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It might start with the fingers, but your ears will tell you what makes a great riff
A term coined in the early the 20th century, often played on guitar but also on piano and other instruments, this core, repetitive musical phrase could be even more memorable and catchy than the sung melody. But what riffs have you humming from the last 25 years?
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Un bout de souffle (1960): Under cover? How soon is now? Where did our love go?
Inspired by the recent death of a creative great and the movement he spurred, this week it’s time to pose questions of the listener, existential or otherwise, perhaps found lyrics or titles, but more than just in a random line, and perhaps also in often in form, structure and sound
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Martha, my dear: Rufus Wainwright with his beloved fellow singer sister
Deep affection, solidarity, loyalty, but also a variety of bittersweet melanges, this week, after a tsunami of perceptive suggestions, guest of the week George Boyland picks songs of deep emotion and variety that sing out for the sister
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Love, hate, broken hearts, glad tidings, bills, rejections, congratulations – here came many sackfuls of mail in response to last week’s topic, and sorting through it all was guest postmaster Maki, down to two splendid playlists
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Woolly thinking? Alpacas are in on the act, of course.
From cows to horses, sheep, pigs, ox, goats, donkeys, alpacas, llamas and more, this week let’s look into songs about the farming and husbandry of quadrupeds, our relationship with them and also what they say about us
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John, Yoko and Paul. Compromise is a divisive but potent issue …
It’s all about the C-word in song, but does it strengthen or weaken us? Does it hold society together or kill artistic integrity? You can’t always get what you want, but can you give a little, take it a little? Can we work it out, or just do it my way?
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Scott Walker. Wave goodbye to any Manhattan meaning
Not a single song has anything to do with what it says on the tin. But after many wonderful wrongfooting nominations, brilliant guest playlister Olive Butler puts them in an entertaining form of order
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The sublime Stevie Wonder
It plays out like the voice, beautifully expresses emotion, can wail like a train and is popular across blues, rock, pop, jazz, classical and other genres. This week it's time to inhale deeply and get harmonious with the harmonica
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You give me femur … Jack and Sally - The Nightmare Before Christmas
After a week of readers digging deep in their collections, this week's osteology expert takeitawayGuru pieces together a superb skeleton of songlists, threaded together by a story of the musically macabre
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Iggy Pop and friend are watching the news
How did it all unfold on election night? Narrated through perfect playlists of running coverage, our guest reporter EnglishOutlaw, inspired by last week's topic, cleverly sneaked inside No 10 Downing Street …
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Prince, Godfather and King. Three funky greats, among others …
To commemorate a year since the passing of the Purple One, let's get into the groove to find out what funk is all about, with fat, sexy bass lines, and rhythmic, syncopated riffs running through the body
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Serafina Steer ... disco diva
Call the cops! Are music artists not doing what they are supposed to do? This week's guest writer Detective Sergeant Uncleben investigates, and finds that those who break the rules make brilliant playlists
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Crossing into surprising territory ...
Unrecognisable after the first few seconds? It begins with odd sounds or another style? This week let's play with songs that initially keep you guessing, and don’t start as a they mean to go on
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Let's have a big hand for ... James and Luciano
Walk this way! From James Brown to Bob Dylan, Baaba Maal to the Bunnymen, this world would mean nothing without some fabulous collaborations, this week chosen by our guest writer Flatfrog
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