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10 songs that feel like Carin at the Liquor Store

Matched to Carin at the Liquor Store by The National on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.

Carin at the Liquor Store
The song you love
Carin at the Liquor Store
The National
moderate 22/100 intensity 60 BPM
Either Way — Chris Stapleton safe 70 BPM

A 95% feel-match — carries the same emotional pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (19/100).

These Arms of Mine — Otis Redding moderate 75 BPM

93% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (27/100). Same smooth texture.

Redondo Beach — Patti Smith moderate 90 BPM

Keeps the same emotional pull — runs a little hotter at 29/100. Measured 91% alike.

Real Friends — Kanye West moderate 92 BPM

Measures 91% the same. It runs a little hotter at 29/100. Same smooth texture.

Livin' for You — Al Green safe 72 BPM

A 95% feel-match — carries the same emotional pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (23/100).

Take My Hand, Precious Lord — Mahalia Jackson safe 65 BPM

95% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (23/100). Same smooth texture.

Please, Please, Please — James Brown safe 80 BPM

Keeps the same emotional pull — runs a little hotter at 32/100. Measured 90% alike.

Blind — SZA safe 70 BPM

Measures 94% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (19/100). Same smooth texture.

Cars Hiss by My Window — The Doors moderate 80 BPM

A 90% feel-match — carries the same intimate pull and runs a little hotter at 30/100.

94% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (24/100). Same smooth texture.

…and if you want it calmer

Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Carin at the Liquor Store is more than you want right now.

Changes by Black Sabbath
Changes — Black Sabbath safe 72 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but it stays in our safe band start to finish. Intensity 21/100, down from 22.

Which Will by Nick Drake
Which Will — Nick Drake safe 72 BPM

It stays in our safe band start to finish, so it lands at 11/100 — the pull without the edge.

I Remember Everything by John Prine
I Remember Everything — John Prine safe 75 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 2 where the original climbs to 4. Reads 8/100.

If You're Feeling Sinister — Belle and Sebastian safe 85 BPM

Holds the same feel while it stays in our safe band start to finish. 35/100, versus the original's 22.

That's the Way by Led Zeppelin
That's the Way — Led Zeppelin safe 72 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but it stays in our safe band start to finish. Intensity 21/100, down from 22.

Water Shows the Hidden Heart by Enya
Water Shows the Hidden Heart — Enya safe 72 BPM

It stays in our safe band start to finish, so it lands at 15/100 — the pull without the edge.

Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2 by Frédéric Chopin
Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2 — Frédéric Chopin safe 50 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while it stays in our safe band start to finish. Reads 34/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Mood Indigo by Frank Sinatra
Mood Indigo — Frank Sinatra safe 60 BPM

Holds the same feel while it stays in our safe band start to finish. 20/100, versus the original's 22. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Carin at the Liquor Store” by The National?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “Either Way” by Chris Stapleton, “These Arms of Mine” by Otis Redding, “Redondo Beach” by Patti Smith — the top match scores 95% 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 “Carin at the Liquor Store” but calmer?

“Changes” by Black Sabbath, “Which Will” by Nick Drake, “I Remember Everything” by John Prine keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Carin at the Liquor Store”?

It measures 22/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 4/10, smooth texture, no sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Tempo is 60 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

This sits near the calm end of everything we've measured — gentler than 86% of the 19,209 songs in the library. Its intensity reading of 22/100 comes from a dynamic range of 4/10, smooth texture, no sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.

What makes it unusual

What stands out most about this song is a slow, unhurried pace: more extreme on that axis than 100% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on full chaos — sudden changes, huge quiet-to-loud swings, and relentless energy — 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.

What it’s good for

Sleep8/10
Focus9/10
Workout1/10
Dinner7/10
Party / hype1/10

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

2017 in context

The 461 songs we’ve measured from 2017 average a dynamic range of 6.0/10. At 4/10, this track is gentler and steadier than its year.

Mixes smoothly with

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

The fingerprint

Intensity22
Dynamics33
Tempo11
Surprise0
Density0
Predictability0
Vocal force75
Trigger load13

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

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