American Tabloid
Book Playlist

American Tabloid

by James Ellroy

This playlist captures the dark, tense, and morally complex atmosphere of James Ellroy's "American Tabloid," set in the volatile 1950s-60s America. The tracks blend vintage and modern styles with edgy, noir-inspired tones, reflecting the book's exploration of corruption, ambition, and political intrigue, while also giving voice to the nuanced emotional states of key characters.

41 tracks
balanced
May 9, 2026
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Track List

41 songs
1
Let Love In (2011 Remaster)

Red Right Hand - 2011 Remaster

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds · Let Love In (2011 Remaster)

2
Red Right Hand (Theme from 'Peaky Blinders')

Red Right Hand

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

3
I Put A Spell On You

I Put A Spell On You

Nina Simone · I Put A Spell On You

4
5,000,000*

Nobody's Fault But Mine

Dread Zeppelin · 5,000,000*

5
Bad To The Bone

Bad To The Bone

George Thorogood & The Destroyers · Bad To The Bone

6
American VI: Ain't No Grave

Ain't No Grave

Johnny Cash · American VI: Ain't No Grave

7
The Singles Plus

House of the Rising Sun

The Animals · The Singles Plus

8
Slippery When Wet

Wanted Dead Or Alive

Bon Jovi · Slippery When Wet

9
The Rolling Stones Singles Collection: The London Years

Sympathy For The Devil

The Rolling Stones · The Rolling Stones Singles Collection: The London Years

10
Aftermath

Paint It, Black

The Rolling Stones · Aftermath

11
Buffalo Springfield

For What It's Worth

Buffalo Springfield · Buffalo Springfield

12
Let It Bleed

Gimme Shelter

The Rolling Stones · Let It Bleed

13
Strange Days

People Are Strange

The Doors · Strange Days

14
The Doors

The End

The Doors · The Doors

15
Surrealistic Pillow

White Rabbit

Jefferson Airplane · Surrealistic Pillow

16
Waiting for the Sun

Hello, I Love You

The Doors · Waiting for the Sun

17
L.A. Woman

Riders on the Storm

The Doors · L.A. Woman

18
Willy And The Poor Boys (Expanded Edition)

Fortunate Son

Creedence Clearwater Revival · Willy And The Poor Boys (Expanded Edition)

19
In The Groove

I Heard It Through The Grapevine

Marvin Gaye · In The Groove

20
Lady Soul (With Bonus Selections)

Chain of Fools

Aretha Franklin · Lady Soul (With Bonus Selections)

21
What's Going On

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

Marvin Gaye · What's Going On

22
All Directions

Papa Was A Rollin' Stone

The Temptations · All Directions

23
What's Going On

Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

Marvin Gaye · What's Going On

24
I Fought the Law

I Fought the Law

The Bobby Fuller Four · I Fought the Law

25
Gold

Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)

The Temptations · Gold

26
Wheels Of Fire

White Room

Cream · Wheels Of Fire

27
Born To Be Wild (Best Of....)

Born To Be Wild

Steppenwolf · Born To Be Wild (Best Of....)

28
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Iron Butterfly · In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

29
Sunshine Superman

Season of the Witch

Donovan · Sunshine Superman

30
Best Of The Band

The Weight

The Band · Best Of The Band

31
The Doors

Light My Fire

The Doors · The Doors

32
People Get Ready

People Get Ready

The Impressions · People Get Ready

33
What's Going On

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye · What's Going On

34
Stand

I Want to Take You Higher

Sly & The Family Stone · Stand

35
Don't Stop Dreaming of Me

Fortune Teller

Bobby Curtola · Don't Stop Dreaming of Me

36
The Time Has Come

Time Has Come Today

The Chambers Brothers · The Time Has Come

37
Incense And Peppermints

Incense And Peppermints

Strawberry Alarm Clock · Incense And Peppermints

38
Santana (Legacy Edition)

Evil Ways

Santana · Santana (Legacy Edition)

39
Songs For Humanity

Oye Como Va

Playing For Change · Songs For Humanity

40
Santana (Legacy Edition)

Soul Sacrifice

Santana · Santana (Legacy Edition)

41
Magical Moments

Luminary

Dravelyn · Magical Moments

Playlist Settings

Mood balanced
Genre mixed
Era modern
Length long
Instrumental 0%
Environment balanced

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