Spin It! The Record Ranking Podcast

James & Connor
  • 5.0 (6)
  • 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. Predicting Every 2026 Grammy Winner: Bonus Content

    6H AGO

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

    3D AGO

    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
  3. Remain In Light - Talking Heads | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 236

    JAN 16

    Remain In Light - Talking Heads | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 236

    Same as it ever was... We're letting the days go by as we review and rank Remain In Light by the Talking Heads! For their iconic 1980 record, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz migrated to the Bahamas to escape city life. While they were there they developed an affinity for the Caribbean ethos and African-inspired percussion, which they brought into the studio alongside producer Brian Eno. The result is a polyrhythmic, pulsing new-wave sound, made with "human sampling" techniques and a flair for the funky. The record is home to instant classics like Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) and Once In A Lifetime, but how will the rest of these intense-yet-danceable tracks hold up? James & Connor (your own resident talking heads) walk through the band's history and a breakup so sudden only David Byrne knew it had even happened! We'll talk about their inspirations and legacy, and we'll learn why this blotchy album cover is the first of its kind! The Mixtaper's ready for another round on the Great Curve of Fact Or Spin with tales of limo dispatches, sticky shaving, and a humiliating burglary at letter-opener point. Then we'll Overload you with facts about the 8 tracks that make up Remain In Light... but the Talking Heads' score remains to be Seen And Not Seen. You may ask yourself, "well, how did I get here?" Good question. Let us know on our socials and wherever you get your podcasts! Are you a Talking Head-head? Do you have a tiny way mouth? What's the worst shaving liquid? We want all your thoughts in the comments!! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 3:19 About Talking Heads 10:50 About Remain In Light 22:46 Awards & Accolades 23:24 Fact Or Spin 24:21 Tina Weymouth Was A Limo Dispatcher 27:40 David Byrne Shaved With An Interesting Lubricant 30:37 David Byrne Was Burgled With A Letter Opener 36:51 Fast Fire Facts: Celebrity Talking Head Heads 44:16 Album Art 48:21 Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) 51:35 Crosseyed And Painless 54:05 The Great Curve 55:38 Once In A Lifetime 1:01:43 Houses In Motion 1:03:18 Seen And Not Seen 1:05:08 Listening Wind 1:07:26 The Overload 1:09:09 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 17m
  4. Immortalized - Disturbed | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 235 (Connor's Pick)

    JAN 9

    Immortalized - Disturbed | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 235 (Connor's Pick)

    Ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah!!! This week we head into the Eye Of The Storm as we review and rank Immortalized, the riotous sixth studio album from Disturbed! After an indefinite hiatus in the early 2010s the band roared back onto the scene with this surprise record in 2015, featuring iconic moments like The Vengeful One, the ballad-adjacent The Light, and an unforgettable cover of The Sound Of Silence. Sucker punch hooks and powerful vocals keep the album moving, but did the band play it too safe by sticking to their tried-and-true formula? Connor first recommended Disturbed's Evolution to James half a decade ago. It was a solid record, but scored low on his ranking list. In the Year Of Redemption, Connor's hoping a more lively record can Fire It Up and recalibrate James' opinions. We'll talk about the band's rise to greatness, David Draiman's decision to walk from a six-figure salary, and learn about the secret reunion that led to Immortalized! The Mixtaper is brewing up facts about a wrestling wife, defenestration, and a four-year follicular fakeout. Can Disturbed Open Our Eyes or have we Saved Our Last Goodbye for the latest of Connor's picks? Have you ever been to Oconomowoc, WI? Did we even get close to saying that one right? Did you recognize that gurgly sound? Let us know in the comments or on social media! And be sure to like and subscribe for more-- in the words of Disturbed, "What Are You Waiting For?!" Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 1:45 Past Disturbed Experience 6:55 About Disturbed 17:13 About Immortalized 25:50 Fact Or Spin 27:19 Love Was Brewing For Mike Wengren 30:43 Brewing Was Love For Mike Wengren 36:42 David Draiman Disturbs Almost Everyone 44:11 Dan Donegan Was Not As He Appeared... 51:50 Album Art 54:43 The Eye Of The Storm 55:59 Immortalized 59:37 The Vengeful One 1:02:12 Open Your Eyes 1:05:44 The Light 1:08:36 What Are You Waiting For 1:10:43 You're Mine 1:12:14 Who 1:14:51 Save Our Last Goodbye 1:18:48 Fire It Up 1:20:32 The Sound Of Silence 1:25:09 Never Wrong 1:27:48 Who Taught You How To Hate 1:29:59 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 47m
  5. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 234

    JAN 2

    The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 234

    Honey, Just Allow Him One More Chance! The Year Of Redemption blows us back into the North Country this week to revisit The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan! After Highway 61 Revisited didn't exactly leave Connor "going electric," we decided to wind back the clock to 1962 and explore one of Dylan's first masterpieces. After barely breaking even with his debut, people called him a folly... but with his sophomore effort, this so-called spokesman of a generation set out to prove them wrong! Armed with a guitar and a harmonica and inspired by social upheaval that defined the decade, the future folk legend suddenly came into his own with hits like Blowin' In The Wind, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, and Don't Think Twice, It's All Right. James & Connor break down what went wrong for Dylan in our first episode. Then we'll explore his backstory and dive deeper into the making of Freewheelin', from its jazz producer to its strikingly cool (literally) cover photo. The Mixtaper is back to redeem himself with facts about loitering crime, scared children, and a $100,000,000 secondhand couch. As we move through Freewheelin' track by track, we'll discover the traditional roots of so many of these songs and learn the social, political, and personal context behind lyrics that evolved the course of popular music. Whether you're here for pacifist protest pieces like Masters Of War, heartaching ballads like Girl From The North Country, or you just want to hear him say "needle" in a funny voice... Freewheelin' could be just the Bob Dylan redemption you need. Have you tried the infamous cherry cordial milk? Would you be kind to a scruffy vagrant? Is YOUR favorite Dylan track in the acoustic or electric style? Let us know if Dinky Dylan deserved a follow-up in the comments or on socials. See you soon for another album; Happy New Year!! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 6:50 About Bob Dylan 11:09 About The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan 22:18 Awards & Accolades 23:37 Fact Or Spin 26:21 Bob Dylan Is A Scruffy Vagrant 30:35 Bob Dylan Went Incognito 34:48 Grandpa Bob Scares Children 38:17 Bob Dylan Is Not Much Of A Negotiator 46:48 Album Art 49:59 Blowin' In The Wind 54:23 Girl From The North Country 58:16 Masters Of War 1:00:52 Down The Highway 1:03:59 Bob Dylan's Blues 1:04:57 A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall 1:08:20 Don't Think Twice, It's All Right 1:10:49 Bob Dylan's Dream 1:13:10 Oxford Town 1:15:12 Talkin' World War III Blues 1:17:08 Corrina, Corrina 1:19:18 Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance 1:21:04 I Shall Be Free 1:23:53 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 32m
  6. The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess - Chappell Roan | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 233

    12/26/2025

    The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess - Chappell Roan | Album Review & Ranking: Episode 233

    We're gonna keep on dancing into 2026 with Chappell Roan's electric debut album The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess! Join us as we review and rank this Grammy-nominated record full of powerful pop hits like Red Wine Supernova and HOT TO GO! From a small town in Missouri to the world's biggest stages, Chappell Roan's rise has been surreal. We'll talk about her early folk songwriting days, her move to Los Angeles (and a devastating false start to her career), and the slow and steady rising tide that propelled tracks like Pink Pony Club from obscurity into the spotlight. We'll talk about what makes her music stand out in the modern pop arena, from her unique vocals to her genuine, heartfelt lyrics.  James & Connor are keeping it Casual this week. After sharing our Chappell Roan discovery stories and learning her history, The Super Graphic Ultra Modern Dastard (aka The Mixtaper) is back at it again with facts about a private pizza party, an accidental duel with a stranger, and a wrestling spectacular! Then we break down this record one track at a time. Listen to Connor struggle to pronounce "Femininomenon," learn the loopholes to being Naked In Manhattan, and reminisce about kaleidoscopes with us! Find out why we'd change the end of the album and see if this Midwest Princess will rise or fall in our rankings! What's your Guilty Pleasure? Are you an expert at the HOT TO GO dance? Would you stop the world just to stop the feeling?? Give us all your Chappell Roan takes in the comments or on social media. Maybe TikTok? Thanks for ringing in the new year with us! Follow for many more album reviews in 2026. Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 4:37 About Chappell Roan 10:42 About The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess 17:32 Good Luck, Babe! & The Next Era 20:55 Awards & Accolades 21:44 Fact Or Spin 23:19 She Had A Pizza Party With The Rocket Man 26:10 She Was Caught In An Accidental TikTok Duel 29:53 She Turned A Music Festival Into A Wrestling Spectacle 35:16 Chappell Roan Lost Her Head 40:58 Album Art 41:57 Femininomenon 46:30 Red Wine Supernova 50:35 After Midnight 53:09 Coffee 55:19 Casual 58:05 Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl 59:59 HOT TO GO! 1:03:32 My Kink Is Karma 1:05:05 Picture You 1:06:34 Kaleidoscope 1:09:10 Pink Pony Club 1:12:36 Naked In Manhattan 1:13:55 California 1:16:06 Guilty Pleasure 1:17:35 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 30m
  7. Naughty Or Nice 4 - A Holiday Hits Bracket Challenge: Episode 232

    12/19/2025

    Naughty Or Nice 4 - A Holiday Hits Bracket Challenge: Episode 232

    The Spin-ter Wonderland season is upon us! Get ready for a head-to-head bracket elimination of your favorite holiday hits with our annual NAUGHTY OR NICE Competition! We've selected fourteen songs by artists we've covered on the podcast in the last year and pitted them against one another to determine who comes out on top, based on YOUR VOTES! From Frank Sinatra's crooning Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas to Lady Gaga's Christmas Tree, we've got a blend of new tunes and familiar favorites in the running this year. The Beach Boys' Little Saint Nick is also looking for redemption after underperforming a few years back. Will Fall Out Boy's Yule Shoot Your Eye Out remain our champion?? James & Connor are back to talk about their holiday traditions, previous Naughty Or Nice contests (including the tragic and complicated elimination of Wham! and Last Christmas a year ago). We'll play memory games about Connor's scores and units, learn about each of these seasonal staples, and compete against each other with our own brackets to break a years-long tie. Then we'll end the episode with a new memory game that might end up with James on the naughty list after all! Thank you for another great year! Which of these holiday songs were your favorites? Would your bracket have matched the final score? Are there any artists we've covered with more deserving Christmas classics? Let us know on social media, and follow us into 2026 next week wherever you get your podcasts! Check out this episode's playlists! Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7HbbcFipapfg9h2BLUxGeR?si=2da8e2471a844871 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tJtsKngXJU&list=PLYumnChiw_I_gaLMEZ0UiHzFwkN22kQu- Thanks for listening! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! 0:00 Intro 2:47 Tales Of The Glories Of Naughty Or Nice Long, Long Ago 6:29 Have We Been Naughty Or Nice? 11:33 The NoN 2025 Bracket 18:02 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Sinatra) vs. You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (Tyler, The Creator) 25:40 Another Lonely Christmas (Prince) vs. Not Another Christmas Song (Blink-182) 33:20 Cherry Tree Carol (Wiggles feat. Hozier) vs. Christmas Tree (Lady Gaga) 41:45 We All Need Christmas (Def Leppard) vs. Little Saint Nick (The Beach Boys) 49:46 Together Again And A Very Merry Christmas (Randy Newman) vs. The Christmas Song (Olivia Dean) 57:10 Alone On Christmas With You (Cody Fry) vs. 8 Days Of Christmas (Destiny's Child) 1:04:11 A Nonsense Christmas (Sabrina Carpenter) vs. Winter (The Rolling Stones) 1:10:38 Round 2.1 1:12:19 Round 2.2 1:14:15 Round 2.3 1:16:16 Round 2.4 Featuring Yule Shoot Your Eye Out (Fall Out Boy) 1:19:28 Round 3.1 1:20:50 Round 3.2 1:22:56 Round 4: The Finale 1:24:30 One Last Experiment 1:29:33 Final Bracket Recap 1:30:28 One More Game For Connor 1:46:58 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 49m
  8. The Nutcracker Ballet - Pyotr Tchaikovsky | History & Review: Episode 231

    12/12/2025

    The Nutcracker Ballet - Pyotr Tchaikovsky | History & Review: Episode 231

    We're heading to the Land Of Sweets this week and reviewing The Nutcracker ballet, an annual seasonal staple around the globe! The 1892 ballet proved to be Pyotr Tchaikovsky's swansong, serving as a capstone on a composing career that brought Russian music to western audiences. Today, the ballet brings in more than $50 million in annual ticket sales to support dance companies and education... but what made it so popular in the first place? Sure, it features iconic songs like the March, the Russian Dance, and the Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy, but the remarkable history of The Nutcracker goes deeper than we realized! James & Connor are talking holiday traditions! We look at the ballet's striking stats, meet Connor's (actual) 5'11" nutcracker Nick and the world's LARGEST functional nutcracker, and talk about some idiosyncrasies between different adaptations of the ballet. We'll explore Tchaikovsky's legendary career, from the 1812 Overture to Swan Lake. The Mixtaper has lost his head with some 19th-century Fact Or Spin tidbits about superstitions, giant bees, and grand theft Celesta during the Waltz Of The Dastard. Then we learn what sugar plums actually are and share our thoughts on the plot, characters, and music that make up this Christmas classic! Have you seen The Nutcracker live? What's your favorite version of the ending? Have you ever had a sugar plum?! And... how do you decorate your tree? Let us know in the comments or on any of our social media! See you next week for our own tradition-- the annual Naughty Or Nice competition! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com! Thanks for listening! 0:00 Intro 8:27 Modern Nutcracker Statistics 12:09 About Pyotr Tchaikovsky 18:19 About The Nutcracker 21:45 Why Did The Ballet Get So Famous? 26:58 Fact Or Spin 33:21 Tchaikovsky Was Afraid Of Losing His Head 37:31 He Was A Musical Secret Agent 42:47 The Original Ballet Avoided 13 Of Everything 47:01 The Original Nutcracker Was Quite The Buzz 53:53 Breaking Down The Ballet 54:15 What Are Sugarplums? 56:23 The Plot: Act I 59:06 The Plot: Act II 1:01:17 The Music 1:03:51 The Suite 1:10:52 The Dance Of The Sugarplum Fairy 1:12:23 Decorating The Christmas Tree 1:15:49 Full Ballet Vs. Suite? 1:16:50 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 27m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 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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