Miles Davis Popular Song Rankings [2025]

Round MidnightMiles Davis15rank/position

Miles Davis Quintet – ‘Round Midnight

A jazz standard composed by pianist Thelonious Monk.

The piece was used as the title track for the fictional film “Round Midnight,” which stars veteran saxophonist Dexter Gordon and centers on an American jazz musician living in Paris.

Monk himself recorded the tune in various versions, and its chord progression also appears in multiple variants, making it a curious piece for which it’s hard to determine which performance should be considered the standard.

StuffMiles Davis16rank/position

Miles Davis – Stuff (1/2)

From the 1968 album Miles in the Sky.

It’s the opening track of the album, yet it stays cool from start to finish.

Tony Williams’s drumming is striking, and Miles’s trumpet heightens the sense of unease.

Herbie’s electric piano is razor-sharp, too.

It’s a track where truly cool, stylish players come together.

My Funny ValentineMiles Davis17rank/position

Miles Davis – My Funny Valentine 1964 Milan, Italy

Known for Miles Davis’s trumpet performance, this piece is a quintessential jazz standard.

Its emotionally rich melodic lines and wistful atmosphere are distinctive, giving it a deep, resonant appeal for listeners.

A live recording made in New York in February 1964 was released the following May as the album “My Funny Valentine: Miles Davis in Concert,” earning high acclaim among jazz fans.

It’s also approachable for beginning saxophonists, offering a relaxed tempo and beautiful harmonies that make for enjoyable practice.

Perform this sophisticated, adult-sounding piece, and you’re sure to captivate your audience.

Ascenseur pour l’échafaudMiles Davis18rank/position

MILES DAVIS – Ascenseur pour l’échafaud

The improvised music created for the film “Elevator to the Gallows” is a masterpiece that showcases Miles Davis’s talent to the fullest.

The trumpet’s wistful tone brilliantly captures the film’s tension and sense of tragedy.

Recorded in just two days at a Paris studio in December 1957, this work became an important page in jazz history.

Produced using the innovative method of freely improvising to the film’s scenes, it radiates a unique allure that foreshadows the later shift toward modal jazz.

It’s a perfect record for a winter night when you want to sink into music at a relaxed pace.

Autumn LeavesMiles Davis19rank/position

Miles Davis – Autumn Leaves (Live at Salle Pleyel, Paris Oct 1, 1964)

Miles Davis, whose restrained trumpet tone reshaped the course of jazz.

Among his many classic performances, this is the one I want to savor on a long autumn night.

His cool, lyrical trumpet eloquently tells the story of a world where fallen leaves symbolize a love that has passed and the lyrics cherish its memories.

You can clearly hear the influence of the pianist Ahmad Jamal—whom Davis revered so much that he declared, “I got all my inspiration from him.” This rendition was recorded in March 1958, and the famous take appears on alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley’s masterpiece Somethin’ Else.

Be sure to give it a listen as a companion to a quiet, contemplative evening.

BoplicityMiles Davis20rank/position

Boplicity (Remastered)

Trumpeter Miles Davis, sometimes called the “Emperor of Modern Jazz,” walked alongside the history of jazz, taking on different forms of expression in each era.

On his 1957 album Birth of the Cool, however, he performs a relaxed, softly shaded style of jazz.

Known in Japan as “The Birth of Cool,” this album is considered the origin of cool jazz, and among its tracks, Boplicity stands out as a masterpiece whose delicate expression lingers in the ear.

FootprintsMiles Davis21rank/position

Miles Davis – Footprints

Miles Davis, a towering jazz giant who profoundly influenced not only jazz but the entire course of modern music, continues to command the respect of musicians as the “Prince of Darkness.” This track, included on his 1966 album Miles Smiles, was composed by Wayne Shorter, the saxophonist of the Second Great Miles Quintet.

Its polyrhythmic development creates a thrilling momentum; while the solos and phrasing honor the jazz tradition, the piece itself transcends jazz as a genre.

In any case, the lineup from this period is a jaw-dropping, all-star, almost galactic ensemble.