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10 songs that feel like Flu

Matched to Flu by IU 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
Flu
IU
moderate 37/100 intensity 70 BPM
So Close — Olafur Arnalds safe 70 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same calm pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (37/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (70 BPM).

We — Olafur Arnalds safe 70 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (37/100). Same layered texture.

This Place Was a Shelter — Olafur Arnalds safe 70 BPM

Keeps the same calm pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (37/100). Measured 99% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (70 BPM).

Beautiful Way — Beck moderate 90 BPM

Measures 96% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Same layered texture.

Strawberry Hill — Red House Painters safe 70 BPM

A 96% feel-match — carries the same calm pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (33/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (70 BPM).

Footsteps in the Dark — Isley Brothers moderate 70 BPM

96% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (37/100). Same layered texture.

Call It What You Want — Taylor Swift moderate 80 BPM

Keeps the same calm pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Measured 98% alike.

Heart Is a Drum — Beck moderate 80 BPM

Measures 98% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Same layered texture.

Secret of the Easy Yoke — Pedro the Lion moderate 80 BPM

A 98% feel-match — carries the same calm pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100).

Think About You — Dwele moderate 80 BPM

98% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

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

No Name No. 5 by Elliott Smith
No Name No. 5 — Elliott Smith safe 85 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 6. Intensity 13/100, down from 37.

Lullaby by Leonard Cohen
Lullaby — Leonard Cohen safe 65 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 6, so it lands at 11/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Nightswimming by R.E.M.
Nightswimming — R.E.M. safe 72 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 6. Reads 11/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Misty Morning by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Misty Morning — Bob Marley & The Wailers safe 76 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. 16/100, versus the original's 37. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Slow Cheetah by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Slow Cheetah — Red Hot Chili Peppers safe 70 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Intensity 15/100, down from 37. Nearly the same tempo, too.

On Your Shore by Enya
On Your Shore — Enya safe 60 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 6, so it lands at 10/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Boy with a Coin — Iron & Wine safe 72 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 6. Reads 11/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Hints by José González
Hints — José González safe 85 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 6. 13/100, versus the original's 37.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Flu” by IU?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “So Close” by Olafur Arnalds, “We” by Olafur Arnalds, “This Place Was a Shelter” by Olafur Arnalds — 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 “Flu” but calmer?

“No Name No. 5” by Elliott Smith, “Lullaby” by Leonard Cohen, “Nightswimming” by R.E.M. keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Flu”?

It measures 37/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild sudden shifts, and soft vocals. Tempo is 70 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 25% of songs, calmer than the other 75%. Its intensity reading of 37/100 comes from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and soft vocals. It shares this stretch of the spectrum with thousands of other tracks, so the finer fingerprint below is what really separates it.

What makes it unusual

What stands out most about this song is a slow, unhurried pace: more extreme on that axis than 96% 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

Sleep6/10
Focus10/10
Workout2/10
Dinner8/10
Party / hype2/10

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

2021 in context

The 410 songs we’ve measured from 2021 average a dynamic range of 6.2/10. At 6/10, this track is right in line with its year.

Mixes smoothly with

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

The fingerprint

Intensity37
Dynamics56
Tempo17
Surprise25
Density33
Predictability50
Vocal force25
Trigger load13

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

Want the single closest match, with every dimension compared?

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