Ranking of Popular Jazz Songs

BlackbirdBrad Mehldau64rank/position

Blackbird

Jazz pianist Brad Mehldau, known for incorporating rock and pop songs into his repertoire, delivers a stunning piano trio cover of a Beatles classic said to be set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement.

While honoring the original’s hopeful melodic lines, the arrangement weaves in delicate yet deeply nuanced harmonies and tightly knit interplay among the musicians, creating a rich sense of storytelling despite being purely instrumental.

The track appears on the album “The Art of the Trio, Volume One,” released in January 1997, marking a pivotal work that heralded the start of the trio defining his early career.

It’s a perfect piece for long evenings of immersive listening, or for anyone who wants to experience a familiar melody shining anew in a fresh setting.

All The Things You AreCharlie Parker65rank/position

All The Things You Are

It’s a masterpiece with a wonderfully romantic theme, as if whispering, “Your very existence is the greatest song to me.” The sweet, beautiful melody was vividly rendered with passionate saxophone by jazz innovator Charlie Parker.

Originally composed for the 1939 musical Very Warm for May and later used in film, it’s a standard number.

Parker’s performance is best known from a live recording made in March 1948, where you can revel in his thrilling improvisation on such classic releases as Summit Meeting at Birdland.

Perfect for anyone who wants to feel the heat of jazz firsthand—Parker’s free and passionate sound world will surely set your heart dancing.

ConfirmationCharlie Parker66rank/position

Charlie Parker- Confirmation

Charlie Parker, the originator of modern jazz and a legend of the jazz world.

One of the musicians who forged the bebop style, he was a genius player who nevertheless led a turbulent life and died young at 34.

Later, none other than Clint Eastwood made a film about Parker’s life titled “Bird,” a testament to the magnitude of his influence not only on music but on culture at large.

Known as “Bird,” Parker also established several standards as a composer, and the piece introduced here, “Confirmation,” is one of them.

Composed in 1945, it’s a quintessential bebop number that greatly contributed to the formation of bebop.

If you want to savor the essence of modern jazz, be sure to listen to Parker’s own live version of “Confirmation”!

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Almost BlueChet Baker67rank/position

Almost Blue

It may not be all that famous, but as a jazz ballad I absolutely want to introduce this piece.

Chet Baker, who etched his name into jazz history with his lyrical trumpet tone and wistful singing voice, yet lived a ruinous life, often chose to perform Almost Blue in his later years.

Despite its simple melody, each trumpet note speaks to you in a way that a hundred different sounds from other players could never capture.

Jazz allows for this kind of expression, too.

Que sera seraDoris Day68rank/position

Doris Day – Que Sera Sera

It’s the theme song from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1956 film “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” sung by the lead actress and singer Doris Day.

With lyrics that mean “whatever will be, will be,” the song also plays an important role within the film itself.

Despite its cute waltz (3/4 time) feel, the movie is a suspenseful, heart-pounding thriller.

In Japan, it was covered by artists such as Peggy Hayama and Izumi Yukimura.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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God Gave Me Feet For Dancing (ft. Yazmin Lacey)Ezra Collective69rank/position

Ezra Collective – God Gave Me Feet For Dancing (ft. Yazmin Lacey)

A prayerful dance rises quietly, nestling against a trembling heartbeat.

The suppleness of neo-soul merges with the breathing of jazz, letting the beauty of negative space shine.

The five-piece from London, Ezra Collective, are still fresh in our memory for their legendary performance at Fuji Rock in July 2025.

“God Gave Me Feet For Dancing (feat.

Yazmin Lacey)” was released as a single in September 2024 and is the fifth track on the album “Dance, No One’s Watching.” Welcoming Yazmin Lacey, and drawing on memories of the church, the song treats dance as a blessing, gently illuminating the joy and cleansing of community.

The music video, directed by Tajana Tokyo, was also released that month.

It’s a gem perfect for mornings when you want a gentle push, wedding festivities, or community gatherings!

Maiden VoyageHerbie Hancock70rank/position

Herbie Hancock – Maiden Voyage

Also known in Japan by the title “Shojo Kōkai,” Maiden Voyage is the title track of the 1965 album of the same name by Herbie Hancock—an artist whose ideas and talent extend beyond standard jazz, who has produced many innovative works and compositions, and who continues to perform actively even in the 2020s well into his eighties.

It is a masterpiece that stands in the history of jazz and remains a beloved standard number today, and in the story it is the memorable piece for which Dai Miyamoto earned his first fee for his own performance.

The fact that he expressed this piece using only a single saxophone is remarkable in itself—one can’t help but wonder what that performance was like.

Why not listen to the original track and imagine it?

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