‘Viva La Vida’ is the best song to wake up to, according to science (and Spotify)

[gai]

Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’ is the best song to wake up to, according to science (and Spotify)

 

 

It’s one of the few things that can get most of us out of bed in the morning – music.

 

But what is the best jam to get you out of your jammies?

 

Some go in for heavy metal to kick-start the day, while others prefer to ease into consciousness with some smooth jazz.

 

However it turns out the best song to wake up to Coldplay’s anthemic Viva La Vida.

 

That’s according to a study by Spotify, who have partnered up with music psychologist David M Greenberg to identify the best ‘wake up’ tunes.

 

Their list was determined through a set of criteria of musical ingredients a song must have to get you out of bed. Such as…

 

Music that builds: ‘A song that is too vigorous from the start won’t help you get out of bed – it’s too much too soon. Songs that start more gently (even just for a few seconds) and then build, help you wake up more gradually,’ the research determined.

 

Positivity: ‘Once alert, you need to become motivated for the day to come; positive lyrics can get you out of a grumpy state and shift towards a feel-good attitude.’

 

Strong beat: ‘It’s not just the lyrics, it’s also the sonic elements of the music. Songs that emphasise beats 2 and 4 of each measure – usually with the bass and drums – with a BPM of approximately 100-130 will get you moving and further the feel good mood.’

 

Coldplay’s hit apparently fulfills all these requirements, which is why you should be hitting play on it each morning to help you face the world.

 

Others in the 20 song ‘wake up’ playlist include Elevate by St Lucia, Money On My Mind by Sam Smith, and On Top Of The World by Imagine Dragons.

 

Here’s the full playlist.

 

You might notice that two songs on the list also have the words ‘wake’ and ‘up’ in their titles.

‘Waking up is hard. It’s a real struggle, sometimes even a battle, to shift from being tired and agitated to being alert and motivated,’ said Greenberg.

‘Science shows that music affects us in all types of ways, including emotionally, physiologically, and in the brain. The right music – like “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay with its positive energy and strong momentum – can help you wake up, get energized and tackle the rest of your day.’

 

 

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[anthamic]

Viva la Vida makes me want to go to sleep though :laugh3:

[MickCas]

Viva la vida is my favourite song ever..I don't want it to become my wake up song. It would be making it my most hated song (it happened) :laugh3:

[diego_camargo]

hmmm... I always thought Hurts Like Heaven and ETIAW are better for that purpose. :rolleyes:

[alisbe]

My favorite song. It does help me to start my activities :D

[I ran away]

Listening to VLV motivates me for things. Totally agree it's a great song to wake up to, but my current alarm is Things I Don't Understand.

 

 

Coldplay’s hit apparently fulfills all these requirements

 

All ? Perhaps many, but I guess there's another journalist who has never listened to the VLV lyrics closely enough...

[AMDB9]

All ? Perhaps many, but I guess there's another journalist who has never listened to the VLV lyrics closely enough...

 

Hahaha I know! I read the part about the song having "positive lyrics", and I was like clearly someone only listened to the tune, not the words.