Researchers have spent years investigating why certain songs can make listeners feel “chills,” evoking sensations such as tingling, shivers, or goosebumps. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain this phenomenon.
Many scientists suggest that while listening to music, our minds often “race ahead” to anticipate upcoming melodies. However, when our predictions are not entirely accurate, we tend to feel chills due to the element of surprise.
Researchers have compiled a list of songs that may give you chills.
For instance, this phenomenon occurs when the melody of a song suddenly changes or when the sound of a particular instrument is abruptly “inserted” into the track. Other scientists believe that the feeling of “chills” when listening to music stems from the connection between emotions and empathy towards the song’s melody.
A recent study conducted by Rémi de Fleurian, a PhD candidate at Queen Mary University of London, indicates that songs that evoke chills are typically sad. Notably, the research team at Queen Mary has compiled a list of over 700 songs that are believed to trigger this sensation.
The research team then compared each song in this list with similar tracks on Spotify, analyzing various characteristics such as the mood of each song.
Ultimately, based on the data collected, the researchers identified the characteristics of songs that can elicit chills in listeners. These songs tend to be “melancholic, with a slow tempo, less intensity, and more instrumental sounds compared to regular songs.” They are described as having a “subtlety” that provides a sense of “relaxation and tranquility” for the listener.
Currently, the list of 715 songs titled “Songs to Give You Chills”, based on the collection by researcher Rémi de Fleurian, has been compiled and published on Spotify by Quartz. Listeners would need over a day to listen to the entire playlist. The list includes works such as “Purple Rain” by Prince, “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse, and several versions of “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen, among others.
According to researcher Rémi de Fleurian, in addition to the 715 songs mentioned, any other song could also evoke chills, especially if it has a “personal connection” with the listener.
