Ranking The Beatles

56

Musician and self-described Beatles fanatic Jonathan Pretus ranked the entire recorded catalog of the Beatles, because he's a big, big nerd. Then he decided to make a podcast to talk with other people and learn about their connection with The Beatles' music. Tune in as Jonathan and his guests, joined by his co-host/wife Julia (a more level-headed, casual fan) discuss the rankings, what they think makes each song so great (or not-so-great), and see if it really is a fool's errand to try and rank the music of the greatest band of all time.

Recent Episodes
  • #74 - Julia with Jude Southerland Kessler
    Apr 23, 2025 – 01:12:56
  • #75 - Get Back with Robert Rodriguez & Jerry Hammack
    Mar 27, 2025 – 01:33:50
  • #76 - Slow Down with guests Blotto Beatles
    Feb 20, 2025 – 01:31:07
  • #77 - Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds with Jason Kruppa
    Feb 6, 2025 – 01:17:33
  • #78 - Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) with author Sara Schmidt
    Jan 9, 2025 – 01:00:27
  • #79 - Taxman with Vinyl Benjy
    Dec 27, 2024 – 01:14:52
  • #80 - For No One with Duncan Driver
    Dec 12, 2024 – 01:20:07
  • #81 - Hey Jude with James Campion (author, "Sing A Sad Song: The Emotional Currency of Hey Jude")
    Nov 29, 2024 – 01:27:11
  • #82 - Dig A Pony with guest Nicholas Dayton (songwriter/producer, Sesame Street)
    Nov 14, 2024 – 01:40:41
  • #83 - You've Got To Hide Your Love Away with Steven Page
    Oct 31, 2024 – 01:18:11
  • #84 - Old Brown Shoe with guest Sean Nelson
    Oct 17, 2024 – 01:48:11
  • #85 - One After 909 with BC The Beatles
    Jul 25, 2024 – 01:17:21
  • #86 - Baby's In Black with Andy Nicholes (co-host 2Legs Podcast)
    Jul 12, 2024 – 01:16:06
  • #87 - You Never Give Me Your Money with Tom Hunyady (co-host, 2Legs and Talk More Talk podcasts)
    Jun 27, 2024 – 01:29:29
  • #88 - No Reply with guest Jeff Slate (musician, journalist)
    Jun 20, 2024 – 01:25:58
  • #89 - Lady Madonna with Davis Rogan (pianist, host DJ Davis' Tasting Notes))
    Jun 13, 2024 – 01:10:41
  • #90 - The Inner Light with Caitlin Larkin (DJ, Sirius XM The Beatles Channel)
    May 30, 2024 – 01:19:16
  • #91 - Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey with guest Brian Marchese (host, Where's That Sound Coming From?)
    May 24, 2024 – 01:47:57
  • BONUS! A Let It Be Podcast Roundtable Chat
    May 16, 2024 – 01:53:58
  • #92 - If I Needed Someone with Ethan Alexanian (host, Fans on the Run)
    May 9, 2024 – 01:13:53
  • #93 - Honey Pie with Dr. Christine Feldman-Barrett, author (A Women's History of the Beatles, The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Record Store)
    May 2, 2024 – 01:09:54
  • #94 - Free As A Bird with Skylar Moody (Beatles content creator, journalist)
    Apr 25, 2024 – 01:24:43
  • #95 - Savoy Truffle with Chris Carter (host, Breakfast with the Beatles)
    Dec 28, 2023 – 01:16:06
  • #96 - It Won't Be Long with Ken Womack (author, "Living the Beatles Legend, The Untold Story of Mal Evans")
    Dec 21, 2023 – 01:20:44
  • #97 - Good Morning, Good Morning with Red Rockers
    Dec 14, 2023 – 01:00:36
  • #98 Hello Goodbye with Debbie Davis (singer, musician)
    Dec 7, 2023 – 01:23:58
  • #99 I Will with guest Mike Viola (singer, songwriter, producer)
    Nov 30, 2023 – 01:14:13
  • #100 I Should Have Known Better with Laurie Kaye
    Nov 29, 2023 – 00:52:48
  • #101 - Every Little Thing with Joe Adragna, singer, songwriter (The Junior League, The Minus 5)
    Nov 16, 2023 – 01:16:50
  • #103 You're Going to Lose That Girl & #102 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) with guest Mary Lasseigne
    Nov 9, 2023 – 01:32:07
  • Now & Then - a round table discussion from Ranking the Beatles, Blotto Beatles, & BC The Beatles
    Nov 6, 2023 – 01:30:11
  • #104 - You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) with Sam Whiles, host of "Paul or Nothing"
    Nov 1, 2023 – 01:23:39
  • #105 - Across The Universe with Dan Wilson (guitarist)
    Oct 25, 2023 – 01:23:36
  • #106 - Baby, It's You with Chuck Gunderson, author "Some Fun Tonight"
    Oct 19, 2023 – 01:03:09
  • #107 - I Feel Fine with Laurence Juber (guitarist, composer, Wings)
    Oct 10, 2023 – 01:18:42
  • #108 - I've Got A Feeling with Julian Fulco Perron (singer, songwriter)
    Oct 3, 2023 – 01:01:05
  • #109 I'll Cry Instead with Phoebe Lorde of Another Kind of Mind
    Sep 26, 2023 – 01:19:11
  • #110 I Need You with guest Kit O'Toole (host of Talk More Talk & Toppermost of the Poppermost)
    Sep 19, 2023 – 01:06:55
  • #111 - Here, There, & Everywhere with Dave Depper (guitarist, Death Cab For Cutie)
    Sep 12, 2023 – 01:06:16
  • #112 - Two of Us with guests Sodajerker (Brian O'Conner & Simon Barber, songwriters and hosts of Sodajerker on Songwriting)
    Jun 20, 2023 – 01:39:15
  • #113 - Piggies with guest Andre Bohren (musician, The Walrus, 1000s of others)
    Jun 13, 2023 – 01:24:15
  • #114 - Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby with guest Felix Wohlleben (guitarist, The Walrus)
    Jun 6, 2023 – 01:05:37
  • #115 - It's Only Love with guest David Pomerleau (bassist, The Walrus, Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes)
    Jun 1, 2023 – 01:02:20
  • #116 - Lovely Rita with guest Matt Hobbs (songwriter, creator of "Puppy Songs")
    May 23, 2023 – 01:14:18
  • #117 - You Really Got A Hold On Me with guest Robert Dean (author)
    May 9, 2023 – 01:11:02
  • #118 - She Said She Said with guest Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star)
    May 2, 2023 – 01:32:28
  • #119 - I Call Your Name with guest Jude Kessler (author, "The John Lennon Series")
    Apr 25, 2023 – 01:28:41
  • #120 - All Together Now with guest Madeline Bocaro (author, "In Your Mind - The Infinite Universe of Yoko Ono")
    Apr 4, 2023 – 00:50:30
  • #121 I'll Follow The Sun with guest Julie Elody
    Mar 30, 2023 – 01:08:14
  • #122 - Please Mr. Postman with guests Blotto Beatles
    Mar 21, 2023 – 01:20:38
Recent Reviews
  • DamDamDammy
    Good vibes
    My new go-to Beatles pod. So much fun! I have personally ranked the Beatles in various ways with a good friend, so I love that Jonathan took this on and we get their deep dive on every song. The guests I’ve heard so far have been really enjoyable, and it’s one of those podcasts where you feel like you’re in a room with some likeminded friends. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the rankings! And I REALLY appreciate the lack of ads, bc some podcasts are soooo jarring with the relentless ad breaks. Thank you J & J for sharing this project with us!
  • Soshield
    I loved this show immediately…
    But I knew we were on the same wavelength when you started talking about FenslerFilms G.I. Joe and YTMND. Guest requests: •John Roderick •Ken Jennings •Merlin Mann •Tim Heidecker I bet all 4 of them would be happy to do an episode.
  • Okie 60’s Girl
    Your Mother Should Know
    Hi, love your show!!! I’m re- listening to this episode. I think I heard or read recently that Hello Goodbye was the competition for the world broadcast, which makes way more sense. Also your guest was wondering if Paul had taken more piano lessons and, yes, he had. He took piano lessons and George Martin took guitar lessons and said Paul speedily far surpassed him! I’m 68, was 8 years old and saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan and it launched me into a life-long love of music.
  • music-ish
    Great and very fun podcast.
    Thanks to both hosts for their knowledge, humor, musicality, and creativity (though I’m with Julia wholeheartedly on “Not Guilty.”)
  • MINECRAFT THINKER
    The Beatles are the best band ever, no backsies! ;) >^••^<
    This is so good! I love it so much! I am OBSESSED with the Beatles! I know so much about them! The are my IDOLS!
  • OverZoosh
    Love Ranking the Beatles
    Love listening to the show and how it’s laid out. How the guest got into Beatles then discussions of song ranking and then rapid fire questions. I usually agree with Julia’s rankings more than Jonathan’s. Sorry Jonathan. My brother loved the Rank The Beatles poster I bought him as a gift. So… it makes a great gift. I will never get over Jonathan’s ranking of LAWR but will continue listening and throwing my phone occasionally😳. Oh and such great guests is another reason I listen.
  • Dashboard Buddha 62
    What a Fab, Gear Podcast!
    I arrived late to the party but have been burning through the older posts and really enjoying the ride. Finally caught up with the latest today. A good job done all around. I’m a Monkees and Big Star fan as well and love how often they pull a mention. The Gram Parsons mention was also a pleasant surprise. I happen to be an avid You Know My Name(Look Up The Number) fan and look forward to seeing how well it rates. Keep up the good work👍
  • thebigcheese23
    5 star podcast
    Love the pod! I've been listening since the first few episodes and it's only gotten better as time has gone on. The energy between Jonathan and Julia makes for a really entertaining listen. His analysis of the songs and their backstories, along with Julia's fresh and unbiased perspectives really balance each other out. Although sometimes Jonathan has some.....bold takes....... it really wouldn't be fun if I agreed with 100% of the rankings! Keep it up guys :)
  • Edward Per
    Enjoyable
    Sometimes Julia’s mic seems a little quiet. Other than that it’s great. (This is based on only listening through the Hold Me Tight episode. Maybe it gets better sound wise!)
  • dpt1213
    Fun
    This podcast is a real joy to listen to. Rankong Beatle songs is almost impossible but so far it is hard to argue with most of the places. Its just a lot of fun to losten to. Great hosts and guests. Keep it up.
  • thisisgabe
    Just Right (Just like…)
    This kind of show could err in one of two ways. It could either be too analytical (and cold). Or it could be purely subjective (and snobby). Yet, through the warm relational perspective of John and Julia, the show finds itself in the middle of this spectrum. It’s fun, communal, smart, and just right (… just like Baby Bear’s porridge.)
  • RJPlumer
    A Fun Way to learn Beatle songs
    A fun way to learn about all the songs done by the Beatles. Enjoyable, light heart and they don’t take themselves too seriously. Love it and look forward to each episode.
  • Crichiel
    Agree to Disagree
    Love this podcast. Yes, you are going to disagree with the rankings. Every single Beatles fan will have a different list, so that’s a given and shouldn’t be taken as a criticism. It’s fun to yell out “What the ****, Julia?! Revolution 9 is a well done song?!!! 8 minutes of ear torture?!” 😆. Best thing about this podcast the is depth! To spend 20-40 minutes per SONG?! Love love love it. Been an obsessed Beatles fan for 35 years. I mostly stopped buying Beatles books, because there was never anything I didn’t already know in them. But these guys pull out facts I’ve never heard. And that alone makes this worth every minute of my time that I spend listening. Thank you thank you.
  • Rebmoti
    Fun show, great guests
    I found this podcast a couple of weeks ago and I really enjoy it! The hosts are really personable (the kind of people you want to spend time with) but the real bonus of this show is the guest musicians they have on to rate the records - I get a lot of exposure to good music I wouldn’t know about otherwise. Keep up the good work!
  • Mcpmerl
    Gets better and better
    Love this podcast especially Julia’s take on the study of the Beatles. A lot of great info and fun podcast. Keep imagining what the top 20 songs will reveal.
  • Tedward2017
    “Let It Be” your next listen.
    This is a really great way to dive into the Beatles catalog. Jonathan is truly insightful and thoughtful with his rankings (despite a few wrong turns here and there), his co-host and wife Julia offers an unbiased honest casual fan take that is a perfect complement to Jonathan’s superfandom (Not judging Jonathan. Just speaking facts). Plus the guests are super informative and interesting. Great podcast.
  • Judge Timbers
    And I Love This Podcast
    Ranking the songs of the Beatles? What could possibly go wrong? But somehow this podcast gets it just right thanks to the wit and charm of the co-hosts and their guests. The listener quickly discovers the rankings are used not to incite heated arguments but rather as a starting point to spark a positive deep dive into every Beatle song. Put simply, Ranking The Beatles is a welcome addition to the Beatle podcast universe.
  • spazaru
    Required listening...
    ...if you like The Beatles at all. Great guests every week and Jonathan and Julia are fun and genuinely funny (even the tired Mike Love jokes). I listen every Tuesday morning as soon as I wake up. One week around Christmas they took the week off so I just slept the whole week until there was a new episode. It was worth the wait.
  • PPam7
    Fab!
    I started listening a few weeks ago and have been trying to catch up. I thought I knew a lot about the Beatles, but I’m learning so much. The hosts are fun. Great job!
  • Mel Ifluous
    Fab Pod
    Love it!!
  • Mike in Southtown
    The best Beatles show I've heard
    This podcast is fun and informative. Even if Jonathan ends up having "Revolution 9" in his Top 10, it's still a great show! Julia is an awesome co-host. Check it out!
  • finfan64
    Great new Beatles pod
    Nice to see a truly excellent new Beatles podcast. This one is hosted by a very appealing young couple, who along with their well selected guests , have a winning combination of professional musical knowledge and the enthusiasm of fans. It’s an interesting format that by definition promises to only get better as it goes along. If they can make the “Only a Northern Song” episode good then they’re unstoppable
  • margaretro
    Super excited
    As stated above, I’m super excited to agree or disagree with this guy’s opinions. I mean, with a sultry voice like that, who wouldn’t be? Everything Ringo sang was garbage, and I will fight anyone on this
  • Yeskyle
    Amazing
    This is so great. Can’t wait to dive in!
  • InsomniacArts
    This is the quarantine content I’ve been waiting for
    Seriously awesome. JP and Jules rock my face off.
  • abcnoah
    I love your podcast
    It’s me Noah I love your podcast so much thatI subscribed
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.