After more than a year of hype, plenty of teases, and a surprise live concert, The Hamilton Mixtape is finally here, and it was worth the wait. The album, a compilation of remixes, covers, and inspired-bys based on Hamilton, brings together a wide spectrum of talent, from rap god Nas to folk singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, all with their own takes on the musical’s songs. There’s also some bonus material, including early drafts and cut songs that didn’t make it into the final incarnation.

True to its name, the mixtape is a bit of a hodgepodge, a mix of tracks that seem to try to widen the musical’s appeal and some that will probably only excite the most devoted of Hamilton fans. So diverse is the tracklist that each song deserves to be examined on its own merits, so below, we’ve ranked all of the mixtape’s tracks and weighed them against their inspirations from the original Hamilton cast recording.

23. “You'll Be Back” – Jimmy Fallon & the Roots

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “You’ll Be Back”

Opens with a too-long gag about breathing techniques, but even once Fallon gets serious, this cover doesn't go anywhere. If anything, it feels like a serious wasted opportunity to give the song one of The Tonight Show's iconic toy instrument makeovers.

How does it compare to the source material? Throws away its shot. Fallon’s on-and-off faux-British accent is but a poor imitation of Jonathan Groff’s.

22. “Take a Break” (Interlude) - !llmind

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Take a Break”

Are you learning French? Do you keep forgetting how to count to nine? Have I got a remix for you.

How does it compare to the source material? Not really a fair comparison, since the interlude is so short.

21. “Stay Alive” (Interlude) – J.Period & Stro Elliot

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Stay Alive (Reprise)”

Another interlude. Alas, this one will not be of any use to you in French class. Catchy, though.

How does it compare to the source material? See above.

20. “No John Trumbull” (Intro) – the Roots

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: N/A

When Hamilton was being workshopped, a version of “No John Trumbull,” which references the famous Revolutionary War painter, preceded one of the album’s cabinet battles. This version, performed by Black Thought, is a worthy opener to the entire mixtape but not substantial enough to rank any higher.

19. “Valley Forge” (Demo) – Lin-Manuel Miranda

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: N/A

It’s interesting to see how this mournful, bleak early draft eventually evolved into the frantic, energetic “Stay Alive.” “That was a demo I was always really proud of,” Miranda told Entertainment Weekly of “Valley Forge.” “But it isn’t dramatically interesting to watch a bunch of people freezing to death slowly.” Sure enough, “Stay Alive” is far superior, but it’s worth noting that the demo is all Miranda, even the background harmonies.

18. “It's Quiet Uptown” – Kelly Clarkson

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “It’s Quiet Uptown”

Kelly Clarkson has an incredible set of pipes, but “It’s Quiet Uptown” is a song that calls for restraint, and this version is overproduced and, ironically, not nearly quiet enough. All of the direct references to the musical have been removed, probably in an effort to be radio-friendly, but without them, what’s left doesn't make much sense.

How does it compare to the source material? Throws away its shot. Clarkson’s voice would have been better suited to one of the musical’s power ballads.

17. “Satisfied” – Sia ft. Miguel & Queen Latifah

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Satisfied”

A perfectly serviceable but unremarkable pop cover that benefits from Sia’s soaring vocals and Miguel as a sultry stand-in for Hamilton.

How does it compare to the source material? Throws away its shot. It’s a solid cover, but it fails to put its own stamp on the song.

16. “Wait for It” – Usher

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Wait for It”

Usher channels his past self (circa 2004) and does the song justice. Here we have another cover that has been stripped of any specific references to the show but much more naturally than Clarkson's “It’s Quiet Uptown.”

How does it compare to the source material? Throws away its shot. Usher is great, but no one sings Hamilton’s showstopper better than the inimitable Leslie Odom Jr. can.

15. “Cabinet Battle 3” (Demo) – Lin-Manuel Miranda

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: N/A

This third cabinet battle didn’t make the final cut of the musical, and that’s a shame. Hamilton has been criticized for not incorporating the stories of actual historical people of color into its narrative, and here we have an example of what that might have looked like, with a debate about slavery that explicitly acknowledges George Washington’s role as a slave owner. The song was ultimately slashed for time, and because, according to Miranda, the conflict had no real resolution. Still, there’s some smart wordplay involved, and you can sense Miranda’s frustration with the founding fathers.

14. “That Would Be Enough” – Alicia Keys

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “That Would Be Enough”

Starts off as another lovely but unremarkable cover—until Keys hits that upper register and things get interesting. Still, we can’t help but wish that she had swapped with Clarkson and sung “It’s Quiet Uptown” instead.

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. Not superior to Phillipa Soo’s version, but Keys does make it her own.

13. “Washingtons by Your Side” – Wiz Khalifa

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Washington on Your Side”

And suddenly, we are unexpectedly thrust back into the 21^st century, a jarring but not wholly unwelcome surprise. Khalifa turns the song utterly on its head to remind us that, hey, one of these characters is on our currency. (Also, that he has a lot of money.)

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. Of all the tracks on the mixtape, this one wanders the furthest from its source material, and that creativity earns it major points.

12. “An Open Letter” (Interlude) – Watsky ft. Shockwave

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: N/A

We only get to hear a snippet of Hamilton’s furious letter to John Adams—pared down and lightly paraphrased to  “Sit down, John, you fat motherfucker”—but this extended version by San Francisco slam poet Watsky is so fun that it should have been a full-length diss track. (Maybe something to keep in mind for Volume 2?)

11. “Dear Theodosia” - Regina Spektor ft. Ben Folds

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Dear Theodosia”

Was there ever a song that screamed “Regina Spektor cover” as loudly as “Dear Theodosia”? Predictably, her voice is a perfect fit.

How does it compare to the source material? Throws away its shot. It’s a lovely, lovely cover, but the album is strongest when the artists make the music their own, and Spektor's cover doesn’t take any risks.

10. “History Has Its Eyes on You” – John Legend

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “History Has Its Eyes on You”

An original casting notice for Hamilton explicitly drew parallels between America’s first president and Legend, and this cover brings things full circle, with Legend crooning Washington's warning about the pressures of posterity.

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. A gospel reimagining of “History Has Its Eyes on You”? Yes, please.

9. “Congratulations” – Dessa

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: N/A

This song was part of the musical’s off-Broadway run but didn’t make it into the final incarnation. We previously heard Renée Elise Goldsberry perform this one at a #Ham4Ham back in August, and there are a few snap-worthy zingers (“You know why Jefferson can do what he wants? / He doesn’t dignify schoolyard taunts with a response”). Dessa’s version is more polished but just as fiery.

8. “Who Tells Your Story” – the Roots ft. Common & Ingrid Michaelson

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story”

Black Thought and Common turn Hamilton’s sappy (yeah, I said it) finale into a meditation on legacy and the state of black America. Common, another inspiration for George Washington, also tosses in some references to the musical in his verses (“I write hard rhymes like I'm running out of time / Truthfully, my stopwatch is one with the divine”).

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. Even Ingrid Michaelson’s hook, which lifts lines directly from “Who Lives,” puts its own spin on things.

7. “Say Yes to This” – Jill Scott

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Say No to This”

Basically “Say No to This,” sung from the perspective of the seductress rather than the seduced. If you play the beginnings of this song and “Say No to This” simultaneously, you get about 40 seconds of pure perfection, but the two don't seem to have been actually designed to play at the same time, since the harmony ends there. Fortunately, the sensual “Say Yes” can stand on its own.

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. Finally, Maria Reynolds gets to tell her side of things.

6. “Helpless” – Ashanti ft. Ja Rule

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Helpless”

In the original musical, “Helpless” contains a clear homage to Ja Rule’s romantic duets with Ashanti. This cover brings it full circle.

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. After all, Ashanti and Ja Rule are the source material’s inspiration.

5. “My Shot” (Rise Up Remix) – the Roots ft. Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz & Nate Ruess

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “My Shot”

A no-holds-barred original remix featuring verses from Black Thought, Oritz, and Busta Rhymes about beating the odds. The original casting notice for Hamilton named Busta Rhymes as an inspiration for the character of Hercules Mulligan, and here the rap legend returns the favor with a shoutout: “And now I kill again on that Hamilton Hercules Mulligan/ Reading in Vanity Fair or the Huffington/ Done with the sufferin’, we in the guts again, family rushin’ in/ Wonder where Busta been.”

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. The remix honors the spirit and swagger of the song while making it personal to the artists involved.

4. “Burn” – Andra Day

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Burn”

One word: Devastating.

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. Compositionally, this cover plays it safe, but Day brings such rage and heartbreak to the song that it’s more than just a retread.

3. “Wrote My Way Out” – Nas, Dave East, Lin-Manuel Miranda, & Aloe Blacc

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Hurricane”

A testament to the power of the written word, featuring verses from hip-hop artists whose pens lifted them from the bottom, including heavy hitter Nas. Some classic Miranda wordplay going on here: “Running out of time like I’m Jonathan Larson’s Rent check/ My mind is where the wild things are, Maurice Sendak.”

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. Like “My Shot,” this remix allows the artists involved to apply the themes of the song to their own lives.

2. “Dear Theodosia” (Reprise) – Chance the Rapper & Francis and the Lights

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Dear Theodosia”

If you listen to one cover on the Hamilton Mixtape, let it be this one. And when you remember that Chance is a new father himself, just try to keep a dry eye.

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. This is the mixtape at its best, with Chance and Francis completely transforming the song into a meandering, electronic lullaby.

1. “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” – K’naan, Snow Tha Product, Riz MC, & Residente

Cover / Fresh take / Other
Original Hamilton inspiration: “Battle of Yorktown”

This song takes the popular line “We’re finally on the field, we’ve had quite a run/ Immigrants: We get the job done” and runs with it, creating a proud, energetic, wholly original anthem performed by Puerto Rican legend Residente, British Pakistani rapper Riz MC (aka The Night Of’s Riz Ahmed), and Somali Canadian artist K’naan. But the standout here comes from Chicana rapper Snow tha Product, whose verse is pure fire.

How does it compare to the source material? Inimitable, an original. True to the spirit of “Battle of Yorktown” and to Hamilton as a whole, the song shows just how little has changed since the 18^th century when it comes to the American dream.