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10 songs that feel like Reel Around the Fountain

Matched to Reel Around the Fountain by The Smiths 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
Reel Around the Fountain
The Smiths
moderate 45/100 intensity 72 BPM
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Shadowboxer — Fiona Apple moderate 72 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same emotional pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (45/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (72 BPM).

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Condemnation — Depeche Mode moderate 72 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (45/100). Same layered texture.

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Summertime/Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child — Mahalia Jackson moderate 72 BPM

Keeps the same emotional pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (45/100). Measured 99% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (72 BPM).

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3005 — Childish Gambino moderate 83 BPM

Measures 98% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (46/100). Same layered texture.

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Dollar Days — David Bowie moderate 60 BPM

A 98% feel-match — carries the same emotional pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (44/100).

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Light Blue — Snail Mail moderate 72 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (45/100). Same layered texture.

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Charlene — Anthony Hamilton moderate 70 BPM

Keeps the same emotional pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (45/100). Measured 99% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (70 BPM).

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Woman — Harry Styles moderate 92 BPM

Measures 96% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (47/100). Same layered texture.

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Laugh Now Cry Later — Drake moderate 92 BPM

A 96% feel-match — carries the same emotional pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (47/100).

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COFFEE BEAN — Travis Scott moderate 92 BPM

96% 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 Reel Around the Fountain is more than you want right now.

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

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Intensity 21/100, down from 45. Nearly the same tempo, too.

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

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6, so it lands at 15/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Changes by Black Sabbath
Changes — Black Sabbath safe 72 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Reads 21/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

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

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 6. 11/100, versus the original's 45. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Passing Afternoon by Iron & Wine
Passing Afternoon — Iron & Wine safe 60 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Intensity 14/100, down from 45.

Speed of the Sound of Loneliness by John Prine
Speed of the Sound of Loneliness — John Prine safe 85 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6, so it lands at 16/100 — 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 6. Reads 8/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Crazy by Willie Nelson
Crazy — Willie Nelson safe 76 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 6. 14/100, versus the original's 45. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Reel Around the Fountain” by The Smiths?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “Shadowboxer” by Fiona Apple, “Condemnation” by Depeche Mode, “Summertime/Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” by Mahalia Jackson — 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 “Reel Around the Fountain” but calmer?

“That's the Way” by Led Zeppelin, “Water Shows the Hidden Heart” by Enya, “Changes” by Black Sabbath keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Reel Around the Fountain”?

It measures 45/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Tempo is 72 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 42% of songs, calmer than the other 58%. Its intensity reading of 45/100 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 a slow, unhurried pace: more extreme on that axis than 90% 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
Dinner8/10
Party / hype3/10

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

1984 in context

The 222 songs we’ve measured from 1984 average a dynamic range of 6.7/10. At 6/10, 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

Intensity45
Dynamics56
Tempo18
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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