Famous Songs BPM List: Tempo of 100 Iconic Tracks

Famous songs range from ballads below 70 BPM to tracks above 170 BPM. This list sorts 40 recordings by approximate beats per minute for practice, workouts, DJ sets, and production.

BPM measures the underlying pulse, not every note or drum hit. See how beats per minute measure musical speed for the essential background.

Figures refer to studio recordings, not live versions, covers, or remixes. Values are rounded because detection methods can disagree slightly. Tempo-changing tracks cannot be represented perfectly by one number.

Approx. BPM	Song	Artist	General tempo feel
46	Nothing Else Matters	Metallica	Very slow
54	Like a Stone	Audioslave	Very slow
63	Perfect	Ed Sheeran	Slow
66	Something	The Beatles	Slow
72	Bohemian Rhapsody	Queen	Slow; tempo varies
75	Hotel California	Eagles	Slow
78	November Rain	Guns N’ Roses	Slow
79	In Bloom	Nirvana	Slow pulse
80	Don’t Stop Me Now	Queen	Half-time reading
81	We Will Rock You	Queen	Slow, heavy pulse
82	Boulevard of Broken Dreams	Green Day	Slow to moderate
83	Come Together	The Beatles	Relaxed groove
84	Zombie	The Cranberries	Steady rock
86	Yellow	Coldplay	Moderate
86	Runaway	Kanye West	Moderate
87	Wonderwall	Oasis	Moderate
92	Back in Black	AC/DC	Mid-tempo rock
92	Can’t Stop	Red Hot Chili Peppers	Funk-rock groove
92	Creep	Radiohead	Mid-tempo
96	Californication	Red Hot Chili Peppers	Mid-tempo
102	Riptide	Vance Joy	Moderate
102	Let Down	Radiohead	Moderate
108	Country Girl (Shake It for Me)	Luke Bryan	Upbeat
112	Toxicity	System of a Down	Energetic
116	Billie Jean	Michael Jackson	Danceable mid-tempo
116	Fade to Black	Metallica	Tempo varies
116	Uptown Funk	Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars	Funk-pop groove
117	Come as You Are	Nirvana	Driving mid-tempo
117	Smells Like Teen Spirit	Nirvana	Energetic rock
120	It’s My Life	Bon Jovi	Upbeat rock
123	Enter Sandman	Metallica	Driving rock
123	Sweet Child o’ Mine	Guns N’ Roses	Upbeat rock
136	Thunderstruck	AC/DC	Fast rock
140	Seek & Destroy	Metallica	Fast
156	Everlong	Foo Fighters	Very fast
160	Rosanna	Toto	Fast shuffle feel
161	The Trooper	Iron Maiden	Very fast
166	The Reason	Hoobastank	Double-time reading
172	Blinding Lights	The Weeknd	Fast synth-pop
220	Master of Puppets	Metallica	Extremely fast

A database might label “Blinding Lights” near 172 BPM while a listener taps 86 BPM. Both can follow the same recording: 172 tracks the quicker subdivision, while 86 follows a half-time pulse.

Famous Slow Songs From 60 to 89 BPM

Songs from 60 to 89 BPM provide a spacious pulse for ballads, relaxed grooves, and deliberate practice. One beat at 60 BPM lasts one second; at 80 BPM it lasts 0.75 seconds.

“Perfect” at 63 BPM and “Something” at 66 BPM work well for hearing each beat and practising slow chord changes.

“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Hotel California,” “November Rain,” and “In Bloom” occupy the 70s here. Changing sections or busy subdivisions can still make a low-BPM track feel active.

“We Will Rock You,” “Come Together,” “Zombie,” and “Wonderwall” sound distinct despite their narrow range. Compare more songs with a pulse around 80 BPM.

Famous Mid-Tempo Songs From 90 to 119 BPM

The 90–119 BPM range covers steady rock, pop, funk, and country, from “Creep” to “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

“Back in Black,” “Can’t Stop,” and “Creep” are near 92 BPM but have different rhythmic characters. “Californication” is near 96, while “Riptide” and “Let Down” are near 102. Use this 100 BPM song reference for more tracks near that midpoint.

“Toxicity” is about 112 BPM; “Billie Jean” and “Uptown Funk” 116; and “Come as You Are” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” 117. Syncopation, accents, instrumentation, and dynamics explain why near-equal tempos feel different.

Famous Fast Songs From 120 to 149 BPM

Songs from 120 to 149 BPM often feel energetic without reaching extreme speed, though typical tempo ranges differ across genres.

“It’s My Life” is near 120 BPM, while “Enter Sandman” and “Sweet Child o’ Mine” are near 123. Since 120 BPM equals two beats per second, it is easy to count. Find more in this 120 BPM song collection.

“Thunderstruck” sits near 136 BPM and “Seek & Destroy” near 140. Fast subdivisions become demanding even when the main beat is clear.

Famous Very Fast Songs at 150 BPM and Above

Tracks at 150 BPM or higher suit rapid rock, metal, intense running, and double-time dance grooves.

“Everlong” at 156 BPM, “Rosanna” at 160, “The Trooper” at 161, and “The Reason” at 166 occupy this band. “Rosanna” shows how a shuffle can add complexity beyond BPM.

“Blinding Lights” is around 172 BPM, although 86 is a practical half-time count. “Master of Puppets” may appear near 220, but tempo variation can produce lower averages. For exercise, pair these figures with guidance on matching music tempo to workout intensity.

How Can You Use a Song BPM List?

A song BPM list helps compare speed, select practice material, organize playlists, and locate compatible tracks.

Choose a song near your comfortable speed, set a metronome to its BPM, and practise without the recording. Producers can compare groove density or arrangement energy between similarly paced references.

Select tracks that roughly match your intended cadence. Personal stride, exercise type, fitness, and safety matter more than exact synchronization.

BPM narrows the search for transitions, but beatmatching also requires compatible phrasing and beat grids. An 86 BPM track can mix with one at 172 when treated as double time. See how BPM supports DJ transitions.

Why Can the Same Song Have Two BPM Values?

One song can receive two BPM values because listeners or software follow different pulse levels. At 85 and 170 BPM, one reading counts twice as many pulses.

Half-time and double-time readings

Tap 43 beats in 30 seconds and you get 86 BPM. An analysis following twice as many subdivisions reports 172 BPM. Only the counting level changes.

Versions, rounding, and tempo changes

Live performances may drift or run faster. Remixes and covers can use new tempos, while recordings made without a click may fluctuate. Match the artist and version before comparing results.

How Can You Check a Song’s BPM Yourself?

Estimate BPM by tapping the main pulse or counting beats during a timed interval.

Count and calculate

Count for 15 seconds and multiply by four: 29 beats gives 116 BPM. For fluctuating music, count a full minute and repeat in another section.

Test half and double the result

If the result feels implausibly slow or fast, multiply or divide by two. Follow the manual and tap-tempo checking process to confirm the useful pulse.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common BPM for popular songs?

There is no permanent single most common BPM because popular styles change. Many pop and dance tracks sit between 100 and 130 BPM, while other genres fall outside that range.

Which famous songs are exactly 120 BPM?

“It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi is commonly listed around 120 BPM. Published values may be rounded, and alternate versions may differ.

Why is a song listed at both 85 and 170 BPM?

They are half-time and double-time views of the same pulse. Both align with the recording but emphasize different rhythmic levels.

Does a remix have the same BPM as the original song?

Not necessarily. A remixer may preserve, adjust, or completely change the original tempo.

Can one song change BPM while it is playing?

Yes. A song may accelerate, slow down, shift between sections, or fluctuate without a click track. A database may show an average or dominant tempo.

How accurate are online song BPM databases?

Databases are useful starting points, but results depend on the recording, algorithm, rounding, and pulse level. Verify critical values by tapping and confirming the version.