Ariana Grande’s ‘Last Christmas’ is most dangerous Christmas song for driving: study

Alex Baker
·3 min read
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(KRON) — Ariana Grande’s “Last Christmas” is the most dangerous Christmas song for driving, according to a new study. The study, which was conducted by CSGOLuck, sourced the top 200 Christmas songs on Spotify and analyzed them by beats per minute.

According to research cited by the survey, music between 50 to 80 beats per minute puts the brain into an “alpha state.” This renders you more relaxed, focused and receptive, the study claimed.

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Conversely, songs with more beats per minute become more distracting because your brain has to work harder to process the sounds. With 206 beats per minute — more than triple what experts recommend — Grande’s 2013 hit tops the list for most distracting. Another Grande hit, 2014’s “Santa Tell Me,”also made it into the top 10 of most distracting Christmas songs.

Other Christmas songs that are dangerous for driving include Bing Crosby’s “Mele Kalikimaka,” Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24.”

10 Most Distracting Christmas Songs

  1. “Last Christmas” — Ariana Grande (206 BPM)

  2. “The Happiest Christmas Tree” — Nat King Cole (205 BPM)

  3. “Mele Kalikimaka” — Bing Crosby (202 BPM)

  4. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” — Andy Williams (201 BPM)

  5. “Santa Tell Me” — Ariana Grande (191 BPM)

  6. “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” — Trans-Siberian Orchestra (186 BPM)

  7. “Caroling, Caroling” — Nat King Cole (185 BPM)

  8. “Christmas Dream” — Perry Como (184 BPM)

  9. “This Christmas” — Christina Aguilera (183 BPM)

  10. “Please Come Home for Christmas” — Eagles (183 BPM)

On the flipside, Brenda Lee’s classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” is considered the 10 Christmas song for driving, followed by Bing Crosby’s “Silver Bells.” Other songs in the top 10 best Christmas tunes for driving include The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York,” and Tony Bennett’s “O Christmas Tree.”

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Christmas songs that are good for productivity and less distracting for drivers and mostly “jazzy Christmas classics from the ’40s to the ’60s,” according to the study.

10 Best Christmas Songs for Driving

  1. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” — Brenda Lee (67 BPM)

  2. “Silver Bells” — Bing Crosby (70 BPM)

  3. “A Holly Jolly Christmas” — Brett Eldredge (72 BPM)

  4. “O Christmas Tree” — Tony Bennett (74 BPM)

  5. “Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season” — Andy Williams (74 BPM)

  6. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” — Sam Smith (75 BPM)

  7. “Frosty the Snowman” — Ella Fitzgerald (77 BPM)

  8. “Fairytale of New York” — The Pogues (78 BPM)

  9. “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” — Nat King Cole (79 BPM)

  10. “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) — Elvis Presley (79 BPM)

“Christmas music brings some needed holiday cheer to cold and dark winters. However, our study shows you should be careful about what you play in the car, as it could distract and affect your concentration,” said a spokesperson for CSGO Luck. Data shows you shouldn’t play danceable songs if you’re trying to focus on the road, as the tempo is too fast for our brains to process when driving. On the other hand, gentler tracks played as background music are best and can even help you concentrate.”

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