Hip-Hop’s “blog era,” from roughly 2007 to 2013, birthed a generation of stars and introduced fans to a variety of lanes, subgenres, and new artists. Whether you were kickin’ it to some Kendrick Lamar or wildin’ out to some Wiz Khalifa, you had no shortage of rappers to choose from. And one of your best options? Some white guy from Pittsburgh named Easy Mac (with the cheesy raps).
Mac Miller is one of your favorite rappers’ favorite rappers. Throughout his career, he worked and toured with the likes of J. Cole, Wale, Vince Staples, Earl Sweatshirt, and more. He was an honorary member of Black Hippy, having a close relationship with multiple TDE artists. And above all, he was a phenomenal artist with an amazing discography.
Below, we give you our thoughts on the best song from every Mac Miller album.
Note: We also threw a few tapes in there based on how important they are to his discography.
K.I.D.S., “Kool-Aid & Frozen Pizza”
From the earliest stages of his career, it was clear that Mac would always pour his heart into a specific aspect of music: worldbuilding. K.I.D.S., an acronym for Kickin Incredibly Dope Shit, is nostalgia on overdrive—a time capsule filled with shared experiences across various generations.
“Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza” also serves as the before-they-blow-up track for Mac. The success and accolades he’d been wishing for eventually came his way, while he reflected on how far he’d already come. And regardless of who you are, you know about grabbing a colorful drink and a slice with the homies.
Best Day Ever, “Best Day Ever”
While “Best Day Ever” might be the safe choice, on a project of the same name, Mac once again displayed that penchant for ambiance that he had become known for. The intro, shimmering and hopeful, truly sets you up for a great day—and the album follows suit.
The “Best Day Ever” also serves as a metaphor for his career, as K.I.D.S. had him “buzzin’ like a f***in hornet.” It was only up from there.
Blue Slide Park, “Missed Calls”
Mac was never afraid to get sappy when he had to get his point across. “Missed Calls” is the quintessential relationship song in every rapper’s discography. That said, Mac approached it with notable nuance, understanding that his lifestyle would impact his romantic life for years to come. But when you start rapping at 15 and get signed to a major label at 18, that kinda thing comes with the territory.
Macadelic, “Fight The Feeling” (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
With a few projects under his belt, Mac had become a significantly better lyricist and had widened his perspective. “Fight The Feeling” details the ups and downs of growing in any measurable way, owning your fuck ups, and moving forward. Then Kendrick comes through, spitting some philosophy for listeners to think about while on the move.
You can probably skip the last 30 seconds, though.
Watching Movies With The Sound Off, “Objects In The Mirror”
Mac was never afraid to hit the vocals, but “Objects In The Mirror” showed him in his Punk/Alternative bag more than ever before. In addition to his enhanced writing expertise (which we heard in Macadelic), the spaced-out, melodic beat makes the listener consider their place in the world—and sharing that perspective with a partner. With various versions of the track existing, “Objects In The Mirror” is often considered one of the best songs in his discography.
Faces, “It Just Doesn’t Matter”
With some of the highest highs and lowest lows of his discography, Faces showcases the full range of Mac Miller’s abilities and emotions in a 1-hour, 25-minute package. 24 songs make it difficult to decide on just one, but “It Just Doesn’t Matter” shows Mac using the entirety of a song to its full potential. The beginning, a lengthy Bill Murray sample from the 1979 film Meatballs, paints a comedic, detailed picture of hopelessness, and Mac’s verse follows it flawlessly.
The bonus track “Yeah,” added posthumously in 2021, deserves a nod as well for encapsulating the project in its entirety and showcasing his singing, rapping, and storytelling at their highest levels.
GOOD: AM, “Perfect Circle / God Speed”
Mac’s willingness to explore the mind and emotions separated him from the pack with every release, and “Perfect Circle / God Speed” is possibly the best example. The first half of the track discusses feeling infallible, pondering why we make the choices we make, and questioning the idea of perfection. A distinct Western film feel comes from the keys, and this portion of the song intentionally feels like Mac really didn’t give a fuck and did what he wanted.
However, “God Speed” flips that indifference on its head, indicative of coming down from a high. Everything hits him at once, and it leaves him reflecting on where his choices can lead him. The second half of the song serves as a letter to the people that love him most, detailing his willingness to change—both for them, and for himself.
The Divine Feminine, “Skin”
Although “Dang!” with Anderson .Paak is a dancy, multilayered jam, and the album’s most popular song, The Divine Feminine, at its best is sultry and sensual. “Skin” refuses to censor itself, with Mac opting to go full-on sex symbol—well, to the best of his ability, the background vocals do an amazing job at setting the table. While he was definitely a goofball when in certain rooms, his ability to lock in on a specific dimension and approach to a project was second to none.
Swimming, “Come Back To Earth”
In his final album before his untimely passing, Mac perfected his sonic approach and delivered his most well-rounded body of work to date. “Come Back To Earth,” the album’s intro, is an amalgamation of all of his best traits. The lyricism? Poignant. The vocal approach? Emotionally rich. And the subject matter has a sense of gravity and weightedness, but carries that tinge of hope that Mac truly became known for.
Circles, “Surf”
Everything Mac created during the Swimming in Circles era showcased his most refined form, while also showing how much he had grown as a person from when he was Easy Mac. “Surf” is the culmination of his understanding, realizing that life is about the contrasting ideas and situations that happen, and riding the waves of them both. The tangible peace in his voice makes this the best song on the project.
Balloonerism, “Manakins”
Though Balloonerism was released at the start of 2025, the project was recorded around the same time as Faces in 2014. This window was an incredible time in Mac’s career in terms of pure lyrical ability and storytelling, and “Manakins” has those in spades. Across the track, he tackles philosophy, conversations with God, the law of attraction, and various other concepts that we all reckon with to some degree.
The hook, however, is intentionally reckless and not nearly as pensive. Trying to find reason within the confusion that life brings can be stressful, and he expresses that feeling perfectly. In a way, “Manakins” answers every question Mac had about life. The answer is that there are even more questions. And that’s the beauty of it.
