In Bloom album art

In Bloom

Sturgill Simpson
A Sailor's Guide to Earth (2016)
Safe 105 BPM
AI-analyzed — check another song
Deep calm, gentler than 92% of our 19,209 measured songs — measures out best for focus.
105
BPM

In Bloom by Sturgill Simpson is 105 BPM — Andante (walking pace).

Half-time 53 BPM · Double-time 210 BPM · released 2016

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Fan image for "In Bloom"

An abstract illustration of what this song feels like. Each image is built from a prompt — the text description fed to the image generator. Listeners submit their own prompts, upvote the ones that fit best, and the top-voted prompt drives the next regeneration. After 100 image votes, we make a new picture.

Fan-driven abstract illustration evoking the emotional arc of In Bloom by Sturgill Simpson
The prompt that made this image Editorial abstract illustration evoking the emotional arc of a song titled "In Bloom" by Sturgill Simpson. Modest rise and fall. balanced composition. Mood: contemplative, nostalgic, warm. 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.

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"Editorial abstract illustration evoking the emotional arc of a song titled "In Bloom" by Sturgill Simpson. Modest rise and fall. balanced composition. Mood: contemplative, nostalgic, warm. 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."

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Song DNA

Dynamic Range4/10
Sudden Changesnone
Texturesmooth
Predictabilityhigh
Vocal Stylesoft vocals
Notes: Gentle country reimagining with smooth instrumentation and pure, compassionate vocals that evoke sensitivity without harshness or intensity. Minimal production keeps it calm and flowing for easy listening.

Misophonia Triggers

Mouth Soundsnone
Percussive Clicksnone
Breathing Soundsnone
Repetitive Micro-soundsnone

Sturgill Simpson's stunning country cover of Nirvana's 'In Bloom' transforms the grunge track into a beautiful, traditional-sounding homage emphasizing sensitivity and teenage emotion.

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Hear it the way it was made

The right gear changes everything.

Moods: contemplative, nostalgic, warm

Traditions: alt-country, country

At a glance

"In Bloom" by Sturgill Simpson

105 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 Sturgill Simpson's catalog

We have 17 songs from Sturgill Simpson in the library. Of those, 1 are rated Safe, 12 Moderate, and 4 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 4/10 sits below the artist average of 6.6, making it the #17 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.

Other tracks from A Sailor's Guide to Earth

We have 5 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans moderate in sensory profile.

2016 context

Released in 2016. We have 369 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

Moods
contemplative · 3309nostalgic · 1574warm · 1489
Traditions
alt-country · 22country · 834

Guides that may help

Why Post-Rock Works for Focus — The Logic of Slow Builds
Why post-rock holds attention that slides off everything else: long builds, few sudden changes, and …
How to Build the Perfect Focus Playlist for Work — A Sensory-Rated Approach
How to Build the Perfect Focus Playlist for Work — A Sensory-Rated Approach — A guide for sensory-se…
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…

How fast is "In Bloom"?

105 BPM — Medium (midtempo / pop ballad)

For running

Too slow for most running; good for warm-up walks or cool-down.

For workouts

Steady cardio, power walking, light weights.

For daily life

Cooking, casual listening, cleaning, dinner music.

Browse more songs at 105 BPM.

When "In Bloom" 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

Maybe — at 105 BPM this is more warm-up or cool-down pace than peak-effort running.

~
Sleep / winding down

Maybe — calm overall, but tempo is a bit high for deep sleep. Better for winding down than falling asleep.

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

Not really — it's pleasant but doesn't hit hard enough for cathartic listening.

Related reading

Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.

Country music has more dynamic range than your headphones can handle

Why a lot of country music — Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Gillian Welch, Kacey Musgraves — has more dynamic range than most rock or pop…

Illustration for Jazz for Anxiety Relief: Which Subgenres Help and Which Overwhelm

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

Illustration for Ten new songs this week — we analyzed every one so you know what you're getting into

Ten new songs this week — we analyzed every one so you know what you're getting into

From Ella Langley's chart-topping country warmth to Massive Attack and Tom Waits, we decoded ten new releases dropping this week: dynamic ra…

Why this rating

We rate this song Safe because its dynamic range stays within our low-variance band, there are no unsignaled changes, and the texture and vocal style are both in the low-fatigue range. Our methodology uses an AND rule for Safe — a song has to clear every dimension to earn the rating.

This song in the Music Studio
18/100 intensity

See how “In Bloom” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.

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For focused listening

Independently chosen tools listed on eBay. We may earn a commission from these links, at no extra cost to you.

Wireless Headphones Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Stereo Earphones Over Ear Headset Wireless Headphones Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Stereo Earphones … $13.99 · New Wireless Bluetooth 5.1 Headphones Over Ear LED Headset Stereo Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth 5.1 Headphones Over Ear LED Headset Stereo No… $17.79 · New NEW! *B Iconic Focus True Wireless Earbuds with Charging Case White, Bluetooth NEW! *B Iconic Focus True Wireless Earbuds with Charging Case Wh… $19.99 · New Sony WH-CH520 Over Ear Wireless Bluetooth Headphones  WHCH520 - BEIGE Sony WH-CH520 Over Ear Wireless Bluetooth Headphones WHCH520 - … $23.99 · Open box

Browse more focus & deep work on eBay →

Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-15. 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 92% of the 19,209 songs in the library. Its intensity reading of 18/100 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 an unusually steady, even volume: 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

Sleep9/10
Focus10/10
Workout1/10
Dinner7/10
Party / hype1/10

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

2016 in context

The 368 songs we’ve measured from 2016 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

Intensity18
Dynamics33
Tempo36
Surprise0
Density0
Predictability0
Vocal force25
Trigger load0

The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.

Frequently asked about "In Bloom"

Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.

What is the BPM of "In Bloom" by Sturgill Simpson?

"In Bloom" by Sturgill Simpson has a tempo of 105 BPM (Andante (walking pace)). At half-time that is 53 BPM, and at double-time 210 BPM.

What is the sensory intensity of "In Bloom" by Sturgill Simpson?

"In Bloom" by Sturgill Simpson rates as Low-Intensity. Dynamic range 4/10, no sudden changes, smooth texture. Our Low-Intensity rating means no single dimension triggers the higher-intensity thresholds.

How loud is "In Bloom" — what is its dynamic range?

"In Bloom" has a dynamic range of 4/10. Within normal pop-mix variation. Movement between verse and chorus but nothing dramatic.

Does "In Bloom" have sudden or surprising changes?

No. "In Bloom" has no sudden unsignaled changes. Every transition is musically telegraphed.

What is "In Bloom" best for?

In our library "In Bloom" is recommended for: anxiety relief, focus, relaxation. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.

When was "In Bloom" released?

"In Bloom" is from 2016, on the album "A Sailor's Guide to Earth". It appears in our 2010s catalog.

What is the emotional mood of "In Bloom"?

We tag "In Bloom" as contemplative, nostalgic, warm. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.

What is the vocal style of "In Bloom"?

The vocal style is soft vocals.

Is "In Bloom" good for running?

Not really — at 105 BPM it's below most running cadences. Better for warm-up, cool-down, or walking. Recreational runners typically step at 140-175 BPM.

Is "In Bloom" 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 "In Bloom" for sleep?

Not recommended for sleep. Dynamic range is too high — quiet moments will be ambushed by louder ones.

Should I listen to "In Bloom"?

If you want gentle, low-arousal music, "In Bloom" is a solid pick — Low-Intensity across every sensory dimension.

Songs with the same DNA

smooth texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.

The Way You Look Tonight
Kenny Burrell
safe
DR 5
Better
Khalid
safe
DR 5
It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
Bob Dylan
moderate
DR 4
White as Snow
U2
safe
DR 3
Touching Home
Jerry Lee Lewis
safe
DR 4
Heartbeat
King Crimson
safe
DR 5

What this song means to people

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Keep exploring

Living the Dream
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Are You Happy Now
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Breed
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Walk Don't Run
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Where to next?

You know how this one feels — now go find the next one.

Songs that feel like this → Dial it calmer or bigger Find music by how you feel
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