St Jude
St Jude by Florence and the Machine is 72 BPM — Adagio (slow).
Half-time 36 BPM · Double-time 144 BPM · released 2015
Song DNA
Misophonia Triggers
A somber, introspective ballad exploring a failing relationship through the lens of St. Jude, the patron saint of lost causes, and the 2013 British storm of the same name.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: contemplative, introspective, melancholy, serene
Traditions: alternative rock, art rock, orchestral pop
"St Jude" by Florence and the Machine
72 BPM, dynamic range 4/10, smooth texture, soft vocals. Sits in the middle band — neither built for stillness nor pitched at workout intensity. Whether it works for a given moment depends more on mood and lyrical content than on the acoustic profile. The full sensory breakdown follows.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 4/10 is within the normal pop-mix band. There is variation between verse and chorus, but it's the kind of variation most listeners encounter routinely.
Sudden changes: none. Transitions are musically signaled — nothing will surprise you if you're only half-listening.
Texture: smooth.
Predictability is high — the song telegraphs what it will do next. A sensory-sensitive listener can usually guess where it's going without close attention.
Vocal style: soft vocals.
Where this sits in Florence and the Machine's catalog
We have 7 songs from Florence and the Machine in the library. Of those, 0 are rated Safe, 6 Moderate, and 1 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 4/10 sits below the artist average of 6.7, making it the #7 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.
2015 context
Released in 2015. We have 373 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.3/10. This track is quieter / less dynamic than the year average. Explore more from the 2010s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Guides that may help
How fast is "St Jude"?
72 BPM — Slow (downtempo / ballad)
Too slow for most running; good for warm-up walks or cool-down.
Warm-up, cool-down, yoga, stretching.
Sleep, meditation, reading, focus work.
Browse more songs at 72 BPM.
When "St Jude" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
Yes — low-variance volume, no surprises, steady tempo. The ideal study-music profile.
No — 72 BPM is too slow for sustained cardio.
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
Yes — predictable enough for safe driving attention, interesting enough to stay engaged.
Yes — sits in the background without demanding attention.
Yes — this is a song for actively feeling what you came to feel, not for background.
Related reading
Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.
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Why this rating
We rate this song Moderate because it falls between our Safe and Intense thresholds on at least one dimension. Moderate is the default for most well-produced music that has real arc but no surprise elements. Full rubric: methodology.
See how “St Jude” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
Listen on
Spotify and YouTube links go direct to the track when we have the ID; otherwise they search for it. Embed this sensory profile on your site →
Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-13. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.
Think this rating is wrong? Contact the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.
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 sits near the calm end of everything we've measured — gentler than 97% of the 19,209 songs in the library. Its intensity reading of 15/100 comes from a dynamic range of 4/10, smooth texture, no sudden shifts, and soft vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is deep calm: more extreme on that axis than 97% 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
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
2015 in context
The 373 songs we’ve measured from 2015 average a dynamic range of 6.3/10. At 4/10, 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
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "St Jude"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "St Jude" by Florence and the Machine?
"St Jude" by Florence and the Machine has a tempo of 72 BPM (Adagio (slow)). At half-time that is 36 BPM, and at double-time 144 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "St Jude" by Florence and the Machine?
"St Jude" by Florence and the Machine rates as Moderate intensity. Dynamic range 4/10, none sudden changes, smooth texture. Moderate is the default for well-produced music with real arc but no surprise elements.
How loud is "St Jude" — what is its dynamic range?
"St Jude" has a dynamic range of 4/10. Within normal pop-mix variation. Movement between verse and chorus but nothing dramatic.
Does "St Jude" have sudden or surprising changes?
No. "St Jude" has no sudden unsignaled changes. Every transition is musically telegraphed.
What is "St Jude" best for?
In our library "St Jude" is recommended for: deep listening, emotional release, meditation, relaxation. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "St Jude" released?
"St Jude" is from 2015, on the album "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful". It appears in our 2010s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "St Jude"?
We tag "St Jude" as contemplative, introspective, melancholy, serene. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "St Jude"?
The vocal style is soft vocals.
Is "St Jude" good for running?
Not really — at 72 BPM it's below most running cadences. Better for warm-up, cool-down, or walking. Recreational runners typically step at 140-175 BPM.
Is "St Jude" good for studying?
Yes — low dynamic range (4/10) and no sudden changes means the song stays in the background without pulling focus.
Can I use "St Jude" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Dynamic range is too high — quiet moments will be ambushed by louder ones.
Should I listen to "St Jude"?
"St Jude" is Moderate intensity — fine for most listeners, but with enough dynamic activity that it works best as active listening rather than background.
Songs with the same DNA
smooth texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
Otis Redding
DR 5
Merle Haggard
DR 4
Cesaria Evora
DR 5
Norah Jones featuring Dolly Parton
DR 4
James Taylor
DR 3
John Coltrane
DR 4
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
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