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10 songs that feel like Steam Engenius

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

Steam Engenius
The song you love
Steam Engenius
Modest Mouse
moderate 55/100 intensity 140 BPM
Digital Witness — St. Vincent moderate 137 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same rebellious pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (54/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (137 BPM).

Friction — Television moderate 145 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (55/100). Same layered texture.

What's the Frequency, Kenneth? — R.E.M. moderate 128 BPM

Keeps the same rebellious pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (54/100). Measured 98% alike.

GOD. — Kendrick Lamar moderate 140 BPM

Measures 99% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (55/100). Same layered texture.

Running Free — Iron Maiden moderate 140 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same rebellious pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (55/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (140 BPM).

Spanish Bombs — The Clash moderate 140 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (55/100). Same layered texture.

Squalor Victoria — The National moderate 140 BPM

Keeps the same rebellious pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (55/100). Measured 99% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (140 BPM).

From a Buick 6 — Bob Dylan moderate 142 BPM

Measures 99% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (55/100). Same layered texture.

What's The Rumpus? — Jack White moderate 142 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same rebellious pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (55/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (142 BPM).

Land Ho! — The Doors moderate 142 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (55/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

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

Monday Morning by Fleetwood Mac
Monday Morning — Fleetwood Mac safe 120 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but it stays in our safe band start to finish. Intensity 41/100, down from 55.

De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da by The Police
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da — The Police safe 120 BPM

It stays in our safe band start to finish, so it lands at 41/100 — the pull without the edge.

It's Too Late by Carole King
It's Too Late — Carole King safe 126 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 5 where the original climbs to 7. Reads 24/100.

Epiphany by BTS
Epiphany — BTS safe 136 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 5 where the original climbs to 7. 25/100, versus the original's 55. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Friday I'm In Love by The Cure
Friday I'm In Love — The Cure safe 135 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but it stays in our safe band start to finish. Intensity 34/100, down from 55. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Mint Car by The Cure
Mint Car — The Cure safe 126 BPM

It stays in our safe band start to finish, so it lands at 34/100 — the pull without the edge.

William, It Was Really Nothing by The Smiths
William, It Was Really Nothing — The Smiths safe 92 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while nothing in it lurches or startles. Reads 25/100.

Goodbye Weekend by Mac DeMarco
Goodbye Weekend — Mac DeMarco safe 85 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 7. 16/100, versus the original's 55.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Steam Engenius” by Modest Mouse?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “Digital Witness” by St. Vincent, “Friction” by Television, “What's the Frequency, Kenneth?” by R.E.M. — 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 “Steam Engenius” but calmer?

“Monday Morning” by Fleetwood Mac, “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” by The Police, “It's Too Late” by Carole King keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Steam Engenius”?

It measures 55/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 7/10, layered texture, mild sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Tempo is 140 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 75% of songs, calmer than the other 25%. Its intensity reading of 55/100 comes from a dynamic range of 7/10, layered texture, mild 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 90% 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

Sleep3/10
Focus7/10
Workout7/10
Dinner7/10
Party / hype6/10

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

2007 in context

The 311 songs we’ve measured from 2007 average a dynamic range of 6.3/10. At 7/10, 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

Intensity55
Dynamics67
Tempo56
Surprise25
Density33
Predictability50
Vocal force75
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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