

RakkSmells
90

The ArchAndroid is an album I can safely say should be put in cinemas.

I have not listened to much of Janelle Monae's music, and I've been meaning to. I really like Django Jane, but that was the last thing I was expecting stepping into this album. Based on the cover art alone, I knew I'd be in for something of a cinematic quality. I've heard this twice now, and both times I came to the same conclusion, that this is easily one of the most cinematic and intricately made albums I've ever heard. ... read more

Leahj44
100

Little special 300 Follower Review! (sorry very late lol)

Firstly, I want to thank all for being such an awesome community, Music has become such a massive part of my life over the past 3 years as I deal with my rapidly changing life and reclaim the time and person I lost during my childhood. Sharing thoughts and discovering new music with you all is an absolute pleasure!

Ok. The ArchAndroid. Where do I begin? This is beyond a concept album. Whatever comes after a concept album this is it. ... read more

cqlanier
93

a powerhouse of musical talent

pauloscpn
91

Uma viagem além de charts e fama.

Uma dor não ter descoberto esse álbum antes, as transições de faixa que são sutis e difíceis de perceber quando é uma ou outra. Além dos arranjos, tendo em vista o álbum de estreia, e os ritmos abordados, tudo para fornecer uma experiencia diferente, complexa e imersiva.
Ter feito essa viagem com os fones de ouvido dão uma dimensão ainda melhor de tudo que a música de ... read more

Purchasing The ArchAndroid from Amazon helps support Album of the Year. Or consider a donation?
Become a Donor
Donor badge, no ads + more benefits.
Advertisement

Track List

1Suite II Overture
2:31
87
2Dance or Die
3:12
93
3Faster
3:19
92
4Locked Inside
4:16
93
5Sir Greendown
2:14
87
6Cold War
3:23
94
7Tightrope
4:22
feat. Big Boi
95
8Neon Gumbo
1:37
78
9Oh, Maker
3:46
91
10Come Alive (War of the Roses)
3:21
89
11Mushrooms & Roses
5:41
86
12Suite III Overture
1:41
88
13Neon Valley Street
4:11
90
14Make the Bus
3:18
80
15Wondaland
3:36
88
1657821
3:16
89
17Say You'll Go
6:00
89
18Babopbye Ya
8:47
94
Total Length: 1 hour, 8 minutes
Sign in to comment
1w
4w
1mo
5mo
5mo