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Kelly Murphy

Fri 16 May 2025 17:31, UK

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The quality of music is one of the most subjective things in the world, not just because everybody consumes art in their own way, but because the human brain is one of the most complex things in existence. While some may struggle to appreciate the appeal of a formulaic pop song, for instance, others might feel the same about classical music. However, the ‘feel good’ factor that occurs when listening to music we like is ascribed to a well-known chemical our brains release called dopamine.

When experiencing a surge in the chemical, dopamine enhances the sense of pleasure and reward in the brain, which, in more understandable terms, means that we feel happy or satisfied when listening to joyful or emotional songs, and it usually reaches its peak during climactic moments like catchy choruses or segments with intensified anticipation.

In 2015, according to scientific criteria, Dr Jacob Jolij sought to identify the happiest, most dopamine-inducing songs of all time. Despite noting the importance of subjectivity and personal experience, his findings revealed some of the ‘happiest’ or most joyful songs of all time based on a subseries of formulaic characteristics, some more obvious than others.

For instance, of the songs submitted by various subjects, Jolij concluded that the most uplifting and enjoyable songs were the ones with a rhythmic beat ranging from 100 to 150 beats per minute. He also noticed, perhaps less surprisingly, that these songs mainly adhered to major keys rather than minor keys—but these patterns, however obvious, allowed him to curate a list of the happiest songs of all time.

While many of the tracks he revealed, like the ABBA effort ‘Dancing Queen’ and The Beach Boys’ ‘Good Vibrations’, are the ultimate choices anybody might have picked for those moments when a much-needed pick-me-up beckons, others might appear further down on lists of guesses when faced with the question. For instance, seeing Survivor’s ‘Eye of the Tiger’ on there might not be as expected as, say, Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, but the moment you listen to the track, it’s easy to understand its place among the rest.

In many ways, ‘Eye of the Tiger’ is one of the most formulaic rock songs ever written, and you don’t even have to be aware of the usual parameters of musical formula to know it. Everything about the song, from its tempo, structure, lyrical content, rhythm, and themes, invites you in, feeling energetic enough to captivate attention but not too fast that it loses its momentum or feels overwhelming.

At around 109 beats per minute, the track also hits the sweet spot of being motivational and upbeat. The catchiness of both the verse and chorus taps into the repetitive rhythmic structure our brains often crave, resulting in a feeling of satisfaction and reward, also known as the typical release of dopamine. Of course, the simplicity of the lyrics and melody also helps, making it immensely memorable and likely to linger for a while after the song ends.

That’s the beauty of it, really. ‘Eye of the Tiger’ doesn’t pretend to be clever. There’s no deep metaphor hiding in the chorus, no poetic flourish to decode. It says exactly what it means, and it does so with enough swagger to make even the most cynical listener clench their fists a little. It’s the musical equivalent of doing push-ups in your living room because you watched five minutes of Rocky III.

It also helps that the song feels like motion. There’s a relentlessness to that riff – tight, repetitive, never letting up – that mirrors the very idea of pushing through. It’s not just upbeat; it’s insistent. The dopamine hit doesn’t come from surprise or innovation. It comes from knowing exactly what’s coming, and wanting it anyway.

‘Eye of the Tiger’ might seem like a wild card when looking at the other songs on Jolij’s list, especially considering it utilises more minor keys than the others. However, the many aspects of its appeal show it is more than worthy of occupying one of the top spots on the list of happiest songs of all time, even if it’s less likely to show up on a wedding playlist than a known floor-filler like ‘Dancing Queen’.

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