American Tabloid
Reading 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
Open in Spotify

Track List

41 songs
0
Let Love In (2011 Remaster)

Red Right Hand - 2011 Remaster

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

1
Red Right Hand (Theme from 'Peaky Blinders')

Red Right Hand

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

2
I Put A Spell On You

I Put A Spell On You

Nina Simone · I Put A Spell On You

3
5,000,000*

Nobody's Fault But Mine

Dread Zeppelin · 5,000,000*

4
Bad To The Bone

Bad To The Bone

George Thorogood & The Destroyers · Bad To The Bone

5
American VI: Ain't No Grave

Ain't No Grave

Johnny Cash · American VI: Ain't No Grave

6
The Singles Plus

House of the Rising Sun

The Animals · The Singles Plus

7
Slippery When Wet

Wanted Dead Or Alive

Bon Jovi · Slippery When Wet

8
The Rolling Stones Singles Collection: The London Years

Sympathy For The Devil

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

9
Aftermath

Paint It, Black

The Rolling Stones · Aftermath

10
Buffalo Springfield

For What It's Worth

Buffalo Springfield · Buffalo Springfield

11
Let It Bleed

Gimme Shelter

The Rolling Stones · Let It Bleed

12
Strange Days

People Are Strange

The Doors · Strange Days

13
The Doors

The End

The Doors · The Doors

14
Surrealistic Pillow

White Rabbit

Jefferson Airplane · Surrealistic Pillow

15
Waiting for the Sun

Hello, I Love You

The Doors · Waiting for the Sun

16
L.A. Woman

Riders on the Storm

The Doors · L.A. Woman

17
Willy And The Poor Boys (Expanded Edition)

Fortunate Son

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

18
In The Groove

I Heard It Through The Grapevine

Marvin Gaye · In The Groove

19
Lady Soul (With Bonus Selections)

Chain of Fools

Aretha Franklin · Lady Soul (With Bonus Selections)

20
What's Going On

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

Marvin Gaye · What's Going On

21
All Directions

Papa Was A Rollin' Stone

The Temptations · All Directions

22
What's Going On

Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

Marvin Gaye · What's Going On

23
I Fought the Law

I Fought the Law

The Bobby Fuller Four · I Fought the Law

24
Gold

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

The Temptations · Gold

25
Wheels Of Fire

White Room

Cream · Wheels Of Fire

26
Born To Be Wild (Best Of....)

Born To Be Wild

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

27
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Iron Butterfly · In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

28
Sunshine Superman

Season of the Witch

Donovan · Sunshine Superman

29
Best Of The Band

The Weight

The Band · Best Of The Band

30
The Doors

Light My Fire

The Doors · The Doors

31
People Get Ready

People Get Ready

The Impressions · People Get Ready

32
What's Going On

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye · What's Going On

33
Stand

I Want to Take You Higher

Sly & The Family Stone · Stand

34
Don't Stop Dreaming of Me

Fortune Teller

Bobby Curtola · Don't Stop Dreaming of Me

35
The Time Has Come

Time Has Come Today

The Chambers Brothers · The Time Has Come

36
Incense And Peppermints

Incense And Peppermints

Strawberry Alarm Clock · Incense And Peppermints

37
Santana (Legacy Edition)

Evil Ways

Santana · Santana (Legacy Edition)

38
Songs For Humanity

Oye Como Va

Playing For Change · Songs For Humanity

39
Santana (Legacy Edition)

Soul Sacrifice

Santana · Santana (Legacy Edition)

40
Magical Moments

Luminary

Dravelyn · Magical Moments

Playlist Settings

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

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American Tabloid · James Ellroy

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