We scoured the streaming services, we asked the experts, we solicited hundreds upon hundreds of suggestions, we wore out old LP’s, cassettes, and CD’s. Now, here they are: The 150 greatest Jewish pop songs of all time.
150 Greatest Jewish Pop Songs
The Latest
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Culture How a Jewish song with gospel roots became a 1960s garage band standard
Inspired in part by all the Jewish artists on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs, the Forward decided it was time to rank the best Jewish pop songs of all time. You can find the whole list and accompanying essays here. The Blues Project were one of New York’s seminal bands in the…
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Culture In Bob Dylan’s mysterious 1975 masterpiece, is he referencing the Talmud?
Dozens of Dylan songs can be considered Jewish — and 'Idiot Wind' more than most.
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Culture How Mel Brooks’ Hitler ditty became the best worst song ever written
Editor’s Note: Inspired in part by all the Jewish artists on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs, the Forward decided it was time to rank the best Jewish pop songs of all time. You can find the whole list and accompanying essays here. How do you write the worst song of all time?…
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Culture How Neil Diamond’s most personal song chronicled his journey out of Brooklyn
'Brooklyn Roads' begins as an exercise in nostalgia but becomes so much more
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Culture Audacious and transgressive, Randy Newman’s satire of bigotry still has the power to shock and awe
Inspired in part by all the Jewish artists on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs, the Forward decided it was time to rank the best Jewish pop songs of all time. You can find the whole list and accompanying essays here. Lester Maddox’s name doesn’t have a lot of currency today. Maddox is…
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Music When pop music’s fascination with Nazi symbols and history went way over the line
Inspired in part by all the Jewish artists on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs, the Forward decided it was time to rank the best Jewish pop songs of all time. You can find the whole list and accompanying essays here. MAGA politicians and talk show hosts with the gall to compare mask…
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Culture What’s a Jewish song anyway — and how can you recognize one when you hear it?
Inspired in part by all the Jewish artists on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs, the Forward decided it was time to rank the best Jewish pop songs of all time. You can find the whole list and accompanying essays here. What is a Jewish song? Is it one that connects you to…
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Yiddish World How a Yiddish folksong appeared on a 1967 American pop album
At the height of his success in 1967, Jay Black, lead singer of the pop band, Jay and the Americans, recorded a popular Yiddish folk song and managed to convince his record label, United Artists, to include it on the B-side of their album, “Try Some of This!” The story, first published by the Forward…
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