Club 8 - don't cry baby it's only a film, 2026

"For Swedish indie duo Club 8 every day seems to be the first day of summer, with freshly-minted guitar pop playing sweetly in the background."

The Beatles - words of love cover, 1964

"The Beatles recorded a cover version of the song on October 18, 1964, for the UK album Beatles for Sale. It first appeared in the US on the album Beatles VI. It was also on a 7-inch extended play, Beatles for Sale No. 2, released by Parlophone/EMI in 1965. John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who were fans of Holly, sang in harmony with George Harrison, holding to the vocal and instrumental sound of Holly's original as well as they could. Before their big break, the group had performed the song live between 1958 and 1962, with Lennon and Harrison singing. For the official release, though, Lennon and McCartney shared vocal duties. The song only took two takes, along with a vocal overdub."

A-ha - train of thought remix, 1991

“In the ‘80s it was like we were run over by this massive train. We were not there to be pin-up idols. We knew that was part of it, but it was not the reason for doing what we were doing. The media was crazy, and that was one of the main reasons why we quit for some years, because we just had enough of it. We just wanted to make music.”

The Weather Station - separated, 2021

"Separated, isn’t just one of my oft-misspelled words, it’s also a song about how social media has cultivated a niche culture. Sometimes, that creates a place for people to argue in the comments section."

Mogwai - thank you space expert, 2008

"The favoured adjective when describing Mogwai is "cinematic". The band take sound composition seriously and their recent soundtrack work has left a mark on The Hawk is Howling. Each track projects imaginary films into your head. The filmic appeal is present in the spiritual uplift of the baroque Thank You Space Expert, the shimmering space rock of I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead, or the endless space boogie of Danphe and the Brain."

Cocteau Twins - iceblink luck, 1990

"Iceblink Luck" is a single by Scottish band Cocteau Twins, released by 4AD Records in August 1990. It was the first single from the Heaven or Las Vegas album and the band's first single to be released in the United States. It was the band's second single to reach the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 38. The single was a moderate success in Europe, debuting at No. 43 on the European Airplay Chart as well as at No. 91 on the European Hot 100 Singles chart."

Damien Jurado - leaving my keys in kennewick, 2026

"Leaving My Keys in Kennewick" is a recently released Damien Jurado track. It's part of a split single with Lilly Miller titled I Was Always Leaving, featuring "Leaving My Keys in Kennewick" and "It Will Come Back." The single came out on April 13, 2026. Interestingly, the song has been in Jurado's orbit for a while — it appeared in a 2020 private concert setlist as a "new song," during a period when he was writing prolifically during quarantine. A full collaborative LP with Lilly Miller, Did Something in me Break?, is also on the way, set for release on May 1, 2026 through Jurado's own Maraqopa Records."

Green Day - burnout, 1994

"After several years of grunge's dominance in popular music, Dookie brought a livelier, more melodic rock sound to the mainstream and propelled Green Day to worldwide fame. Considered one of the defining albums of the 1990s and of punk rock in general, it was also pivotal in solidifying the genre's mainstream popularity. Its influence continued into the new millennium and beyond, being cited as an inspiration by many punk rock and pop-punk bands, as well as artists from other genres."

Pink Floyd - the happiest days of our lives, 1979

"The song is approximately one minute, 46 seconds in length, beginning with 24 seconds of a helicopter sound effect, followed by the schoolmaster shouting, "You! Yes, you! Stand still, laddie!" performed by Roger Waters. Waters's lead vocal is treated with a reverse echo. The song features an electric guitar with an added delay effect and an electric bass guitar playing staccato punctuations of the chordal root notes."

The Love Variants - golden age, 2025

"Austin quartet The Love Variants emerge onto the underground indie pop scene as subtle as their music. Their eight-song debut cassette, Life of Riley (released by Keeper Records), is one of those records where one spin in, you already know they are not your average jangle dream pop band. Take Golden Age, where it becomes clear how much this band values letting melodies linger and shimmer rather than rush past you. The vocals match that mood, romantic and dreamy, but with enough melancholy underneath to keep things grounded."

Hannah Lew - another twilight, 2026

"Hannah Lew has long been a quietly influential presence in the U.S. underground, best known for her work in San Francisco post-punk bands Grass Widow and Cold Beat. Now stepping into the spotlight on her own, she’s channeling years of songwriting instinct into her solo project, which blends emotional directness with a dreamy, slightly surreal edge."

Neil Young - a man needs a maid heart of gold suite live at massey hall, 1971

"The relaxed, rambling intros suggest that herbal self-medication was on the agenda. And if so, it only seems to have helped him to focus on the music; once into a song, the hangdog hippy is banished and magic takes hold, with Young attaining cinematic scope from minimal instrumental accompaniment."

Matchbox Twenty - if you're gone, 2000

"We were separated for a few weeks and were on the phone all the time, and I was thinking, 'I met this wonderful person', and I wondered if everything I was going through [with Matchbox Twenty's success] was going to make it too crazy to build a relationship."

Cocteau Twins - lorelei, 1984

"Treasure is the third studio album by Scottish rock band Cocteau Twins, released on 12 November 1984 by 4AD. With this album, the band settled on what would, from then on, be their primary lineup: vocalist Elizabeth Fraser, guitarist Robin Guthrie and bass guitarist Simon Raymonde. The album also reflected the group's embrace of the distinctive ethereal sound with which they became associated."

A-ha - the weight of the wind, 1986

"In my mind this song is where the Scoundrel Days album finds its way back to the great side A. Super energetic and with great vocals and great keyboards. This is such a great pop song and still it has this melancholic feel to it. A crazy great chorus."

James - leviathan, 2018

"Leviathan" began as two jams, one of which had a decent chorus and average verse, while the other had a good verse section and an as not as strong chorus. Andrew went on holiday and telephoned Giles, telling him to edit the jams together and change the key. Andrew and Giles visited several London studios in an attempt to find a specific keyboard sound, which they found at Urchin Studios. The song talks about "hitting a wall" before suddenly moving on to another part of one's life. "Leviathan" opens with a keyboard line before shifting into techno music."

Pet Shop Boys - to speak is a sin, 1993

"Pervaded by an overwhelming sense of loneliness, echoed by a prominent solo soprano saxophone, this is one of Neil and Chris's slower, more downbeat tracks and seems somewhat out of place amidst the generally more "up" mood of Very."

REM - me marlon brando marlon brando and i, 2011

"a kind of meta-pop song that references a Neil Young number called 'Pocahontas'. In that song, Young imagines himself shooting the breeze around a campfire with Pocahontas and Marlon Brando, who, among other things, was a campaigner for Native American rights. I ask Stipe what his Marlon Brando song is about. 'It's about me going to Neil Young for advice,' he replies, as if this was the most natural thing in the world to write a song about. Has he actually done that? 'Oh, no. It's entirely made up, but it's sincere. I hold Neil in high regard, but I have never asked him for advice, though I am sure he would have honoured it if I had.'"

Phil Collins - testify, 2002

"the longest and most complex sounding song on the album, is according to Collins "one of the most direct and most personal love songs I have ever written".

The Beatles - mr moonlight cover, 1964

"Mr. Moonlight" is a song written by Roy Lee Johnson and recorded by Dr. Feelgood and the Interns in 1962. The song was covered by the Beatles on their 1964 albums Beatles for Sale (in the U.K.) and Beatles '65 (in the U.S.)."

Bayonne - january, 2026

"Combining Americana, indie-rock and dream-pop together on this new release, Bayonne has created something mesmerisingly cinematic."

New Order - ceremony live retro, 1984

"Ceremony" is a song written by Joy Division, and first released as New Order's debut single in 1981. The track and its B-side, "In a Lonely Place", were recorded as Joy Division before the death of their lead singer Ian Curtis. Both were re-recorded and carried over to Joy Division's re-formation as New Order."

A-ha - we're looking for the whales, 1986

"a song of longing, a return to innocence, with the whale the symbol of that freedom. It’s filled with the ache of life which I love about a-ha’s music. The freedom of childhood is contrasted with the beached whales"

Pink Floyd - another brick in the wall part one, 1979

"Young Pink begins building a mental wall between himself and the world, distancing himself from the pains of life, such as having to grow up without a father."

Morrissey - kerching kerching, 2026

"Kerching Kerching jeers at a man – once a “small boy” with a “shy smile” – ground down by a lover who appears to be the embodiment of modern capitalism’s relentless demands."

The Waterboys - another kind of circus, 1983

"Whilst the sound may seem dated across the years (Linn drums, anyone?) and Scott’s voice lacks the authority that it gained with subsequent maturity, the songs on The Waterboys still sound as fresh as a daisy and as startling as a summer rainstorm."

Alvvays - very online guy, 2022

“Very Online Guy” is a bit more of a departure from what we’ve come to expect from the band. The track sounds distinctly European, channeling strains of Italo Disco and French chansons, and it’s hard to tell at first whether Rankin is singing in another language."

Club 8 - echoes of our time, 2026

"a nostalgia-inducing bop that channels classic New Order and shimmering, 80s pop while showcasing the duo’s unerring knack for catchy hooks and rousingly anthemic choruses."

Craft Spells - nausea, 2014

"Craft Spells is an American indie rock/dream pop band from Stockton, California, formed in late 2009 by Justin Vallesteros. To date, Craft Spells has released two studio albums, Idle Labor (2011) and Nausea (2014) on the Captured Tracks label."

The Beatles - i'll follow the sun, 1964

"I wrote that in my front parlour in Forthlin Road. I was about 16. 'I'll Follow the Sun' was one of those very early ones. I seem to remember writing it just after I'd had the flu and I had that cigarette. I remember standing in the parlour, with my guitar, looking out through the lace curtains of the window, and writing that one."

The Mary Onettes - stop this melody, 2025

"The drums take center-stage and it seems a little darker. It also ends with a tiny sample and makes a nice nice bookend to the record's start."

A Weather - it's good to know, 2008

"The song is a gentle, introspective indie-folk reflection on everyday life and the importance of appreciating small, fleeting moments."