15 Iconic Hip Hop Songs Featuring AutoTune
August 7, 2023
Read time: 4 mins
Whether it’s heard in the club or on the block, all great hip hop music comes from being relevant, real, and fresh. And keeping it fresh is the challenge every creator takes on when they get in the studio. When hip hop producers discovered AutoTune in the early 2000’s it became their secret weapon for creating fresh sounds. Since then, they’ve found endless different ways to use it. While some purists (aka “haters”) talk smack about AutoTune, there's no denying its impact on shaping the sound of hip hop. Today, we're here to celebrate some of those records. So kick back, turn up your stereo, and enjoy this playlist of 15 iconic hip hop songs featuring AutoTune.
Listen to the '15 Iconic Hip Hop Songs Featuring AutoTune' playlist
Kanye West: Heartless
Ye has been one of the greatest innovators in the use of AutoTune in hip hop. Both a revolutionary producer and one of the greatest MC’s ever to pick up a mic, he’s in a lane all his own.
Jamie Foxx: Blame It
Not many artists can make one of the greatest hip hop party anthems ever and then go on to win Best Actor at the Academy Awards. But then again, there’s nobody like Jamie Foxx.
Snoop Dogg: Sensual Seduction
He started as one of the hardest Gangsta rappers in the game, but he shocked the world of hip hop when he dropped the AutoTune classic “Sensual Seduction.” His ability to evolve and push rap forward is one of the reasons he’s a legend.
Lil Wayne: Lollipop
The AutoTune flavored “Lollipop” was a game changer for Lil Wayne when it first dropped. Selling more than a million copies in the first week of release, it provided the first number-one hit single for the New Orleans-based rapper.
T.I.: Live Your Life Feat. Rihanna
What does a producer do when you’re recording with the hottest rapper in the game and one the greatest pop stars of all time? You get a fire beat, an unforgettable song, throw some AutoTune on it, and create a hip hop classic. It’s just easy.
Black Eyed Peas: Boom Boom Pow
Repping the pop side of the hip hop world, Black Eyed Peas created a ton of hits, including this iconic rap song featuring AutoTune.
DJ Khaled: All I Do Is Win
The use of AutoTune on DJ Khaled’s records is part of his signature sound. And it helped make this track an instant classic that you’ll probably be hearing at sporting events until the end of time.
Frank Ocean: Novacane
Originally released on a mixtape, “Novacane” isn’t Frank Ocean’s biggest hit. But it was the song that introduced him as a solo artist who would become one of the most transformative rappers/singers in the history of Hip Hop.
Future: Turn On The Lights
As one third of the seminal hip hop group Migos, Future brought the heat on this banger. The AutoTune powered hook on this track makes it a modern classic.
Fetty Wap: Trap Queen
Hip hop has many subgenres, but “Trap Queen” feels like it has most of them in one song. With elements of melodic lo-fi hip hop, trap, R&B, and pop, this AutoTune flavored track represents a massive variety of current and past styles.
Travis Scott: SICKO MODE
Not only does Scott use a ton of AutoTune, he takes it to the next level with how creatively he uses it. With more than a billion views on YouTube, “SICKO MODE” is a testament to his creative powers.
Drake: In My Feelings
Melodic rap is a relatively new genre that’s inextricably linked with two things: AutoTune and Drake. Tracks like “In My Feelings” prove that Drake belongs on any list of iconic rap songs featuring AutoTune.
Post Malone: rockstar
This AutoTune heavy song helped Post Malone win Best Album, Best Record, and Song of the Year at the 2021 Grammy Awards. In his Grammy promo video, Post showed some love when he said, “God bless AutoTune. Even I can sing a couple of songs with it.”
Lil Nas X: Industry Baby
His track “Old Town Road” made history as the longest-leading number one single ever on the Billboard Hot 100. But he shocked the world with his follow up record, “Industry Baby,” along with its sexually charged video. It was this one-two punch that made Lil Nas X an instant icon.
Lil Yachty: Poland
The newest song on this list isn’t the biggest hit by far. In fact, it doesn’t even try to be a hit. It’s a strange, sensitive, and frankly odd song that challenges what listeners think about hip hop. It didn’t burn up the charts, but we suspect that in the future it will be recognized as one of the iconic hop hop songs featuring AutoTune.
Making a playlist of 15 iconic hip hop songs featuring AutoTune is difficult when you realize how many hip hop classics use the effect. Iconic tracks by artists like Migos, French Montana, and Lil Uzi Vert all deserve to be recognized here as well, but maybe we’ll save that for Volume 2.
Written by
Former Director of Marketing for AutoTune, Anthony Gordon, began his career at Mix Magazine and was the head of Artist Relations at Avid for 11 years. As a musician, he recorded four albums with the band Loquat, performed at major festivals, and toured nationwide. As a freelance writer and music photographer, he’s been published in national and international magazines, including Rolling Stone. Having spent countless hours in the studio with the world’s biggest artists—and touring in stinky vans—Anthony has been obsessed with every facet of the music industry for over 20 years.
