Every year, People makes the tough decisions, crowning one Hollywood man above all others as their “Sexiest Man Alive.” This year, the publication has bestowed the honor upon country singer-turned-The Voice judge Blake Shelton, much to the surprise—and chagrin—of basically the entire Internet. While past covers championed the likes of George Clooney and David Beckham—two undisputedly very sexy men—People has really delivered a shock to all of our systems this year. That’s 2017 for you. So many other candidates were snubbed, and we must both honor them and cross our fingers that they’ll climb to the top of this list next year. From your Internet boyfriend(s) to some of Hollywood’s sexiest leading men, we are here to make the case for the contenders that should have taken the number one spot, as seen straight in the pages of W.
1Mahershala Ali
The Hidden Figures and Luke Cage star took home an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor earlier this year for his role in Moonlight. He’s also a devoted dad, loves cats and makes every beanie that touches his head look cool. What other reasons would anyone ever need to put him at the top of this list?
2Rami Malek
This list would be nowhere near complete without the star of Mr. Robot, Rami Malek.
4Riz Ahmed
Between appearing as a fighter pilot in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and rapping with the Swet Shop Boys, Riz Ahmed is also reportedly going to star in Netflix’s modern twist on Hamlet. It’s an Internet boyfriend rite of passage.
5Armie Hammer
Armie Hammer took home the silver this year, as People’s runner up for “Sexiest Man Alive,” but why couldn’t he have been crowned number one? With the upcoming release of Call Me By Your Name, which spawned its own Armie-centric meme, there’s almost no reason that Armie Hammer should ever come in second place.
6Luke Evans
The Welsh actor is sure to break at least two hearts in the upcoming Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, and he was striking as Beauty and the Beast’s Gaston. Besides, why hasn’t there been a gay “Sexiest Man Alive” yet?
7Mark Ruffalo
We need a hot, woke dad on the cover. Simple as that.
8James Franco
Hollywood’s favorite weirdo bad boy deserves some sort of gold medal for his ability to receive an adult education from at least seven prestigious universities in addition to portraying the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau in The Disaster Artist and playing a set of twins on The Deuce.
9Kit Harington
The Game of Thrones actor also has a sensitive side, so really he would be an ideal “Sexiest Man Alive.”
10Alexander Skarsgård
Let’s get him to the top of the “Sexiest Man Alive” list before he elects to go fully bald.
