We all love the Beatles, right? No? Then why the heck are you reading this? Today we count down the albums, going from the least good to the best. If you disagree with the order, that’s fine- feel free to let me know in the comments how you’d list it! And with that, onto the countdown.

12. Let It Be (original)

Now, a bit of context here. I love Let it Be. It’d probably be far, far higher on the list, if it weren’t for one little thing. The version I like is what’s known as Let It Be... Naked. That version came out in 2004. The order is brilliant, the simplicity of the music is brilliant- it’s just a great album. But the 1970 Let It Be was not like that. Thanks to the involvement of Phil Specter (you have John to blame for that), the aesthetic and overproduction of many of the songs did not work at all with the Beatles flavor. They genuinely mess with these beautiful tunes and just make it sound, frankly, awful at points. The order is also messed up- why would anyone think it’s a good idea to start the Let It Be Album with Two of Us, stick the big Let It Be number in the middle, and end it with the ultimate opener, Get Back? And on top of that, the Beatles really hated each other when this album was being made, and I can’t say you can’t tell. You can. That doesn’t mean this album has nothing to recommend. Get Back, Let it Be, and Across the Universe are classics by right, and my favorite track of the album, I Me Mine, is wonderful even in the original version. But if you want the greatest the Beatles have to offer, I’m afraid I just can’t Let It Be.

11. Please Please Me

I felt bad putting this album so low on the list. I really love this album- it was the first of the older albums I listened to when I was really becoming a Beatles fan. But I have to admit, it’s pretty slow and doesn’t really sound Beatles-y. The best songs by far are the speedier tunes- I Saw Her Standing There, Boys, Please Please Me, and Twist and Shout are glorious, and certainly show the greatness that was to come from the band.I even like A Taste of Honey, as corny as that song is. But songs like Anna and Ask Me Why are incredibly corny and slow, and very close to the dance hall style Paul would later parody on Honey Pie (see my earlier article). Overall, it’s a great start, but it’s not great enough to Please Please me.

10. Abbey Road

Unlike Please Please Me, I had no problem putting this so low on the list. Don’t get me wrong, I think some of the songs off this album are wonderful. Come Together and Here Comes the Sun are easily two of my favorites, and even stranger songs like I Want You (She’s So Heavy) and Because can grab me at points. But out of all the Beatles albums, this is easily the most overrated. I feel like much of that is people really liking the long second half medley, which never really grabbed me. I like Mean Mr Mustard and She Came In Through The Bathroom Window, but the medley style would not have been at all how I ended the Beatles canon. And unlike Please Please Me, I never found myself listening to this album over and over again. Ultimately, it’s good, but not the sort of Abbey Road I like walking.

9. Help!

This one was a difficult choice. Many of the songs on the Help! Album would let the Beatles grow and come into their own on the later albums. I definitely feel like the Beatles varied up their style a lot here. They mastered some of their vocal harmonies, and many of their songs had a longer build-up and, while not melancholy, were certainly more thoughtful than the previous albums. This is the album that has I've Just Seen A Face and Yesterday, after all- one of the first genuinely, unadulteratedly sad Beatles songs. But, I’m sorry to say, the middle part of this album just doesn't grab me at all, in part BECAUSE it’s so, well, NOT revolutionary. Everything in between Ticket to Ride and I’ve Just Seen a Face is just really weak, in my opinion. It’s the calm before the storm, but in order for the Beatles to really become who they became, they definitely needed a bit more Help.

8. Beatles For Sale

While maybe not as artistically complex as Help!, Beatles for Sale is just more fun to listen to. It still has thoughtful songs that challenged their style like I’ll Follow the Sun, and fun catchy Hard Day’s Night-y songs like Eight Days a Week, and also a lot of good covers like the Kansas City Medley, all of which are really enjoyable. And of course, I'm a Loser and Baby's In Black are just wonderful. Unlike the title’s implication, I really do not feel like the Beatles were selling out here; rather, that they were continuing to evolve their style from the covers they used to rely on to the more original songs they were starting to make. We all know which one won out. But for my money, I’d certainly buy this Sale any day of the week.

7. Magical Mystery Tour

Sometimes, you have to go with your gut on things. This is a shorter album, and arguably more of a “for sale” album than the Beatles For Sale album ever was. Using a bunch of singles, Capitol Records basically tried to capitalize (thus their name) on Sgt. Pepper’s success. Because Sgt. Pepper is arguably one of the most perfect albums ever devised, obviously, this album was going to fall a bit short. But I don’t know- if this album were really only for money, why include songs like Blue Jay Way and Your Mother Would Know? They’re not the “big hits.” And on top of that, I really do like a majority of songs of this album. It has I Am The Walrus and Strawberry Fields Forever, for heaven’s sake! It has Penny Lane and Hello Goodbye! It hasBaby You’re a Rich Man, dangit! And I guess some people like Fool On the Hill, so there is that. My only real complaint is that it could have been longer. 10 songs is pretty short for an album. Rain was out at the time of this album’s making- why not include that? What about Only A Northern Song, or Hey Bulldog? You’re just going to leave those gems on the unnotable Yellow Submarine "album"?! (Which I’m NOT counting by the way.) And I do really think this album has a different sound than just diet Sgt. Pepper. Remember that harpsichord, those weird trumpets, whatever the heck Strawberry Fields used? Overall, it’s not perfect, but it’s far better a Tour of Magical Mystery than people give it credit for.

6. White Album

Some of the Beatles’ best. Some of the Beatles’ worst. Who cares about Bungalow Bill, but oh my god, While My Guitar Gently Weeps! I’m So Tired is just kind of slow, but oh my god, Blackbird! I could go on like that. Very good, but very flawed. What can I say, other than, it’s White Album.

5. With the Beatles

It was a really big choice for me whether to put this above or below A Hard Day’s Night. Admittedly, I think I enjoy this album a bit more, but it’s objectively less innovative than A Hard Day’s Night. With the Beatles is incredibly raw, and features an extremely tight band that hasn't yet broken through the barriers of their early blues influences like Chuck Berry (Roll Over Beethoven) and Smokey Robinson (You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me). There isn’t a single song on this I dislike- in particular I'm a big fan of Don't Bother Me (the first George song), Little Child (why yes, John was creepy), and Hold Me Tight. It’s a perfect album to listen to on repeat. Not a single song goes above 3 minutes, and the Beatles own every second of track time. On the whole, it’s such an improvement on Please Please Me, it’s almost insane. This is the album that made me say I want to be With the Beatles for the rest of my life.

4. A Hard Day’s Night

As the first album of the Beatles to include only original songs, it’s the first, and maybe only Beatles album that I can say sound 100% like the Beatles. They reinvented what it meant to be a pop band. You know these songs. You know A Hard Day’s Night, you know If I Fell, you know Can’t Buy Me Love. Things We Said Today is my personal favorite of the album, even if it never got as big as the other singles. The second you hear these songs, they’re in your head forever, like they’ve always been there. The songwriting is as innovative as it is flawless. It’s never A Hard Day’s Night when you’re listening to this one.

3. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

At this point, the Beatles have reached their creative peak. Partly inspired by the Beach Boy’s album Pet Sounds, Sgt Pepper is arguably one of the most perfect albums ever made. It’s technically brilliant, hugely experimental (in, er, more ways than one, if you know about Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds) and an artistic masterpiece. It’s the first Beatles album I got into, and it still has my favorite song of the canon. But there are still problems. The lyrics in Lovely Rita are kind of lazy. It’s trippy, but sometimes to the point of emotional alienation. But those are nitpicks to what many would argue is the greatest album ever made. I cry every time at A Day in the Life. Lastly, as much as I love this album, there are two albums I feel are just that much stronger.

2. Rubber Soul

This album took the calmness of Help!, added an edge, and made music history. I love every single song on this album with the exception of the last one, which is a little weak. All the notes hit home for me. It’s calm and mature, like Norwegian Wood. It’s edgy and angry, like Think For Yourself. It made me fall in love with Paul McCartney, like Michelle. What it lacks in experimentation and gravitas it makes up for in sincerity and solid tunes. Words can't express how clever I find this album. I don’t know what more to say- it gave the Beatles a soul (even if a Rubber one).

1. Revolver

God. Where to start. What can I say about Revolver that hasn’t already been said? What can I say about how it revolutionized music, what can I say about how it created a new sound that I don’t feel can ever be repeated, what can I say about how those lame Beatles cover bands can replicate all the well-known pop songs, but that they don’t bother touching the genius that was Revolver because it’s impossible to replicate?! Just listen to it. Even if you’ve listened to it before, listen to it again. Rock out at Taxman. Sink into melancholy with Eleanor Rigby. Play She Said She Said at full blast. Cry at For No One. Get high and listen to Tomorrow Never Knows.* You don't need a Revolver to make an indelible impact like this album did.

Thank you for reading, and remember to get back, get back, get back where you once belonged!

*(Side note, the author of this piece does not actually advocate getting high. That would not look good if her parents are reading it, so don’t do it... *nudge nudge, wink wink, etc.*)