Shawn and Craig arrive at the halfway point of Rolling Stone’s Top 500 with their fourth Sweet 16 recap, revisiting the winners from Rounds 13–16 and taking a deeper look at how each bracket shook out.

From Craig’s corner, this stretch of the bracket showcases the cinematic sprawl of Funkadelic’s Maggot Brain, the psychedelic firepower of The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Axis: Bold as Love, the atmospheric introspection of Echo and the Bunnymen’s Heaven Up Here, and the soulful precision of The O’Jays’ Back Stabbers — four albums that prove range, mood, and risk-taking are just as important as legacy.

From Shawn’s side of the bracket, the road to the Sweet 16 features the stripped-back vulnerability of Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged in New York, the swagger and reinvention of George Michael’s Faith, the reggae resilience of Bob Marley & the Wailers’ Natty Dread, and the timeless cultural landmark that is The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Sixteen albums remain. The debates get sharper. The margins get thinner. And with the halfway mark now behind them, the path to the ultimate Vinyl 4 becomes even more intense.

Next up: the format shifts. Stay tuned.

📩 Subscribe and follow on your favorite podcast platform to keep up with the brackets.
🎶 Got your own picks or snubs? Drop us a line at [email protected].
📸 Follow us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes posts, polls, and bracket updates — @vinylfourpodcast.