30 happy songs for the ultimate feel-good bank holiday playlist
A scientific playlist has been created to boost your mood and release your inner happy dance and it's a perfect accompaniment to free time activities such as road trips
Ahead of the bank holiday weekend, music psychologist Dr Claire Renfrew has crafted a mood-lifting playlist perfect for a road trip. 'Day Tripper' by The Beatles, 'She's Electric' by Oasis, and 'Mamma Mia' by ABBA are among the tracks an expert 'guarantees' will lift your spirits. Other feel-good bangers include Shake It Off by Taylor Swift, Don't Stop Me Now by Queen, and Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys.
The 30-song long playlist, titled 'World's Happiest Car Playlist by FIAT', is available on Spotify and marks 70 years of the legendary 600 - a compact family SUV built for city and countryside driving - and marks the arrival of the new Grande Panda in the UK later this year.
Every tune follows a scientific formula. According to the formula, the key to a dopamine-triggering track is a blend of being in a major key, containing 7th chords, four bars in every beat, and a tempo of 137 BPM.
It must also boast a 'repetitive simple structure' and uplifting lyrics and for the ultimate dopamine hit, Dr Renfrew suggests the songs be "played loud with friends and/or family, while on the road".
Numbers like Happy, by Pharrell Williams and I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me), by Whitney Houston, also stick to these 'rules'.
Dr Renfrew said: "Most happy songs are in a major key, which sounds brighter and is linked to positive emotions. They often have a simple, uplifting, and crucially, familiar chord structure.
"This is pleasing to the ear because our brains find predictability rewarding while fast tempos increase excitement and can increase movement as they reflect an elevated heart rate, mimicking excitement or joy.
"And positive, uplifting themes in the lyrics - such as love, summer, dancing, freedom and friendship - can promote a sense of connection."
Other tunes on the playlist include Justin Timberlake's Can't Stop the Feeling!, Get the Party Started by P!nk, and Survivor's Eye of the Tiger. Dua Lipa's Levitating also made the list, along with One More Time by Daft Punk and Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson, featuring Bruno Mars.
Dr Renfrew added: "Music is essential to positive mental health and wellbeing and is seen as a fundamental element of being human. It enables us to obtain emotional regulation, a sense of freedom and discovery alongside purpose and fulfilment.
"Listening to our favourite songs also alleviates, manages, and reduces stress and can be an effective tool in relation to mindfulness. It can also trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward."
Giuseppe Cava, UK managing director of the Italian car maker, said: "We have always been about joyful journeys, especially those shared with family.
"And with the bank holiday ahead, the 'World's Happiest Car Playlist by FIAT' is our way of adding even more feel-good energy to the road. It has been designed to keep spirits high on long journeys.
"Road trips are at the heart of many family memories, so we wanted to create a soundtrack that helps make those shared moments even more enjoyable."
SONGS ON THE PLAYLIST:
- The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition
- The Beatles – Day Tripper
- Oasis – She’s Electric
- ABBA – Mamma Mia
- Thegiornalisti – Riccione
- Daft Punk – One More Time
- Paramore – Still Into You
- Pharrell Williams – Happy
- Alessandra Amoroso – Comunque andare
- Dua Lipa – Levitating
- Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
- Taylor Swift – Shake It Off
- Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
- Empire Of The Sun – Walking On A Dream
- Justin Timberlake – Can’t Stop The Feeling!
- Earth, Wind & Fire – September
- Ricchi e Poveri – Sarà perché ti amo
- Katy Perry – Firework
- Survivor – Eye of the Tiger
- Hall & Oates – You Make My Dreams
- BØRNS – Electric Love
- P!nk – Get The Party Started
- Whitney Houston – Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
- Maggie Rogers – Light On
- Raffaella Carrà – A far l'amore comincia tu
- One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful
- The Cranberries – Dreams
- BTS – Dynamite
- The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations
- Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now