TEXAS — Every trucker has their way of passing the time on the road, but a recent study by the Trujillo Gonzalez Law Firm shows that certain music can actually put drivers at risk.
“Music affects your autonomic nervous system, the part of your brain that controls heart rate and stress responses,” the firm said. “Fast, loud tracks push it into a higher gear, and drivers start behaving more aggressively without noticing. There’s also something called rhythmic entrainment, where your behavior subconsciously syncs to the beat you’re hearing. If a song is running at 130 BPM, your driving speed will quietly go up to match it. The best range for safe driving is between 60 and 100 BPM, fast enough to stay alert, and slow enough to avoid overstimulation. Go too far below that, into very slow or ambient music, and the opposite problem appears: drowsiness, faded focus and slower reaction times.”
From CB radios to modern day avenues like streaming music services, truckers always find a way to stay connected. Is your favorite tune on the list?
The research analyzed 30 Spotify road-trip and driving playlists. From that, the 50 most commonly featured tracks were selected. Each song was then measured for its tempo in beats per minute (BPM). Research shows that music at 120 BPM or above is associated with faster driving speeds, reduced attention and a greater likelihood of errors behind the wheel. Songs were then ranked by BPM, with the fastest-tempo tracks earning the highest positions.
The Top Five Songs Linked to Speeding and Reduced Focus while Driving
1. “Shape of You”, Ed Sheeran
BPM: 192
Spotify road-trip playlists appeared in: 24
Total streams: 5.06 billion
Danceability score: 0.81
“Shape of You” is the highest-tempo song commonly found on driving playlists. At 192 BPM, it plays faster than almost any other mainstream track, about the same pace as a fast drum-and-bass record. That puts it well above the 120 BPM mark that researchers associate with overstimulation at the wheel. The song appeared on 24 of 30 Spotify road-trip playlists and has been streamed over 5 billion times, meaning it’s part of everyday driving for millions of people.
2. “Wonderwall”, Oasis
“Wonderwall” comes in second at 173 BPM, making it one of the fastest-tempo rock songs on any popular driving playlist. The track features in 24 road-trip playlists and has nearly 3 billion streams, which indicates that it’s one of the most popular picks for families and friends on a road trip. However, at this tempo, the song sits in the zone that researchers connect with elevated heart rate and reduced focus.
3. “STAY”, The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber
“STAY” ranks third with a tempo of 169 BPM. It appears on 20 driving playlists and has collected over 4 billion Spotify streams. Released in 2021, the track is newer than most songs in the top 10, which means it’s drawing a younger generation of drivers into a habit of listening to fast, high-energy music on the road. The song also scores 75% for how much it makes you want to get up and dance, which can mess with the driver’s attention.
4. “Rebel Yell”, Billy Idol
Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell” ranks fourth on the list of road-trip tracks most likely to affect how someone drives. The 1983 rock anthem features on 21 Spotify driving playlists and has around 654 million streams. It’s a track built around speed and energy, and at 166 BPM, its rhythm is moving faster than a resting heart rate. Studies link tempos like this to heavier acceleration and weaker distance judgment on the road.
5. “One Way Or Another”, Blondie
Blondie’s “One Way Or Another” rounds out the top five at 162 BPM. The track appears on 21 road-trip playlists and has about 606 million streams. With a “danceability” score of 80%, it’s highly rhythmic and physically engaging, two qualities that serve it well as a party song but less well as background music for driving. Like the others in this tier, the song’s tempo is far above the 120 BPM line, so researchers would flag it as a real distraction risk.
Taking spots six through ten include:
- Happy, Pharrell Williams.
- Hey Ya!, Outkast.
- Don’t Stop Me Now, Queen.
- Mr. Brightside, The Killers.
- Locked out of Heaven, Bruno Mars.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
