This week let’s push the envelope and dig out often lesser known artists and works that wriggle away from definition, those who or mix sub-genres and styles with such originality it’s hard to place them. But can you still define them?
Read morePlaylists: songs about witches and witchcraft
What’s been brewing in the musical cauldron this week? Making the magic happen from a huge casting of spells and songs from readers is guest playlister George Boyland, who conjures up two miraculous selections
Read morePut in a spell on this: songs about witches and witchcraft
Good, bad, beautiful or ugly, purveyors of black or white magic, and the effect they have on others, from witch-finders to fans, this week we explore the culture of witchery, but which way, and what magic will this conjure up in songs?
Read moreJoint effort: songs about knees, hips, elbows, wrists & toes …
… as well as knuckles, ankles, shoulders and any other key bendy and swivelling bits of the body, human or otherwise. It's all about making connections, and freedom of movement …
Read moreDo your wonderful worst: songs out of the comfort zone
The brilliantly bad to the awesomely atrocious, whether in sound or lyrics, this week it's time to stretch the realms of musical and lyrical taste into the outer regions, and boldly go where we've never been before
Read moreTime for this: songs about months of the year
This week we seek to search out and reclaim meanings for the months of the year, largely through the Gregorian calendar of the big 12 from January to December, whether that be by mood, setting, or different associations
Read morePlaylists: songs featuring personification
The Bar is delighted. Places, emotions, elements, the weather and even music itself take human traits as this week’s guru Uncleben is excellence personified, guiding through two exhaustive and illuminating playlists on this topic
Read moreWe're only human: songs using lyrical personification
Rock face? This week we explore lyrics that attribute human characteristics to objects, concepts, natural forces and many other non-human things. Enjoy a few famous, inspiring examples in songs, poetry, literature and photography
Read moreBack to black: songs about suicide
It’s an important, topical theme, and has fuelled many songs, but has addressing it also saved lives? This week, from reasons to method, even with some dark humour, through music and more, we examine at this very serious issue
Read moreExposed! Songs about photographs and photography
Every picture tells a story, but this time let’s do it with songs inspired by, or about photographs or photography, and to help inspire here’s a selection of rare and usual shots to provoke memory, imagination, mystery and wonder
Read morePlaylists: songs that contain words of wisdom
After an surge of sagacity in song nominations from last week’s topic, our most astute guest playlister barbryn makes his picks, but can you match his memes to the musicians and their music? Every picture tells a story …
Read moreSongs that contain words of wisdom, this week’s topic is
This week we’re not being clever,, simply seeking wisdom in individual lyrics or across a whole song. From philosophers to musicians to authors, how is is it gained, through humility, experience, courage, or a just turn of phrase?
Read morePlaylists: songs about secret admirers
Covert crushes, hopeless longing or sinister obsession? All this and more with two lists of brilliance and passion from the Temptations to Divine Comedy and beyond, skilfully picked by this week’s guest Severin from last week’s topic
Read moreValentine's Day? Reveal your songs about secret admirers
Clandestine cravings and crushes? To spice up a romantic tradition, this week’s topic is all about secret love longings expressed through song, here inspired by real-life examples of musicians, alongside film, books and theatre
Read moreWe'll always have ... songs about Paris
Romance and glamour, café culture, perfume, protest, or grit and gangs? Paris means all things to all people, but if one thing unites these things, it is inspiration. This week the Bar Du Chanson, we try to capture its essence in song
Read moreSound investments? Songs about banks and banking
Ruled by them or robbing them, debts and deposits to crises and economic crashes, this week it’s time to turn our musical attention to banks and bankers, and realise that aside from facts and figures, they are also all about people
Read morePlaylists: songs pertaining to music venues and spaces
Glasgow to Chicago, London and Liverpool to Lisdoonvarna and all the way to Mali, inspired by many reader nominations around the globe, this week’s playlister pejepeine takes us on a tantalising tour of magical musical locations
Read moreHello Wembley! Songs pertaining to live music venues and spaces
Bars, basements, intimate, sweaty or large or legendary, forests, festivals, stratospheric stadia, snug pubs to prisons, caves to operatic amphitheatres, let's musically celebrate venues and spaces mentioned by, or associated with songs
Read morePlaylists: songs about crisis
From personal turmoil of the human brain to total tumult of the planet, Temptations to Kate Tempest, this week’s playlist writer ParaMhor turns last week’s whole world of fabulous nominations into a cri de crisis par excellence
Read moreWhere did it all go wrong? Songs about crisis …
… and how can it all go right? This week let’s see if we can make musical manoeuvres in the current climate, causes and cures for crises, whether they be political social, economic or personal
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