Damson Idris, Erykah Badu and More Artists Share Their Favorite Miles Davis Songs

Miles Davis’s centennial celebration centers on his devotion to innovation and the idea that music has no limits. His work spans contrasting styles, from the cool calm of Kind of Blue to the tense energy of Bitches Brew, allowing listeners to connect with different entry points. High-profile admirers across music, acting, and visual arts describe personal favorite tracks that reflect the tactile textures and transformative effect of his sound. The range of responses across his discography shows how his influence persists culturally and musically decades after his death. His approach continues to inspire new creativity by pushing art toward unexplored directions.

"Thirty-five years after his death, Davis's name still conjures images of timeless cool, but what actually made him such a musical and cultural force and why his work still resonates so strongly was his rigorous devotion to innovation. I always thought that music had no boundaries, he wrote in his unvarnished 1989 autobiography, no limits to where it could grow and go, no restrictions on creativity. What grew from this philosophy was a constant yearning to take his art somewhere new."

"The sheer breadth of his output encompassing the consummate chill of Kind of Blue and the simmering tension of Bitches Brew means that it's possible for every listener to have a different touchstone. When The New York Times asked various high-profile admirers including the trumpet greats Eddie Henderson, Nicholas Payton and Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah; multi-hyphenate musicians Erykah Badu and Meshell Ndegeocello; the actor Damson Idris, who will portray Miles in the upcoming film Miles & Juliette; and artists working in other creative media to reflect on their personal favorite Miles tracks, their responses ranged across his vast discography."

"I really do feel Miles creates this auditory space of texture that's tactile, Ndegeocello said of her under-the-radar pick, while Chief Adjuah said simply of first hearing his, I was never the same. Their responses have been condensed and edited for clarity. Be sure to leave your own favorite pick in the comments. The first time I ever heard Miles Davis play the tune, I was 18 years old. I was so impressed because I realized that he wasn't just playing no"

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