"Editorial abstract illustration evoking the emotional arc of a song titled "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey. Noticeable climb from quiet to loud. balanced composition. Mood: contemplative, melancholy. Visual style: contemporary editorial aesthetic. Painterly, grainy film texture, muted palette with strategic accent colors. The composition should read left-to-right like a timeline — calm on one side, intensifying toward the other. Strictly no faces, no text, no logos, no literal objects, no band imagery. Pure color-field abstraction with emotional weight. 16:9 editorial format."
Summertime Sadness
Lana Del Rey
Born to Die (2012)
Easy, low-key calm, gentler than 80% of our 19,209 measured songs — measures out best for focus.
126
BPM
Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey is 126 BPM — Allegro (fast).
Half-time 63 BPM · Double-time 252 BPM · released 2012
Fan image for "Summertime Sadness"
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Song DNA
Notes: nostalgic and melancholic
Recommended for: anxiety relief sleep
This sits gently on the calm side. This one has a moderate quiet-to-loud range with no sudden shifts to brace for — a even track with a light, easy vocal at a brisk, driving tempo. It’s fairly predictable, with a shape you can follow. Across the library, it reads gentler than 80% of everything we’ve measured.
Cultural Context
Iconic in the indie pop genre, known for its cinematic style.
Listening Prompt
Take in the lush production and evocative lyrics.
What to Expect
Lana Del Rey's 2012 recording presents an interesting profile: a tempo of 126 beats per minute that almost certainly doesn't feel fast in practice, given the smooth texture and complete absence of sudden changes flagged in the measurements. No sudden changes is a meaningful signal for listeners prone to startle responses or hyperacusis — the sonic landscape doesn't shift without warning. Dynamic range scores a 6, meaning some quiet-to-loud movement exists within a manageable window. Predictability is medium. Vocals are soft. The mood profile covers contemplative and melancholy, and the track is recommended for anxiety relief and sleep. At a moderate sensory level, this is a reasonable option for nervous system decompression. The smooth texture supports extended listening without accumulating sensory debt. Misophonia data wasn't assessed for this recording.
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Moods: contemplative, melancholy
At a glance
"Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey
126 BPM, dynamic range 6/10, 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 6/10 means this song moves. Expect a real volume climb between quiet sections and the loudest part of the arrangement — enough that you may want to set the initial volume below where you'd normally land.
Sudden changes: none. Transitions are musically signaled — nothing will surprise you if you're only half-listening.
Texture: smooth.
Predictability is medium — conventional structure overall, with one or two moments that deviate from what you'd expect.
Vocal style: soft vocals.
Where this sits in Lana Del Rey's catalog
We have 66 songs from Lana Del Rey in the library. Of those, 33 are rated Safe, 31 Moderate, and 2 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 6/10 sits above the artist average of 4.9, making it the #6 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.
Other tracks from Born to Die
We have 10 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans moderate in sensory profile.
- Video Games — safe DR 4
- Young and Beautiful — moderate DR 6
- Born to Die — moderate DR 6
- Blue Jeans — moderate DR 6
- National Anthem — moderate DR 6
- Dark Paradise — safe DR 4
- Carmen — moderate DR 5
- Million Dollar Man — safe DR 4
- Off to the Races — moderate DR 6
2012 context
Released in 2012. We have 262 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.5/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 2010s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Guides that may help
Jazz for Anxiety Relief: Which Subgenres Help and Which Overwhelm
Jazz for Anxiety Relief: Which Subgenres Help and Which Overwhelm — A guide for sensory-sensitive li…
low-intensity Music for Sleep: A Guide for Sensitive Listeners
Find music that helps you sleep without triggering sensory sensitivity. A guide to safe, predictable…
The Four Things That Make a Song Actually Good for Sleep
Most "sleep" playlists are just quiet songs, and quiet is not enough. Four specific sensory traits d…
How fast is "Summertime Sadness"?
126 BPM — Upbeat (dance-pop / running warm-up)
For running
Slow jog or recovery run pace. Matches a 120-140 stride-per-minute cadence.
For workouts
Running, cycling, aerobic workouts, dance cardio.
For daily life
Driving, getting ready in the morning, light party.
Browse more songs at 126 BPM.
When "Summertime Sadness" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
~
Focus / studying
Maybe — fine for routine work, but the mid-song changes may pull attention during deep focus.
✓
Running / workout
Yes — 126 BPM sits squarely in the running / cardio band. Matches natural stride cadence.
✗
Sleep / winding down
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
✓
Driving / road trip
Yes — predictable enough for safe driving attention, interesting enough to stay engaged.
✓
Cooking / dinner background
Yes — sits in the background without demanding attention.
✓
Emotional release / catharsis
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.
Jazz for Anxiety Relief: Which Subgenres Help and Which Overwhelm
Jazz for Anxiety Relief: Which Subgenres Help and Which Overwhelm — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners on musiciwant.com
Music for Anxiety and Panic Attacks: What Actually Helps, Acoustically
Most "anxiety music" playlists are curated by vibe and include songs that can escalate symptoms. This guide breaks down the acoustic propert…
Ten songs, ten feelings: decoding this week's biggest new music
From Olivia Rodrigo's fizzy crush anthem to Lana Del Rey's cinematic Bond theme — we broke down exactly what this week's new music actually …
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.
This song in the Music Studio
31/100 intensity
See how “Summertime Sadness” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
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Rating last reviewed: 2026-06-20. 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 80% of the 19,209 songs in the library. Its intensity reading of 31/100 comes from a dynamic range of 6/10, 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 a fast, driving tempo: more extreme on that axis than 83% 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
Face to Face — Daft Punk · 99%One Way Trigger — The Strokes · 99%Doin' It Right — Daft Punk · 99%Like It Is — Kygo, Zara Larsson & Tyga · 99%
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
Sleep8/10
Focus10/10
Workout5/10
Dinner8/10
Party / hype4/10
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
2012 in context
The 262 songs we’ve measured from 2012 average a dynamic range of 6.5/10. 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
Intensity31
Dynamics56
Tempo48
Surprise0
Density0
Predictability50
Vocal force25
Trigger load0
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "Summertime Sadness"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey?
"Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey has a tempo of 126 BPM (Allegro (fast)). At half-time that is 63 BPM, and at double-time 252 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey?
"Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey rates as Moderate intensity. Dynamic range 6/10, none sudden changes, smooth texture. Moderate is the default for well-produced music with real arc but no surprise elements.
How loud is "Summertime Sadness" — what is its dynamic range?
"Summertime Sadness" has a dynamic range of 6/10. Noticeable climb from quiet sections to loudest point. Set opening volume slightly lower than your preferred peak.
Does "Summertime Sadness" have sudden or surprising changes?
No. "Summertime Sadness" has no sudden unsignaled changes. Every transition is musically telegraphed.
What is "Summertime Sadness" best for?
In our library "Summertime Sadness" is recommended for: anxiety relief, sleep. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "Summertime Sadness" released?
"Summertime Sadness" is from 2012, on the album "Born to Die". It appears in our 2010s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "Summertime Sadness"?
We tag "Summertime Sadness" as contemplative, melancholy. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "Summertime Sadness"?
The vocal style is soft vocals.
Is "Summertime Sadness" good for running?
Yes — at 126 BPM it sits in the running-cadence band (120-180 BPM). Match your stride to the beat and it keeps pace with most recreational runners.
Is "Summertime Sadness" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (6/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "Summertime Sadness" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Dynamic range is too high — quiet moments will be ambushed by louder ones.
Should I listen to "Summertime Sadness"?
"Summertime Sadness" 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.
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.
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Where to next?
You know how this one feels — now go find the next one.