Four singles were released in promotion, including the hit singles “Love Lockdown”, which became West’s highest Billboard Hot 100 debut of his career, and “Heartless”. Despite varying responses from listeners, the album received positive reviews from most music critics, who generally commended West’s experimentation, and was named one of 2008’s best records in several year-end lists. West’s lyrics on the album explore themes of loss, alienated fame, and heartache, inspired by the breakup with his fiancée, his struggles with pop stardom, and the death of his mother.Ĩ08s & Heartbreak debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling just over 450,000 copies in its first week. The production also abandons conventional hip hop sounds in favor of a minimalist sonic palette, with prominent use of the Roland TR-808 drum machine. Conceived in the wake of several distressing personal events for West, 808s & Heartbreak marked a major musical departure from his previous rap records, instead featuring a sparse, electronic sound and vocals sung through an Auto-Tune processor.
