Song: Old Town

Artist: Phil Lynott, Ireland

Album: Solo in Soho, 1980

Notes: A tad dated but exceptional solo cut by Thin Lizzy frontman. Sadly died in 1986.

Song: Circle

Artist: Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians, Dallas

Album: Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars, 1988

Notes: Still doesn't get enough radio spins, perhaps her best outing. Met future husband, Paul Simon on the set of SNL in 1990.

Song: Troubled Mind

Artist: Everything But The Girl, England

Album: Amplified Heart, 1994

Notes: Duo of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt, so much more to this combo than their 1995 smash, "Missing".

Song: A Little Time

Artist: Beautiful South, England

Album: Choke, 1990

Notes: A UK chart-topper, unknown in the US, wonderful, acerbic answer-back song about the struggles of marriage.

Song: The Model

Artist: Kraftwerk, Germany

Album: The Man Machine, 1978

Notes: Electronic rock pioneers led by Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider. Nearly all synth-pop rock stems from Kraftwerk.

Song: Maple Tree

Artist: Angel Taylor, Los Angeles

Album: Love Travels, 2009

Notes: Best new female singer-songwriter out there, sparkling debut album stuffed with melodic gems.

Song: A Girl Called Johnny

Artist: Waterboys, Scotland

Album: The Waterboys, 1983

Notes: Superb sax and piano rolls, early cut from multi-instrumentalist, Mike Scott.

Song: Break It Down Baby

Artist: Robinella, Knoxville, Tennessee

Album: Solace For The Lonely, 2006

Notes: Blues-dipped with shades of jazz and folk, hugely underrated band led by Robinella Bailey.

Song: Stay With Me

Artist: Lorraine Ellison, Philadelphia

Album: Heart and Soul, 1966

Notes: Tragically overlooked, vintage soul belter by relatively unknown former gospel singer. Huge.

Song: A Lot of Silence Here

Artist: Thirteen Senses, England

Album: Contact, 2007

Notes: Another A+ cut from underrated melodic British modern rockers.

Song: Jaded

Artist: Aerosmith, Boston

Album: Just Push Play, 2000

Notes: The only Aerosmith track that will ever make the show, co-written by bemused American Idol judge, Steven Tyler.

Song: Do You Love Me

Artist: Amanda Jenssen, Sweden

Album: Killing My Darlings, 2008

Notes: Winning up-tempo soul-pop nugget from Scandinavia, sounds like Amy Winehouse with less wine and more house.

Song: It Must Be Love

Artist: Labi Siffre, London, England

Album: Crying Laughing Loving Dying, 1972

Notes: British poet and singer-songwriter, simple lilting gem, later covered by Madness.

Song: Circles

Artist: Birds of Tokyo, Australia

Album: Birds of Tokyo, 2010

Notes: Australian five-piece combo from Perth, curiously engaging recent modern rock cut.

Song: Here Comes My Girl

Artist: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Gainesville, Florida

Album: Damn The Torpedoes, 1979

Notes: How did this only make #59 on the Hot 100? From what still remains Petty's finest album.

Song: Baltimore

Artist: Nina Simone, Tryon, North Carolina

Album: Baltimore, 1978

Notes: Reggae-tinged cover a Randy Newman song by the great, late Nina.

Song: Killer

Artist: Adamski, England

Album: Doctor Adamski's Musical Pharmacy, 1990

Notes: Electro-dance whiz-kid, Adam Paul Tinley - the first hit single to feature Seal.

Song: Broken Arrow

Artist: Rod Stewart, London, England

Album: Vagabond Heart, 1991

Notes: Smooth, worthwhile cover of a Robbie Robertson original. Sad that Rod has become a lounge singer.

Song: Never Coming Back

Artist: Venice, Venice, California

Album: Venice, 1990

Notes: Laid-back, West Coast harmonies by under-appreciated, hard-working folk-rock band.

Song: There She Goes

Artist: La's, Liverpool

Album: The La's, 1990

Notes: Never gets old, modern rock standard from the short-lived combo from Liverpool.

Song: Golden Heart

Artist: Mark Knopfler, Scotland

Album: Golden Heart, 1996

Notes: Former Dire Straits maestro, superb solo outing by the modest singer-songwriter and terrific melodian.

Song: Boy In The Backseat

Artist: Alice Peacock, White Bear Lake, Minnesota

Album: Alice Peacock, 2002

Notes: Overlooked, easy-running sapphire from her sophomore album which featured John Mayer.

Song: All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye

Artist: John Mayer, Bridgeport, Connecticut

Album: Battle Studies, 2009

Notes: Rather sad but top-notch ballad from increasingly over-tattooed artist.

Song: For You

Artist: Outfield, London, England

Album: Play Deep, 1985

Notes: Radio-ready hit from the mid-'80s by a British power-pop/rock trio who never scored at home.

Song: Everyday Is Like Sunday

Artist: Morrissey, England

Album: Viva Hate, 1988

Notes: Mr. Misery with a masterful and morose take on the best day of the week.

Song: Mad About The Boy

Artist: Dinah Washington, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Album: Blazing Ballads, 1952

Notes: The Queen of Blues effortlessly interprets the playful words of Noel Coward.

Song: The Unforgettable Fire

Artist: U2, Ireland

Album: The Unforgettable Fire, 1992

Notes: Of all their evergreen hits, this forgotten title track isn't played enough. Classic U2.

Song: Love Is Everything

Artist: k.d. lang, Canada

Album: Hymns of the 49th Parallel, 2004

Notes: The best ballads are on Lost and Found. Seriously, check this out. Written by Jane Siberry.

Song: Full of Grace

Artist: Sarah McLachlan, Canada

Album: Surfacing, 1997

Notes: The saddest song of all-time: "I'm pulled down by the undertow, Never thought I could feel so low".

Song: Legend of a Cowgirl

Artist: Imani Coppola, New York

Album: Chupacabra, 1997

Notes: Marvelous fun from the imaginative alt-rock hip-hopper. Check out the ZZ Top dig on the great accompanying video.

Song: Send My Heart

Artist: Adventures, Northern Ireland

Album: Theodore & Friends, 1985

Notes: Uplifting mid-'80s pop-rock by band who were one of the first acts discovered by Simon Fuller (don't hold that against them).

Song: Killing The Blues

Artist: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, England/Illinois

Album: Raising Sand, 2007

Notes: Top-drawer slice of Americana by beautifully matched pairing. Song surprisingly written by Roly Salley (member of Chris Isaak's band).

Song: Edge of the Ocean

Artist: Ivy, New York

Album: Long Distance, 2001

Notes: Dream-pop trio featuring lovely, breathy vocals by French chanteuse, Dominique Durand.

Song: Uh Uh

Artist: MoZella, Detroit

Album: Belle Isle, 2009

Notes: Fabulous answer-back vocals in chorus, ridiculously talented, she can write/sing in any genre.

Song: Pure

Artist: Lightning Seeds, England

Album: Cloudcuckooland, 1990

Notes: Pure, perfect pop-rock sensibilities, still fresh. Band is really one guy, Ian Broudie.

Song: Sleeping Satellite

Artist: Tasmin Archer, England

Album: Great Expectations, 1992

Notes: Got a few spins way back when, but not enough. Pleasing, bubbly modern pop-rock.

Song: Semi-Charmed Life

Artist: Third Eye Blind, San Francisco

Album: Third Eye Blind, 1997

Notes: Huge hit from the alt-rockers. Written about the dangers of meth addiction.

Song: Checking In Checking Out

Artist: High Llamas, London

Album: Gideon Gaye, 1994

Notes: Eagles-esque, easy rolling harmony-filled lost gem by - amazingly, London-based band led by Irishman, Sean O'Hagan.

Song: Harvest For The World

Artist: Isley Brothers, Cincinnati

Album: Harvest For The World, 1976

Notes: Grossly overlooked soul classic from the '70s by one of rock's most enduring acts.

Song: Love’s Theme/Dream of Me (Love Theme)

Artist: Love Unlimited Orchestra/OMD, US/UK

Album: Liberator, 1993

Notes: Barry White's 1973 instrumental becomes the inspiration for dreamy nugget by OMD.