Frankly, it is a crappy list. Adele - Someone Like You? It makes me almost cry every time I hear it. Not that I don't like the song, but it isn't relaxing.

Sorry, I listened to Weightless and wanted to jump out of my skin.

i find ACDC relaxing... this new age, electronic, pop stuff makes me want to stab knives in my ears...

yes. i find led zep relaxing.

Entrainment, interesting, I'd not previously heard that term.

The remainder of the list, I had a good laugh, most people I know border on violence (not relaxation) if they hear Enya or Coldplay.

@CACTINA, yeah the inclusion of that song makes me question all the others. There's nothing relaxing about someone belting out, and while the piano melody is steady, it's a little too rapid to be relaxing. Seriously, who thinks that song is calming?

phew, I am glad I am not the only one. I downloaded this song when it was listed (wrongly) on the Times magazine the Best of 2011... and I did not find it relaxing at ALL, it was mostly annoying.

Humph. Such non-believers. This was compiled by the British Academy of Sound Therapy, y'all. Yeah, "Someone Like You" makes me stabby. Nothing like a good stalker song to lull you to sleep.

I wanted to add that relaxing songs should make you sleepy in the same way that riding in a car or train makes people sleepy: it's steady, lulling, rhythmically droning, and repetitive. The songs I've listened to from this list might have some of those qualities, but they're also tense, jarring, and too heavy on the sub-bass -- thudding low notes are supposed to calm you?

My go-to songs to make me sleepy are Night Falls on Hoboken by Yo La Tengo, and Vito's Ordination Song by Sufjan Stevens.

Life-ning by Snow Patrol puts me in my happy place. It's just got a lovely slow tempo and beautiful lyrics.

So does Chasing Cars, but that's got more of a beat.

this list is awful! I will give you # 9 and 10.

Looks like the site crashed.

"Unfortunately the site is down" --One of the reasons I will never put anything on "The Cloud"

Ugh, the Marconi Union song actually makes me tense, not relaxed! The lack of any sort of pattern or resolution creates a kind of tension of expectation that is never resolved. Yes, relaxing music is soft and has a slow, understated beat, but it should also be predictiable & "comfortable". It shouldn't draw your attention in any way.

Pure Shores from All Saints is one of my favourite pop songs. But, I wouldn't call it relaxing! Lol. x

I've always found Straberry Swing to be a very relaxing song. People commenting here are so uptight sometimes. Give the songs a listen and then post your opinion!

I listen to Heligoland (the album) when I want to fall asleep...

I find many of the songs on the new Pride & Prejudice soundtrack to be eminently relaxing. In fact, a lot of minimalist instrumental soundtracks are very relaxing, precisely because they're incidental music and not meant to be focused on.

I also think that Ravel's "Pavane for a Dead Princess" is much more relaxing than that high-pitched Mozart. Lol.

I found hardly any of these songs listed to be relaxing, but I think the researchers were going more by the tempo of the rhythms than the actual music. The "most relaxing song" made me crazy because I kept waiting for something to happen.

The most relaxing full-length album I've ever heard is "Everywhere, and Right Here" by Six Parts Seven. I've fallen asleep to it countless times. Very low-tempo, soothing, and as the article above describes of the Marconi song, it has no predictable melodies to distract you from trying to sleep. Also? It's beautiful. Nothing droney about it. In fact, it's also a great album to slowly wake up to on a Saturday morning.

I just realized that read like an advertisement, but I just love it so much. I've been listening to it for the past three years and still haven't gotten sick of it.

They've obviously never heard anything by a fantastic group called Balmorhea.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeVI0ZNbgTU

I have a feeling that what you listen to as samples here and now, won't seem the same as they do when you are in bed, lights out, trying to fall asleep.

That said, I prefer silence. Or, for some strange reason, Rachel Maddow. No kidding! I LOVE the woman and her show, I think she's one of the most intelligent people on the tube, I find her insights meaningful and fascinating. But if I have had a long tiring day at work and am couch potatoeing with her show on, I tend to nod right off. It's embarrassing!

Davinci's Inquest does it for me. I record it so I can listen to it when I can't get to sleep. Have yet to last through more than 15 minutes.,,

"Weightless is pretty, but the most relaxing song I've ever heard is Clannad's "Traithona Beag Areir". I think it is ridiculous that Adele would be considered more relaxing than any Celtic music out there.

My over-tired, over-caffeinated brain seemed to respond to Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You" throughout my undergrad years. This past year, while working on my masters thesis and working full time, I found that Jason Mraz's live recording of "Sleeping to Dream About You" was the only thing that would do the trick.

Perhaps I have a low resting heart rate (I never thought so), but the beats in the Marconi Union song are faster than my pulse. I like some of the other elements but that is not relaxing to me. Nor is the lack of regular melody, which I find heightens my anticipation instead of relieving it.

Actually, I find Metal a lot more relaxing; you can't make universal declarations about what relaxes people (even if you dress it up in unsourced psuedo-scientific explanations.).

The most relaxing song I know is Black Sabbath's "Sign of the Southern Cross". Gorgeous, gorgeous music. Wintersun is also good when I need to chill.

what about any song by the group Air? this list really missed with coldplay and adele

Someone Like You makes me vaguely homicidal. Thank the family member who spammed it on repeat for about two months.

I don't agree with this list at all, especially 'Someone Like You' - that's a wrist-slitter, not realxing in the least!

But the whole concept is kind of silly anyway, when you consider how subjective 'relaxing music' is.

I don't like having music on to relax to. I prefer to listen to a podcast of a show like This American Life, or a reading of a story. (Never got over needing a bedtime story I guess).

Thanks for the musical recommendations by the way, am really enjoying listening to them all!

Yeah--was going to say music for airports. that's what it's designed for: to make you less tense and anxious.

but yep, i listen to podcast or a tv show that i've seen before.

want relaxing? "lazy calm" off the cocteau twins victorialand album. bliss.

How can that Adele song be the most relaxing song list when they came out with this study this year showing how it can consistently make like EVERYONE cry due to the melody and chord progression and her voice warbles (not to mention the actual lyrics)?

Seriously, Brian Eno's Airport Music and Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works Vol 2 (specifically Rhubarb) are the most relaxing songs ever. Check them out.

sorry *be ON the most relaxing song list...

I played the Marconi Union song and it put me on edge.

My children listen to their docked ipod at bedtime. In addition to the Jewel album of lullabies, they listen to a classical compilation called Peaceful Baby, and Joshua Radin's We Were Here. He practically whispers the entire album.

......................................................................whoops! Sorry, I think I just dozed off for a moment. Not yet paid attention to the rest of the list but that Marconi Union track is pure bliss. It reminds me of some tracks that I've got somewhere, which were composed by a sound artist, using recordings that he made in a cathedral. If I EVER remember his name or find out where I downloaded his tracks from I will return to this post with the info. Meanwhile, nisiepie and cactina, you ol' rock 'n' rollers, you (!!) If we must go that far back, you can't beat a little Pink Floyd; "Breathe(In The Air)" - from "The Dark Side of the Moon", "Shine On You Crazy Diamond Pt1" from "Wish You Were Here" and most definitely, "Echoes" from "Meddle".......Oooooh, yeahhhh..... ;)

Whether or not the posted songs hit the mark or not ...as usual, the comments are most awesome and helpful. Thanks fellow ATers.

My favorite relaxing, mellow, beautiful dreamy music is Makes Me Feel Better by Honeychurch. Also, Eveningland by Hem is amazing. This is my favorite genre of music- does it have a name? Modern easy listening?

When I want to relax, I play music from Hearts of Space. Used to listen to it on the radio to fall asleep in high school, now I can stream it! www.hos.com.

I listen to The Power of Now..centers me a good place to fall a sleep.

I love some of the reader recommendations here (Cocteau Twins! Eno!)

I think what we find "relaxing" from a personal perspective may differ from how the study approached the results, as I expect songs which influence our sense of joy/happiness can be equated with feeling relaxed. I personally found some of these songs naturally relaxing, while others (Adele) not so much. But perhaps my physiological response while wired up with reveal otherwise?

Personal choices of musicians/bands I like to listen to before sleep: Startle the Heavens, The Six Parts Seven, Alexandre Desplat soundtracks, select Aphex Twin tracks (weird?), Dustin O'Halloran, RF (Falls album especially), Tristeza, Hatchback (Sam Grawe of Dwell's music)

Uh oh, my heart beat is apparently slower than the beat in this piece of music. This almost makes me hyperventilate. Almost, I said.

Like others here, I find something on tv most relaxing: the lady (I think I remember she was Hispanic) who used to sell the "Tiffany-style" lamps on QVC. I used to record those shows just so I'd have something to listen to when I couldn't get to sleep. She didn't have a monotonous, or even very low-pitched, voice so I don't know what it was. Possibly that she just never stopped talking. Also the lady that used to sell Tahitian pearl jewelry on there and she referred to every piece as something that would make you "feel ultimately beautiful".
No one on QVC or HSN does it for me these days the way those ladies used to.:(

I've been zoning out to the Marconi Union song for several months now -- and it's by far my favorite way to take a brain freeze mid - day. I found that it did take at least five minutes for my heartbeat to "synch" with the music and it was something I was not aware of that was intentional until I read this post.
I think it's funny to read all the different reactions from people and the different things that help us find our happy place. Good stuff!

I'm with the other comments.. I don't dig the Marconi Union song, since it felt like my throat was closing or something listening to it. If 60 BPM is the mark for relaxation, try a 90s era slow jam.

The Cowboy Junkies put out an album in the early nineties. Never made it past track 2. Knocked me out every time.

Sull'aria seems like a really random song to be on this list, but maybe they're onto something because i always play it when things get stressful at work. that youtube link doesn't do it justice. there's a hungarian state opera orchestra recording that's just exquisite - very beautiful & relaxing.

I've had some of the best sleeps of my life falling asleep to BBC radio. Something about a calm British accent...

I actually liked the Weightless song, but only because it's near impossible for me to fall asleep to music. Like the Sound Therapy researcher said, the lack of any repeatable melody is what's key in that one...whenever I try to fall asleep to music - even instrumental music - I end up trying to find a pattern to latch onto, or I'll involuntarily start tapping my toes or fingers to the rhythm, or I'll imagine some scenario in my head that fits the music...and it keeps me awake.

But that's just me...I also had one of the greatest naps of my life to Coldplay on shuffle in the distant background, so I might be odd. :) I do love me some Coldplay.

Oh, forgot: Someone bought me a CD years and years ago of Rachmaninoff's vespers, sung by the Robert Shaw Festival Singers. GORGEOUS. And very relaxing. For me, anyway.

@ Rucy

So true! I used to listen to the Coldplay albums in the car with my sister and mother... without a doubt we'd argue every single time. So much for relaxation.

The song was fine until the very end with the crazy harsh tones, but then again I can sleep to a 106 db rock band playing 30ft away.

Flamenco Sketches from Kind of Blue - by Miles Davis, always makes me relax and a few tracks from Zero 7 as well.

Take 5 by Dave Brubeck.

DENISEGK, your comment reminded me of a lecture I went to a few years back, about "The Great Wave" painting by Hokusai, albeit, not so pleasant on the ear. The person introducing the guest speaker had, what I thought was the slowest and most monotonous voice I'd ever heard. It was a struggle to pay attention but I knew that, eventually, the guest speaker would take over and was bound to be lively and positively effervescent by comparison. Finally, the speaker stepped up to the podium and began to speak...in a voice even slower and, incredibly, even more monotonous. There was no way that I could listen to him and stay awake and I wasn't the only one struggling. I had to wait several minutes for the lady sitting next to me to wake up before I could make my escape.

HOMEBODY, I was listening to their covers of "Sweet Jane" and "Blue Moon" yesterday. I don't know if the tracks are on the album you've mentioned but I wouldn't be surprised!

I liked the Marconi Union. Oddly enough, I felt it was too short. The next two made me want to scream and run away. I love Mozart, but that one was screechy and not relaxing at all. Adele? Depressing and not my thing. Enya always makes me want to claw out my eyes, and maybe kill some people. I didn't listen to the rest.

I find it hard to believe that between Mozart and now the only relaxing music has been written by the Thomas Kinkade of song, Enya.

I thought that I was the only one who felt that way whenever I hear Enya! ;)

Claude Debussy-Des pas sur la neige will put me at ease instantly... I did like their suggestion quite a bit though, their reasoning really makes sense.

If anyone does have trouble getting off to sleep and is still looking for a relaxation track, you may or may not find this of interest. We decided not to charge for it, and instead make it available to all. It's a two hour long rain forest experience relaxation track designed to lull you off into a deep natural sleep. I hope it helps someone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foZbv9IjEkg

What a terrible list!

Adele?! As much as I love "Someone Like You" it's in no way relaxing! It's a passionate song about heartbreak which is mirrored in her vocal performance.

No mention of Rhubarb by Aphex Twin, An Ending (ascent) by Brain Eno, or any other pieces from other notable ambient artists make this list nothing more than a poorly researched joke.

@ploppy YES! Rhubarb! Best ever! It's great for sea sickness, air sickness, insomnia, cramps- absolutely most relaxing song I've EVER heard. God bless Richard D James!

Brian eno on land is the most relaxing album, it has the necessary darkness

Also check out the kettle boiling

My husband talking to me about recent advances in photography or the workings of the internal combustion engine or what 'offside' really means and why it......zzzzzzzzzzz, what, oh sorry, I dropped off. Did you say something?

it's boring... not relaxing!!!

youtube LanE by Jerry Kamit and listen to it, that's relaxing...

Slackerjo, I don't think I'd ever be able to relax listening to Take 5 by Dave Brubeck. I'd keep myself awake counting the beat.

Sigur Ros, Andvari
Neil Young, Razor Love

Adele is an amazing singer, but I don't find her songs relaxing at all, especially someone like you. Her vocals are too powerful for bedtime. Someone like Norah Jones though, I can fall asleep listening to.

Tried this 5 months ago and again today. Same result. That low, thumping sound just puts me on edge. It suggests the thumping bass from random cars driving down my street and so-called adult but really adolescent, arrogant neighbors who play their stereos in their driveways. Often I can't hear any of the rest of the "music" (a blessing, perhaps?) but just a rhythmic thudding. NOT conducive to lowering heart rate.

I like the list. I didn't fall asleep but I was standing up sorting socks.I think this kind of music is good accompaniment for tedious tasks because it helps you go on autopilot. Side note: My cat fell asleep.

The information about this song is about a year or more old. Posted this on FB way back. A bit behind the times aren't we AT?

I actually feel very anxious listening to stuff like this. "Weightless" has way too many elements chiming in too quickly. Wistles and bells and synths beeping all over the place toward the later part. I would make great music for a retail spa or something though.

I'd recommend Two Words: Night Call, the Wait What remix.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IuU3gdWjB8

As a musician, I have to laugh about this. Music is such a personal thing that no "formula" can work for everyone!

They probably mean just the music without the words.

Gregorian chants not only relax me but permit me to feel I am in touch with something outside of myself. In my younger days I found grunge played good and loud relaxing.

The song that lulls me to sleep every time is Cliffs by Aphex Twin. I don't need anything else when I turn out the lights because I'm always asleep by the time it's over.

I really don't need much help getting to sleep in the first place, though.

"While listening, your heart rate gradually comes to match that beat. It is important that the song is eight minutes long because it takes about five minutes for this process, known as entrainment, to occur. The fall in heart rate also leads to a fall in blood pressure."

Perhaps this explains why I almost passed out listening to Sunn O))) once...

It actually works!

I Thought "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider"was the most relaxing song.

The Cure - Disintegration. Whole album has the same sleepy beat. Most relaxing thing ever. I'm usually asleep half way through track two.

@Rebekkap - The Cure's Disintegration is a great record indeed. It's beautifully calm at points.

I'm glad to see Sigor Ros mentioned.

I'll add Massive Attack to the list. Some of their stuff is really soothing (to me).

As far as the list, I'm listening to the Marconi Union track at the moment. I can see it being relaxing so far.

Sorry, the Marconi Union track takes me right to Twin Peaks.

Wow, the Marconi Union track lulled me into a 45-minute nap. Obviously relaxing music is highly subjective, but I think these tracks were chosen for their counts rather than as a whole, which would explain the odd inclusions.

Rhythms, such as in Weightless, normally drive me crazy when I'm trying to sleep. I have sensitive hearing and am easily distracted by the slightest patterns from all sorts of noise producers, and I especially hate loud bass. In the case of Weightless, I found the combination of continuity and random sounds to be very complimentary. It was comforting without being entirely repetitive, and the tones used were very pleasant to me. The chimes reminded me of the sound from a large wind-chime that I really liked but was unwilling to pay its exorbitant price, though after hearing this song I may have to buy it.

I had the Marconi segment playing, and my dachshund, who has never barked at my laptop, ever, started barking like she was seriously aggravated. That makes two of us who found the Most Relaxing Song Ever unnerving. Oh well.

I'm with the researchers on this one. I've listened to a handful of these in the background as i'm working and it is definitely lulling me into sleep. And i'm one of those people that has a hard time falling asleep and NEVER EVER naps. I'm thinking of keeping the Marconi one on my iphone to listen to when i go to bed at night from now on...

Hot Fun in the Summertime -- Sly and theFamily Stone
Saturday in the Park -- Chicago

Go find "Lento" by Howard Skempton on YouTube.

My beauty salon plays music similar to Marconi to "soothe " clients But if you're going in for a waxing you really want your mind heavily distracted from the pain about to be delivered! I think that calls for something upbeat and bass biased.

For personal relaxation I like Some Kind of Blue album by Miles Davis.

Thanks for sharing! I have been listening to a yoga station on pandora to fall asleep, but I'm too cheap to pay for no commercials so I'm always rudely interrupted by commercials. I will have to download this song and try it out! I shared link on my blog today: http://www.amodernhippie.com/2013/02/weekend-wanderings-21713.html

Really loved listening to weightless. It could go really well with my hypnotherapy especially because I'e been trained as a musician and almost every other song begs me to figure out what the next part of the pattern is.

Sound therapist? How does one get THAT job?

I do think there is science in sound. I've been using SonicAid and some others for years. However this is not the same as wanting to relax or chill. I think they got lazy on the list.

I totally agree.

The most relaxing song, is the one you like most.
The rest is marketing

I think Miss you by Trentemoller is very soothing. But if I want to sleep, i just listen to ludovico einaudi.

Loreena McKennett and Inti-Illumani for my quiet times, thanks. Or, dare I say it, Bach?

Most relaxing song ever? Hmm.....I agree with MaryHS on the Bach thing..What about 'Air on the G String'? What about the second movement from Mozart's 'Piano Concerto #21'? I just listened to the piece in question..Yes, there is a heartbeat rate that does give this piece its ethereal, dreamy quality, but, if you like Zeppelin, this is not going to work for you.....It's not a bad piece, folks, just very ambient and hypnotic..there's actually quite a bit of movement going on, but it's not obvious...For sleep purposes, it IS the kind of piece you would need to get your body to settle down and get into dream mode...There's a great book out there called "This Is Your Brain On Music" which explores the scientific side of why music affects us the way it does..It's not as personal as you think....

If it takes about five minutes for entrainment to occur then how is it that most of the songs on this list do not meet that criteria?

good choice for sleep music.

Most relaxing thing ever, like Valium for your ears in any situation including falling to sweet, sweet reverie? THIS:

<p>
Jan Jelinek loop-finding-jazz-records
</p>

And there is no way I am listening to the above list ever, to mirror the many posters. My god it sounds horrid, just no.

Has anyone tried the instrumental track 'January Rain' by David Gray? That is my go-to for relaxing music. Entrainment or not, I actually found the Marconi track suffocating...like a noiseless room...

Usually, classical such as Vivaldi's Four Seasons. But, also really love Telefon Tel Aviv. For the little listeners in our house, we're big fans of Catch the Moon (Lisa Loeb/Elizabeth Mitchell)--it's a virtual baby whisperer!

I tune my TV to Symphony Hall, which is one of the SIRIUS classical music channels. If I listen to anything with words, my mind tries to follow and keeps me awake.

good melody and advice.

Precisely what kind of focus group was selected to determine this list? By far, this had to be a compilation of the least diverse individuals ever assembled in human history.

I listen to a CD called Massage of the Mind. I even listen to it while im driving-cuts down on road rage significantly!

With the exception of Mozart, my problem with this list is that it appears to be generationally biased. Speaking for myself, I'm a Gen X'er- which is roughly half the size of both the Baby Boomer and Gen Y generations- and tend to relate more to what my generation listened to (i.e. New Wave, Alternative, Heavy Metal) as well as that of the Baby Boomers (i.e. Classic Rock, Bop, Disco) because they were my parents. Suffice it to say, I'll take Miles Davis' Kind of Blue or the Rain Song by Led Zeppelin any day over Adele and Marconi Union...

As an experienced meditator, I agree with the authors. "Weightless" really did entrain my mind and downshifted my brainwaves to a relaxed state. It really induces a state of meditation and peace...but there is a downside to this for some, as I see from others' comments. You see, when we start to quiet our minds, we experience all the disturbances and negativities that already exist in our minds, which is why some folks want to scratch the walls when there hear this. It's their own mind garbage that is unbearable, not the music. Think of it as a detox for your minds. It is easier for many people to drown out their own negativity with musical distractions than to deal with a disturbed quality of mind.

This is repellent. An aural assault. Debased noise. Gives me agita.
Susan W

Funny you should mention Yo La Tengo, as that's literally the only show I have ever attended where I legit fell asleep in the middle of hundreds of people. I drove over an hour to see them and then missed half of their set sitting on the floor in the back, leaning against the wall snoozing! I feel like I would probably fall asleep during a Joan of Arc show but unfortunately have never had the chance to test that theory.

I have a Spotify playlist titled Nighttime Sufjan which includes all of his most relaxing tunes (Vito's is on there for sure!). When I feel amped up but need to go to sleep, I put listen to this playlist and it usually does the trick.

Ha! I once fell asleep during a Magnetic Fields show.

A piece can have the 'relaxing' elements (beat frequency, etc) yet also, overlaid, have disturbing messages that 'go in' better because of the former. This is dangerous manipulation.

It's a very old and well-known trick, actually. There's something about the speed of images shown on TV that has the effect of lulling people into non-questioning complacency.

With all the high-level manipulation of people's psyches going on, I wouldn't trust some think-tank that's likely funded by none other than the manipulators.

After I listened to the first song, as soon as it stopped, I found that my jaw released - meaning, the song had tightened it up. So, yeah. Use discrimination.

The Marconi Union song is a bit boring, while relaxing a song does need some sort of melody. I love the French artist Colleen's work, she is seriously underrated

https://soundcloud.com/colleenplays/10-everything-lay-still

Relaxing? I feel sandpapered.