Memories Don't Die is the second studio album by Canadian artist Tory Lanez, who is both a singer and rapper. It was released on March 2, 2018, through Mad Love Records and Interscope Records. The album features production from a variety of producers, such as OG Parker, Smash David, Play Picasso, AraabMuzik, Cashmere Cat, Happy Perez, and C-Sick, among others. Guest appearances on the project include artists like Future, Nav, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, and Fabolous.
The album was promoted with four singles: “Shooters,” “Skrt Skrt,” “Real Thing,” and “Hypnotized.” While Memories Don't Die received mixed reviews from critics, it achieved commercial success, debuting at number three on the US Billboard 200 with 54,000 album-equivalent units sold in its first week.
On June 14, 2017, Tory Lanez announced on Twitter that his second studio album was "90% completed."
He later confirmed the album's completion on August 2, 2017. A few months later, on October 5, 2017, Lanez revealed the title of the upcoming project.
In an interview with HotNewHipHop on August 11, 2017, Lanez discussed the album’s direction, stating:
Memories Don't Die is the second studio album by Canadian artist Tory Lanez, who is both a singer and rapper. It was released on March 2, 2018, through Mad Love Records and Interscope Records. The album features production from a variety of producers, such as OG Parker, Smash David, Play Picasso, AraabMuzik, Cashmere Cat, Happy Perez, and C-Sick, among others. Guest appearances on the project include artists like Future, Nav, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, and Fabolous.
The album was promoted with four singles: “Shooters,” “Skrt Skrt,” “Real Thing,” and “Hypnotized.” While Memories Don't Die received mixed reviews from critics, it achieved commercial success, debuting at number three on the US Billboard 200 with 54,000 album-equivalent units sold in its first week.
“There are definitely a lot of bars on this, but it’s not strictly a rap album. It’s packed with great music—if you get what I mean. It’s definitely not I Told You. This album is going to be something new for you to enjoy and appreciate in a different way.”
On February 9, 2018, he released the official cover art and full tracklist for the album.
Earlier, on January 1, 2017, Lanez dropped two mixtapes—Chixtape IV and The New Toronto 2—which served as a lead-up to the release of his second studio album.
On February 9, 2018, he released the official cover art and full tracklist for the album.
Earlier, on January 1, 2017, Lanez dropped two mixtapes—Chixtape IV and The New Toronto 2—which served as a lead-up to the release of his second studio album.
Track list
Memories
Old Friends x New Foes
Shooters
4 Me
Skrt Skrt
Benevolent
Real Thing ft. Future
Hate to Say
B.I.D
48 Floors ft. Mansa
B.B.W.W x Fake Show
Dance for Me ft. Nav
Pieces ft. 50 Cent
Connection
Hillside
Hypnotized
Happiness x Tell Me
Don't Die
Critical reception
Memories Don’t Die received a range of reactions from critics, mostly falling into the mixed category. On Metacritic, which compiles scores from major critics and assigns a normalized rating out of 100, the album earned a score of 46 based on five reviews, reflecting “mixed or average reviews.”
Kassandra Guagliardi of Exclaim! noted that while the album includes some standout tracks, it ultimately fails to deliver lasting impact or classic appeal.
In a harsh critique, Ben Beaumont-Thomas of The Guardian described the album as “astonishingly hackneyed” and “aggressively chameleonic.” He criticized Lanez for lacking originality, stating that unlike artists such as Migos or 2 Chainz—who make familiar rap topics engaging with creativity and distinctive flow—Lanez falls short. Beaumont-Thomas even likened Lanez to a basic Spotify AI experiment mimicking popular rap playlists, concluding that his versatility makes him competent at many styles but a master of none.
Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork was equally critical, describing the project as filled with unoriginal copies of current R&B and rap trends. He argued that most of what Lanez raps sounds recycled from other artists, and the few moments that aren’t are either overly simplistic or lack wit entirely.
Aggregate scores
| Source | Rating |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 46/100 |
Commercial performance
In Canada, Memories Don’t Die debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, moving 8,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. This marked Tory Lanez’s first album to open at the top spot in his home country.
In the United States, the album entered the Billboard 200 at number three, with 54,000 album-equivalent units sold during its first week—15,000 of which were pure album sales. This achievement made it Lanez’s second album to debut in the top ten on the Billboard 200. The album’s tracks also generated a combined 54 million on-demand audio streams that week.
By its second week, the album had dropped to number 16 on the chart, with an additional 23,000 units earned.
Review scores
| Source | Rating |
|---|---|
| AllMusic | 2/5 |
| Exclaim! | 6/10 |
| The Guardian | 1/5 |
| HotNewHipHop | 87% |
| Pitchfork | 5.5/10 |
Check Out Other Works
Tour Dates
May 11 – Miami, Florida
May 18 – San Marcos, Texas
May 19 – El Paso, Texas
May 21 – Albuquerque, New Mexico
May 22 – Tucson, Arizona
May 28 – San Diego, California
May 29 – Los Angeles, California
May 31 – Santa Ana, California
June 3 – San Francisco, California
June 5 – Sacramento, California
June 7 – Portland, Oregon
June 8 – Seattle, Washington
June 9 – Vancouver, British Columbia
June 12 – Edmonton, Alberta
June 13 – Calgary, Alberta
June 14 – Spokane, Washington
June 15 – Boise, Idaho
June 16 – Salt Lake City, Utah
June 18 – Denver, Colorado
June 20 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
June 21 – Lincoln, NE
June 22 – Kansas City, MO
June 25 – Des Moines, Iowa
June 26 – St. Louis, Missouri
June 27 – Grand Rapids, Michigan
July 1 – Chicago, Illinois
July 4 – Toronto, Ontario
July 7 – Buffalo, New York
July 11 – Quebec City, Quebec
July 13 – Montreal, Quebec
July 15 – New York, New York
July 16 – Wallingford, Connecticut
July 18 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
July 19 – Cleveland, Ohio
July 20 – Silver Spring, Maryland
July 21 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
July 23 – Wilmington, Delaware
July 24, Richmond, Virginia
July 25 – Norfolk, Virginia
July 26 – Charlotte, North Carolina
July 27 – Raleigh, North Carolina
July 29 – Greensboro, North Carolina
July 30 – Louisville, Kentucky
July 31 – Nashville, Tennessee
August 1 – Cincinnati, Ohio
August 3 – Memphis, Tennessee
August 4 – Baton Rouge, Louisianna
August 5 – Houston, Texas
August 7 – Dallas, Texas
August 8 – San Antonio, Texas
August 10 – Mobile, Alabama
August 11 – Birmingham, Alabama
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