The Doors - touch me, 1969

"In the book A to X of Alternative Music, "Touch Me" was described as a "solid gold soul classic". Writing for AllMusic, critic Jason Elias wrote that the song has "the style of pop and pure lounge." Some critics suggested the track blends pop with psychedelic rock; a combination which was unique at the time. It has also been characterized, along with other album tracks, as an early attempt at progressive rock."

Lichen Slow - hobbies, 2023

"Many of us like a bit of grump now and then. With this in mind, Lichen Slow is a new project featuring Malcolm Middleton of Arab Strap collaborating with musician Joel Harries. It opens with the downbeat Hobbies, a bit like a poppier Arab Strap, featuring Middleton on lead with Harries on backing vocals."

Au Revoir Simone - another likely story aeroplane remix, 2009

"Some light research shows the original version of this Au Revoir Simone song appeared on Grey's Anatomy. The Aeroplane version might fit better on GREY'S ANATOMY PARTY HOUSE 3011 WHERE EVERYONE GETS FUNKY THE SEQUEL. YEAH DOG this is a freakum jam if your name is McDreamy. Imagine some lady running her animatronic hands (Beyonce, holler at ABC) through his thick grey hair. He's a surgeon, you know. Aeroplane, our Belgian friends whose October mix we gushed over last week, have a habit of taking pretty-voiced women and icy-hotting their keys into igloo barnstormers."

The Band Of Holy Joy - because it was never resolved, 1990

"In the dark times Will there also be singing? Yes, there will also be singing. About the dark times.”

Steve Hackett - every day, 1979

"The album starts with "Every Day" which is an anti-drug song about Steve's own experiences of the drug culture when his first girlfriend fell victim to "Cleopatra's Needle", and it would become his signature song from his solo career with a guitar solo at the track's coda."

Jamie xx - it's so good, 2024

"Jamie xx, the maestro of musical innovation, takes us on a thrilling ride with his latest track, “It’s So Good.” As a seasoned musician, DJ, and producer, Jamie xx effortlessly blends indie electronic elements into a captivating sound. It keeps us on the edge of our seats."

MGMT - nothing to declare, 2024

"Having grown up with no arms, I have been watched my whole life. In some respects, the Venus de Milo has always felt analogous to my life"

Coldplay - feelslikeimfallinginlove, 2024

"Coldplay generally doing what they do best: love songs with moody verses and blood-rush choruses that you can remember after a single listen."

The Beatles - nowhere man, 1965

"I'd spent five hours that morning trying to write a song that was meaningful and good, and I finally gave up and lay down. Then 'Nowhere Man' came, words and music, the whole damn thing as I lay down."

The Radio Dept - where damage isn't already done, 2002

"The Radio Dept. has mastered the art of creating waves of sound that evoke the everyday without sounding mundane – a captivating paradox that challenges our perceptions of normality and beauty."

Seapony - i never would, 2011

"The song's dreamy and melancholic melody complements the introspective lyrics, creating a poignant reflection on the intricacies of love and connection."

Swallow - peekaboo, 1992

"When Swallow split up, I didn't feel I could write songs without Mike's input, I think I believed I was only able to convey ideas through him as I didn't play any instruments. I just got on with other things, I studied Art History and got interested in creativity and why people have the desire to make things. I realised that what I loved about song writing was the whole process of creating sounds with melodies. During a painful relationship breakdown, I started writing songs as a way to get through it. Initially it was pure escapism, however it was when I got an electric guitar that the ideas really came out and it was immensely satisfying to thrash out emotions on it!"

REM - half a world away, 1991

"R.E.M. founding members Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe played their first show on April 5, 1980, at a friend’s birthday party in an abandoned church in Athens, Georgia. From that point forward until 2011 when they decided to call it a day, the band released fifteen albums, toured the world, won multiple Grammys, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and have left a lasting legacy of great songs that defined an era."

The Radio Dept - ewan, 2003

"A huge, rumbling rhythm section ripped from the corpse of New Order ploughs through the speakers. A melody so huge and yet so ethereal it’s impossible to decribe as anything other than ‘glacial’ sears through the middle of it like an ice pick to the cerebral cortex."

Sparklehorse - it will never stop, 2022

"When the family of Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous discovered his uncompleted fifth album in the archive of recordings he left behind after his death in 2010, they had a difficult decision to make: Should they leave it as-is, or finish and release it? They chose the latter, drafting producer Alan Weatherhead, mixer Joel Hamilton, and engineer Greg Calbi to tie up the musical loose ends and bringing on Grandaddy's Jason Lytle and Linkous' nephew Spencer to provide additional vocals. It was a wise choice. Not only is Bird Machine a chance for Linkous' family to celebrate his beautiful, empathetic music by sharing it with his fans, it's also one of Sparklehorse's finest albums."

The Housemartins - me and the farmer, 1987

"Me and the Farmer" is a single by British Indie rock band The Housemartins from the album The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death. It reached #15 in the UK singles chart the week of 12 September 1987. The song had been written some 18 months earlier, on 22 January 1986 (the same day as Happy Hour). The track "Step Outside", which appeared on the B-side of the 12" release was also included on the 1988 compilation Now That's What I Call Quite Good. The song is about how gentleman farmers treat their workers badly."

Bee Gees - someone belonging to someone, 1983

"In the liner notes to the 1990 box set, Tales from the Brothers Gibb, the Bee Gees describe the song as a "fair ballad from a silly film".

John Lennon - happy xmas war is over, 1971

"He conceived "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" as a means of elaborating upon the themes of social unity and peaceful change enacted through personal accountability and empowerment that served as the basis of the earlier billboard campaign, trying to convey optimism while avoiding the sentimentality that he felt often characterised Christmas songs."

Pink Floyd - comfortably numb, 1979

"The music was composed by the guitarist, David Gilmour, while the lyrics were written by the bassist, Roger Waters, who based them on his experience of being injected with tranquilisers before a performance in 1977. Waters and Gilmour argued during the recording, with Waters preferring an orchestral arrangement and Gilmour preferring a more stripped-down arrangement. They compromised by combining both versions. Gilmour said the song was the last time he and Waters were able to work together constructively."

The Smile - friend of a friend, 2023

"Friend of a Friend" has Yorke singing over a "meandering" bassline, before he is joined by Jonny Greenwood on piano and Tom Skinner on drums. The song also features saxophone by the American jazz composer Robert Stillman and strings performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra. The lyrics were inspired by footage of Italians singing on their balconies during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and criticise cronyism in the British Conservative Party."