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.
Your reading session
Press play. Turn the page.
This player plays the saved playlist. Save your mix to listen to the replacements together.
Want a timer? Open the Reading Room for candlelit reading sprints with this soundtrack, a little ambience and a library card that tracks your pages, reading pace and daily streak. How reading sprints work.
Your changes aren't saved yet. Choose Save my mix to create your own Spotify playlist.
Track List
35 songsNight Owl
Gerry Rafferty · Essential
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Insomnia
Faithless · Ultimate Insomnia
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Ferme Les Yeux
Sylvain Chauveau · Des Plumes Dans La Tête
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Hike
Hauschka · A Different Forest
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Dark Days
Local Natives · Sunlit Youth
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Bloodbuzz Ohio
The National · High Violet
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Lust
The Raveonettes · Lust Lust Lust
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Way down We Go
KALEO · A/B
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Under the Moon
Funk Tribu · Under the Moon
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Troubled Waters
Cat Power · The Covers Record
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Waiting Around to Die
Townes Van Zandt · Townes Van Zandt
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Ain't No Grave
Johnny Cash · American VI: Ain't No Grave
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Lonely Boy
The Black Keys · El Camino
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Red Right Hand
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds · Red Right Hand (Theme from 'Peaky Blinders')
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Bad Blood
Son Seals · Lettin' Go
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Run Through The Jungle
Creedence Clearwater Revival · Cosmo's Factory
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
When the Levee Breaks - Remaster
Led Zeppelin · Led Zeppelin IV (Deluxe Edition)
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Tear You Apart
She Wants Revenge · She Wants Revenge
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
bury a friend
Billie Eilish · WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Black River Killer
Blitzen Trapper · Furr
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Angel from Montgomery
Bonnie Raitt · Tribute To Steve Goodman
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Little Girl Blue (2013 - Remaster)
Nina Simone · Little Girl Blue (2013 - Remaster)
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
House of the Rising Sun
The Animals · The Singles Plus
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Devil Got My Woman
Skip James · It's Blues Time!
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Ballad of a Thin Man
Bob Dylan · Highway 61 Revisited
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Folsom Prison Blues
Johnny Cash · I Walk the Line
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Going Down South
The Black Keys · Delta Kream
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Shadowboxin'
GZA · Liquid Swords
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
I Put A Spell On You
Nina Simone · I Put A Spell On You
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Black Betty
Ram Jam · Ram Jam
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Soul Kitchen
The Doors · The Doors
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Trouble in Mind
Big Bill Broonzy · Trouble in Mind
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Hurt
Johnny Cash · American IV: The Man Comes Around
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Jezebel
Iron & Wine · Woman King
Replaced in your draftPress play in Spotify to listen. Playback availability depends on Spotify.
Same book, another mood