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10 songs that feel like Fast Cars

Matched to Fast Cars by Buzzcocks on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.

The song you love
Fast Cars
Buzzcocks
intense 69/100 intensity 180 BPM
Murders in the Rue Morgue — Iron Maiden intense 180 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same rebellious pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (69/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (180 BPM).

99 Ways to Die — Megadeth intense 180 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (69/100). Same layered texture.

The 11th Hour — Rancid intense 180 BPM

Keeps the same rebellious pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (69/100). Measured 99% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (180 BPM).

Tommy Gun — The Clash intense 175 BPM

Measures 99% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (68/100). Same layered texture.

Monkey Wrench — Foo Fighters intense 174 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same rebellious pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (68/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (174 BPM).

Re-Ignition — Bad Brains intense 170 BPM

98% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (68/100). Same layered texture.

Margin Walker — Fugazi intense 170 BPM

Keeps the same rebellious pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (68/100). Measured 98% alike.

Bed for the Scraping — Fugazi intense 170 BPM

Measures 98% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (68/100). Same layered texture.

ManUNkind — Metallica intense 165 BPM

A 97% feel-match — carries the same rebellious pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (68/100).

Looking for a Kiss — New York Dolls intense 165 BPM

97% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (68/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

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

Vertigo — The Libertines moderate 120 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 6 where the original climbs to 8. Intensity 49/100, down from 69.

Relax — Frankie Goes to Hollywood moderate 130 BPM

It eases off just enough to take the edge off, so it lands at 70/100 — the pull without the edge.

Peek-A-Boo! by Devo
Peek-A-Boo! — Devo moderate 120 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while it measures markedly calmer overall. Reads 60/100.

Working in the Coal Mine by Devo
Working in the Coal Mine — Devo moderate 120 BPM

Holds the same feel while it measures markedly calmer overall. 60/100, versus the original's 69.

Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne — Suicide moderate 110 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 6 where the original climbs to 8. Intensity 48/100, down from 69.

Charm Assault by Ride
Charm Assault — Ride moderate 110 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 6 where the original climbs to 8, so it lands at 48/100 — the pull without the edge.

Got Nuffin by Spoon
Got Nuffin — Spoon moderate 126 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while it measures markedly calmer overall. Reads 53/100.

We the People.... by A Tribe Called Quest
We the People.... — A Tribe Called Quest moderate 92 BPM

Holds the same feel while it measures markedly calmer overall. 50/100, versus the original's 69.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Fast Cars” by Buzzcocks?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “Murders in the Rue Morgue” by Iron Maiden, “99 Ways to Die” by Megadeth, “The 11th Hour” by Rancid — the top match scores 99% 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 “Fast Cars” but calmer?

“Vertigo” by The Libertines, “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Peek-A-Boo!” by Devo keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Fast Cars”?

It measures 69/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 8/10, layered texture, moderate sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Tempo is 180 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 is one of the more intense things in our library — more energetic than 89% of the 19,209 songs we've measured. Its intensity reading of 69/100 comes from a dynamic range of 8/10, layered texture, moderate 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 fast, driving tempo: more extreme on that axis than 98% 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.

What it’s good for

Sleep0/10
Focus2/10
Workout5/10
Dinner5/10
Party / hype7/10

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

1977 in context

The 226 songs we’ve measured from 1977 average a dynamic range of 6.4/10. At 8/10, 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

Intensity69
Dynamics78
Tempo78
Surprise50
Density33
Predictability50
Vocal force75
Trigger load25

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

Want the single closest match, with every dimension compared?

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