Spin It! The Record Ranking Podcast

James & Connor
  • 5.0 (7)
  • MUSIC COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Record Ranking Podcast for people who would rather be listening to music. Each week James and Connor give their spin on a popular album. James has listened to each one dozens of times, but Connor's only heard them once. Come check out our unprofessional insights and learn a little more about the music you love from every genre, artist, and era! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Ready To Die - The Notorious B.I.G. | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 243

    4D AGO

    Ready To Die - The Notorious B.I.G. | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 243

    The Notorious B.I.G. lived his life Ready To Die, and he set out to prove it to the world with his 1994 debut album... Ready To Die. After walking away from a straight-A career to enter the world of drug dealing and rap, Christopher George Latore Wallace (or, as you may know him, Biggie Smalls) became THE dominant force in the thriving East Coast hip-hop scene. His music was unfiltered, witty, and raw. It didn't glamourize or sugarcoat his lifestyle, but also highlighted his lighthearted side. Crossover hits like Big Poppa and Juicy set Biggie up for incredible success... and then the unthinkable happened. James & Connor will explore Biggie's role in the infamous East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry, his decaying friendship with Tupac Shakur, and the pair of unsolved murders that devastated the music world. We'll hear the story unfold through tracks like Things Done Changed and Who Shot Ya? The Mixtaper is back to tell us about some unfortunately realistic sound effects, a personal diss he took to heart, and some spoiled "mashed potatoes" during an Unbelievable round of Fact Or Spin. From opening heartbeat to final thud, we'll cover the clever lyrics, soulful samples, and unstoppable attitude that make up the only LP released during Biggie's abbreviated lifetime. Learn how he achieved rap immortality and Life After Death this week! Are you a fan of the harder tracks or the pop crossover sounds? Will you ever hear Respect the same way? Where do you stand in the Biggie/Tupac rivalry? Let us know in the comments and on socials! Follow, like, and check out our website for more! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 2:01 About Biggie Smalls 10:51 About Ready To Die 16:55 Later Career 19:07 East Coast Vs. West Coast Rivalry 21:27 Tupac Murdered 23:35 Biggie Murdered 26:14 Awards & Accolades 27:02 Fact Or Spin 28:23 A Public Service Announcement 28:59 You Can Hear His... Explicit Activities 31:47 He Signed A Rapper While In Bed 34:12 Biggie Dissed His Teacher 36:49 His Mom Threw Out His Mashed Potatoes 39:29 Biggie Had His Own Restaurant 43:36 Album Art 44:36 Intro 46:13 Things Done Changed 47:19 Gimme The Loot 50:12 Machine Gun Funk 51:18 Warning 52:53 Ready To Die 54:04 One More Chance 57:00 F Me (Interlude) 59:05 The What 1:00:12 Juicy 1:04:24 Everyday Struggle 1:05:29 Me And My B**** 1:07:04 Big Poppa 1:09:21 Respect 1:10:33 Friend Of Mine 1:12:00 Unbelievable 1:12:35 Suicidal Thoughts 1:14:57 Who Shot Ya? 1:16:47 Just Playing (Dreams) 1:18:12 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 24m
  2. London Calling - The Clash | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 242

    FEB 27

    London Calling - The Clash | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 242

    Hello? It's London Calling, the revolutionary third record by British punk pioneers The Clash! Widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, the band writes on everything from nuclear meltdown to consumerism to the harsh realities of addiction, backed by a raw edge and a reggae-infused beat. We'll learn how Joe Strummer & co. rose to meet the musical moment, taking cues from friends and rivals like the Sex Pistols and The Ramones. From staples like Lost In The Supermarket to Train In Vain (a cut that almost missed the album altogether), find out what makes The Clash and their legacy such a force to be reckoned with. We'll talk about our favorite Clash hits as we Rock The Casbah! Then The Hateful Mixtaper is bringing The Clampdown once more during Fact Or Spin, where we discover a marathon disappearance, child labor, and pogo grandmas... Rudie Can't Fail, but can our resident Dastard? Then we get Lost In The Supermarket with each track on this expansive double album as we explore everything from Spanish tourism to Over The Hedge! Curl up with your favorite Montgomery Clift movie and take a listen to this episode. Find out whether London Calling achieves Death Or Glory! Is this double album worth the listen? What's the worst place to practice the drums? Should you stay or should you go?! (The answer is GO... but go to our socials and www.spinitpod.com for more!) Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 2:49 About The Clash 14:03 About London Calling 22:40 Awards & Accolades 23:13 Fact Or Spin 24:23 Joe Strummer's Marathon Disappearing Act 27:39 They Gave Two Kids Career Opportunities 29:25 Topper Had A Unique Practice Space 33:23 Mick Jones Missed A Soundcheck To Teach Grandmas How To Pogo 39:54 Album Art 43:26 London Calling 48:55 Brand New Cadillac 50:23 Jimmy Jazz 51:56 Hateful 53:45 Rudie Can't Fail 55:37 Spanish Bombs 57:22 The Right Profile 1:00:18 Lost In The Supermarket 1:05:19 The Clampdown 1:08:31 The Guns Of Brixton 1:10:13 Wrong 'Em Boyo 1:11:30 Death Or Glory 1:13:33 Koka Kola 1:16:10 The Card Cheat 1:17:41 Lover's Rock 1:19:07 Four Horsemen 1:21:05 I'm Not Down 1:22:23 Revolution Rock 1:23:51 Train In Vain (Stand By Me) 1:26:09 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 36m
  3. GNX - Kendrick Lamar | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 241

    FEB 20

    GNX - Kendrick Lamar | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 241

    Tell 'em Kendrick did it... We're back to talk about Compton's own Kendrick Lamar and his 2025 record GNX! After we explored Damn back on episode 72, James felt like this Pulitzer Prize winner deserved a better score from Connor. We're back (reincarnated) in the Year Of Redemption to break down his shortest record yet (but one of his most expansive). After decimating Drake in a years-long feud with the astounding Not Like Us, GNX is Kendrick's attempt to move his career forward with songs of the confrontational, the introspective, and the catchy. He wrote more than 80 songs for the project, but only a dozen made the cut. Will it be the perfect combo to redeem his score? James & Connor will debrief on our last Kendrick episode and get to the bottom of why we're back again. We relive the backwards concept album and catch up on our Kendrick listening habits. The Mixtaper is ready to Squabble Up with a new round of Fact Or Spin, featuring comfy socks, vault tracks, and a baffling reskin of a classic crunchy conundrum. From the vintage car on the cover to the final twist of Gloria, we'll touch every corner of this Album Of The Year nominee. Ain't no legends if his legends end, so find out why we think K Dot does (or doesn't) deserve the Greatest Of All Time! Is this album a step up or a step back after Damn and Mr. Morale? Is SZA a dominant force for Favorite Feature or can one of the 9 other voices on this record compete? If you woke up lookin' for that broccoli, turn the TV Off and head to our socials or spinitpod.com for more! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 0:25 Last Time: Damn. 4:55 About Kendrick Lamar 7:31 Not Like Us / Drake Feud 11:48 About GNX 16:12 Awards & Accolades 17:25 Fact Or Spin 20:03 He Has An Interesting Rider 24:00 He Has An Unreleased Track With Prince 26:20 Kendrick Has A Supernatural Connection To Tupac 29:47 He Needs A Shepherd's Pie For Every Show 39:40 Album Art 40:53 Wacced Out Murals 43:36 Squabble Up 45:52 Luther (with SZA) 48:55 Man At The Garden 50:10 Hey Now (feat. Dody6) 51:47 Reincarnated 54:20 TV Off (feat. Lefty Gunplay) 56:26 Dodger Blue (feat. Wallie The Sensei, Siete7x, Roddy Ricch) 57:47 Peekaboo (feat. AZChike) 59:52 Heart Pt. 6 1:01:32 GNX (feat. Hitta J3, YoungThreat, Peysoh) 1:03:58 Gloria (with SZA) 1:05:50 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 14m
  4. Bewitched - Laufey | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 240

    FEB 13

    Bewitched - Laufey | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 240

    It Must Be Love this Valentine's Day as we review and rank Bewitched, the second studio album by jazz-pop sensation Laufey! With timeless melodies, lush instrumentation, and heart-filled lyrics, this "love album" blends the traditional and the trendy effortlessly. We'll see Laufey's career through From The Start, including her run on The Voice Iceland and her solo cello appearance with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at age 15! From jazz standards like Misty to the powerful Lovesick, Bewitched is a record that lives up to its title track! James & Connor talk Valentine plans, jazz affinity, and more, all while trying to remember what little we know about Icelandic pronunciation. The Mixtaper is back to introduce us to a new alter ego and sidekick in Mei Mei the Bunny in a cozy knit sweater! Then he teaches us about sugar-sweet clapbacks, a fairytale moment, and Laufey's secret (fifth?) language! Then we break down this record top to bottom, exploring the stories behind Letter To My 13 Year Old Self, Promise, California And Me, and more! It's a Grammy-winning album with its own kind of pizzazz, but how will it fare amongst Jazzy Connor's other rankings? Are you rocking with jazz pop? Do you prefer the vocals or Mei Mei's newly-unearthed instrumental versions? If you inadvertently insulted Laufey in a coffee shop... what do you think she'd say? Let us know in the comments and on social media! Tune in next week for an episode on another (very different) album!  Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 3:22 About Laufey 10:03 About Bewitched 15:20 Awards & Accolades 16:13 Fact Or Spin 18:18 She Has An Alter Ego & Sidekick 25:31 She Gave A Sugar-Sweet Clapback 29:28 She Had A Cinderella Moment 32:28 She And Her Twin Have A Secret Musical Language 35:48 Album Art 37:23 Dreamer 38:38 Second Best 39:46 Haunted 41:00 Must Be Love 41:39 While You Were Sleeping 43:07 Lovesick 44:07 California And Me 45:37 Nocturne (Interlude) 46:41 Promise 47:59 From The Start 49:55 Misty 52:31 Serendipity 52:58 Letter To My 13 Year Old Self 56:02 Bewitched 57:13 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 5m
  5. DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS - Bad Bunny | 2026 Grammy Award Special: Episode 239

    FEB 6

    DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS - Bad Bunny | 2026 Grammy Award Special: Episode 239

    ¡Hola! In our annual Grammy Special, we're reviewing and ranking the Album Of The Year: DeBÍ TIRAR MáS FOTOS by Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny! This reggaeton fusion record is a love letter to Benito's roots and homeland, from plena and dembow beats to vibrant traditions. With diverse instrumentation, nostalgic lyrics, and his signature swagger, Bad Bunny delivers on his promises and takes us straight to the Enchanted Isle (and El Clúb)! After a near-miss at the 2023 Grammys, find out how this award-winning album rose above all the competition! It all kicks off with our Grammy recap. We'll reveal the results of our predictions, debrief about the night's biggest winners, and talk ceremony highlights. Then we discover our (somewhat minimal) experience with Spanish and discuss various influential rabbits as we explore Bad Bunny's unique rise to the top of the global charts! The Mixtaper is back in Fact Or Spin to bestow new Awards For The Shellbound, spanning conservation, soap operas, and gastroparesis. Find out which of these 17 tracks Bad Bunny loves, and get ready for his Super Bowl LX halftime show with this special episode!! ¿Entiendes español? Was Bad Bunny your AOTY champion, or did you make other predictions? What did you think of the Grammys? Let us know in the comments or on socials, and stay tuned for another album next week! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 2:29 68th Grammy Awards Predictions Results 13:54 Ceremony Highlights Recap 20:29 About Bad Bunny 31:19 About DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS 37:02 Awards & Accolades 38:27 Fact Or Spin 40:30 The Turtle Conservation Award 44:03 The Bubble Bath Betrayal Award 48:56 The Gastroparesis Award 55:23 Fast Fire Awards: Chaotic Concerts 1:01:48 Album Art 1:03:47 NUEVAYoL 1:07:00 VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR 1:09:56 BAILE INoLVIDABLE 1:12:55 PERFuMITO NUEVO 1:15:18 WELTiTA 1:16:57 VeLDÁ 1:18:29 EL CLúB 1:20:46 KETU TeCRÉ 1:22:13 BOKeTE 1:23:49 KLOuFRENS 1:25:16 TURiSTA 1:26:50 CAFé CON RON 1:28:32 PIToRRO DE COCO 1:30:40 LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii 1:33:54 EoO 1:35:54 DtMF 1:40:14 LA MuDANZA 1:41:12 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 55m
  6. Predicting Every 2026 Grammy Winner: Bonus Content

    JAN 31

    Predicting Every 2026 Grammy Winner: Bonus Content

    BONUS CONTENT! It's Grammy Week once again and we're gearing up for our special episode by predicting the winners of ALL 95 categories! After Connor's big win last year, who will walk away the winner? James & Connor will talk about the new categories for 2026 and discover some oddities-- a father & son competition, 8-bit jazz, stacked categories for Best Rap Album and Best Pop Vocal Album, and some humous hopefuls. There are artists we've covered (like Doechii, Cody Fry, Lady Gaga, and Kendrick Lamar, to name a few) and even more new names to consider. See how many picks we make in sync again, and then find out who we predict will be our next Album Of The Year! Every nominee from Bad Bunny to Leon Thomas would be a first-time AOTY champion, so this year's ceremony will certainly be one for the record books! Find all our Grammy picks on our Official Ranking Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NV92dyhk2KfdSpSzx9avIAHrWzrFo5wMsg7Lf_-TxvY/edit?gid=409464286#gid=409464286 And tune in on the Friday after the Grammys for our annual Grammy Special to learn how we did with these picks and see who reigns supreme with the Album Of The Year! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 3:17 Changes To The Categories 4:59 Field 11: Classical 8:11 Field 10: Production, Engineering, Composition, & Arrangement 9:56 Field 9: Package, Notes, & Historical 12:45 Field 8: Children's, Comedy, Audiobooks, Visual Media, & Music Video/Film 20:40 Field 7: Latin, Global, Reggae & New Age, Ambient, or Chant 22:38 Field 6: Gospel & Contemporary Christian Music 23:39 Field 5: Country & American Roots Music 29:28 Field 4: Jazz, Traditional Pop, Contemporary Instrumental & Musical Theater 32:32 Field 3: R&B, Rap, & Spoken Word Poetry 35:35 Field 2: Rock, Metal & Alternative Music 37:12 Field 1: Pop& Dance/Electronic Music 40:24 General Field 45:51 Predicting Album Of The Year 48:10 Wrap-Up Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
  7. Highwayman - The Highwaymen | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 238

    JAN 30

    Highwayman - The Highwaymen | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 238

    Happy Gopher Day! Join James and Connor (aka the Country Road Kid) as we rank and review Highwayman, the debut studio album by country supergroup The Highwaymen! In an attempt to stay relevant in an ever-changing country music landscape, four legends came together to create something different: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. After collaborating and admiring each other's work for decades, the Mount Rushmore of rugged outlaw country took to the studio, armed with ten hits like Against The Wind, Deportee, and Cash's own Big River. Would this Hail Mary effort jumpstart their iconic careers? We'll talk about the four episodes that led us here -- one about each individual Highwayman-- and learn about the holiday specials and films that brought them all together in the first place. We'll explore their group dynamics and talk about the ways music had changed around them between their debuts and 1985. All the while we'll reminisce about panning for gold in the sandbox, hearing these songs as kids, and more. The Mixtaper has facts (or spins) about hotel horses, midwife pranks, and a suspiciously Bill-Murray-adjacent Midnight Breakfast fact. Turn those suits inside out and get ready to ride with some of the genre's greatest. What do you think about the Highwaymen supergroup? Is this album over- or under-ambitious, and is it the best of their three records to cover in an episode? How do you think the Groundhog Day time loop mechanics work? Let us know in the comments or on socials, and be sure to follow for our Grammy Special coverage next week! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 2:05 Relevant Past Episodes 5:20 About The Highwaymen 9:10 About Highwayman 17:48 Awards & Accolades 18:41 Fact Or Spin 21:39 Waylon And Willie Rode Horses In A Hotel 24:36 Waylon And Cash Used Dynamite As Entertainment 26:58 Willie Tricked Kris Into Thinking He Was Delivering A Baby 30:52 Waylon and Cash Loved To Make Midnight Breakfast 37:17 Album Art 38:02 Highwayman 41:19 The Last Cowboy Song 42:23 Jim, I Wore A Tie Today 44:36 Big River 46:55 Committed To Parkview 48:08 Desperados Waiting For A Train 49:20 Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos) 51:30 Welfare Line 52:20 Against The Wind 54:55 The Twentieth Century Is Almost Over 56:58 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 6m
  8. Brat - Charli XCX | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 237

    JAN 23

    Brat - Charli XCX | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 237

    We're just living that life, Von Dutch, cult classic, as we rank Charli XCX's hyperpop club record Brat! Its danceable melodies, carefree bite, and minimalist neon green aesthetic sparked a cultural movement in Brat Summer, and hits like 360, Apple, and Sympathy Is A Knife turned into certified Club Classics. Inspired by her early days in London's underground illegal rave scene, Brat sees Charli showing off striking vulnerability through crisp, energetic songs with memorable melodies. From relationships to generational trauma to impending motherhood (or even to just a good party song), this record really does it all. James & Connor are ready to Talk Talk about Charli's unique path to superstardom, from I Don't Care and Boom Clap to Wuthering Heights. The Mixtaper is so Julia as we ponder her homecoming coup, a sentimental vault track, Bratcoin, and even more VERY passionate fans during Fact Or Spin! Then we Rewind to 2024 and reminisce about Brat Summer as we work through these bite-sized pop beats. Where will Connor score Charli XCX compared to her fellow Album Of The Year nominees? James might even go so far as an on-the-spot redemption for this one! Did you catch the main metaphor in Apple? What foods would you make into footlongs? Are we your favorite reference? Tell us all about it in the comments or on socials! Follow for more next week as we go for a supergroup during our Gopher Day Special!! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 3:01 About Charli XCX 13:13 About Brat 19:10 Awards & Accolades 20:03 Fact Or Spin 21:17 She Crashed A High School Homecoming Dance 25:45 Hardcore Fans Are Obsessed With Her Unreleased Song 28:52 She Has Passionate Fans 35:16 She Launched Her Own Cryptocurrency 39:58 Album Art 44:21 360 47:27 Club Classics 49:11 Sympathy Is A Knife 51:39 I Might Say Something Stupid 52:31 Talk Talk 54:50 Von Dutch 58:00 Everything Is Romantic 59:04 Rewind 1:00:18 So I 1:02:05 Girl, So Confusing 1:04:23 Apple 1:07:40 B2B 1:09:25 Mean Girls 1:10:14 I Think About It All The Time 1:12:06 365 1:13:18 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 21m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

The Record Ranking Podcast for people who would rather be listening to music. Each week James and Connor give their spin on a popular album. James has listened to each one dozens of times, but Connor's only heard them once. Come check out our unprofessional insights and learn a little more about the music you love from every genre, artist, and era! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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