The 302-Track Playlist That Puts You in the Mind of Anthony Bourdain

Following his passing in 2018, Anthony Bourdain left the world gifts spanning from food recommendations to profound life advice. The man was a walking, talking, eating, and drinking symbol of cultural wisdom and good-eats. That being so, one gift he also left the world that is a little more unknown is his 302-track Spotify playlist.

Both expansive and diverse, the playlist proves Bourdain’s musical taste was as nuanced as his palate. The playlist features everything from Patti Smith to The Clash and a lot of Iggy Pop. Needless to say, the playlist puts one in the mind of Bourdain while either driving down a Vietnam road or wiping his face of barbecue sauce in Kansas City. In all, the playlist surely adds another layer to the already complex cultural icon.

‘Roadrunner’ and The Soundtrack of Bourdain’s Life

The compiled playlist is thanks to director Morgan Neville and the 2021 documentary, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain. In hopes of creating the best possible documentary, Neville and several other of his creative peers wanted to know what went through Bourdain’s ears on his grand adventures. Consequently, the documentary team went through his record collection, notes, and other documents to compile the gargantuan playlist we fans have today.

Neville noted that by understanding Bourdain’s music, he better understood the man himself. Neville said, “I understood by the type of music he liked, the type of books he liked and the type of movies he liked, how he saw the world to some extent and that helped inform how I could tell his story,” per CNN. To some, Neville’s compiling of Bourdain’s playlist just might be better than any food review Bourdain gave. As it gives a complex and clear insight into the enigma of a man Bourdain was.

What Music Meant to Anthony Bourdain

Known for indulging himself in every facet of culture, Bourdain’s music was seemingly imperative to helping him form his unique perspective. He wrote in his book Kitchen Confidential, “We’re forming … like … a rock and roll band, man, an all-star group of culinary superstars” in attempts of “a faithful re-creation of the kitchens we’d grown up in: insular, chaotic, drenched in drugs and alcohol, and accompanied constantly by loud rock and roll music.”

So even if you aren’t a fan of Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, The Stooges, or any other of the numerous bands on his playlist. Still, you must relish and acknowledge how music and food to Bourdain went together like shoes and socks—It was an essential pair.

Farout Featured Image on Spotify Playlist