Which jazz songs are the best ever? That’s a hard question to answer, but the list below is a good place to start for any jazz fan who wants to learn more. This list of the best jazz songs ever has something for everyone, whether they like swing, hot, cool, bebop, modal, free, or fusion.

Take the A Train-Duke Ellington

“Take The A Train” was one of Duke Ellington’s biggest hits and became his signature tune. It was written in 1940 by Billy Strayhorn, who was inspired to write it after writing down directions for how to get to Harlem on the New York subway.

So What-Miles Davis

One of the best-known examples of modal jazz is the first track on Miles Davis’s landmark album Kind of Blue, which came out in 1959. This term is too complicated to explain in a soundbite, but the song is just perfect.

All the Things You Are- Charlie Parker

One of the main creators of bebop, Charlie Parker was born in Kansas City and was known for his lightning-fast alto saxophone solos. However, on this Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein song, which he played with Dizzy Gillespie in 1945, he showed a calmer side.

Giant Steps- John Coltrane

Most fans agree that John Coltrane’s suite-like A Love Supreme from 1964 is his best LP. On his fifth album, Giant Steps, he wrote all of the songs himself for the first time. It is still a must-have for serious jazz fans.

One O’Clock Jump- Count Basie and his Orchestra

This 1937 big band hit got Count Basie’s career off to a good start. It’s a piano-driven stomp with jabbing horn riffs. The song became Basie’s signature tune, and in 1979, it was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Mack the Knife- Ella Fitzgerald

Bobby Darin put his own spin on the song, but Ella Fitzgerald made it famous by forgetting all of the words. She won a Grammy for her live version, which she sang in Berlin. She made up new lyrics on the spot, which showed off her amazing voice in every way.

Billie Holiday – Strange Fruit

The chilling “Strange Fruit” was first recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939. It is one of the best protest songs ever, no matter what genre it is in. In 1978, her version of the song was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame. Since then, artists like Robert Wyatt, UB40, and Annie Lennox have done their own versions of the song.

What a Wonderful World- Armstrong

This classic song by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss seems to be part of what makes us human. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1967, when it also topped the UK Top 40. If youa re looking to download lagu from the jazz genre, this one is a must have.

Dave Brubeck Quartet – Take Five

This jazz song was written by the band’s saxophonist Paul Desmond. It was first released on the Dave Brubeck Quartet album Time Out in 1959, and it is said to be the single that has sold the most copies of any song ever.

The Sidewinder- Lee Morgan

In a recording studio bathroom in 1965, trumpeter Lee Morgan came up with the catchy melody to this classic funk groove. He was inspired by the name of a bad guy with a gun in a western show called The Rifleman. The song broke out of the jazz world and made it to No. 25 on the US pop charts.

Goodbye Pork Pie Hat- Charles Mingus

This beautiful ballad, which is now a jazz standard, was written by bassist and composer Charles Mingus as a tribute to tenor saxophonist Lester Young, who always wore a “pork pie” hat. Mingus later re-recorded the song as “Theme For Lester Young” to honour Young after his death in 1959.

Benny Goodman – Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)

This Louis Prima song was turned into a stomping, intoxicating big band extravaganza by the clarinet-playing bandleader Benny Goodman. His version was recorded at the first-ever jazz concert at Carnegie Hall in 1938. It’s a show that proves that Goodman really was the “King of Swing,” which was his nickname.

Moanin’- Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

“Moanin’,” the band’s signature song from 1958, was written by the band’s pianist at the time, Bobby Timmons, with help from Benny Golson. The band was led by drummer Art Blakey. It was an early example of what became known as “soul jazz” because it sounded like gospel.