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.