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10 songs that feel like Angel Dust

Matched to Angel Dust by Gil Scott-Heron on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.

Angel Dust
The song you love
Angel Dust
Gil Scott-Heron
intense 60/100 intensity 95 BPM
NY Is Killing Me — Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx moderate 95 BPM

A 97% feel-match — carries the same heavy pull and sits a little calmer at 52/100. Nearly the same tempo, too (95 BPM).

Swim Good — Frank Ocean intense 85 BPM

87% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (60/100). Same layered texture.

Jesus Alone — Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds intense 85 BPM

Keeps the same heavy pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (60/100). Measured 87% alike.

Ready to Die — The Notorious B.I.G. intense 92 BPM

Measures 87% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (61/100). Same layered texture.

Jesus Lord — Kanye West intense 85 BPM

A 87% feel-match — carries the same heavy pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (61/100).

Prayers for Rain — The Cure intense 95 BPM

87% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (60/100). Same layered texture.

Romeo Had Juliette — Lou Reed intense 92 BPM

Keeps the same heavy pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (60/100). Measured 87% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (92 BPM).

Needle in the Hay — Elliott Smith intense 85 BPM

Measures 92% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (60/100). Same layered texture.

The Heart Part 5 — Kendrick Lamar intense 95 BPM

A 86% feel-match — carries the same heavy pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (61/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (95 BPM).

I Know It's Over — The Smiths intense 72 BPM

86% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (60/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Angel Dust is more than you want right now.

Pieces of a Man by Gil Scott-Heron
Pieces of a Man — Gil Scott-Heron moderate 90 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but it measures markedly calmer overall. Intensity 50/100, down from 60. Nearly the same tempo, too.

My Eyes by Travis Scott
My Eyes — Travis Scott moderate 95 BPM

It eases off just enough to take the edge off, so it lands at 61/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Before We Drown by Depeche Mode
Before We Drown — Depeche Mode moderate 95 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while it eases off just enough to take the edge off. Reads 58/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

River — Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran moderate 95 BPM

Holds the same feel while it measures markedly calmer overall. 51/100, versus the original's 60. Nearly the same tempo, too.

That's the Way of the World by Earth, Wind & Fire
That's the Way of the World — Earth, Wind & Fire safe 85 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but it stays in our safe band start to finish. Intensity 43/100, down from 60. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Golden Lady by Stevie Wonder
Golden Lady — Stevie Wonder safe 95 BPM

It stays in our safe band start to finish, so it lands at 45/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Fine Again — Seether moderate 90 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while it measures markedly calmer overall. Reads 50/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Rock and Roll Suicide — David Bowie moderate 100 BPM

Holds the same feel while it eases off just enough to take the edge off. 58/100, versus the original's 60. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Angel Dust” by Gil Scott-Heron?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “NY Is Killing Me” by Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx, “Swim Good” by Frank Ocean, “Jesus Alone” by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds — the top match scores 97% alike. Matching is by how the songs actually move (intensity, dynamic range, texture, tempo, predictability, vocal force), not by genre tag or popularity.

What songs are like “Angel Dust” but calmer?

“Pieces of a Man” by Gil Scott-Heron, “My Eyes” by Travis Scott, “Before We Drown” by Depeche Mode keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Angel Dust”?

It measures 60/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 7/10, layered texture, moderate sudden shifts, and spoken word. Tempo is 95 BPM.

How do you decide which songs are similar?

Every song in our catalog is measured on 8 dimensions — intensity, dynamic range, tempo, sudden changes, texture, predictability, vocal force and fine sound detail. Similarity is the distance between two songs across those measurements, so matches cross genres and eras. Shared mood tags break ties.

By the numbers: how this song compares

Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.

Where it sits in 19,000 songs

On our 19k-song scale this lands in the middle band — more energetic than 77% of songs, calmer than the other 23%. Its intensity reading of 60/100 comes from a dynamic range of 7/10, layered texture, moderate shifts, and spoken word. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.

What makes it unusual

What stands out most about this song is blazing intensity: more extreme on that axis than 77% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on near-total stillness — steady volume, no surprises, a slow and unhurried pulse — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.

Feels almost identical to

Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.

Dial the feeling up or down

What it’s good for

Sleep0/10
Focus3/10
Workout4/10
Dinner6/10
Party / hype4/10

Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.

1978 in context

The 214 songs we’ve measured from 1978 average a dynamic range of 6.1/10. At 7/10, this track is louder and more dynamic than its year.

Mixes smoothly with

Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.

The fingerprint

Intensity60
Dynamics67
Tempo31
Surprise50
Density33
Predictability50
Vocal force40
Trigger load50

The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.

Want the single closest match, with every dimension compared?

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