01
Give Monday a different face
A song to lift the mood on a grey Monday, without ‘happy’ in its title.
How to judge it
Judge its connection with the change of mood, rather than requiring every entry to be fast. A quiet song can make a good case too.
Example or variation
Use ‘Lovely Day’ by Bill Withers as an example outside the competition. In another round, reverse the idea: a track to slow down at the end of the day.
Settle this first
Do not later change the rule to ‘only cheerful songs in English’: that restriction was not in the original challenge.
02
Movement in the title
The title must include an action of movement: driving, walking, running, flying or its equivalent in another language.
How to judge it
Check the title first, then rank the entries by your musical judgement. State whether conjugated forms count before submissions open.
Example or variation
‘Drive’ by The Cars illustrates the title requirement. You could replace movement with a city; decide whether districts and fictional places count.
Settle this first
Do not require the lyrics to be about travelling if you only specified a condition in the title.
03
Let an instrument do the talking
Choose a song in which one particular instrument plays a leading role. Name that instrument in the rule.
How to judge it
Listen for whether the instrument carries the entry or merely appears in passing. Specify whether you want a solo, a riff or any prominent contribution.
Example or variation
Try bass, piano, drums or less familiar instruments. For a group without musical training, let entrants tell the host which passage to listen for.
Settle this first
Do not treat a preference for a style as an objective technical test. Make the instrument and the criterion clear from the outset.
04
A decade before your time
A recording released before your birth year. Use the date of that recording, not the date the song was composed.
How to judge it
Check the time condition and consider what the entry brings to the group. Different ages create different individual cut-offs; choose a shared decade if that suits your group better.
Example or variation
A simple variation is 1980–1989 for everyone. Explain how you treat reissues and whether a new performance counts as a different recording.
Settle this first
Do not require anyone to publish their age or birth date. They can check privately, or the group can use a shared decade.
05
A song’s second life
Submit a cover of another performer’s song. Identify the exact recording you are entering.
How to judge it
Consider what the version changes: energy, voice, rhythm or approach. It need not beat the original; being different can make it interesting.
Example or variation
You could restrict the round to acoustic covers or a change of language, provided you say so in advance. Ask for a link that distinguishes the cover from the original.
Settle this first
A remaster is not necessarily a new interpretation. Agree whether live recordings by the same artist count, or only covers by other musicians.
06
A place without a map
Choose a song for an imaginary place and describe that place to the host in one sentence.
How to judge it
Judge the connection between the song and the scene. An empty space station or a square after a party is enough; nobody needs to recognise a particular reference.
Example or variation
Offer a sample scene without attaching it to a competing entry. This can open up instrumental music or genres your group rarely shares.
Settle this first
Descriptions need not contain personal memories. In the game, submission notes are private to the host; do not publish them with the results.
07
A person’s name in the title
The title must contain a person’s name. Specify whether surnames, nicknames and fictional characters count.
How to judge it
Check the requirement, then rank the entries by musical preference. Do not demand proof of who inspired the song unless that story was part of the rule.
Example or variation
‘Roxanne’ by The Police illustrates the condition without quoting lyrics. A variation is to choose a name that has not appeared in the battle’s history yet.
Settle this first
Do not accept a song just because the singer has the required name when you asked for the name in the title.
08
Your discovery this week
A song you discovered this week, even if it was released long ago.
How to judge it
Distinguish discovery from release: the important date is when the player encountered it. There is no objective way to prove that, so this round relies on trust.
Example or variation
For a verifiable requirement, use a release year instead. For conversation, keep the personal discovery and avoid asking for intimate details.
Settle this first
Do not present the ranking as a measure of who has the most original taste. You are judging this round’s entries, not the person.
Track Battle playing guide · Reviewed 21 October 2026. Song titles identify examples; no lyrics or recordings are reproduced.
