Revealed: The winning formula of a feel-good chart-topping song

• Mecca Bingo has uncovered the characteristics of feel-good summer songs, in addition to speaking with Professor Edward Venn from the University of Leeds School of Music to uncover further insights
• Search trends for ‘Feel good songs 2023’ has seen a +1,300% increase in the past 12 months*
• Latin Pop (18%) and Pop Rock (18%) are the top genres, D Major (18%) and B Minor (18%) are the most common keys, whilst the average tempo is 122BPM and average length is 3 minutes and 19 seconds for feel-good songs

With artists releasing feel-good songs for the final summer celebrations, Mecca Bingo has analysed UK Chart Data from the past 5 years, to uncover the winning formula of these chart-topping songs and their upbeat nature, including factors such as the genre, number of words in the song title, key, BPM, average length and more.

Mecca Bingo’s data analysis revealed:

Top music genres for feel-good number one songs are:

• Latin Pop (18%)
• Pop Rock (18%)
• Pop (14%)
• Reggaeton (14%)
• House (14%)

The data also uncovered that the average tempo of number one feel-good song is 122BPM and the average length is 3 minutes and 19 seconds.

Professor Edward Venn explained how the “Findings of the average tempo being 122 bpm reflects a recent trend in popular music to move away from a slower average speed towards something a bit faster. In the context of feel-good #1 records in particular – which tend to celebrate the good things in life – it also reflects a preference for genres such as Latin Pop and Pop Rock, both of which tend towards more up-beat tempos than, say, southern hip-hop or trap. This is also reflected in the average length of the tracks, which, in common with much recent popular music, clocks in at an average of 3 minutes and 19 seconds.

The faster bpm of these genres, and associated feel-good factors are reasons behind why these may be chart-topping. Latin Pop in particular benefits a host of features that conjures up mental and visual imagery of good times in hot, sun-kissed locations. These features include characteristic rhythms, instrumental sounds, imagery (think of the various videos presenting beaches, yachts….), and ideas.”

The most common keys used:

• D Maj (18%)
• B Min (18%)
• C Min (14%)
• A Min (14%)
• G Maj (9%)
• F Maj (9%)

Professor Edward Venn added that “Over half of the songs analysed employ the most common keys found in popular music. Reasons that songs are in particular keys depend on a host of factors including where the melody sits in the singer’s vocal range and the way particular instruments resonate in any given key. Perhaps most important here, is the way in which the choice of key and the general pitch of the melodic line encourages singing along.”

To conclude, Professor Edward Venn states “What makes a feel-good number one record? It’s a simple question, however there’s no simple answer: if people knew the magic ingredients, everyone would be writing #1 hits, and we could all go and retire.

Given that context plays such a big role in how audiences encounter, and respond to, the music they hear, it is likely that future feel-good #1s will continue to defy expectations. Feel-good songs relate in their different ways to events and popular TV shows happening at the time, as these songs capture the public imagination in varied ways.

Still, there are certain notable characteristics that can be found in many of the songs that suggest context might not be everything: there are certain key ingredients that can often be found in these hits.

However, although it’s possible to identify some of the key ingredients of a feel-good hit, the alchemy that transforms these ingredients into an ear worm remains a mystery.”

For more information and expert commentary about feel-good songs, please visit the Mecca Bingo blog here: https://blog.meccabingo.com/create-a-chart-topping-feel-good-summer-song/