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10 songs that feel like Ghost Riders in the Sky

Matched to Ghost Riders in the Sky by Johnny Cash 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
Ghost Riders in the Sky
Johnny Cash
moderate 47/100 intensity 100 BPM
Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince — Taylor Swift moderate 100 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same melancholy pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (47/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (100 BPM).

When She Was My Girl — The Four Tops moderate 100 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (47/100). Same layered texture.

7 Rooms of Gloom — The Four Tops moderate 100 BPM

Keeps the same melancholy pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (47/100). Measured 99% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (100 BPM).

Ophelia — The Band moderate 100 BPM

Measures 99% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (47/100). Same layered texture.

Precious Illusions — Alanis Morissette moderate 100 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same melancholy pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (47/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (100 BPM).

TKO — Justin Timberlake moderate 100 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (47/100). Same layered texture.

Fake Love — Drake moderate 104 BPM

Keeps the same melancholy pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (48/100). Measured 99% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (104 BPM).

Before I Let Go — Maze moderate 104 BPM

Measures 99% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (48/100). Same layered texture.

Fortnight — Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone moderate 95 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same melancholy pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (47/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (95 BPM).

Suedehead — Morrissey moderate 95 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (47/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Ghost Riders in the Sky is more than you want right now.

Merry Go 'Round by Kacey Musgraves
Merry Go 'Round — Kacey Musgraves safe 85 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but nothing in it lurches or startles. Intensity 27/100, down from 47.

Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding
Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay — Otis Redding safe 88 BPM

Nothing in it lurches or startles, so it lands at 20/100 — the pull without the edge.

If I Were a Boy by Beyoncé
If I Were a Boy — Beyoncé safe 92 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while nothing in it lurches or startles. Reads 28/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Brenda's Got a Baby by 2Pac
Brenda's Got a Baby — 2Pac safe 92 BPM

Holds the same feel while nothing in it lurches or startles. 28/100, versus the original's 47. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Sky's the Limit by The Notorious B.I.G.
Sky's the Limit — The Notorious B.I.G. safe 88 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but nothing in it lurches or startles. Intensity 36/100, down from 47.

Teardrops on My Guitar by Taylor Swift
Teardrops on My Guitar — Taylor Swift safe 80 BPM

Nothing in it lurches or startles, so it lands at 20/100 — the pull without the edge.

White Horse by Taylor Swift
White Horse — Taylor Swift safe 80 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while nothing in it lurches or startles. Reads 23/100.

Back to December by Taylor Swift
Back to December — Taylor Swift safe 80 BPM

Holds the same feel while nothing in it lurches or startles. 23/100, versus the original's 47.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Ghost Riders in the Sky” by Johnny Cash?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince” by Taylor Swift, “When She Was My Girl” by The Four Tops, “7 Rooms of Gloom” by The Four Tops — 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 “Ghost Riders in the Sky” but calmer?

“Merry Go 'Round” by Kacey Musgraves, “Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding, “If I Were a Boy” by Beyoncé keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Ghost Riders in the Sky”?

It measures 47/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Tempo is 100 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 49% of songs, calmer than the other 51%. Its intensity reading of 47/100 comes from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and dynamic 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 an unusually steady, even volume: more extreme on that axis than 79% 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

Sleep4/10
Focus8/10
Workout3/10
Dinner7/10
Party / hype3/10

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

2002 in context

The 332 songs we’ve measured from 2002 average a dynamic range of 6.3/10. 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

Intensity47
Dynamics56
Tempo33
Surprise25
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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