“Man On The Moon 3” was the third installment in Kid Cudi’s Man On The Moon series. The album was officially announced in October of 2020, and released in December. But the buildup for this album has been taking place since “Man On The Moon 2” was released in 2010. Man On The Moon 1 and 2 are both considered to be all time classic albums, so the expectations for MOTM3 were out of the roof. 

The album contains 18 tracks and four features from outside artists. The most noteworthy feature was from Pop Smoke. Pop Smoke was shot and killed in February of 2020, so fans were very excited that Kid Cudi received a posthumous feature from Pop smoke. 

My personal favorite feature was Phoebe Bridgers verse on the 14th track on the album: “Lovin’ me.” Cudi and Bridgers’ voices blended together perfectly to create one of my favorite songs on the album.

The samples used throughout the album help to bring the music to another level. The eleventh track on the album: “Elsie’s Baby Boy (Flashback)” samples “House of the Rising Sun.” The 1964 rock track by The Animals was blended in perfectly with the futuristic feel of MOTM3. This nostalgic sample sets this track aparts and put’s “Elsie’s Baby Boy (Flashback)” in my top tracks on the album. 

“Tequila Shots” is the second track on MOTM3 and from the first listen, it was instantly a standout hit. The first track on the album, “Beautiful Trip”, is completely instrumental. It flows perfectly into “Tequila Shots,” which immediately displays complex production and Cudi’s lyrically talent. “Tequila Shots” is easily one of the best tracks and sets the pace for the rest of the album. 

All in all, MOTM3 met the high expectations that I had set for it. It’s hard for an artist to create an album knowing that people expect

a classic.

While I don’t think MOTM3 was a classic, I do believe that it was one of the best that came out of 2020. The beautiful production blends perfectly with the psychedelic vibe of the album. Overall, I believe that “Man On The Moon 3” was a 8/10 album that you should definitely take the time to listen to. I also believe that “Man On The Moon 3” deserves recognition as a top album of the year.