Team All Of It Ranks Albums of the Year Since 1959

In this episode of All of It on WNYC, hosts David and guest producers Jordan Loft and Simon Close discuss their ambitious project to listen to and rank every Grammy Album of the Year winner from 1959 to 2026. Driven by curiosity after Bad Bunny’s historic win as the first artist to win for an album entirely in Spanish, the duo embarked on a deep dive into the Grammys’ history, each approaching the task with distinct methodologies. Jordan listened backward from 2026, while Simon moved forward from 1959, meeting in the middle at Billy Joel’s 52nd Street. They established strict rules: full album listening in order, no skipping, no bonus tracks, and subjective point deductions for weak B-sides, covers, or disliked songs. Their rankings revealed strong opinions—Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors topped both lists, while Steely Dan’s Two Against Nature and Frank Sinatra’s Come Dance With Me landed at the bottom. The conversation unpacks the Grammys’ evolving taste, from the 1960s’ middle-of-the-road dominance to the 1970s’ cultural alignment, and highlights surprising favorites like Carole King’s Tapestry and Santana’s Supernatural. Ultimately, the project became a meditation on music, nostalgia, and the arbitrary nature of awards.