The most distracting songs to work with

Different styles of music can help us at work, but listening to certain songs can interfere with work. A recent study uncovered the most distracting songs to listen to at work.

Led by Business Name Generator, the company searched and put the most popular songs on work-related playlists on Spotify to the test. Study participants were asked to complete a written task and rate it based on words per minute, accuracy, and completion time.

Here were the results:

10. “Feel It Still” from Portugal. The man

The 2017 hit had 79 beats per minute with an overall distraction rating of 5.8. The song also has over 1 billion streams on Spotify.

9. “The Way It Was” by Harry Styles

“As It Was” was the lead single from Styles’ 2022 album, Harry’s house. The pop song had 174 beats per minute and an overall distraction rating of 5.3.

8. “I Like Me Better” by Lauv

The 2019 hit had 92 beats per minute and a total distraction score of 5.2.

7. Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves.”

“Heat Waves” was Glass Animals’ first No. 1 hit billboard Hot 100, holding the spot for five weeks. The song has 81 beats per minute and an overall distraction rating of 4.9.

6. “Take You Dancing” by Jason Derulo

Jason Derulo’s “Take You Dancing” has 113 beats per minute and an overall distraction rating of 4.9.

5. “Floating” by Dua Lipa

The single from Dua Lipa’s second album entitled nostalgia of the future has 103 beats per minute and an overall distraction rating of 4.1.

4. “The Business” by Tiësto

The 2020 hit has 120 beats per minute and an overall distraction rating of 4.0.

3. “Someone You Love” by Lewis Capaldi

The 2019 hit has 110 beats per minute and a total distraction score of 3.9.

2. “Riptide” by Vance Joy

The 2014 hit has 102 beats per minute and a total distraction score of 3.7.

1. Hailee Steinfeld’s “Let Me Go” (featuring Alesso, Florida Georgia Line and Watt)

“Let Me Go” is recognized as the most distracting song to work and study. It has 103 beats per minute and a total deflection value of 1.6.

The song proved the most difficult to complete the work-related task, with accuracy being the lowest in the ranking at 84 percent.

The study observed that participants who did not listen to music took 20 seconds longer to complete the written task. Her average pace was 53 words per minute.

However, Maroon 5’s “Memories” improved productivity the most, as participants completed a work-related task in under three minutes and 50 seconds with a high accuracy of 96 percent.

“When we hear music, it creates an intentional representation in our mind that then gives us a feeling. The type of music you listen to will dictate how you feel and whether or not it’s distracting,” says Rebecca Lockwood, neuro-linguistic programming specialist and founder of the Yes I Can Method Academy news week.

When someone listens to music that makes them feel good, it has a positive effect on their mental health because it creates an inner perception that makes them feel good. Listening to music someone likes can help when they’re feeling anxious or depressed, Lockwood added.

“The reason for this is that it can change the way you feel based on the perceptions you create in your head from the sounds. When the music we listen to is upbeat and upbeat, it can inspire you to be more productive in both work and study.”