A new analysis from the Trujillo Gonzalez Law Firm looked at some of the most common songs found on Spotify driving playlists to identify tracks with tempos that could potentially affect focus behind the wheel.
The firm reviewed 30 Spotify road-trip and driving playlists, selected the 50 songs that appeared most frequently and compared their tempos in beats per minute. Faster tracks ranked higher based on research that has explored connections between high-tempo music and changes in attention and driving behavior.
For truck drivers who may spend hours listening to music behind the wheel, the results offer an interesting look at how the soundtrack inside the cab can interact with the demands of the road.
Five Songs Topped the Ranking
Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” took the top spot in the Trujillo Gonzalez Law Firm analysis at 192 beats per minute. The song appeared on 24 of the 30 playlists reviewed and had accumulated more than 5 billion Spotify streams.
Oasis followed with “Wonderwall” at 173 BPM, while “STAY” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber ranked third at 169 BPM.
The five highest-ranked songs were:
- “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran: 192 BPM
- “Wonderwall” by Oasis: 173 BPM
- “STAY” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber: 169 BPM
- “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol: 166 BPM
- “One Way Or Another” by Blondie: 162 BPM
The remainder of the top 10 included “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, “Hey Ya!” by Outkast, “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers and “Locked out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars.
The ranking used tempo as its primary measure, so appearing near the top does not mean a song has been proven to cause unsafe driving. Instead, the analysis draws on previous research examining whether faster music can influence behavior behind the wheel.
Research on Music and Driving Is More Complicated
Studies have found connections between music and changes in driving performance, but the results do not support a simple rule that a certain BPM automatically makes someone drive faster or lose focus.
Research has shown that the effect can change with the driving environment, volume, tempo and complexity of the task. Music may help with alertness in some situations while creating additional mental demand in others, particularly when conditions already require more concentration.
That distinction is important when looking at the Trujillo Gonzalez Law Firm ranking. BPM provides a straightforward way to compare songs, but it is only one factor that can affect how music influences someone behind the wheel.
Long Hours Behind the Wheel Add Another Consideration
The relationship between music and driving can also change as time behind the wheel adds up.
Research examining music during long-distance driving found differences between slow, medium and fast tempos. Medium-tempo music produced the best balance between fatigue and attention, while fast music helped reduce fatigue but was associated with poorer attention after extended driving. Very slow music presented a different problem by contributing to fatigue over time.
That makes the issue especially relevant to professional drivers. A playlist that works well during an open stretch of interstate may feel very different when traffic becomes heavier, weather changes or the route moves through construction or an unfamiliar area.
Volume can add to the effect. Research reviews have found associations between louder music and changes in driving speed, providing another reason not to focus exclusively on the BPM of an individual song.
What This Means for a Truck Driver’s Playlist
The Trujillo Gonzalez Law Firm analysis does not mean drivers need to remove “Shape of You,” “Wonderwall” or any of the other songs from their playlists.
The more practical takeaway is to pay attention to how the cab environment fits the road at that moment. High-energy music at a comfortable volume may not present the same distraction on an open highway as it could while navigating heavy traffic, poor weather or a complicated delivery location.
When the workload outside the windshield increases, lowering the volume, switching what is playing or turning the music off altogether can remove one source of competing stimulation.
Truck drivers spend enough time behind the wheel that music will naturally remain part of the job for many of them. The Trujillo Gonzalez Law Firm ranking offers a different way to look at familiar driving playlists, while the broader research suggests that tempo is only one piece of a much more complicated relationship between music, alertness and attention on the road.
The TDUSA editorial team creates practical, driver focused content covering trucking news, industry updates, safety, regulations, and career information for professional truck drivers across the United States. Each article is built to reflect real world experience, industry developments, and information drivers can use on and off the road.
Last Updated: September 11, 2026
Source: The Trucker
