Food is better when music is involved. A restaurant without a soundtrack isn't one worth being in, and a silent kitchen isn't one worth cooking in. Funk jams for grilling. Hip-hop anthems for stir-frying. Rock ballads for braising. And acoustic epitaphs for all-afternoon endeavors. Our test kitchen is never silent. We consider it our duty to fill the space with tunes that inspire the whole crew.
But what are the best artists to play while cooking? And which songs deliver the most attitude, energy, and fun into whatever's on the stove or in the oven? We're glad you asked, because we put together a playlist of BA staffers' all-time favorite cooking tunes for your enjoyment. So grab this BA COOKING JAMS Spotify playlist, and turn up the volume a little. No, more. A little more. Yeah, that's good. These are the songs and artists we love to cook to:
Real Estate: “Talking Backwards” — “When I'm cooking to unwind on a weeknight these guys really do it for me. They’re so chill. Their music should come with a warning about operating heavy machinery.” – Ben Dewey, director of cinematography
Donna Summer: "Bad Girls" — "This plays in the test kitchen most days of the week, for obvious reasons." – Rick Martinez, senior food editor
Neil Young: "Unknown Legend" — “I don’t play songs, I play albums. And Harvest Moon is one hell of an album.” — Brad Leone, test kitchen manager
Black Angels: “Entrance Song” — “I love listening to loud music and cooking, or driving or anything really. It allows you to immerse yourself completely into what your doing, drowning out distractions. Whatever you do, do it with rhythm and panache.” – Cristina Martinez, production director
Tennis: “Petition” — "Baking jams! I’ve sang into the whisk to this chorus." – Laura Murray, photographer
Ms. Lauryn Hill: "To Zion" — "Take Lauryn’s magic, add an endlessly grooving beat, and you’ve got a track that makes any monotonous cooking task worth it. Seriously, chopping onions and peeling garlic is no biggie once that choir kicks in." — Aliza Abarbanel, editorial assistant
The Grateful Dead: "Shakedown Street" — "The greatest band of all time is also the greatest band to cook to." — Andrew Knowlton, deputy editor
Nina Simone: "Baltimore" — "Old jazz records on vinyl are timeless and make me feel like I'm in a super classy gala scene from a Batman movie." — Nikita Richardson, assistant editor
Beck: "Colors"— “I know, I know, he's a Scientologist. But this album is really good. Some Beck is sad and weird, some is upbeat and weird. This is the latter, which is good for standing in the kitchen having a cocktail and talking about my day while someone else cooks.” — Alex Beggs, senior editor, bonappetit.com
Iman Omari-Higher Loops: “Play No Games” — “This is for those kitchen chores you want to get all zen for, like stirring sauce, watching caramelized onions change color, or prepping fava beans.” – Tommy Werner, assistant video producer
The Ramones: “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker” — “All of the tracks on Mania are in perfect 4/4 time, which makes it really easy to sync up to when you're chopping, whisking, peeling, etc. And all of the songs are two or three minutes, which makes them a nice time-keeping method too.” – Eric Gillin, digital general manager
Kevin Morby: “City Music” — “Kevin Morby makes music to braise to. When guests are about to arrive, I put on this track for an adrenaline bump (good for last-minute cleaning).” – Christine Muhlke, editor-at-large
Montell Jordan: “This Is How We Do It” — "This is guaranteed to turn any kitchen into a party." — Shaquille Sheris, executive assistant, and Molly Baz, video food stylist (Yes, they both picked this one.)
Joe Bataan: “Gypsy Woman” — “I like it because I can move my hips while I shake…whatever needs shaking.” — Eli Jaime, senior visual editor
The Killers: "Read My Mind" — "I have a playlist called Killers Killin’ It that I play when I want to feel like a rockstar in the kitchen. It’s all of the best Killers songs. Sometimes I’m so engrossed in their discography that I forget to stir things." — Alyse Whitney, associate web editor
Solange: "Don't Touch My Hair" — "I’m big into Solange’s A Seat at The Table right now. Steady beats that you'll bop your head and chop your veggies to, and overall powerful messaging that will infuse your meal with positive vibes." — Carla Lalli Music, food director
Marvin Gaye: "What’s Going On" — "His music is so groovy, and his voice is so smooth. It makes a weeknight dinner feel like a Saturday night. You can’t really be stressed out while listening to Marvin Gaye. I've tried." — Kate Fenoglio, design production associate
Elton John – "Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)" — "Proof that I’m secretly 45 at heart: When I’m going through my big Sunday cook I’ll turn on Elton John, Billy Joel, and maybe some Queen. It makes chopping all the mirepoix way more fun." — Ashley Mason, contributing editorial assistant
Enya: "Only Time" — "I listened to this album with my mom, while she cooked dinner when I was younger. It makes me feel nostalgic for family dinners." — Elaheh Nozari, e-commerce editor
Charles Bradley: "You Put the Flame on It" — "Sweetness is apparent in his voice, so you won’t need dessert. (Just kidding. You need dessert.)" — Carolina Messina, assistant to the creative director
Chance the Rapper: "Angels" — "This song could make scrubbing the kitchen floor seem fun." — Meryl Rothstein, senior editor
Olu Dara: "Okra" — "This dude's essentially just singing out recipe ingredients." — Chris Lebron, software engineer
Father John Misty: Real Love Baby — "Prime, low-key vibes. Good for when you’re cooking alone with an XXL glass of wine." — Rachel Karten, social media manager
Funkadelic: "Can You Get to That" — "Cooking should be fun. Funkadelic is fun. And that’s all I have to say about that." — Alex Delany, assistant web editor
Nancy Sinatra: “Some Velvet Morning” — "I like some old school tunes when I'm cooking. They bring back the nostalgia of being in the kitchen when I was little." — Vincent Cross, video producer
Electric Guest: "Oh Devil" — "This has a nice, steady beat, quiet enough for a Sunday morning and upbeat enough to do a little dance while cooking my eggs." — Misa Spencer, video editor
Wiki: “Mayor” — "Fresh new hip hop... fresh produce...it just makes sense." — Alan Siegler, software engineer
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong: “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” — "On a cold winter night, you can’t beat lighting a few candles, throwing on an apron, putting on Ella and Louis, and waltzing around the kitchen." - Julia Black, associate web editor