What if you pick a song that's not cool? What if people who were fans tune in and think "Oh God, she likes that song. I thought they had taste".

Whether we want it to or not, the music we love tends to say something about us. So while someone may have a secret love for trashy '90s Eurodance act Vengaboys, they might not want the whole world to know.

That's the challenge Zan Rowe has been facing for years with her show Take 5. Rowe started it when she was at Triple J in 2006, then took it to Double J, turned it into a podcast and now a TV series on the ABC.

A music geek, Rowe knew that getting someone to choose their all-time Top 5 would be an intensely difficult task. What she does instead is give them a theme to work with - it's an approach that's obviously been successful given the longevity of the concept.

There's also no judgement from Rowe about the song selection; in part because what the guests choose gives an insight into them.

The only stipulation is that there has to be a story that surrounds the song.

"What I always say is what's important is that there's a reason or a story attached to each song," Rowe says.

"If it's Vengaboys and you're choosing it because it's a funny song, that's not a great story. But if you're choosing it because it soundtracks an amazing experience that you had, then that's a great story.

"It's really the songs that have made the most impact on you.

"We found people tend to go for songs to carry a bit more weight. Sometimes we have fun Take 5s where it's about a silly theme, which was just something that inspires more fun pop songs.

"But often these are songs thatcarry a bit of weight for you. And that could mean anything for anyone That's what's important is the story - it's really got to be about the story."

The five-part TV series kicks off with actor and musician Guy Pearce then includes Keith Urban, Missy Higgins, Tori Amos and TV host Tony Armstrong.

Rowe says giving the guests a theme takes them "down a rabbit hole".

"Keith Urban talks about his evolution as a musician," she said.

"Missy Higgins talks about her identity. Guy Pearce talks about the songs that possess him. They all open up different conversations and what you really get to discover is the music for any of us is what soundtracks our lives.

"It's a sensory memory, so if you play these songs that were a hit at a certain time they trigger you back to a wonderful story and often unlock some vulnerability you may have had around certain moments of your life."

The fact that four of the five guests in the TV series are musicians (Pearce has released several albums) is not a coincidence. In a show about music it makes sense that musicians would play a big part.

But right from the early days of Take 5, there's been space for those who have chosen to listen to music rather than play ti.

"I've had Take 5s with World Cup soccer players, with AFL footy players, chefs - all kinds of people," Rowe says.

"So it's certainly not always about musicians. I think no matter what your background is, everyone has a connection to music. It doesn't matter what your taste is either. It's about the stories that are connected to the songs and that's always been at the centre of Take 5. So it certainly has a broader range of people doing Take 5 with us over the years.

Though, because they write and perform music, the musicians who appear on the show do have a different way of relating to the songs they chose.

"Some musicians tend to get a little more cerebral," Rowe says.

"Keith Urban got really molecular about the songs and why he chose them. He was talking about breakdowns of syncopated music and the way he wanted a certain guitar tone and really getting inside songs as a fan but also as a creator."