The Actor's Honest Playlist: From Early Favorites to Unexplained Aversions

The earliest track I fell in love with
My first recollection is entering a room at kindergarten where they were playing Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was mesmerized by the sound effects, and Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it reached the chorus, I distinctly thought: “This must be music!”

The very first 45 I bought
When I was eight, I won a competition at school to pick a new record to play at the small dance we had on Fridays. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I picked out Come Back My Love by Darts. The first single I purchased with my own allowance was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a record shop in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I chose it when my dad pointed out that it was by a former member of the Beatles.

The track I perform at sing-along
I candidly actively avoid public singing and steer clear at all costs. But under duress, I’d select Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The track I strangely know each line to
I recently realised that I know almost the entire lyrical content to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and each track on Graceland by Paul Simon.

The ideal song to blast at a party
It relies on which phase of the evening you are at. At the start it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the evening progresses, I’d move on to Prince, the Stones and Bowie, and when it hits its peak, Phat Planet by the electronic act, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an absolute banger.

The number I can never hear
I for some reason loathe Mr Brightside by the Killers.

The best track to have sex to
Come Together by John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

The record that altered my perspective
When I was twelve and beginning to learn the guitar, I’d only listen to early rock ’n’roll, and was fixated on Elvis, the rock pioneer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and the rockabilly star. Then my childminder brought round Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still rock’n’roll, but it was high voltage rock music. The moment he put the record on the record player, I was hooked.

The track that motivates me in the AM
What’d I Say in its full glory by Ray Charles.

The piece that gets me emotional
Virtually any music leaves me moved. Aretha Franklin, The Chairman of the Board, Presley and the Fab Four all make me cry because of the tune and sheer perfection of the voices. But The Ocean by Richard Hawley strikes a chord without fail.

The music I’d like played at my funeral
Elvis. If I’m cremated, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m buried, I’ll have Way Down.