The Riddle was a hit in 1984 for UK solo artist Nik Kershaw. Superficially it is easy to dismiss it as just another synth-laden, new wave offering that now sounds a little dated in its production. But for me it is a great example of musical composition, full of inventiveness and surprise. Here's why ...

Open guitar tunings can take you to some strange places - none more so than Jack Bruce's classic track As You Said. So how does this work?

The Bing Crosby rendition of Irving Berlin's White Christmas is the best-selling single of all time and one of the world's best-recognised tunes. So what makes such a simple song so appealing? We investigate.

The brilliant new Japanese film Perfect Days features Lou Reed's 1972 song of the same name prominently. So what is it about this song that has stood the test of time?

Stevie Wonder's You Are The Sunshine Of My Life somehow manages to combine a really catchy tune with a rich harmonic structure. This is clever songwriting from one of the masters.

True Colors is one of those classic songs that nearly everyone likes. Musically it seems on the surface to be quite simple, so what is it that makes this tune so catchy?

Frank Sinatra's version of It Was A Very Good Year is about as different from modern pop music as you can get. It was released just as rock music started to take hold and change everything. Yet it can teach us so much about what makes music enjoyable.

False Lankum, the latest album from Irish folk band Lankum, has been rightly lauded in the UK press. The songs are mainly traditional but the treatment is very contemporary. We look at the song Go Dig My Grave to see what makes it special.

Chasing Cars has been played more than any other track on UK radio in the 21st Century. Snow Patrol's powerful rock ballad, released in 2006, is musically very simple but has a magic ingredient which has charmed millions. What is it?

With You I'm Born Again was a surprise hit from a sountrack of a film which didn't do well. But it's remembered as one of the classic duets of all time. What makes it such a classic? I investigate.