This week we look back to look forward with artists who wrote new songs with a style from the past, ignoring their zeitgeist and harking back to a former era or decade though musical stylings, choice of instruments, lyrics and more
Read moreReflect back on this: meta songs
Songs about themselves. Does this sound loopy? You’re right. It’s all about the self-referential to any aspect of a songs’s own music, structure, instruments, format, lyrics and more. Droste effect? Mirroring? It’s all about the song
Read morePlaylists: songs about eureka moments, realisation, discovery and enlightenment
Has it ever occurred to you that …. life, the universe and everything could be captured in playlists? This question is answered perfectly by guest ajostu, who picks some profound revelations inspired by last week’s nominations
Read moreThe way you wear your ... songs about hats and other accessories
Let’s accessorise ourselves with songs about hats, gloves, scarves, sunglasses and the like, from a key lyrical moment to song as whole, with items that variously signify fashion, function, status, class, profession, character or era
Read morePlaylists: songs about charisma
What is charisma? Allow yourself to be pulled into the magnetic force of this week’s playlists, designed to fit on the C90 cassette. Variously profound and beautiful, they are chosen by guest ajostu from last week’s many nominations
Read moreGrandiloquent to gavotte: song lyrics with strange, rare or unlikely words
This week let’s delve deep into the musical lexicon for instances where unusual, oddball, inappropriate, funny, pretentious, antiquated or obscure words jump out, sometimes working well, or otherwise
Read morePlaylists: songs about anonymity
Who are you? Who are they? Hackers to the hidden, secret societies to strangers in crowds, masked meetings to sexual liaisons, this week's playlists are superbly assembled by a famous but Anonymous figure
Read moreDiary of a nobody? Songs about anonymity
Whether feeling like a nobody, or actually being anonymous, from hackers to the lonely and helpless, from fame to unknown heroism, let's explore this contradictory feeling as expressed in lyrics, from spotlight to the shadows
Read moreSing out for unsung heroes: songs with great backing vocals
They're the brilliant singers who blend beautiful and really make the music. From Motown and soul to to church and gospel, barbershop to pop or even punk, suggest songs made backed brillliantly by the unknown or famous
Read morePlaylists: songs about multitasking and being busy
As preparations are hastily made for a special event at the Song Bar, guest playlister Hoshino Sakura tries to organise the artists nominated from last week's topic. But will it all come together in time?
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