The Best Songs About Coffee: A Coffee Playlist

The best songs about coffee span almost a century, from the Ink Spots’ “Java Jive” (1940) and the torch standard “Black Coffee” to Blur’s “Coffee & TV” (1999) and beabadoobee’s “Coffee” (2017). Below you’ll find a coffee playlist sorted by era and genre, so you can match the music to the brew in your mug. We list song titles and artists only, no lyrics, so press play and let the records speak for themselves.

Coffee shows up in pop music for the same reasons it shows up in our days: it marks mornings, late nights, heartbreak, small talk and big decisions. Some of these tracks are love letters to the bean, others just use a cup on the table as a mood. Either way, they make a great soundtrack while your kettle heats up.

Swing-Era and Jazz Songs About Coffee (1930s–1960s)

The golden age of songwriting loved coffee. Broadway, big bands and jazz singers all found a way to slip it into a tune.

  • “Let’s Have Another Cup of Coffee” – Irving Berlin. Written for Berlin’s 1932 Broadway musical Face the Music, it became a Depression-era pick-me-up. The Glenn Miller Orchestra recorded a version in the early 1940s.
  • “Java Jive” – The Ink Spots (1940). Written by Ben Oakland and Milton Drake, this playful vocal-group number reached the US pop charts in 1940. The Manhattan Transfer revived it on their 1975 self-titled album.
  • “Black Coffee” – Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald. Composed by Sonny Burke with words by Paul Francis Webster and published in 1948, it charted for Sarah Vaughan in 1949. Peggy Lee made it the title track of her 1953 album Black Coffee, and Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Julie London and k.d. lang all recorded it later.
  • “The Coffee Song” – Frank Sinatra. A tongue-in-cheek tune about Brazil’s enormous coffee supply. Sinatra recorded it in the 1940s and cut a brisk version again for his 1961 album Ring-a-Ding-Ding!
  • “Forty Cups of Coffee” – Ella Mae Morse (1953). An upbeat jump-blues record about waiting up all night.

Pair this era with something classic and smooth, such as a medium roast like our House Blend. If you like history with your music, Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a whole comic piece about coffee in the 1700s: read our story of Bach’s Coffee Cantata.

Blues, Country and Soul Coffee Songs

In blues and country, coffee tends to sit next to cigarettes, late shifts and lonely kitchens. These are moodier songs, perfect for a dark roast on a rainy afternoon.

  • “Coffee Blues” – Lightnin’ Hopkins (1951). Texas blues at its most stripped-down.
  • “Coffee, Cigarettes and Tears” – The Larks (1951). An early R&B vocal-group side.
  • “Caffeine and Nicotine” – Curtis Gordon (1954). Hillbilly boogie with plenty of swing.
  • “Cigarettes and Coffee Blues” – Lefty Frizzell (1958). Honky-tonk heartache from one of country’s great voices.
  • “Cigarettes and Coffee” – Otis Redding (1966). A slow, tender soul ballad set in the small hours of the morning.

Fun fact for music nerds: many of these tracks were gathered on a single coffee-themed episode of Bob Dylan’s satellite radio show Theme Time Radio Hour, which first aired in 2006. It’s a great rabbit hole if you want deeper cuts.

Rock, Pop and Indie Songs About Coffee (1970s–2000s)

From folk rock to Britpop, coffee became shorthand for conversation, routine and city life.

  • “One More Cup of Coffee” – Bob Dylan (1976). A haunting, violin-laced track from the album Desire.
  • “Black Coffee in Bed” – Squeeze (1982). A soulful new wave single about the traces a relationship leaves behind.
  • “Tom’s Diner” – Suzanne Vega (1987). An a cappella sketch of a morning at a New York diner, where a cup of coffee anchors the scene.
  • “Coffee Shop” – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1995). A funk-rock jam from One Hot Minute.
  • “Coffee & TV” – Blur (1999). Written and sung by guitarist Graham Coxon, famous for its music video starring a walking milk carton.

Modern Songs About Coffee: R&B, Electronic and Bedroom Pop

Newer artists treat coffee as something intimate: a morning together, a slow start, a quiet moment.

  • “Coffee” – Sylvan Esso (2014). Minimal electropop with a gentle groove.
  • “Coffee” – Miguel (2015). A warm, sensual R&B track from the album Wildheart.
  • “Coffee” – beabadoobee (2017). A soft acoustic bedroom-pop song.
  • “Death Bed (Coffee for Your Head)” – Powfu feat. beabadoobee. Built on a sample of beabadoobee’s “Coffee,” it went viral on TikTok in early 2020.

How to Build Your Own Coffee Playlist

A good coffee playlist follows your day, not just the theme. Here’s a simple structure that works.

Moment Mood Songs to try Coffee to match
Early morning Bright, easy “Java Jive,” “Let’s Have Another Cup of Coffee” Light or breakfast roast
Work session Steady, low-key “Coffee” (Sylvan Esso), “Tom’s Diner” Medium roast drip or pour-over
Afternoon slump Upbeat “Forty Cups of Coffee,” “Coffee & TV” Espresso or iced coffee
Late night Moody, slow “Black Coffee,” “Cigarettes and Coffee” Decaf or half caf
  1. Pick 12 to 20 songs. That covers roughly the time it takes to brew and finish a pot.
  2. Mix eras. Jump from a 1940s vocal group to 2010s electropop to keep it fresh.
  3. Watch the tempo. Start slow, build energy mid-playlist, then wind down.
  4. Add instrumentals. Jazz or lofi tracks between vocal songs make it easier to focus.

Brewing while you listen? Our guide to using a French press takes about four minutes of steeping, which is almost exactly one song.

Songs About Coffee: FAQ

What is the most famous song about coffee?

“Black Coffee” is probably the most recorded, with versions by Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald and many more. “Java Jive” by the Ink Spots is also hugely recognizable, especially through the Manhattan Transfer’s cover.

What is a good coffee song for a morning playlist?

Upbeat choices like “Java Jive,” “Let’s Have Another Cup of Coffee” or Sylvan Esso’s “Coffee” work well early in the day. Save slower ballads such as “Cigarettes and Coffee” for evenings.

Which TikTok song is about coffee?

“Death Bed (Coffee for Your Head)” by Powfu, which samples beabadoobee’s 2017 song “Coffee,” spread widely on TikTok in early 2020.

Are there classical pieces about coffee?

Yes. Bach’s “Coffee Cantata,” written in the 1730s, is a comic mini-opera about a young woman who refuses to give up coffee. It’s a fun listen for anyone who loves both music and a strong cup.

Press Play, Pour a Cup

Songs about coffee cover every mood, from swing-era fun to late-night soul and modern bedroom pop. Build your playlist, then match it with beans that suit the vibe: the bold 6 Bean Blend for loud afternoons, a cozy flavored coffee for slow evenings, or our Half Caf when the music runs late. Every Feel Espresso coffee is roasted 1–5 days before delivery, so your playlist and your cup both stay fresh.

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