American Tabloid
Reading Playlist

American Tabloid

by James Ellroy

This playlist captures the dark, complex, and gritty atmosphere of James Ellroy's "American Tabloid," set against the tumultuous backdrop of 1950s-60s America. The instrumental tracks provide tense, cinematic moods reflective of political intrigue and crime, while the vocal songs range from noir-infused indie rock to moody blues and jazz-tinged pieces, mirroring the novel's morally ambiguous characters and shifting alliances.

35 tracks
balanced
May 9, 2026
Open in Spotify

Track List

35 songs
0
Essential

Night Owl

Gerry Rafferty · Essential

1
Ultimate Insomnia

Insomnia

Faithless · Ultimate Insomnia

2
Des Plumes Dans La Tête

Ferme Les Yeux

Sylvain Chauveau · Des Plumes Dans La Tête

3
A Different Forest

Hike

Hauschka · A Different Forest

4
Sunlit Youth

Dark Days

Local Natives · Sunlit Youth

5
High Violet

Bloodbuzz Ohio

The National · High Violet

6
Lust Lust Lust

Lust

The Raveonettes · Lust Lust Lust

7
A/B

Way down We Go

KALEO · A/B

8
Under the Moon

Under the Moon

Funk Tribu · Under the Moon

9
The Covers Record

Troubled Waters

Cat Power · The Covers Record

10
Townes Van Zandt

Waiting Around to Die

Townes Van Zandt · Townes Van Zandt

11
American VI: Ain't No Grave

Ain't No Grave

Johnny Cash · American VI: Ain't No Grave

12
El Camino

Lonely Boy

The Black Keys · El Camino

13
Red Right Hand (Theme from 'Peaky Blinders')

Red Right Hand

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds · Red Right Hand (Theme from 'Peaky Blinders')

14
Lettin' Go

Bad Blood

Son Seals · Lettin' Go

15
Cosmo's Factory

Run Through The Jungle

Creedence Clearwater Revival · Cosmo's Factory

16
Led Zeppelin IV (Deluxe Edition)

When the Levee Breaks - Remaster

Led Zeppelin · Led Zeppelin IV (Deluxe Edition)

17
She Wants Revenge

Tear You Apart

She Wants Revenge · She Wants Revenge

18
WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

bury a friend

Billie Eilish · WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

19
Furr

Black River Killer

Blitzen Trapper · Furr

20
Tribute To Steve Goodman

Angel from Montgomery

Bonnie Raitt · Tribute To Steve Goodman

21
Little Girl Blue (2013 - Remaster)

Little Girl Blue (2013 - Remaster)

Nina Simone · Little Girl Blue (2013 - Remaster)

22
The Singles Plus

House of the Rising Sun

The Animals · The Singles Plus

23
It's Blues Time!

Devil Got My Woman

Skip James · It's Blues Time!

24
Highway 61 Revisited

Ballad of a Thin Man

Bob Dylan · Highway 61 Revisited

25
I Walk the Line

Folsom Prison Blues

Johnny Cash · I Walk the Line

26
Delta Kream

Going Down South

The Black Keys · Delta Kream

27
Liquid Swords

Shadowboxin'

GZA · Liquid Swords

28
I Put A Spell On You

I Put A Spell On You

Nina Simone · I Put A Spell On You

29
Ram Jam

Black Betty

Ram Jam · Ram Jam

30
The Doors

Soul Kitchen

The Doors · The Doors

31
Trouble in Mind

Trouble in Mind

Big Bill Broonzy · Trouble in Mind

32
American IV: The Man Comes Around

Hurt

Johnny Cash · American IV: The Man Comes Around

33
Woman King

Jezebel

Iron & Wine · Woman King

34
Magical Moments

Luminary

Dravelyn · Magical Moments

Playlist Settings

Mood balanced
Genre mixed
Era modern
Length long
Instrumental 10%
Environment balanced

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American Tabloid · James Ellroy

All Lyrical All Instrumental