B-Side Guys

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell Ndegeocello’s albums, ranked by what the critics we trust thought of each one. 9 have a B-Side Breakdown, averaging 75 (C). See the discography in release order.

What is Meshell Ndegeocello’s best album?

By the critics, it’s Weather (2011), with a B-Side Breakdown of 83 (B) from 8 reviews. 88% of them liked it.

Next best: Plantation Lullabies (79) and The Omnichord Real Book (78). Lowest rated: Devil’s Halo (70).

Meshell Ndegeocello albums ranked

Best to worst by B-Side Breakdown.

  1. 1. Weather (2011): 83 B
  2. 2. Plantation Lullabies (1993): 79 C+
  3. 3. The Omnichord Real Book (2023): 78 C+
  4. 4. Ventriloquism (2018): 76 C
  5. 5. The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams (2007): 76 C
  6. 6. Synonym (2026): 75 C
  7. 7. Comet, Come to Me (2014): 72 C-
  8. 8. Pour une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone (2012): 70 C-
  9. 9. Devil’s Halo (2009): 70 C-

Meshell Ndegeocello discography, in release order

The earliest here79Plantation Lullabies, 1993The critics' favorite83Weather, 2011The latest75Synonym, 2026. 4 points below Plantation Lullabies.

The career, by Breakdown

Every Meshell Ndegeocello album with a B-Side Breakdown, in release order. Above the dashed line, most critics liked it.

6010075likedPlantation Lullabies (1993): 79791993The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams (2007): 7676Devil’s Halo (2009): 70702009Weather (2011): 8383Pour une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone (2012): 70702012Comet, Come to Me (2014): 7272Ventriloquism (2018): 76762018The Omnichord Real Book (2023): 7878Synonym (2026): 75752026

Every Meshell Ndegeocello studio album, oldest first. One doesn't have a Breakdown yet; it gets one once three critics' reviews turn up.

  1. 1993Album cover for Plantation Lullabies by Meshell NdegeocelloPlantation Lullabies79 C+
  2. 2007Album cover for The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams by Meshell NdegeocelloThe World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams76 C
  3. 2009Album cover for Devil’s Halo by Meshell NdegeocelloDevil’s Halo70 C-
  4. 2011Album cover for Weather by Meshell NdegeocelloWeather83 B
  5. 2012Album cover for Pour une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone by Meshell NdegeocelloPour une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone70 C-
  6. 2014Album cover for Comet, Come to Me by Meshell NdegeocelloComet, Come to Me72 C-
  7. 2018Album cover for Ventriloquism by Meshell NdegeocelloVentriloquism76 C
  8. 2023Album cover for The Omnichord Real Book by Meshell NdegeocelloThe Omnichord Real Book78 C+
  9. 2024No More Water: The Gospel of James BaldwinNo Breakdown yet
  10. 2026Album cover for Synonym by Meshell NdegeocelloSynonym75 C

Which critics love Meshell Ndegeocello, and which don’t

Each outlet’s scores set against the other critics on the same albums. Outlets that scored at least 3 Meshell Ndegeocello albums.

Warmest on Meshell NdegeocelloEntertainment Weekly14 points above the other critics, on average, across 3 albums.Coolest on Meshell NdegeocelloUncut20 points below the other critics, on average, across 3 albums.Warmed up over timeThe Guardian11 points below the other critics in its reviews from 2011–2018, 4 points above from 2023–2026.

Outlet by outlet

Average points above or below the other critics. Tap an outlet for its scores album by album.

Entertainment Weekly3 albums+14
  1. Plantation Lullabies 199388 vs 78 from 6 others +11
  2. The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams 200795 vs 73 from 6 others +22
  3. Weather 201191 vs 81 from 7 others +10

All Entertainment Weekly reviews

AllMusic9 albums+10
  1. Plantation Lullabies 199380 vs 79 from 6 others +1
  2. The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams 200780 vs 76 from 6 others +4
  3. Devil’s Halo 200990 vs 67 from 6 others +23
  4. Weather 2011100 vs 80 from 7 others +20
  5. Pour une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone 201280 vs 65 from 2 others +15
  6. Comet, Come to Me 201480 vs 68 from 2 others +13
  7. Ventriloquism 201880 vs 75 from 7 others +5
  8. The Omnichord Real Book 202390 vs 76 from 6 others +14
  9. Synonym 202670 vs 77 from 3 others −7

All AllMusic reviews

Slant4 albums+7
  1. Plantation Lullabies 199380 vs 79 from 6 others +1
  2. Weather 201190 vs 82 from 7 others +8
  3. Pour une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone 201280 vs 65 from 2 others +15
  4. Ventriloquism 201880 vs 75 from 7 others +5

All Slant reviews

PopMatters8 albums0
  1. The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams 200790 vs 74 from 6 others +16
  2. Devil’s Halo 200990 vs 67 from 6 others +23
  3. Weather 201180 vs 83 from 7 others −3
  4. Pour une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone 201250 vs 80 from 2 others −30
  5. Comet, Come to Me 201460 vs 78 from 2 others −18
  6. Ventriloquism 201880 vs 75 from 7 others +5
  7. The Omnichord Real Book 202380 vs 78 from 6 others +2
  8. Synonym 202680 vs 73 from 3 others +7

All PopMatters reviews

The Guardian4 albums−3
  1. Weather 201180 vs 83 from 7 others −3
  2. Ventriloquism 201860 vs 78 from 7 others −18
  3. The Omnichord Real Book 202380 vs 78 from 6 others +2
  4. Synonym 202680 vs 73 from 3 others +7

All The Guardian reviews

Mojo3 albums−11
  1. Devil’s Halo 200940 vs 75 from 6 others −35
  2. Weather 201180 vs 83 from 7 others −3
  3. Ventriloquism 201880 vs 75 from 7 others +5

All Mojo reviews

Uncut3 albums−20
  1. Devil’s Halo 200960 vs 72 from 6 others −12
  2. Weather 201160 vs 86 from 7 others −26
  3. The Omnichord Real Book 202360 vs 81 from 6 others −21

All Uncut reviews

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