Queen's Don't Stop Me Now is the top feel-good song of the past 50 years... and a scientific formula has proved it
Cognitive neuroscientist studied pop songs from the last fifty years
He has created an equation to reveal what makes a song 'feel-good'
It reveals that a major third key, a high-tempo and holiday lyrics are key
Using this formula, the top feel-good song is Queen's Don't Stop Me Now
Despite being released 37 years ago, Queen's Don't Stop Me Now still has the ability to lift moods and fill the dance floor.
Now a neuroscientist has confirmed the impact it seems to have on listeners with an equation that shows it is the top feel-good song of the past 50 years.
The 1978 hit has just the right tempo, lyrics and is played in the musical key identified as producing a happy feeling.
While a person's favourite song is often a subjective choice, Dr Jacob Jolij, a cognitive neuroscientist the University of Groningen in Holland, found there were certain key components that mark out an upbeat song.
He said positive lyrics were important but a high tempo of 150 beats per minute also subconsciously makes people feel energised.
Putting the song into a third major key – the third note or chord in a musical scale – also produced a happy sounding song.
Dr Jolij said: 'A feel good song is very personal. Music is intimately linked with memory and emotion, and these associations strongly determine whether a song will put you in a good mood or not.
'However, there are some key criteria for composers to consider when creating feel good songs - namely lyrical theme, musical key, and tempo.
'Holiday-themed lyrics naturally remind us of happy times, while a major third musical key sounds happy to our ears and something we associate with confidence.
'A high tempo of 150 beats per minute also subconsciously triggers a sense of energy.
'Combine these three ingredients together and you have the formula for the perfect "feel-good" song.'
He has now developed a formula that assesses how 'feel good' a song can be, allowing him to produce a top ten of the most feel good songs from the past fifty years.
These include Dancing Queen by Abba, Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys and Uptown Girl by Billie Joel.
Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer also made the list.
Surprisingly there were few recent pop songs in the top ten, but Dr Jolij also produced a list of the most uplifting songs for each decade since the 1960s.
Happy by Pharrell Williams came out top of the list of songs for the past six years while Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader was the best feel good tune between 2000 and 2009.
Robbie Williams' Let Me Entertain You came top during the 90s.
Dr Jolij concocted the formula in a project with technology brand Alba, whose products are sold by Argos.
A survey by Alba found three quarters of people in Britain use music to lift their mood and 54 per cent use it to motivate themselves.
Alastair Chalmers, Head of Alba at Argos, added: 'Alba has a long history of helping people tap into music, so we wanted to find out what makes it so infectious.
The power of music should not be underestimated. Chart hits like Pharrell Williams' Happy and Toploader's Dancing In The Moonlight help to boost our moods, while pop classics like Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer rekindle fond memories and unite generations.
'Survivor's famous Eye of the Tiger anthem is a failsafe way to provide some much-needed motivation.'
Top ten feel good songs
1. Don't Stop Me Now (Queen)
2. Dancing Queen (Abba)
3. Good Vibrations (The Beach Boys)
4. Uptown Girl (Billie Joel)
5. Eye of the Tiger (Survivor)
6. I'm a Believer (The Monkeys)
7. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper)
8. Livin' on a Prayer (Jon Bon Jovi)
9. I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
10. Walking on Sunshine (Katrina & The Waves)
Top feel good songs from each decade
10s Happy (Pharrell Williams)
00s Dancing in the Moonlight (Toploader)
90s Let Me Entertain You (Robbie Williams)
80s Uptown Girl (Billy Joel)
70s Don't Stop Me Now (Queen)
60s Good Vibrations (The Beach Boys)
