Are you a new Lindy Hop DJ? Are you looking for the best Lindy Hop music to play at your next dance? I’ve put together a list of some information to help new Lindy Hop DJs find the best swing music to play at social dances.
Classic Jazz Standards – Various Artists
As you start to explore the world of swing music, you’ll find that classic jazz standards are a great place to start searching. You can dig up fantastic versions of all of the following classics. **As of March 2018, I’ve updated the list of my favourites. Thanks Mike Thibault for also providing this helpful resource.
After You’ve Gone
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Ain’t She Sweet
All of Me
All Or Nothing At All
Almost Like Being In Love
Baby Won’t You Please Come Home
Begin the Beguine
Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Blue Moon
Blue Skies
But Not for Me
Bye Bye Blackbird
C-Jam Blues (aka: Duke’s Place)
Cheek to Cheek
Corner Pocket
D’Lovely
Darktown Strutters Ball
Dedicated to You
Deed I Do
Dinah
Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
Exactly Like You
Flat Foot Floogie
Flying Home
Get Happy
Hit That Jive Jack
Honeysuckle Rose
I Can’t Believe That You’re in Love with Me
I Can’t Give you Anything But Love
I Got Rhythm
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
I Want to Be Happy
I’ve Found a New Baby
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
I’m Beginning to See the Light
I’ve Got The World On A String
In a Mellotone
Is You Is, Or Is You Ain’t My Baby
It Could Happen to You
It Don’t Mean a Thing
It’s Only a Paper Moon
Jeepers Creepers
Just Squeeze Me (But Don’t Tease Me)
Kansas City (Blues)
Let’s Fall In Love
Love Is Here to Stay
Love Me or Leave Me
Lullaby of Birdland
Mack the Knife
Makin’ Whoopie
Mean to Me
My Baby Just Cares For Me
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Night and Day
On the Sunny Side of the Street
One O’Clock Jump
Our Love Is Here To Stay
Pennies From Heaven
Perdido
Rockin’ in Rhythm
Route 66
Satin Doll
Shiny Stockings
Sing Sing Sing
Slow Boat to China
Sometimes I’m Happy
Stompin’ at the Savoy
Sweet Georgia Brown
Sweet Lorraine
Tain’t What You Do
Take The “A” Train
Tea For Two
The Lady Is a Tramp
The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
Them There Eyes
They Can’t Take That Away from Me
Things Ain’t What They Used to Be
This Can’t Be Love
Three Little Words
Undecided
What Is This Thing Called Love?
When The Saints Go Marching In
When You’re Smiling
Why Don’t You Do Right
Swinging Musicians
THE FOLLOWING LIST IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG TO A WORLD OF FANTASTIC SWINGING JAZZ MUSICIANS
Louis Armstrong
Ella Fitzgerald
Count Basie
Duke Ellington
Slim and Slam
Artie Shaw
Benny Goodman
Cab Calloway
Chick Webb
Artie Shaw
Charlie Barnet
Erskine Hawkins
Lucky Millinder
Buddy Johnson
Artie Shaw
Jimmie Lunceford
Lionel Hampton
Illinois Jacquet
Fats Waller
Jimmy Dorsey
Charlie Barnet
The Cats & The Fiddle
Gene Krupa
Big List from of some of my current favourites (alphabetical order)
A-Tisket A-Tasket 2:40 Ella Fitzgerald Swing
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive 2:31 Paul McCartney Kisses On the Bottom Pop 169
Ace In the Hole 1:59 Ella Fitzgerald The Essential Collection Jazz
Ain’t Misbehavin’ 3:58 Fats Waller Ain’t Misbehavin’ Jazz
Ain’t Nothing To It 3:11 Fats Waller Portrait Vol. 2 – CD09 – Old Grand Dad (1941) Jazz 4
Ain’tcha Glad 2:42 Monte Gaster & His Orchestra 3
All Of Me 2:55 Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 50 #1 Hits Of The ’20s & ’30s Jazz 2
All or Nothing at All 5:45 Billie Holiday Devon Mix 2
All that meat and no potatoes 2:48 Fats Waller Ain’t Misbehavin Unknown
Alright, Ok, You Win 2:31 Nicholas Brothers We Do Sing Too Jazz 1
Are You All Reet? 3:04 Cab Calloway Are You Hep to the Jive? Big Band
As Long As I Live 4:42 Ernestine Anderson Groovy
Baby Can Dance 2:57 Carsie Blanton Buoy Pop 7
Baby It’s Cold Outside 2:42 Ella Fitzgerald Swing
Be Careful 3:13 Buddy Johnson Orchestra Beginner Teaching Mix
Beaver Junction 2:57 Count Basie Let’s Do The Hop Jazz 2
Beginning to See the Light 3:34 Ella Fitzgerald Mandi’s Classic Hit Parade 1
Bill Bailey Won’t You Please Come Home 3:24 Ella Fitzgerald Something to Live For Jazz 8
Blue Moon 3:30 Billie Holiday Verve Jazz Masters 12: Billie Holiday Bluesy
Blue Skies 3:49 Ella Fitzgerald Bluesy
Blues In Hoss’ Flat 5:01 Count Basie Swinging
Bucket’s Got A Hole In It 3:16 Louis Armstrong Swinging
Bye Bye Blackbird 3:31 Carmen McRae Swinging
C Jam Blues 4:53 Duke Ellington This Is Jazz (Volume 7) Jazz
Cabaret 2:45 Louis Armstrong Pure Louis CD1 Jazz
Can’t We Be Friends 3:48 Ella And Louis Ella And Louis Jazz
Cheek to Cheek 5:54 Ella And Louis Ella And Louis Jazz
Christopher Columbus 3:07 Duke Ellington Duke Ellington: The Reprise Studio Recordings (Remastered) Jazz 7
Clementine 3:03 Duke Ellington Let’s Do The Hop Jazz 1
Comes Love 4:05 Billie Holiday Beginner Teaching Mix
Corner Pocket 5:19 Count Basie April In Paris Big Band 1
Cotton Tail 3:16 Duke Ellington Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Cow Cow Boogie 30T 2:15 Ella Fitzgerald And Ink Spot Wrrc4 Boogie
Dinah 2:45 Coleman Hawkins Coleman Hawkins: The Ultimate Greatest Collection Jazz
Don’t fence me in 5:22 Louis Armstrong Pure Louis CD2 Jazz
Don’t Get Around Much Any More 3:43 Louis Armstrong Beginner Teaching Mix 1
Doodedoo 2:23 Blossom Dearie Swinging
Drop Me Off At Harlem 3:49 Louis Armstrong The Platinum Collection Jazz
Duke’s Place 4:47 Ella Fitzgerald Sing, It Girl
Dunkin’ a Doughnut 2:52 Andy Kirk Big Swing Bands Jazz 2
Easy Does It 3:31 Count Basie Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Exactly Like You 5:43 The Ray Brown Trio Ray Brown – The Best of the Concord Years Jazz 40
Feets Too Big 3:10 Fats Waller 1
Fifty-Second Street (12-09-36) 3:03 Andy Kirk Complete Jazz Series 1936 – 1937 Jazz 2
Fine Brown Frame 3:07 Buddy Johnson Orchestra Swinging
Flash 3:04 Harry James Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Flat Fleet Floogie (6/27/1938) 1:56 Slim and Slam Complete Recordings 1938-1942, Vol. 1 (Disc 1) Vocal 7
For Dancers Only 2:25 Jimmie Lunceford Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Frim Fram Sauce 4:03 Ella Fitzgerald Beginner Teaching Mix
from This Moment On 3:19 Ella Fitzgerald The Essential Collection Jazz
Gal From Joe’s 2:30 Johnny Hodges With Billy Strayhorn And The Orchestra Jazz
Gene Harris 2:47 Gene Harris Jazz 7
Get Happy 2:49 Judy Garland 100+ Timeless Classics Vocal 4
Goody Goody 2:42 Ella Fitzgerald Mandi Time
Haven’t We Met? 3:03 Emilie-Claire Barlow Haven’t We Met? Jazz 3
Hollywood Stomp 3:16 Victoria Spivey Ladies Sing The Blues – 100 Classic Tracks Vocal 1
How High The Moon 3:20 Ella Fitzgerald 101 All Time Greats Pop 1
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love 2:38 Nicholas Brothers We Do Sing Too Jazz 5
I Get a Kick Out of You 4:20 Louis Armstrong The Essential Cole Porter Collection Jazz 10
I Love Jazz (Alternate Take 8) 2:27 Louis Armstrong I Love Jazz (Remastered) Jazz
I wish I could go traveling again 4:07 Stacey Kent Breakfast on the morning tram Vocal Jazz 5
I Won’t Dance 4:47 Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Arms Ella and Louis Swing 1
I’m Beginning To See The Light 2:48 Ella Fitzgerald Ella and the InkSpots Swing
I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter 2:35 Paul McCartney Kisses On the Bottom Pop 7
I’m In The Groove Tonight 2:19 Effie Smith 1
I’m Just A Lucky So And So 3:10 Louis Armstrong The Platinum Collection Jazz
I’se A Muggin’ (03-11-36) 2:47 Andy Kirk Complete Jazz Series 1936 – 1937 Jazz 2
I’ve Got My Fingers Crossed 2:31 Louis Armstrong Hotter Than That [Disc 9] Easy Listening
I’ve Got The World On A String 5:23 Diana Krall Groovy 2
I’ve Got You Under My Skin 2:44 Ella Fitzgerald 101 All Time Greats Pop 1
If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake 2:37 Eileen Barton Pop Classics: How Did He Look Pop
If I Were a Bell 3:09 Blossom Dearie Once upon a Summertime Vocal 6
In A Mellow Tone 3:22 Count Basie Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Is You Is or Is You Ain’t 3:32 Dinah Washington Beginner Teaching Mix
It’s a Pity to Say Goodnight 2:43 Ella Fitzgerald Lindy Hop Stroganoff
It’s All Right With Me 3:11 Ella Fitzgerald The Essential Collection Jazz 1
It’s De-Lovely 2:42 Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy Bregman & Buddy Bregman Orchestra Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook Rock 9
Jackie Robinson 2:16 Buddy Johnson and His Orchestra Baseball! The Ultimate Collection Vol. 2 Spoken Word 10
Jive At Five 2:55 Count Basie Mandi’s Jazz Class Swing 1
Jumpin’ Jive 2:48 Cab Calloway Cotton Club
Jumpin’ With Symphony Sid 2:58 Ella Fitzgerald Swinging
Just A Simple Melody 3:02 Ella Fitzgerald 101 All Time Greats Pop 1
King David 3:01 Roy Eldridge Little Jazz Giant Jazz 8
The Lady Is A Tramp 3:23 Ella Fitzgerald 101 All Time Greats Pop 6
Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off 4:18 Ella & Louis Beginner Teaching Mix
Let’s Get Together 2:38 Duke Ellington Duke Ellington: The Reprise Studio Recordings (Remastered) Jazz 4
Let’s Live Again 2:21 George Shearing Quintet Feat. Nancy Wilson The Swingin’s Mutual! Easy Listening 9
Lets Fall in Love 2:14 Dinah Washington Mandi’s Classic Three Ring Circus
Life Is So Peculiar 3:21 Louis Armstrong Hotter Than That [Disc 8] Easy Listening
Love is Here to Stay 3:48 Billie Holiday Mandi’s Classic Hit Parade
Love Me or Leave Me (Take 3) 2:39 Fats Waller If You Got to Ask, You Ain’t Got It! Jazz
Lovesick Blues 2:57 Kay Starr Ladies Sing The Blues – 100 Classic Tracks Vocal 2
Lullaby Of Birdland 2:57 Ella Fitzgerald Swinging
Mack The Knife (Digitally Remastered – Live) 4:25 Ella Fitzgerald 101 All Time Greats Pop 8
Makin’ Whoopee 2:31 Dinah Washington Swinging 4
Massachussettes 3:22 Instrumental 20 Freakin’ Amazing Tracks
Mop Mop 4:54 Teddy Wilson Promises, Promises (feat. Charlie Shavers, Edmond Hall & Red Norvo) Jazz
My Baby Just Cares For Me 3:39 Nina Simone Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
My Baby Likes To Be Bop – And I Like To Be Bop Too 2:45 Ella Fitzgerald 101 All Time Greats Pop 7
My Very Good Friend the Milkman 3:04 Paul McCartney Kisses On the Bottom Pop 6
Nice Work If You Can Get It 2:37 Teddy Wilson Teddy Wilson Jazz 2
Now You Has Jazz 4:46 Louis Armstrong 6
Ol’ Man River 3:24 Earl Grant Singin’ & Swingin’: The Best o Jazz 1
On a Slow Boat to China 2:41 Carol Welsman The Language of Love Jazz 12
On The Sunny Side Of The Street 3:17 Dizzy Gillespie Cleveland CD1 1
Oops! 3:17 Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong 101 All Time Greats Pop 7
Our Love is Here to Stay 3:17 Carmen McRae Cleveland CD1
Paper Moon 2:39 Ella Fitzgerald Lindy Hop Stroganoff 1
Perdido 3:18 Duke Ellington Beginner Teaching Mix
Posin 3:03 Jimmie Lunceford Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Putt’n on the Ritz 2:18 Ella Fitzgerald Mandi Time
Ramona 2:45 Louis Armstrong Hello Louis! Jazz
Ring-A-Ding Ding 3:37 John Pizzarelli & the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra Dear Mr. Sinatra Jazz 9
Route 66 3:05 Nat King Cole Mandi’s Classic Hit Parade 5
Royal Garden Blues 3:08 Duke Ellington Swinging
‘S Wonderful 4:04 João Gilberto Amorosó Brazilian 7
Satin Doll 2:44 Duke Ellington This Is Jazz (Volume 7) Jazz
Satisfy My Soul 3:04 Buddy Johnson Orchestra Swinging
Savoy Blues 3:27 Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong, Vol. 1 Jazz
Says My Heart 2:57 Mildred Bailey & Red Norvo & His Orchestra 50 #1 Hits Of The ’20s & ’30s Jazz 2
“Send Me” Jackson 3:16 Fats Waller Portrait Vol. 2 – CD08 – Black Maria (1940-41) Jazz
Shine 2:57 Ella Fitzgerald 101 All Time Greats Pop 2
Shiny Stockings 5:24 Count Basie Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Shout & Feel It 2:17 Count Basie Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Si j’avais été 3:18 Paris Combo Paris Combo French Pop 12
Sit Right Down 2:31 Ella Fitzgerald Mandi’s Classic Three Ring Circus
Slow Boat to China 2:29 Bing Crosby Changing Partners Pop 6
Sometimes I’m Happy 2:21 Dinah Washington Jazz 2
Splanky 3:23 George Gee Swing Orch. Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Spring Cleaning 2:27 Fats Waller Portrait Vol. 2 – CD01 – Old Plantation (1937) Jazz
Squeeze Me 3:15 Chick Webb Swing
Stormy Monday 3:48 Ernestine Anderson Jazz 2
Straighten Up and Fly Right 2:31 Nat King Cole Mandi’s Classic Three Ring Circus 2
Strictly Jive 3:16 Chick Webb Chick Webb & His Orchestra Jazz 1
Sweet Georiga Brown 2:20 Earl Hines The Genius of Earl Hines Jazz 1
T’aint What You Do 3:06 Jimmie Lunceford Let’s Do The Hop Jazz 1
Take It And Git (07-29-42) 3:16 Andy Kirk Complete Jazz Series 1940 – 1942 Jazz 6
Take the “A” Train 2:57 Duke Ellington Devon Mix 2
Taking a Chance On Love 2:13 Dorothy Dandridge Female Voices of the Silver Screen Pop 7
Tea For Two 3:19 Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie Jazz 1
Ten Feet Off The Ground 2:47 Louis Armstrong The Platinum Collection Jazz
Them There Eyes 2:11 Lily Frost Lily Swings Indie Rock 6
These Boots Were Made for Walkin’ 5:22 Emilie-Claire Barlow The Beat Goes On Jazz 4
They Can’t Take That Away from Me 4:39 Ella And Louis Ella And Louis Jazz
This Can’t Be Love 1:48 Ella Fitzgerald Swinging
Too Close For Comfort 2:34 Ella Fitzgerald Jazz
Tuxedo Junction 3:21 Erskine Hawkins Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Walking Shoes 5:44 Gerry Mulligan The Best of Jazz 29
Wednesday Night Hop 3:07 Andy Kirk Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
Where Have We Met Before? 2:48 The Andrew Sisters Swinging 4
Who Walks In? 2:20 Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald Swinging
Why Don’t You Do Right? 2:29 Peggy Lee Fever Jazz 49
You Gotta Walk The Chalk Line 2:41 Buddy Johnson Orchestra Swinging
You Make Me Feel So Young 2:57 Frank Sinatra Let’s Do The Hop Jazz
you took advantage of me 2:40 Carmen McRae bill borgida 100-120 Swinging
You’re Blasé 2:42 Teddy Wilson The Noble Art of Teddy Wilson Jazz 2
You’re the Top (Master Take) 3:33 Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy Bregman & Buddy Bregman Orchestra Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook Jazz 10
You’’ve Got To Give Me Some 3:00 Clarence Williams’ Washboard Band, With, AND & Margaret Webster Ladies Sing The Blues – 100 Classic Tracks Vocal 1
Your feet’s too big 3:08 Fats Waller Ain’t Misbehavin Unknown
Playlists for Teaching
Mandi’s Beginner Lindy Hop Playlist
All that Meat and no Potatoes, Fats Waller
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Duke Ellington & Louis Armstrong
Be Careful, Buddy Johnson Orchestra
Frim Fram Sauce, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Feets Too Big. Fats Waller
Is You Is, Dinah Washington
Fine Brown Frame, Nellie Lutcher
Kansas City, Wilbert Harrisson
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Louis Armstrong
On The Sunny Side Of Street, Benny Goodman w/ Peggy Lee
Beginning to See the Light, Ella Fitzgerald
Lavendar Coffin, Lionel Hampton
Baby Just Cares For Me, Nina Simone
Shiny Stockings, Count Basie
You Gotta Walk The Chalk Line, Buddy Johnson Orchestra
Atomic Cocktail, Slim Gaillard
Doodedoo, Blossom Dearie
Knock Me a Kiss, Louis Jordan
Tuxedo Junction, Glenn Miller
Easy Does It, Count Basie
Fever, Peggy Lee
Mandi’s Beginner Charleston Picks
Charleston, Pee Wee Hunt
Everybody Eats When They Come To My House, Cab Calloway
Flat Foot Floogie, Slim and Slam
Free Eats, Slim and Slam
Heebie Jeebies, Louis Armstrong
Hit that Jive Jack, Slim and Slam
Honeysuckle Rose, Fats Waller
Johnson Rag, Glenn Miller
Jump Session, Slim and Slam
Lawdy Clawdy, The Cats And The Fiddle
South, Lindy Hop Heaven
Truckin’, Fats Waller
Yacht Club Swing, Fats Waller
You Meet The Nicest People In Your Dreams, Fats Waller
8, 9 and 10, Slim and Slam
For my go-to Blues Dancing teaching playlist, click here.