From John Krasinski to Denzel Washington to Brad Pitt, look back at all the Sexiest Man Alive in their earlier days to now

One of America’s greatest traditions is freaking the f--- out over People magazine’s choice for Sexiest Man Alive. At a moment of such turmoil and alarming change in our country, it’s reassuring that, at the very least, we’re keeping that tradition alive.

Every year, there are some awards and honors we just love to keep up with. And while those include the Oscars, Golden Globes and the Grammy Awards, there’s one that happened this week that you might not be aware of: People magazine‘s “Sexiest Man Alive!