The album was supported by the singles "The Highs & the Lows" and "Tree", alongside numerous promotional singles. The album was a moderate commercial success, debuting at number 22 on the US Billboard 200, and received generally positive reviews from critics, who largely considered the album a return to form for Chance the Rapper following the negative reception of The Big Day.
Background
For years, he had teased the release of his album Star Line. The album serves as his fourth collaboration with Brandon Breaux, the visual artist who also created the artwork for 10 Day, Acid Rap. and Coloring Book, but not for the rapper's debut album, The Big Day. Earlier that month, he released the album's lead single, "Tree," and worked on the album with producer DexLvL.[2]
According to Chance when interviewed backstage at Lollapalooza by Rolling Stone, he said the album is "steeped in travel and personal change, incorporating different life lessons, experiences, and sounds he encountered over the past several years".[3] Inspirations for the album come from Chance's trips to Jamaica, Ghana and various art fairs around the world.[4] The album is also inspired by Marcus Garvey's Black Star Line.[5]
Artwork
The album's artwork was designed by Brandon Breaux, who had previously designed all of Chance the Rapper's album covers except for The Big Day. The artwork for Star Line is a painting that depicts Chance with an aurora behind him.[6]
Release and promotion
The album's title was revealed under the working title Star Line Gallery on June 17, 2022, in the credits for the "The Highs & the Lows" music video.[7]
Between 2022 and 2025, he released several promotional singles for the album, including:
On July 31, 2025, Star Line Gallery's release date was confirmed to be August 15, 2025.[18] On August 21, 2025, a music video for "Just a Drop" was released.[19] On September 24, 2025, a remix to "Do or Die" featuring Twista was released.[20] A music video for the song was released on October 10, 2025.[21]
He embarked on the And We Back Tour in support of the album, which began on September 26, 2025 in Houston and concluded on October 20, 2025 in Los Angeles.[22] In October 2025, Chance collaborated with the Chicago Transit Authority to run a train with a Star Line themed wrap on the Red Line.[23]
Songs
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According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Star Line received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 from 5 critic scores.[25]Clash gave the album an 8/10, with critic Robin Murray writing that "STAR LINE is a feast from start to finish."[27]For the Win gave it a highly positive review, with critic Cory Woodroof saying that "Chance the Rapper's latest project is an extraordinary comeback from a generational force."[31]
In his review for Exclaim!, Wesley McLean highlights that at his best, Chance "is Lil Wayne's most earnest, wholesome son. His flow is malleable, his energy high, and his personality and charisma are undeniable," but notes that failed attempts to re-hash past highlights fall flat, and his attempts to go in new directions that "have a performative, theatre kid-esque quality to them that makes them impossible to connect with."[28] Alphonse Pierre of Pitchfork described the album as a "missed opportunity" and that it was "rarely bad, just safe."[29] Writing for Rolling Stone, Mosi Reeves praised the album's themes and called it a "remarkable return to form."[30]
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