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AlphaBeatical

150 episodes listed below

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Beatles completism with jokes, rankings, and detours.

The gist

AlphaBeatical treats the Beatles catalog like a long-running group argument with spreadsheets, callbacks, and sudden side roads into television, movies, and band mythology. The format is orderly on paper, but the pleasure is in the banter around each song.

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About AlphaBeatical

AlphaBeatical turns Beatles completism into a long-form comic listening project. Its central device is simple: move through the catalog alphabetically and give every track its day in court. That order creates odd pairings and useful friction. A beloved landmark can sit near a novelty, a Ringo vocal, or a George experiment, and the show treats each one as fair game. The speakers bring facts, ratings, half-remembered lore, and enough side chatter to keep the format from feeling like homework. They talk about Lennon and McCartney credits, Ringo songwriting, Sgt. Pepper sequencing, Rubber Soul placement, White Album alternatives, and the emotional weirdness of reaching the end of a massive project. Then the conversation swerves. Help can lead to The Monkees, Danger Mouse, Doctor Who, lost BBC tapes, James Bond, Kiss solo-album logic, or a joke about Beatles gravy. The show’s affection is obvious, but it is not reverent in a museum-guide way. Great songs get praised, weaker ones get poked, and even the sacred catalog is allowed to be silly. The Spreadsheet Special shows the other side of the obsession, with Hall of Fame lists and song rankings turning opinions into data. Reunion episodes revisit new reissues and deluxe material when the Beatles machine produces more to discuss. AlphaBeatical suits listeners who already know the songs and enjoy hearing fans argue over details that only become funnier because they matter too much. It is less a clean lecture than a record-store conversation with a filing system.

Made for: For Beatles fans who enjoy catalog-level detail, running jokes, and informal debate more than polished music-history lectures. It especially suits listeners who like rankings, recording trivia, and affectionate arguments about familiar songs.

What sets it apart: The alphabetical format gives the show a clear organizing principle while forcing unexpected juxtapositions across albums and song types. Its spreadsheets, Hall of Fame lists, ratings, and recurring bits make the archive feel like a shared long-term experiment.

In their own words

We review all the Beatles' songs in alphabetical order, from 12 to Y. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As heard by us

Based on 5 episodes we listened to · September 2026

AlphaBeatical makes Beatles song analysis communal, combining catalog-level perspective with rankings, musical comparisons, and four distinct reactions.

AlphaBeatical turns the Beatles catalog into a sustained group argument, with Alex Robinson, Pete the Retailer, John, and Al Adam moving song by song through musical detail, historical context, personal taste, and rankings.

Read our full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Alphabetical order turns your Beatles canon into rankings, arguments, and a generous ladle of Beatles gravy.

Press play if you want

  • your favorite Beatles songs tested against four very different opinions
  • track-by-track context without sanding away the jokes and stray detours
Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Beatles song rankingsalphabetical catalog reviewsWhite Album reissuesSgt. Pepper tracksRingo vocal songsLennon-McCartney creditsHall of Fame listsmusic and pop-culture tangents

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Episodes

  1. 1

    215: Three Cool Cats

    ·18m
  2. 2

    241: You Like Me Too Much

    ·20m
  3. 3

    240: You Know What to Do

    ·17m
  4. 4

    239: You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)

    ·21m
  5. 5

    238: You Can't Do That

    ·18m
  6. 6

    The Beatles (White Album): Super Deluxe Edition

    ·54m
  7. 7

    The Spreadsheet Special

    ·53m
  8. 8

    248: Your Mother Should Know

    ·27m
  9. 9

    247: You've Got to Hide Your Love Away

    ·23m
  10. 10

    246: You're Going to Lose That Girl

    ·24m
  11. 11

    245: You'll Be Mine

    ·13m
  12. 12

    244: You Won't See Me

    ·19m
  13. 13

    243: You Really Got a Hold on Me

    ·24m
  14. 14

    237: Yesterday

    ·33m
  15. 15

    236: Yes It Is

    ·17m
  16. 16

    242: You Never Give Me Your Money

    ·21m
  17. 17

    181: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

    ·27m
  18. 18

    234: Yellow Submarine

    ·28m
  19. 19

    233: Words of Love

    ·19m
  20. 20

    232: Within You Without You

    ·30m
  21. 21

    231: With a Little Help from My Friends

    ·21m
  22. 22

    230: Wild Honey Pie

    ·17m
  23. 23

    229: Why Don't We Do It in the Road?

    ·19m
  24. 24

    228: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

    ·28m
  25. 25

    NickelYak 90: When We Stand Together

    ·10m
  26. 26

    227: When I'm Sixty-Four

    ·20m
  27. 27

    226: When I Get Home

    ·18m
  28. 28

    225: What's The New Mary Jane

    ·21m
  29. 29

    224: What You're Doing

    ·17m
  30. 30

    222: We Can Work It Out

    ·19m
  31. 31

    221: Wait

    ·18m
  32. 32

    220: Two of Us

    ·24m
  33. 33

    219: Twist and Shout

    ·24m
  34. 34

    218: Tomorrow Never Knows

    ·29m
  35. 35

    217: Till There Was You

    ·19m
  36. 36

    216: Ticket to Ride

    ·19m
  37. 37

    235: Yer Blues

    ·20m
  38. 38

    214: This Boy

    ·19m
  39. 39

    213: Think for Yourself

    ·18m
  40. 40

    212: Things We Said Today

    ·19m
  41. 41

    211: There's a Place

    ·19m
  42. 42

    210: The Word

    ·21m
  43. 43

    209: The Sheik of Araby

    ·20m
  44. 44

    208: The Night Before

    ·23m
  45. 45

    207: The Long and Winding Road

    ·28m
  46. 46

    206: The Inner Light

    ·26m
  47. 47

    205: The Fool on the Hill

    ·31m
  48. 48

    204: The End

    ·26m
  49. 49

    203: The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

    ·23m
  50. 50

    202: The Ballad of John and Yoko

    ·26m
  51. 51

    201: That'll Be the Day

    ·21m
  52. 52

    200: That Means a Lot

    ·20m
  53. 53

    198: Tell Me Why

    ·18m
  54. 54

    197: Tell Me What You See

    ·20m
  55. 55

    191: Something

    ·27m
  56. 56

    190: Slow Down

    ·20m
  57. 57

    189: Sie Liebt Dich

    ·19m
  58. 58

    188: Shout

    ·21m
  59. 59

    187: She's Leaving Home

    ·20m
  60. 60

    186: She's a Woman

    ·21m
  61. 61

    194: Sun King

    The hosts discuss the Beatles' song 'Sun King' in alphabetical order, with humorous tangents and analysis.

    ·26m
  62. 62

    192: Step Inside Love/Los Paranoias

    The hosts discuss the Beatles song 'Step Inside Love/Los Paranoias' from the Anthology 3 release, analyzing its origins and style.

    ·21m
  63. 63

    193: Strawberry Fields Forever

    The hosts discuss and review the Beatles song 'Strawberry Fields Forever' as part of their alphabetical series.

    ·33m
  64. 64

    180: Sexy Sadie

    ·32m
  65. 65

    179: Searchin'

    ·22m
  66. 66

    178: Savoy Truffle

    ·22m
  67. 67

    185: She Said She Said

    ·21m
  68. 68

    184: She Loves You

    ·24m
  69. 69

    183: She Came in Through the Bathroom Window

    ·21m
  70. 70

    182: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)

    ·25m
  71. 71

    177: Run for Your Life

    ·21m
  72. 72

    176: Roll Over Beethoven

    ·22m
  73. 73

    175: Rocky Raccoon

    ·25m
  74. 74

    174: Rock and Roll Music

    ·37m
  75. 75

    173: Rip It Up/Shake, Rattle, and Roll/Blue Suede Shoes

    ·28m
  76. 76

    172: Revolution 9

    ·29m
  77. 77

    171: Revolution 1

    ·25m
  78. 78

    170: Revolution

    ·24m
  79. 79

    169: Real Love

    ·28m
  80. 80

    168: Rain

    ·33m
  81. 81

    167: Polythene Pam

    ·23m
  82. 82

    166: Please Please Me

    ·28m
  83. 83

    165: Please Mr. Postman

    ·26m
  84. 84

    164: Piggies

    ·21m
  85. 85

    163: Penny Lane

    ·47m
  86. 86

    162: Paperback Writer

    ·32m
  87. 87

    161: P.S. I Love You

    ·17m
  88. 88

    160: Only a Northern Song

    ·22m
  89. 89

    159: One After 909

    ·21m
  90. 90

    158: Old Brown Shoe

    ·22m
  91. 91

    157: Oh! Darling

    ·24m
  92. 92

    156: Octopus's Garden

    ·30m
  93. 93

    155: Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

    ·32m
  94. 94

    154: Nowhere Man

    ·20m
  95. 95

    153: Not Guilty

    ·15m
  96. 96

    152: Not a Second Time

    ·18m
  97. 97

    199: Thank You Girl

    ·15m
  98. 98

    223: What Goes On

    The hosts discuss the Beatles song 'What Goes On' from Rubber Soul, including its writing credits and recording history.

    ·24m
  99. 99

    196: Teddy Boy

    The hosts discuss the Beatles song 'Teddy Boy' in alphabetical order, covering its origins and historical context.

    ·21m
  100. 100

    195: Taxman

    ·32m
  101. 101

    The Beatles (White Album): Super Deluxe Edition

    Hidden gem

    AlphaBeatical returns for "The Beatles (White Album): Super Deluxe Edition," with Pete the Retailer, Alex Robinson, Al Adam, and John revisiting the reissue, the new songs, and the remastering choices.

    Feb 23, 2019·54m·4 clips
  102. 102

    The Spreadsheet Special

    The four hosts of Alphabeatical — a completed Beatles catalog podcast that reviewed every song alphabetically — reunite for a special episode to reveal the aggregate rating data compiled by co-host Adam across all their individual scores.

    Jul 8, 2016·53m·3 clips
  103. 103

    248: Your Mother Should Know

    Hidden gem

    AlphaBeatical closes with "Your Mother Should Know," a 1967 Magical Mystery Tour track that the hosts link to Paul McCartney’s "granny music" and his Cavendish Avenue harmonium writing.

    May 20, 2016·27m·1 clip
  104. 104

    247: You've Got to Hide Your Love Away

    Alphabetical’s episode 247 examines The Beatles’ 1965 song “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” from Help.

    May 18, 2016·23m·1 clip
  105. 105

    246: You're Going to Lose That Girl

    May 16, 2016·24m
  106. 106

    245: You'll Be Mine

    May 13, 2016·13m
  107. 107

    244: You Won't See Me

    May 11, 2016·19m
  108. 108

    243: You Really Got a Hold on Me

    May 9, 2016·24m
  109. 109

    242: You Never Give Me Your Money

    May 6, 2016·21m
  110. 110

    241: You Like Me Too Much

    May 4, 2016·20m
  111. 111

    240: You Know What to Do

    May 2, 2016·17m
  112. 112

    239: You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)

    Apr 29, 2016·21m
  113. 113

    238: You Can't Do That

    Apr 27, 2016·18m
  114. 114

    237: Yesterday

    Apr 25, 2016·33m
  115. 115

    236: Yes It Is

    Apr 22, 2016·17m
  116. 116

    235: Yer Blues

    Apr 20, 2016·20m
  117. 117

    234: Yellow Submarine

    Apr 18, 2016·28m
  118. 118

    233: Words of Love

    Apr 15, 2016·19m
  119. 119

    232: Within You Without You

    Alphabetical spends most of "Within You Without You" on George Harrison's shift into Indian classical music, with Pete the Retailer, John, Al Adam, and Alex treating it as a Sgt.

    Apr 13, 2016·30m·2 clips
  120. 120

    231: With a Little Help from My Friends

    The hosts discuss the Beatles song 'With a Little Help from My Friends' as part of their alphabetical review of the Beatles catalog.

    Apr 11, 2016·21m
  121. 121

    230: Wild Honey Pie

    Apr 8, 2016·17m
  122. 122

    229: Why Don't We Do It in the Road?

    Apr 6, 2016·19m
  123. 123

    228: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

    Apr 4, 2016·28m
  124. 124

    NickelYak 90: When We Stand Together

    Apr 1, 2016·10m
  125. 125

    227: When I'm Sixty-Four

    Mar 31, 2016·20m
  126. 126

    226: When I Get Home

    Mar 29, 2016·18m
  127. 127

    225: What's The New Mary Jane

    Mar 25, 2016·21m
  128. 128

    224: What You're Doing

    Mar 23, 2016·17m
  129. 129

    223: What Goes On

    Mar 21, 2016·24m
  130. 130

    222: We Can Work It Out

    Mar 17, 2016·19m
  131. 131

    221: Wait

    Mar 15, 2016·18m
  132. 132

    220: Two of Us

    Mar 10, 2016·24m
  133. 133

    219: Twist and Shout

    Mar 8, 2016·24m
  134. 134

    218: Tomorrow Never Knows

    Mar 4, 2016·29m
  135. 135

    217: Till There Was You

    Mar 2, 2016·19m
  136. 136

    216: Ticket to Ride

    Feb 29, 2016·19m
  137. 137

    215: Three Cool Cats

    Feb 26, 2016·18m
  138. 138

    214: This Boy

    Feb 24, 2016·19m
  139. 139

    213: Think for Yourself

    Feb 22, 2016·18m
  140. 140

    212: Things We Said Today

    Feb 19, 2016·19m
  141. 141

    211: There's a Place

    Feb 17, 2016·19m
  142. 142

    210: The Word

    Feb 15, 2016·21m
  143. 143

    209: The Sheik of Araby

    Feb 12, 2016·20m
  144. 144

    208: The Night Before

    Feb 10, 2016·23m
  145. 145

    207: The Long and Winding Road

    Feb 8, 2016·28m
  146. 146

    206: The Inner Light

    Feb 5, 2016·26m
  147. 147

    205: The Fool on the Hill

    Feb 3, 2016·31m
  148. 148

    204: The End

    Feb 1, 2016·26m
  149. 149

    203: The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

    Jan 29, 2016·23m
  150. 150

    202: The Ballad of John and Yoko

    Jan 27, 2016·26m