Ed Sheeran’s hit single “Shape of You” has been named the most dangerous song to have on a Spotify driving playlist, as new research suggests its fast tempo could pose a distraction risk to motorists.
A study released in September 2026 by Trujillo Gonzalez Law Firm analysed 30 Spotify road trip and driving playlists to examine listening habits behind the wheel. Researchers selected the 50 most commonly featured tracks from those playlists and measured each song’s tempo in Beats Per Minute (BPM). The tracks were then ranked by BPM, with those having the fastest tempos placed highest.
Research shows that music at 120 BPM or above is associated with faster driving speeds, reduced attention, and a greater likelihood of errors behind the wheel.
Top 10 most dangerous driving songs
| Rank | Song | Artist(s) | Spotify Road Trip Playlists | BPM (Beats Per Minute) | Danceability |
| 1 | Shape of You | Ed Sheeran | 24 | 192 | 81% |
| 2 | Wonderwall | Oasis | 24 | 173 | 63% |
| 3 | STAY | The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber | 20 | 169 | 74% |
| 4 | Rebel Yell | Billy Idol | 21 | 166 | 68% |
| 5 | One Way Or Another | Blondie | 21 | 162 | 80% |
| 6 | Happy | Pharrell Williams | 21 | 160 | 95% |
| 7 | Hey Ya! | Outkast | 24 | 159 | 91% |
| 8 | Don’t Stop Me Now | Queen | 21 | 156 | 74% |
| 9 | Mr. Brightside | The Killers | 21 | 148 | 49% |
| 10 | Locked out of Heaven | Bruno Mars | 21 | 144 | 92% |
“Shape of You”, Ed Sheeran
BPM: 192. Spotify road trip playlists appeared in: 24. Total streams: 5.06 billion. Danceability score: 81%. At 192 BPM, “Shape of You” is the highest tempo song commonly found on driving playlists, playing at about the same pace as a fast drum and bass record. This puts it well above the 120 BPM threshold experts associate with overstimulation at the wheel. With more than 5 billion streams, the track is part of everyday driving for millions of motorists.
“Wonderwall”, Oasis
BPM: 173. Spotify road trip playlists appeared in: 24. Total streams: nearly 3 billion. Danceability score: 63%. One of the fastest tempo rock songs on popular driving playlists, “Wonderwall” is a top pick for road trips. However, at 173 BPM, it falls within a range researchers associate with elevated heart rate, overstimulation, and reduced focus.
“STAY”, The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber
BPM: 169. Spotify road trip playlists appeared in: 20. Total streams: over 4 billion. Danceability score: 74% (75% dance desire). Released in 2021, this newer track is drawing a younger generation of drivers towards fast, high-energy music on the road. Its strong rhythm and movement can interfere with a driver’s attention.
“Rebel Yell”, Billy Idol
BPM: 166. Spotify road trip playlists appeared in: 21. Total streams: around 654 million. Danceability score: 68%. Built around speed and energy, the 1983 rock anthem features a rhythm moving faster than a resting heart rate. Studies link tempos at this level to heavier acceleration and weaker distance judgement on the road.
“One Way Or Another”, Blondie
BPM: 162. Spotify road trip playlists appeared in: 21. Total streams: about 606 million. Danceability score: 80%. Highly rhythmic and physically engaging, the track works well as a party song but less well as background music for driving, sitting well above the 120 BPM distraction risk threshold.
How music tempo impacts driver behaviour
A car accident attorney from Trujillo Gonzalez Law Firm commented on the findings: “Music affects your autonomic nervous system, the part of your brain that controls heart rate and stress responses. Fast, loud tracks push it into a higher gear, and drivers start behaving more aggressively without noticing. There’s also something called rhythmic entrainment, where your behaviour subconsciously syncs to the beat you’re hearing. If a song is running at 130 BPM, your driving speed will quietly go up to match it. The best range for safe driving is between 60 and 100 BPM, fast enough to stay alert, and slow enough to avoid overstimulation. Go too far below that, into very slow or ambient music, and the opposite problem appears: drowsiness, faded focus, and slower reaction times.”
The study links high-tempo songs on driving playlists with increased speeding risks and driver distraction behind the wheel.