Here's who should win album of the year at the 2021 Grammy Awards

Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, and Post Malone will compete for album of the year at the 2021 Grammy Awards.Beth Garrabrant/Taylor Swift / Hugo Comte / Noam Galai/Getty Images

• The 2021 Grammy Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday.
• Jhené Aiko, Black Pumas, Coldplay, Jacob Collier, HAIM, Dua Lipa, Post Malone, and Taylor Swift will compete for album of the year, the ceremony's most prestigious category.
• Insider ranked all eight nominated albums to determine who should win.
• And it's clearly "Folklore" by Taylor Swift.
• Our ranking also includes a mini-breakdown of each album: the highlights, downfalls, critical reception, and overall worthiness.

When the 2021 Grammy Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday, one category sparked more debate than any other.

Predictably, the debate-sparker in question is album of the year, the ceremony's most prestigious award — although it's not getting attention for reasons the Recording Academy might prefer.

There are surprises and snubs every year, but the eight nominees for 2021 are creatively, almost impressively bizarre.

Only three or four were previously considered to be serious contenders. Only one would actually make sense being crowned "album of the year," a title that explicitly invites us to judge its quality and cultural impact.

Insider ranked all eight nominees to determine who should win. They're listed from least to most worthy below.