According to The Independent, the Beach Boys classic “Good Vibrations” ranks as the most uplifting song in a study led by music psychologist Michael Bonshor.
The 1966 track is highlighted as the piece that combines the greatest number of musical features the researcher associates with a positive emotional response in listeners.
Only when looking more closely at Michael Bonshor’s method does it become clearer why this song outranks other well-known mood boosters.
The elements behind an uplifting sound
Michael Bonshor studies how musical structures influence well-being.
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He notes that a specific tempo, the use of major keys, and variation in harmony often create a sense of forward motion.
According to The Independent, he places particular emphasis on the use of seventh chords as a way to generate shifts between tension and release, which in many cases leads listeners to experience the music as energetic.
At the same time, he stresses that short introductions and a clear rhythmic pulse make it easier for listeners to engage quickly.
In the reporting, this is described as a combination of predictability and variation that makes the melody both accessible and memorable.
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What the research is based on
The analysis forms part of a collaboration between Michael Bonshor and Müllerlight, which also asked 2,000 adults to describe their listening habits.
The survey shows that a significant share actively uses music to regulate mood, and that listeners often return to a small set of familiar tracks when they want to feel happier. Responses were collected via OnePoll.
The numbers do not serve as an explanation in themselves but point to some general trends.
Many associate their most uplifting music with positive memories, and several mention that the opening seconds of a song are crucial.
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The overall dataset is used to identify patterns rather than to pinpoint a single definitive cause.
Michael Bonshor therefore combined the musical analysis with the listener survey to determine the characteristics that recur in the melodies most often described as encouraging.
A broader perspective
The Independent notes that Michael Bonshor’s formula does not apply only to “Good Vibrations.”
Several songs, including James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and P!nk’s “Get the Party Started,” share many of the same musical traits.
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But it is not solely a matter of mathematics; it is also about how culture, memory, and sound ideals interact.
In statements quoted by the newspaper, Toby Bevans, a representative of Müller Yogurt & Desserts, emphasizes that the aim of the project was to understand why certain melodies act as mood enhancers.
In that context, Michael Bonshor’s model becomes a way of identifying common denominators rather than providing a definitive list.
The conclusion therefore does not present a single universal formula but highlights the interplay between rhythm, harmony, and familiarity.
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Sources: The Independent.