What is the happiest song of all time according to science?
Music has the ability to lift our spirits and alter our emotional states to such an extent that it is increasingly being harnessed and endorsed as a therapeutic tool to alleviate the burdens of depression and anxiety. In truth, everybody knows that sticking on something like Hall & Oates‘ song ‘You Make My Dreams’ in a moment of weakness is likely to make you feel a little lighter and even a little happier.
Music is food for the soul, and in the same way that one meal can make you feel nutritionally enriched while others can be a simple kick of joy to your life, some tracks are built out of intellectual nourishment while others are like an ice cream sundae to the cerebellum.
Ultimately, a song with a good, uplifting rhythm, upbeat lyrics and formulaic, easy-on-the-ear chord progressions can make us feel significantly happier in the moment. Lyrical content may well play its part, but it is the rhythmic qualities of a song that are the biggest signifier, suggesting that the music speaks to a part of the brain developed before we truly used language to full effect. This begs the question: what is the happiest song of all time? Well, a music psychologist from the University of Sheffield has revealed just that.
According to Dr Michael Bonshor, the happiest-sounding songs are all in major keys. He found that the most uplifting songs contain a tempo of 137 beats per minute (bpm) and an ordinary verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure.
Do simple songs make us happier?
That might suggest that, simple creatures as we are, we prefer to have our music delivered in predictable and enjoyable patterns. That sonic structure is as important to our enjoyment of something as the TV guide is to us enjoying an evening in front of the telly. But, variety is the spice of life and one contributing factor is what takes an enjoyable song into the realm of making us feel happy.
The thing that makes people particularly resonate with a song, however, is an unpredictable element, like a key change: “Previous studies have found songs are perceived as happy if they are in a major key, with a sweet spot of approximately 137 beats per minute,” Dr Bonshor said. “We like ‘7th chords’ as they add interest – regular chords use three notes, whereas ‘seventh chords’ add an extra note which provides a sense of musical ‘tension’ and ‘relief’.”
He continued: “Alongside this, cheery songs usually have a strong 1-2-1-2 beat to them, so that you can dance along – and a short introduction means the song kicks off with a bang straight away, and there’s not a long build-up.”
Dr Bonshor also said that, understandably, songs that sound happier are bound to make us feel more uplifted: “We like high volume when it comes to how our happy songs are made, with notes played in a bright and bouncy way by instruments such as trumpets or electric guitars, instead of mellower instruments. Finally, a repetitive rhythm or guitar riff that people can latch onto and becomes memorable is the cherry on the cake.”
So, what is the happiest song of all time?
According to Dr Bonshor’s work, ‘Good Vibrations’ by The Beach Boys is the best example of his work and ultimately the happiest song of all time. The track, written by Brian Wilson and complemented by the best theremin in the game, is a joyous moment in the group’s discography. Typifying their sound, it is both experimental and deeply rooted in the foundations of pop, mirroring the perfect environment needed for a happy tune.
The song follows the exact formula unveiled by Dr Bonshor, ticking all boxes that constitute a happy song. It makes sense, considering the song was written entirely around the concept of positive visceral feelings, namely the vibes you can pick up from another person and how important they are.
Other songs that follow this pattern and are also some of the happiest songs of all time include ‘I Got You (I Feel Good)’ by James Brown, along with ‘House Of Fun’ by Madness; ‘Waterloo’ by Abba; ‘Uptown Girl’ by Billy Joel, and ‘Sun Is Shining’ by Bob Marley.
Interestingly, on the other side of the coin, the saddest song of all time, according to science, is the Nirvana hit ‘Something In The Way’. This makes complete sense, given that Kurt Cobain is exploring how his own feelings of isolation within the song and coupling it with a delicately paced and deeply intense musical arrangement.
This is followed closely by Pearl Jam’s 1991 anthem for unrequited love, ‘Black’, alongside Alice in Chains’ ‘Nutshell’ and Eric Clapton’s heartbreaking tribute to his son, ‘Tears In Heaven’.
