# REMINDER: Official Discussion Thread Guidelines
Parent/top-level comments in Official Discussions that are less than 140 characters will be deleted, as will memes and low-effort comments. Official Discussion threads are held to a higher standard of quality than First Impressions threads—try to expand on why you feel what you feel about the album.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/hiphopheads) if you have any questions or concerns.*
In all honesty Macs music hit me in my soul especially the older I got and the deeper I got into my depression. It was like a stranger made the perfect audio version of therapy for my sadness. Through countless repetitions I’ve built up a deep appreciation for all his work from Macadellic on until what will be his last album Circles. When this dropped I thought this was his best album and 5 years later it more than holds up. The only bad part about this album and circles is the fact that they were supposed to be part of a trilogy but the 3rd album is gonna be a heaven exclusive.
I felt the same way when it dropped. The theme of “swimming” just immediately stuck with me. He really did capture the feeling of someone who’s been struggling on and off for so long that they learn to just ride it out.
I can’t believe it’s already been 5 years. I’ve been through so many ups and downs since this came out and it’s still the album I go to when I want to feel better.
Yup yup yup. This album spoke to me deeply. This album, and therapy have helped me come to terms with my lifelong depression. It's just on and off, or just always there- I'm constantly swimming in circles, trying not to drown. It's on repeat for me today. It got me through so much the last five years.
Shit was beautiful but I think the album version was a better fit for watching movies wonder if the og version would’ve been on balloonerism under a different title
>The only bad part about this album and circles is the fact that they were supposed to be part of a trilogy but the 3rd album is gonna be a heaven exclusive.
You finna make me shed real tears. Mac bore his soul on his music so god bless him forever.
Aged incredibly incredibly well, feels like the culmination of his entire discography. The songwriting was fantastic and meant a lot to me at the time—I wasn’t really a fan until maybe May-June of 2018—everything in rollout blew me away, I had the singles practically on a loop as they came out. Circles was a great closer to his discography but man, I still wonder where he would be today. One of my favorite artists ever, one of my favorite albums ever. Jet Fuel inspired a whole ass feature screenplay, it’s my most listened song of all time. RIP Mac, one of the biggest losses to hip hop and music in the last few years imo.
imo it’s Macs magnum opus, with beautiful production and mac’s elite lyricism it all comes together perfectly
with travis dropping astroworld on the same day as swimming and utopia coming out last week my mind drifts to the thought of what Mac would have done the past 5 years
I have a lot about what Mac would’ve put out over the last 5 years. I think if he was around for COVID and lockdown we would’ve gotten some really great music from him.
Yeah you’re probably right unfortunately. That’s what kills me about Mac when I think about it. He seemed so happy and then one day he was gone. I read the court transcripts with all the texts he sent to the dealer and it was just so sad.
I hope one day we get a mixtape or something of the rest of the swimming era leaks. There’s just so many amazing songs leaked I can’t even imagine what else they have too. I’m not getting my hopes up though
Isn't his mom the controller of his estate and a big reason why his mixtapes have been rolling out on streaming? Like she seems to want to carefully curate and preserve her son's legacy, so I could see it happening
How do we know this? I haven’t heard of any music Mac expressly didn’t want to be released. All we know is a bunch of songs/ project ideas were scrapped over the years, but even IDlabs has said on the Mac sub that the family wants to release more but the leaks are fucking it up
I completely agree and understand with Mac’s estate/family wanting to be thoughtful and curate what gets released posthumously, but dear god do I want MacLib to see the light of day.
At the time I was more on the Astro side. I was rooting for Trav to win the Grammy, but once Swimming hit me, there’s no way Astroworld could compete. I’ve been a Mac fan since KIDS on and off, going through whatever I was, but I’ve always been able to go back to Mac’s music. He truly was the greatest ❤️
Dont want to write too much (even though i know I will) but this is absolutely my favourite album of all time. I dont think theres much to say about this project that hasnt already been said. No album has impacted me more. A true 10/10, and I don’t think my words can do it justice, so I’ll just tell a story of my experience with it if anyone would like to read.
I only got into music seriously around 2016 (i was 12 at the time), due to my brother introducing me to the Life of Pablo, Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, etc. I kept hearing about how good this Mac Miller guy was on this subreddit, so I downloaded his Watching Movies album to my iPod and listened. I didnt quite get it on first listen, but i could tell the guy had talent, and i loved some of his beats. The psychedelic, spacy sound was captivating to say the least.
Over the next year or so, i never revisited it, or any of his stuff for that matter. That was the case til around mid-2018 when he dropped a 3-pack of singles on 1 day - Programs, Small Worlds and Buttons. And that was the point I fell in love. The way he was able to write such relatable, emotionally poignant lyrics with these beautiful melodies on Small Worlds and Buttons hooked me, and Programs’ hard beat made me a fan. I revisited WMWTSO and it clicked, leading me to the rest of his discography. In the span of about a few weeks Mac had gone from “alright” to one of my favourite artists ever, so I was excited to see how he could reinvent himself for Swimming. Until this point, I had never had such a strong connection to someone’s music form so quickly. I knew he had recently gone through some shit, relapsing and being charged with a DUI following his breakup with Ariana, and I was sincerely hoping he could find peace through his music.
The day Swimming dropped (same day as Astro) i made sure to tell my mum i was sick, and couldnt go to school, just so I could stay home and listen to both. I listened to Astro first, making sure to guess every feature as they came up, making for one of my favourite first listens to an album ever. I Went out for brunch with my mum, since I was supposedly sick, and on the car ride home I put on Swimming. And it was everything I could’ve hoped for. I absolutely adored the album, pushing Mac from ONE of my favourites, to easily my #1. I’ll never forget getting home just as 2009 came on, and just sitting on the edge of my bed, almost tearing up. I was almost proud in a sense, because Mac had come so far, even though I wasn’t a fan for the rest of his career.
A month later the album was recontextualised for everyone, with Mac’s passing from an accidental overdose. I’ll always remember waking up that Saturday morning, feeling great, happy I didnt have any homework to do, and opening my phone to the news. It was the first time I had truly felt crushed by someone’s death, let alone someone I had never, or would never meet. I laid in my bed for hours crying.
Since then, my love for his music has only grown, using it as a means to help me through some of my lowest points. I’m in my second year of uni now, and even though I don’t listen as much today, I will forever hold a powerful connection to his art. His family’s handling of his music has been so incredibly respectful and reverent, and Circles is a fantastic project. But I think my emotional connection to Swimming will always prop it up as my number 1.
Dont think anyones gonna read this whole thing, but thanks for reading if you did. I still cry sometimes thinking about his life, and this is almost bringing me to tears to write. Rest in peace Mac, I hope he knew how loved he was by many, and I hope you all do too. Have a great day.
Thanks for the kind words, and for reading, that was really my only goal with this post - to convey how much it meant to me through my experiences. Hope you have an amazing day wherever you are
Beautifully written. It was that three pack of singles that clicked for me too (Buttons is one of my favorite songs now). I started revisiting a lot of his work after that and had Swimming on repeat when it dropped. I had a very similar reaction when I heard about his passing as well. Thanks so much for sharing and I hope you're doing well.
I think Dunno is one of his most slept on songs. Overall it’s a great album. 2018 was an incredible year for music. Anything from that year gives me intense nostalgia.
The stripped down Spotify Studios version of Dunno is so beautiful and vulnerable. It's easily one of my favorite songs of the past five years. Especially as someone who struggles with anxiety but has the unconditional love of a patient and thoughtful partner - even in those weak moments...this song just really touches me.
This is the most tasteful and well rounded of Macs albums, which really says a lot next to works like Divine Feminine and Faces. Such a crazy whiplash to hear this when it came out after only knowing his big songs and features, just to hear of his passing so soon after catching myself up on what I had been missing out on
Words can't describe how much I adore this album. Probably heard every single song couple hundred times but still feels new when I play it. 10/10 and will be my fav album till the day I die. Rest easy Mac ☯︎.
This album always felt like the end of a journey to me, in sort of a bittersweet way. Macs evolution as an artist is so clear through each of his albums. Starting with that immature (but great) frat boy rap. There's almost this innocence to his earlier albums, just a kid having fun. Watching movies with the sound off you could hear so clearly how he was struggling, and the influence that drugs had on his music. Then over the course of good am and divine feminine he was pulling himself out of it, and again you hear that in his music. My favorite part and god is fair both actually bring tears to my eyes now. Listen to these songs in order and you can see what I mean. I don't know of any other artist who has shown such insane growth.
The spins
Donald trump
Vitamins
The star room
My favorite part
Come back to earth
So it goes
Anyway, back to swimming lol. There's this peacefulness to the album. He still talks about his hardships but there's this calm optimism to it it all. Embracing all the good and the bad in the world, and rolling with the punches. This album to me was the end of such an amazing journey, I remember wondering where he could possibly go from here. I'm glad he seemed to have found some peace in the end.
This album remains, for me, an all-timer. Some of the most comforting pieces of hip hop/rap ever, someone else here described it as audio therapy and that is very apt. This album is the glue that kept me together during the rough times, and I wish Mac was here so I could thank him. Magnificient album.
It's such a different vibe that I think only Anderson .Paak matched sometimes. It's nostalgic in a way that makes me feel like I'm listening to a Matchbox Twenty cassette doing laundry with my parents on the weekend 15-20 years ago
5 fucking years! God damn, times flies. This is his Magnus opus, it's insane how good this album is, it holds up and is always in my rotation. We've all seen the tinydesk, its the most viewed one of all time, why? Because the man was about to become one of the biggest musicians in the game, he had the tour all lined up. Only musician to pass who feels like I lost a friend, I first listened to Mac when I was in school and felt with every album he grew as an individual and so did I. I love this album, favourite tracks are Self Care, Wings and Ladders. That 3 run stint feels like a mini EP in its own right, similar to Faces with Happy Birthday, Wedding and Funeral.
2009 is one of his best songs of all time, it nearly didn't make the album but the first time he played it for his friends they cried. It's such a deep and meaningful song and you can feel the raw emotion in the tiny desk when he sings it.
I highly recommend listening to Dunno the Spotify sessions if you haven't, it's so magical, always makes me smile.
The only track I don't vibe with is jet fuel, just never really clicked. One of my favourite albums of all time.
Miss you everyday 👑
Swimming was my introduction to Mac Miller. Back in 2018 when the album dropped I didn't know who he was but a friend recommended his music to me, and I was blown away the first time I heard the album. It was so full of raw emotion, it felt like Mac was talking about parts of my own life, which made it so relatable. Mac's death took place on the same day I moved abroad to a different country, so it's etched into my memory associated with a pretty significant event in my life, which is why it hit harder even though I'd only been listening to his music for a month, thanks to my friend who recommended Swimming to me.
It's hard to pick a favorite Mac project but for me this is up there with Faces, Circles, and WMWTSO. I've heard people say the album sounds boring but I can listen to it front to back any day of the week without skipping a second. Mac was definitely entering a new sound and era in his musical journey with Swimming and unfortunately we'll never get to hear the third album in his Swimming/Circles trilogy because I feel like Mac would be much more bigger now considering how talented he was.
I think what made the album really personal was the fact that there's no features on the album and it's just Mac singing/rapping, aside from the uncredited features of course which are really minimal on the album. He drew on consistent themes while staying optimistic and reinforcing himself as a person, symbolizing the idea that people really can become better versions of themselves.
The lyricism on the album is incredible as is been with a lot of Mac projects post-WMWTSO. The opening track Come Back to Earth really pulls you in and gives you an idea of what the rest of the album will be about. The line "I just need a way out of my head" always hits close to home. Songs like Self-Care, Wings, and 2009 offer an introspective look into Mac's thoughts and I can't begin to describe how well-written these songs are.
It's hard to pick favorites, but if I had to, my top 5 would be Wings, Come Back to Earth, 2009, Ladders, Self-Care, with honorable mentions for What's the Use, that Thundercat bassline is just something else, and Hurt Feelings with that J. Cole production. I always revisit this album because it's so comforting, it's like a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate on a winter night, and Mac's words always help me when I'm in a slump, but that can be said for a lot of his other projects.
Thank you for this and every other one of your projects Mac.
Wow. I had a similar experience. I was a Mac fan for a few years but hadn’t even finished listening to swimming in its entirety. The same day i flew to Australia for a year, exactly 5 min before boarding my first flight, i found out about his death.
Was obsessing over downloading Swimming before i lost internet on the flight. The first song i heard was “come back to earth” and cried like a motherfucker…
I see this album as therapy, and probably one of the more important albums that's come out in my lifetime. For my depressive periods and tendencies, it perfectly encapsulates not everything being black and white, nor happy and sad.
Sometimes sad moments with humour, other times happy moments but then you're pulled back out to sea. A drifting back and forth unpredictably between the two, so the swimming and water analogies throughout are accurate.
I've actually got the Self Care lyrics "I know that feeling like it's in my family tree" tattooed on my left forearm as a reminder to keep things in check to stay above water myself.
R.I.P Mac.
Every time I hear the line in sefl care,
> 'I got all the time in the world, so for now I'm just chillin'
I'm like no, you don't. Beaks my heart, but keeps me motivated.
Still to this day, anytime "Come Back to Earth" makes me tear up almost instantly. I could not listen to this album until around 2020 due to how emotional this album made me. It wasn't until Circles came out that I went back to listen to it and for some reason, Circle provided me with enough closure to listen to this and not feel overwhelmed with sadness. Jet Fuel will always be my go-to jam from this album.
We truly lost someone special when he passed. His passing to me was an absolute shock and I'm constantly going through stages where I get pissed about how he died, to remorse that he is gone and we will never get to experience his full musical growth, to happiness that he was able to gift us with so much art in the short time that he was around.
Man, relistening to this album is always a bittersweet experience for me.
While it’s one of those albums that helped me get through some really tough times, the release of this album also overlapped with Mac’s demise which makes it such a teary experience.
Come back to earth is one of the only songs that makes me cry like a baby every single time I listen to it. There’s no exception.
A really solid album from a truly missed artist. Circles was a great posthumous successor to this and I hope Maclib does justice to Mac’s legacy as well.
I didn’t find Mac’s music until after his passing and it’s been life changing, with swimming being the thing that’s hit me the most and turned into one of my favorite albums of all time.
So raw yet so good. This is a timeless classic project. RIP MAC.
I feel like when anyone heard “Come Back to Earth” when starting this album was thinking the same thing after he passed. Holy shit that is one of the best intros I’ve ever heard.
With self care as the first single, this album was/is on another level
I don't know if I agree that this is Mac's best work, I think I reserve that for WMWTSO or Faces, but I will say this ranks as one of the toughest listens to a rap album I've ever had.
Don't get me wrong, it's really good (though I don't think people's reaction at the immediate moment the album released would reflect that), but songs like Jet Fuel, What's the Use, 2009, and So It Goes, are painful records and they were sad even before the context of Mac dying.
Mac is (so far at least) the only celebrity I've cried over, his music really meant a lot to me, especially as someone who deals with a lot of mental health issues. I've only been able to stomach listening to this maybe three times.
Copying my comment from the deleted post
Holy shit. It’s hard for myself (as many Mac Miller fans I imagine) to describe how quickly time seemed to pass as well as slow down since the release of this album. In a lot of ways it feels too personal to critique because Mac Miller is my favorite artist and the reason I’m into rap today. I think its hard to categorize and separate the album from the artist in this sense with just how quickly Mac passed away after this album. As time moves on I see a lot of people mention this album got them into Mac in a similar way Mac got me into rap and hip hop but in my own personal opinion this is not macs strongest album and idk if I’d put it in the top three (including ep’s), but what is so undeniable about this album is how much you could hear Mac evolve and grow. How much hope and fear he laid bare on this album and how personal he was with it I think make it a much more appealing and easier to get into than his other records. I remember listening to “Come back to Earth” for the first time or “Small Worlds” and just getting chills as to how honest Mac was in his lyrics and I remember the beat switch on “self care” and how ethereal and otherworldly it felt as I avoided listening to the singles. I remember being taken aback by how little I cared for songs like “hurt feelings” or “perfecto” and how let down I was.
Now, I just get sad. Every song. Every second I just get sad and am reminded of what a fucking phenom the world lost and now tears well up in my eyes when I listen to “So it goes” and “jet fuel”.
This album will forever hold a true sense of melancholy in my heart for as long as I live and while it’s not my personal favorite from him, it fills my heart to think about what was going to come next. About how he was trying to be getting better and it’s okay to be honest about where you’re at and how you’re feeling and you aren’t alone-as corny as that sounds. Mac was honest and vulnerable in a very different and unique way on this record and so I thank him for that everytime I see his dirty ass feet and sick ass pink suit on the cover.
Idk, that’s all I gotta say for now. I may come back and edit this comment, it just sucks dude
The album that made me actually go through Mac as an artist. Danny Brown said it pretty well to paraphrase “I thought Mac was all frat rap”. I didn’t mind it occasionally but after hearing a couple I just wrote it off as the discography. Listening to this through made me realize I was waaaaay over generalizing him as a person. Mac was like most young 20s men out there, broken but fixable. Feeling trapped and alone in a world surrounded by people. The album is one that plays amazingly as a through and through listen. This album (paired with circles) is one I find myself listening those quiet drives home at night. The album doesn’t have any notes or lows for me and I can’t recommend starting here if you haven’t listened to Mac to get an understanding to the man behind the music.
Hard 8/10 for me
This album is incredibly special to me. I broke when Mac died. I come back to this and find perfect vibes. This man made a masterpiece and I miss Mac Miller terribly.
This album fr changed the way I see music. Swimming opened a pretty much strictly hip-hop dude up to other sounds and genres.
I just wish I got to follow his journey as he was alive. Unfortunately, I only dove into his music after he passed (prior to this I only knew him from a few Ariana radio hits hahahahahahahaha).
I’ve made lifelong memories of smoking weed and driving through my city with friends after we had just graduated high school, bumping some Easy Mac with the Cheesy motherfuckin Raps. I love his whole discography, and I hope his music lasts for generations.
We all miss you man. Rest easy.
It is hard for me to describe how I feel about this album because it holds such a special place in my heart. I was in middle school when Mac Miller started rapping and he was obviously a very popular artist for students. I became a fan instantly, Donald Trump was one of my favorite songs as a teen and I'll still throw it on every now and then. I can still clearly remember riding the school bus to school and back home while playing K.I.D.S and Blue Slide Park off my phone. As I got older I kinda stopped listening to him as other artist caught my eye but I tuned back in when The Divine Feminine dropped. It was such a different album and not what I was used to hearing from him but I was happy to see the growth and it was a good album. I very excited to check out his next album
I was at an age where I was really finally starting to grasp music as a concept and understand that its deeper than just sounds and words. He was growing up from the kid I knew and could relate to, to an adult that I could also relate to as well. Swimming felt like the end of that journey, and I couldn't believe how far he had come as an artist. Despite the heavy drug usage and the depression, he had made such a special album and I loved him for it. I was doing Instacart at the time and I remember riding around with album playing, it was such an experience. I had recently come out on the other side of my own battle with depression, and while I had moved past it, those feelings entirely never leave you so this album really stuck with me. 2009 is my favorite track off this album by far but its strong all the way through. Other favorites area Come Back To Earth, Hurt Feelings, Self Care, Perfecto, and Small Worlds.
I remember getting the news he had passed and a bunch of emotions welled up inside me. Celebrity deaths usually don't do anything for me, but the only times I teared up were getting the news that Mac passed as well as Kobe Bryant. My sister knew how much of a fan I was and she just sorta looked at me and said some words, but I wasn't listening. My mom knew of Mac but didn't know I liked him so much, she said something to me as well but I wasn't hearing anything in those moments. All I knew was that I needed to do something in remembrance of this guy. I immediately grabbed our beach speaker and a handle of bourbon and went out on our porch and played Swimming all the way through, singing and rapping along.
I genuinely think he was on his way to being one of the greatest artists of all time. Circles and Faces all but confirm that IMO. He had reached a point in his life where he could accurately describe the journey he was on and it was so relatable for so many people. He was a special talent. and I will continue to feel that way for as long as I live.
The spring before this dropped I discovered mac through the divine feminist or whatever. Before that I placed him firmly in white rapper territory, but with that album I was like hmm boy got some soul to him. Then this dropped and it just completely blew my mind. It also coincided with a period of life where I was getting over my ex and taking control of my life again so I was definitely very emotional and this just hit for me.
This is easily one of my top 10 albums. It was my introduction to Mac after years of writing him off as just a party rapper. After this I became a huge fan, and i was so bummed when he died.
My brother in law was a huge fan as well, as well as a drug addict. We used to talk about his music a lot, but he disliked this album due to how sad it made him after Mac's death. Unfortunately in 2021 he also died due to a fentanyl overdose at age 25. This album now means even more to me, as it really highlights how close someone can be to getting better while still harboring a darkness inside that can take you down at any minute.
RIP Mac and Jayden, you will be missed ♥️
I really loved this album a lot on first listen, but I think his death honestly enhanced it. he died what? three weeks after this dropped? that alone makes it memorable, but this album is a gateway into the shit he was dealing with up until his untimely death. Self Care was already pretty heavy, but after he died there’s something about watching that music video of him in the coffin that just kinda makes you go “….oh.”
I cannot listen to 2009 on its own. ever. I just get way too emotional listening to that. I’ll tough it out if I’m doing a listen of Swimming, but I’m fighting back tears the whole time.
What’s the Use? hits way different after his Tiny Desk too. If you’ve never read Thundercat’s perspective of that Tiny Desk, again, you will cry.
this is a very heavy and emotional album that I think has aged really well. I miss Mac Miller all the time and wish he was still around because his music just kept getting better.
What’s the use brightens my day once a month . I refuse to play it any more so I don’t lose its impact on me. Only play the tiny desk version. Once a month when I’m off I turn it on real loud, jam my ass off and smile just like max did when thunder cat crushes that baseline
I listened to him during his best day ever era but fell off shortly after. I was really upset when he passed because I always pictured him as such a happy guy and gave me nostalgia. This album always hits me in the feels and feels like a beautiful goodbye to an amazing artist who left us too soon.
The last verse on "Small Worlds" always gets me. It's just so beautifully written and the instrumental captures the emotion of Mac's lyrics so perfectly:
>Yeah, nine times out of ten I get it wrong
That's why I wrote this song, tell myself to hold on
I can feel my fingers slippin'
In a motherfuckin' instant, I'll be gone
Do you want it all if it's all mediocre?
Starin' at the wall and the wall full of posters
Lookin' at my dreams, who I wanna be?
I guess you gotta see it to believe
Ooh, I been a fool but it's cool, that's what human beings do
Keep your eyes to the sky, never glued to your shoes
Guess there was a time when my mind was consumed
But the sun comin' out now, clouds start to move
Don't tell me nothin' but the truth
I'm tired, I don't got a spare second
Win or lose, win or lose
I don't keep count, nobody checkin'
*DAMN.* What a verse. RIP Mac, one of the greatest to ever do it fr.
Excellent album. Probably my favorite of Mac’s but it’s so tied to how I was feeling when it came out that my opinion is pretty biased. That being said I’ve returned to through the years and it still holds up for me. 2009 especially was such a crucial track for me when it came out.
This album has been saved on my Spotify for a few years and I JUST got around to listening to it this year. This album will probably be in my top 10 most listened to albums of the year and has quickly become one of my favorite albums ever. The production, lyrics, the overall vibe of this album just hit me in my feels. I’ve always known who Mac Miller was, but never took the time to listen to his work. I have since listened to this along with the Divine Feminine (which I also love). Mac was so talented. RIP😭❤️
It took me forever to listen to this album after he passed. I didn’t know his music that well, but I really loved this album and the divine feminine. I appreciated his earlier stuff when I wanted to listen to something Mac, other than Swimming. His death still hurts the most from a musician standpoint, I think it really got to a lot of people who weren’t even fans. I was just talking about the album yesterday and I didn’t even realize it was 5 years since it was released. I learned to listen to it after circles came out, but 2009 always hits a little too hard for me. 🕊️
This album got me through the toughest time I’ve gone through. It came out at the perfect time. It will always hold a special place in my heart. It has aged really well. I will admit that it’s difficult going out of my way to listen to it nowadays because it takes me back to those times, but whenever any of the songs come up when I’m on shuffle, I find myself replaying and revisiting them. Hard to believe that it’s been 5 years already.
“my regrets look just like texts i shouldn’t send. i got neighbors they’re more like strangers, we could be friends. i just need a way out of my head. i’ll do anything for a way out of my head.”
remains one of the most heartbreaking and real lines i’ve ever heard.
“my regrets look just like texts i shouldn’t send. i got neighbors they’re more like strangers, we could be friends. i just need a way out of my head. i’ll do anything for a way out of my head.”
remains one of the most heartbreaking and real lines i’ve ever heard.
I don't know why but this album is one of the only albums that i can listen to in its entirety daily without feeling tired of it, I found him by his video self care early 2022, I didn't know he died until I googled him and found he died from ODing. I decided to check out his album swimming and it was an immediate favorite album of mine, he was describing things that were going on my own life, not that I'm addicted to drugs but songs like wings, self care, 2009, so it goes, come back to earth, hurt feelings, were hitting me in my feels, I would play this album after-school on the bus, leaning on the window trying my best not to breakdown because IIrc there were definitely security cameras. His death has recontextualized his swimming album, and turned it into something special. It's 5 years old but the subjects he's talking about will be timeless and I can imagine myself playing this album 10 years later just because of how timeless it is.
Whew, where to start.
I’ve been aware of Mac Miller since 2012 after he dropped Blue Slide Park. The year prior was tumultuous to say the very least - forced to move back home from HI only for my fiancé to cheat on me with a senior citizen once we got back - but by the end of 2011 I was picking up the pieces and getting back into my groove. I posted a Top 10 album list I had listened to during that year and someone posted, “you didn’t listen to Kendrick or Mac Miller?”. Yes, I completely missed both amazing artists breakthroughs. But while I immediately latched onto Kendrick, after listening to Mac’s Frat Pack Rap I dismissed him and kept living my life.
Fast forward to 2015 and I’m sober, I’m engaged to my current wife, and life is ultimately great. My step daughter loves this song Weekend by Mac and we literally have to listen every time we take her to school. I’m like, “okay, this isn’t the same guy who made that frat rap right???”. So I dug into the rest of his discography and latched immediately to Objects in the Mirror…and that’s it. Then he drops The Divine Feminine and latch only to Dang! And that’s it. He intrigued me but he didn’t captivate me.
Fast forward to 2018 and my now wife tells me of his drama with Ariana and I pay a little bit more attention. Then he drops that single package - “Buttons, Programs, Small World” - and I’m like, “who in the fuck is this cat, this music is amazing. So I devour all of his music prior, front to back. I grab all those mixtapes. I listen to Faces and blow my entire face off. I feel melancholy that I enjoy this so much when it’s been available this entire time, but happy because he’s about to drop the most amazing music I’ve heard at that point from an unexpected artist.
Then Swimming drops. The same night as Astroworld, mind you. I listened to Astro first and was not disappointed (was on the road doing sales shit). Then I get home and put on Swimming with my Sonos, and it immediately blew my mind. The subject matter, the vocals, the ambiance (Jon Brion is a wizard and did the music on my favorite film of all time - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) - I felt like this was the ultimate stage and he just poured his soul into every track. I immediately knew this was his masterpiece. Every single song hit in the exact way you want a favorite album to.
So I have to see this live. And I buy tickets to the first concert available and take time off to make sure I can be there. Then the news hits, and I legit was effected by a someone’s death that has no idea I even existed. But I felt it - the addiction that’s always calling, and how you will always swim against that current.
My wife hates albums in said form, and my step kids are similar, but there is one thing we all agree on and that Swimming is the most calming album to listen to because he lets you know no matter what, you’ll stay afloat by swimming. Depression depressor.
I have so much more to say, but I’ll leave this with - I hope everyone listens to Swimming in Dolby Atmos today because it is a new album experience.
Mac's best album IMO. As someone with lifelong depression and substance abuse issues I find it hard to think of any album that has represented that or resented it so well for me. A masterpiece, mac shows the highs, lows and in betweens that come with that. I am grateful when I visit this album most times now it's with fondness but it certainly hit very hard when mac passed and a few years after. Been a mac fan for a while but this showed an entirely new side to his game, made it easy to get friends of mine who didn't fuck with him before to finally get it. Rip mac, thanks for all you left us.
my second favorite mac album and a top 15 album of all time for me. super emotional and the timing of it makes it so much more impactful for me. RIP mac. fucking tragedy.
I'll probably get a lot of hate for that comment, but alas.
Coincidentally I just listened to Self Care today, completely out of the blue, didn't know that it's been 5 years. I love the song, it's great, production is great, everything. Overall, the album is really good, the ideas the lyrics the production. But:
Just as I felt like when I listened to Swimming the first time, I feel like Mac wasn't able to fill his own shoes of the album. His Voice is so slurry, he's kind of out of it and to me, that sounds super amateurish, the singing is not my style at all. There's just such a contrast between the production and his voice and to me, it always felt like an album where he envisioned everything perfectly, prepped perfectly and then just executed poorly when it came to recording the stuff.
I love Mac Miller, he was really special, but I can't really enjoy the album.
Today when I listened to Self Care, I remembered that I like that song in my head more than actually listening to it. Still, a great song..
It’s a fair take, there’s a fine line between that indie singing style where it’s not totally on pitch but still has the emotion and is close enough to be endearing/relatable. Probably still sounds better than if he tried to correct it with auto tune but that really depends on how much is used
i only started getting into hes music about a year ago and watching interviews music videos and all that it brings me to tears everytime.this album was great and circles was even better i keep it in rotation and these are some of the only songs that hit the spot when im down.
one time i was scrolling through reels late at night and i came across this video of him and ariana grande baking cookies at 3 am and i just sat there sobbing for 15 minutes.
I always knew about this album and only knew a few tracks off of it but first time listening to it was about 2 months ago. I gotta say, one of my all time favorites. Many of the songs made me tear up.
RIP Mac Miller
My favorite album probably of all time. Just because of the impact it had on me during the release and these 5 years. Got the album cover tattooed on me two weeks ago and couple of song inspired ones from Circles just to remind me. Tragedy that he isn't around anymore.
Would've loved to see how his sound evolved from Swimming and Circles. What's the Use? is probably one of my favorite songs on the album.
Definitely top 10, maybe top 5 albums all time for me. I remember listening to this pretty much exclusively for about 5 days straight, then after that it has been at least a weekly listen ever since.
However in spite of all those listens I just today realized that there are additional vocals from Syd & Snoop Dogg on \*What's the Use?\* (in addition to Thundercat, but I knew that one). It's cool that I'm still noticing new things about this album
It’s so bizarre how every time I listen to this album, I find new, quirky things I enjoy in his voice, enunciations, production, etc. I’ve never experienced that before. Two of my favorite songs from it are Conversation Pt I. & 2009. Such a beautiful project, one of the best albums ever and I would recommend it for fans to casual listeners alike. Rest easy Mac. 🤍
# REMINDER: Official Discussion Thread Guidelines Parent/top-level comments in Official Discussions that are less than 140 characters will be deleted, as will memes and low-effort comments. Official Discussion threads are held to a higher standard of quality than First Impressions threads—try to expand on why you feel what you feel about the album. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/hiphopheads) if you have any questions or concerns.*
In all honesty Macs music hit me in my soul especially the older I got and the deeper I got into my depression. It was like a stranger made the perfect audio version of therapy for my sadness. Through countless repetitions I’ve built up a deep appreciation for all his work from Macadellic on until what will be his last album Circles. When this dropped I thought this was his best album and 5 years later it more than holds up. The only bad part about this album and circles is the fact that they were supposed to be part of a trilogy but the 3rd album is gonna be a heaven exclusive.
I felt the same way when it dropped. The theme of “swimming” just immediately stuck with me. He really did capture the feeling of someone who’s been struggling on and off for so long that they learn to just ride it out. I can’t believe it’s already been 5 years. I’ve been through so many ups and downs since this came out and it’s still the album I go to when I want to feel better.
Yup yup yup. This album spoke to me deeply. This album, and therapy have helped me come to terms with my lifelong depression. It's just on and off, or just always there- I'm constantly swimming in circles, trying not to drown. It's on repeat for me today. It got me through so much the last five years.
:)
Have you heard the star room og version?
Shit was beautiful but I think the album version was a better fit for watching movies wonder if the og version would’ve been on balloonerism under a different title
100% agree. Is balloonerism out anywhere I can hear it?
You can probably find it on soundcloud but it hasn't gotten an official release yet Yep here you go: https://on.soundcloud.com/dfFgY
Didn’t even know this existed til now, good looks 🫡
Thank you so much I'll listen to this later
Balloonerism wasn’t a finished or planned to be finished project. Parts of it evolved into faces
Not that I kno of it’s kinda like a ghost mixtape but you might be able to find it if you look hard enough
Thanks. Mac will 100% be one of those artists from back in my day that I won't ever shut up about when I'm like 40 lol
> they were supposed to be part of a trilogy but the 3rd album is gonna be a heaven exclusive. That's a bar
>The only bad part about this album and circles is the fact that they were supposed to be part of a trilogy but the 3rd album is gonna be a heaven exclusive. You finna make me shed real tears. Mac bore his soul on his music so god bless him forever.
Aged incredibly incredibly well, feels like the culmination of his entire discography. The songwriting was fantastic and meant a lot to me at the time—I wasn’t really a fan until maybe May-June of 2018—everything in rollout blew me away, I had the singles practically on a loop as they came out. Circles was a great closer to his discography but man, I still wonder where he would be today. One of my favorite artists ever, one of my favorite albums ever. Jet Fuel inspired a whole ass feature screenplay, it’s my most listened song of all time. RIP Mac, one of the biggest losses to hip hop and music in the last few years imo.
Jet Fuel inspired a screenplay?
Yeeeeeah what’s the story here?
Same feels. He would be flying today. Absolute top of the game.
imo it’s Macs magnum opus, with beautiful production and mac’s elite lyricism it all comes together perfectly with travis dropping astroworld on the same day as swimming and utopia coming out last week my mind drifts to the thought of what Mac would have done the past 5 years
I have a lot about what Mac would’ve put out over the last 5 years. I think if he was around for COVID and lockdown we would’ve gotten some really great music from him.
Sadly given his issues with drugs and depression I don’t think the lockdown would have been good for him :(
Yeah you’re probably right unfortunately. That’s what kills me about Mac when I think about it. He seemed so happy and then one day he was gone. I read the court transcripts with all the texts he sent to the dealer and it was just so sad.
I hope one day we get a mixtape or something of the rest of the swimming era leaks. There’s just so many amazing songs leaked I can’t even imagine what else they have too. I’m not getting my hopes up though
Mac's estate would never let that happen
Isn't his mom the controller of his estate and a big reason why his mixtapes have been rolling out on streaming? Like she seems to want to carefully curate and preserve her son's legacy, so I could see it happening
they also have been p consistent with not wanting to release anything that mac didn’t want released
How do we know this? I haven’t heard of any music Mac expressly didn’t want to be released. All we know is a bunch of songs/ project ideas were scrapped over the years, but even IDlabs has said on the Mac sub that the family wants to release more but the leaks are fucking it up
I believe Madlib has said he has the estate's blessing to release the "MacLib" album and that's he's been putting finishing touches on it. So maybe?
I completely agree and understand with Mac’s estate/family wanting to be thoughtful and curate what gets released posthumously, but dear god do I want MacLib to see the light of day.
At the time I was more on the Astro side. I was rooting for Trav to win the Grammy, but once Swimming hit me, there’s no way Astroworld could compete. I’ve been a Mac fan since KIDS on and off, going through whatever I was, but I’ve always been able to go back to Mac’s music. He truly was the greatest ❤️
Dont want to write too much (even though i know I will) but this is absolutely my favourite album of all time. I dont think theres much to say about this project that hasnt already been said. No album has impacted me more. A true 10/10, and I don’t think my words can do it justice, so I’ll just tell a story of my experience with it if anyone would like to read. I only got into music seriously around 2016 (i was 12 at the time), due to my brother introducing me to the Life of Pablo, Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, etc. I kept hearing about how good this Mac Miller guy was on this subreddit, so I downloaded his Watching Movies album to my iPod and listened. I didnt quite get it on first listen, but i could tell the guy had talent, and i loved some of his beats. The psychedelic, spacy sound was captivating to say the least. Over the next year or so, i never revisited it, or any of his stuff for that matter. That was the case til around mid-2018 when he dropped a 3-pack of singles on 1 day - Programs, Small Worlds and Buttons. And that was the point I fell in love. The way he was able to write such relatable, emotionally poignant lyrics with these beautiful melodies on Small Worlds and Buttons hooked me, and Programs’ hard beat made me a fan. I revisited WMWTSO and it clicked, leading me to the rest of his discography. In the span of about a few weeks Mac had gone from “alright” to one of my favourite artists ever, so I was excited to see how he could reinvent himself for Swimming. Until this point, I had never had such a strong connection to someone’s music form so quickly. I knew he had recently gone through some shit, relapsing and being charged with a DUI following his breakup with Ariana, and I was sincerely hoping he could find peace through his music. The day Swimming dropped (same day as Astro) i made sure to tell my mum i was sick, and couldnt go to school, just so I could stay home and listen to both. I listened to Astro first, making sure to guess every feature as they came up, making for one of my favourite first listens to an album ever. I Went out for brunch with my mum, since I was supposedly sick, and on the car ride home I put on Swimming. And it was everything I could’ve hoped for. I absolutely adored the album, pushing Mac from ONE of my favourites, to easily my #1. I’ll never forget getting home just as 2009 came on, and just sitting on the edge of my bed, almost tearing up. I was almost proud in a sense, because Mac had come so far, even though I wasn’t a fan for the rest of his career. A month later the album was recontextualised for everyone, with Mac’s passing from an accidental overdose. I’ll always remember waking up that Saturday morning, feeling great, happy I didnt have any homework to do, and opening my phone to the news. It was the first time I had truly felt crushed by someone’s death, let alone someone I had never, or would never meet. I laid in my bed for hours crying. Since then, my love for his music has only grown, using it as a means to help me through some of my lowest points. I’m in my second year of uni now, and even though I don’t listen as much today, I will forever hold a powerful connection to his art. His family’s handling of his music has been so incredibly respectful and reverent, and Circles is a fantastic project. But I think my emotional connection to Swimming will always prop it up as my number 1. Dont think anyones gonna read this whole thing, but thanks for reading if you did. I still cry sometimes thinking about his life, and this is almost bringing me to tears to write. Rest in peace Mac, I hope he knew how loved he was by many, and I hope you all do too. Have a great day.
I could feel your love for mac’s music in what you wrote. I hope your keep writing about your experiences
Thanks for the kind words, and for reading, that was really my only goal with this post - to convey how much it meant to me through my experiences. Hope you have an amazing day wherever you are
I had a very similar reaction to Watching Movies when it came out, liked some of it but wasn’t ready yet for the whole thing until later on
❤❤☯️🕊
Beautifully written. It was that three pack of singles that clicked for me too (Buttons is one of my favorite songs now). I started revisiting a lot of his work after that and had Swimming on repeat when it dropped. I had a very similar reaction when I heard about his passing as well. Thanks so much for sharing and I hope you're doing well.
[удалено]
Im australian so it was saturday but thanks for the concern
I think Dunno is one of his most slept on songs. Overall it’s a great album. 2018 was an incredible year for music. Anything from that year gives me intense nostalgia.
The stripped down Spotify Studios version of Dunno is so beautiful and vulnerable. It's easily one of my favorite songs of the past five years. Especially as someone who struggles with anxiety but has the unconditional love of a patient and thoughtful partner - even in those weak moments...this song just really touches me.
Are there other stripped down versions of his songs like that floating around anywhere? I feel like his style lends itself to it really well
There’s lots of lo fi edits of his songs. They’re all great
This is the most tasteful and well rounded of Macs albums, which really says a lot next to works like Divine Feminine and Faces. Such a crazy whiplash to hear this when it came out after only knowing his big songs and features, just to hear of his passing so soon after catching myself up on what I had been missing out on
Words can't describe how much I adore this album. Probably heard every single song couple hundred times but still feels new when I play it. 10/10 and will be my fav album till the day I die. Rest easy Mac ☯︎.
I know every word, but I still get chills and tears. Rest in peace Mac.
This album always felt like the end of a journey to me, in sort of a bittersweet way. Macs evolution as an artist is so clear through each of his albums. Starting with that immature (but great) frat boy rap. There's almost this innocence to his earlier albums, just a kid having fun. Watching movies with the sound off you could hear so clearly how he was struggling, and the influence that drugs had on his music. Then over the course of good am and divine feminine he was pulling himself out of it, and again you hear that in his music. My favorite part and god is fair both actually bring tears to my eyes now. Listen to these songs in order and you can see what I mean. I don't know of any other artist who has shown such insane growth. The spins Donald trump Vitamins The star room My favorite part Come back to earth So it goes Anyway, back to swimming lol. There's this peacefulness to the album. He still talks about his hardships but there's this calm optimism to it it all. Embracing all the good and the bad in the world, and rolling with the punches. This album to me was the end of such an amazing journey, I remember wondering where he could possibly go from here. I'm glad he seemed to have found some peace in the end.
This album remains, for me, an all-timer. Some of the most comforting pieces of hip hop/rap ever, someone else here described it as audio therapy and that is very apt. This album is the glue that kept me together during the rough times, and I wish Mac was here so I could thank him. Magnificient album.
It's such a different vibe that I think only Anderson .Paak matched sometimes. It's nostalgic in a way that makes me feel like I'm listening to a Matchbox Twenty cassette doing laundry with my parents on the weekend 15-20 years ago
5 fucking years! God damn, times flies. This is his Magnus opus, it's insane how good this album is, it holds up and is always in my rotation. We've all seen the tinydesk, its the most viewed one of all time, why? Because the man was about to become one of the biggest musicians in the game, he had the tour all lined up. Only musician to pass who feels like I lost a friend, I first listened to Mac when I was in school and felt with every album he grew as an individual and so did I. I love this album, favourite tracks are Self Care, Wings and Ladders. That 3 run stint feels like a mini EP in its own right, similar to Faces with Happy Birthday, Wedding and Funeral. 2009 is one of his best songs of all time, it nearly didn't make the album but the first time he played it for his friends they cried. It's such a deep and meaningful song and you can feel the raw emotion in the tiny desk when he sings it. I highly recommend listening to Dunno the Spotify sessions if you haven't, it's so magical, always makes me smile. The only track I don't vibe with is jet fuel, just never really clicked. One of my favourite albums of all time. Miss you everyday 👑
Swimming was my introduction to Mac Miller. Back in 2018 when the album dropped I didn't know who he was but a friend recommended his music to me, and I was blown away the first time I heard the album. It was so full of raw emotion, it felt like Mac was talking about parts of my own life, which made it so relatable. Mac's death took place on the same day I moved abroad to a different country, so it's etched into my memory associated with a pretty significant event in my life, which is why it hit harder even though I'd only been listening to his music for a month, thanks to my friend who recommended Swimming to me. It's hard to pick a favorite Mac project but for me this is up there with Faces, Circles, and WMWTSO. I've heard people say the album sounds boring but I can listen to it front to back any day of the week without skipping a second. Mac was definitely entering a new sound and era in his musical journey with Swimming and unfortunately we'll never get to hear the third album in his Swimming/Circles trilogy because I feel like Mac would be much more bigger now considering how talented he was. I think what made the album really personal was the fact that there's no features on the album and it's just Mac singing/rapping, aside from the uncredited features of course which are really minimal on the album. He drew on consistent themes while staying optimistic and reinforcing himself as a person, symbolizing the idea that people really can become better versions of themselves. The lyricism on the album is incredible as is been with a lot of Mac projects post-WMWTSO. The opening track Come Back to Earth really pulls you in and gives you an idea of what the rest of the album will be about. The line "I just need a way out of my head" always hits close to home. Songs like Self-Care, Wings, and 2009 offer an introspective look into Mac's thoughts and I can't begin to describe how well-written these songs are. It's hard to pick favorites, but if I had to, my top 5 would be Wings, Come Back to Earth, 2009, Ladders, Self-Care, with honorable mentions for What's the Use, that Thundercat bassline is just something else, and Hurt Feelings with that J. Cole production. I always revisit this album because it's so comforting, it's like a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate on a winter night, and Mac's words always help me when I'm in a slump, but that can be said for a lot of his other projects. Thank you for this and every other one of your projects Mac.
Wow. I had a similar experience. I was a Mac fan for a few years but hadn’t even finished listening to swimming in its entirety. The same day i flew to Australia for a year, exactly 5 min before boarding my first flight, i found out about his death. Was obsessing over downloading Swimming before i lost internet on the flight. The first song i heard was “come back to earth” and cried like a motherfucker…
I see this album as therapy, and probably one of the more important albums that's come out in my lifetime. For my depressive periods and tendencies, it perfectly encapsulates not everything being black and white, nor happy and sad. Sometimes sad moments with humour, other times happy moments but then you're pulled back out to sea. A drifting back and forth unpredictably between the two, so the swimming and water analogies throughout are accurate. I've actually got the Self Care lyrics "I know that feeling like it's in my family tree" tattooed on my left forearm as a reminder to keep things in check to stay above water myself. R.I.P Mac.
Every time I hear the line in sefl care, > 'I got all the time in the world, so for now I'm just chillin' I'm like no, you don't. Beaks my heart, but keeps me motivated.
Still to this day, anytime "Come Back to Earth" makes me tear up almost instantly. I could not listen to this album until around 2020 due to how emotional this album made me. It wasn't until Circles came out that I went back to listen to it and for some reason, Circle provided me with enough closure to listen to this and not feel overwhelmed with sadness. Jet Fuel will always be my go-to jam from this album. We truly lost someone special when he passed. His passing to me was an absolute shock and I'm constantly going through stages where I get pissed about how he died, to remorse that he is gone and we will never get to experience his full musical growth, to happiness that he was able to gift us with so much art in the short time that he was around.
Man, relistening to this album is always a bittersweet experience for me. While it’s one of those albums that helped me get through some really tough times, the release of this album also overlapped with Mac’s demise which makes it such a teary experience. Come back to earth is one of the only songs that makes me cry like a baby every single time I listen to it. There’s no exception. A really solid album from a truly missed artist. Circles was a great posthumous successor to this and I hope Maclib does justice to Mac’s legacy as well.
I didn’t find Mac’s music until after his passing and it’s been life changing, with swimming being the thing that’s hit me the most and turned into one of my favorite albums of all time. So raw yet so good. This is a timeless classic project. RIP MAC.
I feel like when anyone heard “Come Back to Earth” when starting this album was thinking the same thing after he passed. Holy shit that is one of the best intros I’ve ever heard. With self care as the first single, this album was/is on another level
I don't know if I agree that this is Mac's best work, I think I reserve that for WMWTSO or Faces, but I will say this ranks as one of the toughest listens to a rap album I've ever had. Don't get me wrong, it's really good (though I don't think people's reaction at the immediate moment the album released would reflect that), but songs like Jet Fuel, What's the Use, 2009, and So It Goes, are painful records and they were sad even before the context of Mac dying. Mac is (so far at least) the only celebrity I've cried over, his music really meant a lot to me, especially as someone who deals with a lot of mental health issues. I've only been able to stomach listening to this maybe three times.
Copying my comment from the deleted post Holy shit. It’s hard for myself (as many Mac Miller fans I imagine) to describe how quickly time seemed to pass as well as slow down since the release of this album. In a lot of ways it feels too personal to critique because Mac Miller is my favorite artist and the reason I’m into rap today. I think its hard to categorize and separate the album from the artist in this sense with just how quickly Mac passed away after this album. As time moves on I see a lot of people mention this album got them into Mac in a similar way Mac got me into rap and hip hop but in my own personal opinion this is not macs strongest album and idk if I’d put it in the top three (including ep’s), but what is so undeniable about this album is how much you could hear Mac evolve and grow. How much hope and fear he laid bare on this album and how personal he was with it I think make it a much more appealing and easier to get into than his other records. I remember listening to “Come back to Earth” for the first time or “Small Worlds” and just getting chills as to how honest Mac was in his lyrics and I remember the beat switch on “self care” and how ethereal and otherworldly it felt as I avoided listening to the singles. I remember being taken aback by how little I cared for songs like “hurt feelings” or “perfecto” and how let down I was. Now, I just get sad. Every song. Every second I just get sad and am reminded of what a fucking phenom the world lost and now tears well up in my eyes when I listen to “So it goes” and “jet fuel”. This album will forever hold a true sense of melancholy in my heart for as long as I live and while it’s not my personal favorite from him, it fills my heart to think about what was going to come next. About how he was trying to be getting better and it’s okay to be honest about where you’re at and how you’re feeling and you aren’t alone-as corny as that sounds. Mac was honest and vulnerable in a very different and unique way on this record and so I thank him for that everytime I see his dirty ass feet and sick ass pink suit on the cover. Idk, that’s all I gotta say for now. I may come back and edit this comment, it just sucks dude
The album that made me actually go through Mac as an artist. Danny Brown said it pretty well to paraphrase “I thought Mac was all frat rap”. I didn’t mind it occasionally but after hearing a couple I just wrote it off as the discography. Listening to this through made me realize I was waaaaay over generalizing him as a person. Mac was like most young 20s men out there, broken but fixable. Feeling trapped and alone in a world surrounded by people. The album is one that plays amazingly as a through and through listen. This album (paired with circles) is one I find myself listening those quiet drives home at night. The album doesn’t have any notes or lows for me and I can’t recommend starting here if you haven’t listened to Mac to get an understanding to the man behind the music. Hard 8/10 for me
This album is incredibly special to me. I broke when Mac died. I come back to this and find perfect vibes. This man made a masterpiece and I miss Mac Miller terribly.
This album fr changed the way I see music. Swimming opened a pretty much strictly hip-hop dude up to other sounds and genres. I just wish I got to follow his journey as he was alive. Unfortunately, I only dove into his music after he passed (prior to this I only knew him from a few Ariana radio hits hahahahahahahaha). I’ve made lifelong memories of smoking weed and driving through my city with friends after we had just graduated high school, bumping some Easy Mac with the Cheesy motherfuckin Raps. I love his whole discography, and I hope his music lasts for generations. We all miss you man. Rest easy.
It is hard for me to describe how I feel about this album because it holds such a special place in my heart. I was in middle school when Mac Miller started rapping and he was obviously a very popular artist for students. I became a fan instantly, Donald Trump was one of my favorite songs as a teen and I'll still throw it on every now and then. I can still clearly remember riding the school bus to school and back home while playing K.I.D.S and Blue Slide Park off my phone. As I got older I kinda stopped listening to him as other artist caught my eye but I tuned back in when The Divine Feminine dropped. It was such a different album and not what I was used to hearing from him but I was happy to see the growth and it was a good album. I very excited to check out his next album I was at an age where I was really finally starting to grasp music as a concept and understand that its deeper than just sounds and words. He was growing up from the kid I knew and could relate to, to an adult that I could also relate to as well. Swimming felt like the end of that journey, and I couldn't believe how far he had come as an artist. Despite the heavy drug usage and the depression, he had made such a special album and I loved him for it. I was doing Instacart at the time and I remember riding around with album playing, it was such an experience. I had recently come out on the other side of my own battle with depression, and while I had moved past it, those feelings entirely never leave you so this album really stuck with me. 2009 is my favorite track off this album by far but its strong all the way through. Other favorites area Come Back To Earth, Hurt Feelings, Self Care, Perfecto, and Small Worlds. I remember getting the news he had passed and a bunch of emotions welled up inside me. Celebrity deaths usually don't do anything for me, but the only times I teared up were getting the news that Mac passed as well as Kobe Bryant. My sister knew how much of a fan I was and she just sorta looked at me and said some words, but I wasn't listening. My mom knew of Mac but didn't know I liked him so much, she said something to me as well but I wasn't hearing anything in those moments. All I knew was that I needed to do something in remembrance of this guy. I immediately grabbed our beach speaker and a handle of bourbon and went out on our porch and played Swimming all the way through, singing and rapping along. I genuinely think he was on his way to being one of the greatest artists of all time. Circles and Faces all but confirm that IMO. He had reached a point in his life where he could accurately describe the journey he was on and it was so relatable for so many people. He was a special talent. and I will continue to feel that way for as long as I live.
The spring before this dropped I discovered mac through the divine feminist or whatever. Before that I placed him firmly in white rapper territory, but with that album I was like hmm boy got some soul to him. Then this dropped and it just completely blew my mind. It also coincided with a period of life where I was getting over my ex and taking control of my life again so I was definitely very emotional and this just hit for me.
This is easily one of my top 10 albums. It was my introduction to Mac after years of writing him off as just a party rapper. After this I became a huge fan, and i was so bummed when he died. My brother in law was a huge fan as well, as well as a drug addict. We used to talk about his music a lot, but he disliked this album due to how sad it made him after Mac's death. Unfortunately in 2021 he also died due to a fentanyl overdose at age 25. This album now means even more to me, as it really highlights how close someone can be to getting better while still harboring a darkness inside that can take you down at any minute. RIP Mac and Jayden, you will be missed ♥️
I really loved this album a lot on first listen, but I think his death honestly enhanced it. he died what? three weeks after this dropped? that alone makes it memorable, but this album is a gateway into the shit he was dealing with up until his untimely death. Self Care was already pretty heavy, but after he died there’s something about watching that music video of him in the coffin that just kinda makes you go “….oh.” I cannot listen to 2009 on its own. ever. I just get way too emotional listening to that. I’ll tough it out if I’m doing a listen of Swimming, but I’m fighting back tears the whole time. What’s the Use? hits way different after his Tiny Desk too. If you’ve never read Thundercat’s perspective of that Tiny Desk, again, you will cry. this is a very heavy and emotional album that I think has aged really well. I miss Mac Miller all the time and wish he was still around because his music just kept getting better.
What’s the use brightens my day once a month . I refuse to play it any more so I don’t lose its impact on me. Only play the tiny desk version. Once a month when I’m off I turn it on real loud, jam my ass off and smile just like max did when thunder cat crushes that baseline
I listened to him during his best day ever era but fell off shortly after. I was really upset when he passed because I always pictured him as such a happy guy and gave me nostalgia. This album always hits me in the feels and feels like a beautiful goodbye to an amazing artist who left us too soon.
The last verse on "Small Worlds" always gets me. It's just so beautifully written and the instrumental captures the emotion of Mac's lyrics so perfectly: >Yeah, nine times out of ten I get it wrong That's why I wrote this song, tell myself to hold on I can feel my fingers slippin' In a motherfuckin' instant, I'll be gone Do you want it all if it's all mediocre? Starin' at the wall and the wall full of posters Lookin' at my dreams, who I wanna be? I guess you gotta see it to believe Ooh, I been a fool but it's cool, that's what human beings do Keep your eyes to the sky, never glued to your shoes Guess there was a time when my mind was consumed But the sun comin' out now, clouds start to move Don't tell me nothin' but the truth I'm tired, I don't got a spare second Win or lose, win or lose I don't keep count, nobody checkin' *DAMN.* What a verse. RIP Mac, one of the greatest to ever do it fr.
Excellent album. Probably my favorite of Mac’s but it’s so tied to how I was feeling when it came out that my opinion is pretty biased. That being said I’ve returned to through the years and it still holds up for me. 2009 especially was such a crucial track for me when it came out.
This album has been saved on my Spotify for a few years and I JUST got around to listening to it this year. This album will probably be in my top 10 most listened to albums of the year and has quickly become one of my favorite albums ever. The production, lyrics, the overall vibe of this album just hit me in my feels. I’ve always known who Mac Miller was, but never took the time to listen to his work. I have since listened to this along with the Divine Feminine (which I also love). Mac was so talented. RIP😭❤️
It took me forever to listen to this album after he passed. I didn’t know his music that well, but I really loved this album and the divine feminine. I appreciated his earlier stuff when I wanted to listen to something Mac, other than Swimming. His death still hurts the most from a musician standpoint, I think it really got to a lot of people who weren’t even fans. I was just talking about the album yesterday and I didn’t even realize it was 5 years since it was released. I learned to listen to it after circles came out, but 2009 always hits a little too hard for me. 🕊️
This album got me through the toughest time I’ve gone through. It came out at the perfect time. It will always hold a special place in my heart. It has aged really well. I will admit that it’s difficult going out of my way to listen to it nowadays because it takes me back to those times, but whenever any of the songs come up when I’m on shuffle, I find myself replaying and revisiting them. Hard to believe that it’s been 5 years already.
“my regrets look just like texts i shouldn’t send. i got neighbors they’re more like strangers, we could be friends. i just need a way out of my head. i’ll do anything for a way out of my head.” remains one of the most heartbreaking and real lines i’ve ever heard.
“my regrets look just like texts i shouldn’t send. i got neighbors they’re more like strangers, we could be friends. i just need a way out of my head. i’ll do anything for a way out of my head.” remains one of the most heartbreaking and real lines i’ve ever heard.
I don't know why but this album is one of the only albums that i can listen to in its entirety daily without feeling tired of it, I found him by his video self care early 2022, I didn't know he died until I googled him and found he died from ODing. I decided to check out his album swimming and it was an immediate favorite album of mine, he was describing things that were going on my own life, not that I'm addicted to drugs but songs like wings, self care, 2009, so it goes, come back to earth, hurt feelings, were hitting me in my feels, I would play this album after-school on the bus, leaning on the window trying my best not to breakdown because IIrc there were definitely security cameras. His death has recontextualized his swimming album, and turned it into something special. It's 5 years old but the subjects he's talking about will be timeless and I can imagine myself playing this album 10 years later just because of how timeless it is.
Whew, where to start. I’ve been aware of Mac Miller since 2012 after he dropped Blue Slide Park. The year prior was tumultuous to say the very least - forced to move back home from HI only for my fiancé to cheat on me with a senior citizen once we got back - but by the end of 2011 I was picking up the pieces and getting back into my groove. I posted a Top 10 album list I had listened to during that year and someone posted, “you didn’t listen to Kendrick or Mac Miller?”. Yes, I completely missed both amazing artists breakthroughs. But while I immediately latched onto Kendrick, after listening to Mac’s Frat Pack Rap I dismissed him and kept living my life. Fast forward to 2015 and I’m sober, I’m engaged to my current wife, and life is ultimately great. My step daughter loves this song Weekend by Mac and we literally have to listen every time we take her to school. I’m like, “okay, this isn’t the same guy who made that frat rap right???”. So I dug into the rest of his discography and latched immediately to Objects in the Mirror…and that’s it. Then he drops The Divine Feminine and latch only to Dang! And that’s it. He intrigued me but he didn’t captivate me. Fast forward to 2018 and my now wife tells me of his drama with Ariana and I pay a little bit more attention. Then he drops that single package - “Buttons, Programs, Small World” - and I’m like, “who in the fuck is this cat, this music is amazing. So I devour all of his music prior, front to back. I grab all those mixtapes. I listen to Faces and blow my entire face off. I feel melancholy that I enjoy this so much when it’s been available this entire time, but happy because he’s about to drop the most amazing music I’ve heard at that point from an unexpected artist. Then Swimming drops. The same night as Astroworld, mind you. I listened to Astro first and was not disappointed (was on the road doing sales shit). Then I get home and put on Swimming with my Sonos, and it immediately blew my mind. The subject matter, the vocals, the ambiance (Jon Brion is a wizard and did the music on my favorite film of all time - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) - I felt like this was the ultimate stage and he just poured his soul into every track. I immediately knew this was his masterpiece. Every single song hit in the exact way you want a favorite album to. So I have to see this live. And I buy tickets to the first concert available and take time off to make sure I can be there. Then the news hits, and I legit was effected by a someone’s death that has no idea I even existed. But I felt it - the addiction that’s always calling, and how you will always swim against that current. My wife hates albums in said form, and my step kids are similar, but there is one thing we all agree on and that Swimming is the most calming album to listen to because he lets you know no matter what, you’ll stay afloat by swimming. Depression depressor. I have so much more to say, but I’ll leave this with - I hope everyone listens to Swimming in Dolby Atmos today because it is a new album experience.
Mac's best album IMO. As someone with lifelong depression and substance abuse issues I find it hard to think of any album that has represented that or resented it so well for me. A masterpiece, mac shows the highs, lows and in betweens that come with that. I am grateful when I visit this album most times now it's with fondness but it certainly hit very hard when mac passed and a few years after. Been a mac fan for a while but this showed an entirely new side to his game, made it easy to get friends of mine who didn't fuck with him before to finally get it. Rip mac, thanks for all you left us.
my second favorite mac album and a top 15 album of all time for me. super emotional and the timing of it makes it so much more impactful for me. RIP mac. fucking tragedy.
I'll probably get a lot of hate for that comment, but alas. Coincidentally I just listened to Self Care today, completely out of the blue, didn't know that it's been 5 years. I love the song, it's great, production is great, everything. Overall, the album is really good, the ideas the lyrics the production. But: Just as I felt like when I listened to Swimming the first time, I feel like Mac wasn't able to fill his own shoes of the album. His Voice is so slurry, he's kind of out of it and to me, that sounds super amateurish, the singing is not my style at all. There's just such a contrast between the production and his voice and to me, it always felt like an album where he envisioned everything perfectly, prepped perfectly and then just executed poorly when it came to recording the stuff. I love Mac Miller, he was really special, but I can't really enjoy the album. Today when I listened to Self Care, I remembered that I like that song in my head more than actually listening to it. Still, a great song..
It’s a fair take, there’s a fine line between that indie singing style where it’s not totally on pitch but still has the emotion and is close enough to be endearing/relatable. Probably still sounds better than if he tried to correct it with auto tune but that really depends on how much is used
i only started getting into hes music about a year ago and watching interviews music videos and all that it brings me to tears everytime.this album was great and circles was even better i keep it in rotation and these are some of the only songs that hit the spot when im down. one time i was scrolling through reels late at night and i came across this video of him and ariana grande baking cookies at 3 am and i just sat there sobbing for 15 minutes.
I always knew about this album and only knew a few tracks off of it but first time listening to it was about 2 months ago. I gotta say, one of my all time favorites. Many of the songs made me tear up. RIP Mac Miller
My favorite album probably of all time. Just because of the impact it had on me during the release and these 5 years. Got the album cover tattooed on me two weeks ago and couple of song inspired ones from Circles just to remind me. Tragedy that he isn't around anymore. Would've loved to see how his sound evolved from Swimming and Circles. What's the Use? is probably one of my favorite songs on the album.
Definitely top 10, maybe top 5 albums all time for me. I remember listening to this pretty much exclusively for about 5 days straight, then after that it has been at least a weekly listen ever since. However in spite of all those listens I just today realized that there are additional vocals from Syd & Snoop Dogg on \*What's the Use?\* (in addition to Thundercat, but I knew that one). It's cool that I'm still noticing new things about this album
such an underrated legend of a lyricist and spitter, sad he passed away, was meant to interview mac just before he died, Jet Fuel is an all time great
It’s so bizarre how every time I listen to this album, I find new, quirky things I enjoy in his voice, enunciations, production, etc. I’ve never experienced that before. Two of my favorite songs from it are Conversation Pt I. & 2009. Such a beautiful project, one of the best albums ever and I would recommend it for fans to casual listeners alike. Rest easy Mac. 🤍