Queen hit is the king of feelgood tunes: Don’t Stop Me Now is our favourite motivational song, new poll reveals
- Queen’s single ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ was voted song most likely to boost mood
- It was followed by ABBA’s Dancing Queen and Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer
- 85% of people polled said music was vital to their mental and physical health
If you’re looking for a feel-good mid-pandemic boost, playing Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now should do it.
The 1979 single has been voted the tune most likely to put people in a better mood. It was followed by ABBA’s Dancing Queen and Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer.
Walking On Sunshine by Katrina And The Waves and Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys rounded out the top five.
Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ has been voted the tune most likely to put people in a better mood
Nine in ten of those polled said music played an important part in their life. Some 85 per cent said it was vital to their mental and physical health.
Just under half (49 per cent) feel happy when they have listened to music during their day, while a third experience surges of positive energy when they play their favourite tracks.
Three-quarters (74 per cent) of those polled listen to motivational tracks when taking on household chores, while 24 per cent listen when they are cooking.
Others use tunes to power through the washing-up (13 per cent) or DIY (11 per cent), according to the survey for AXA Health by OnePoll.
ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’ came second in the line-up, followed by Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’
AXA spokesman Dr Mark Winwood said: ‘When we hear songs we enjoy, there are a number of ways our brains respond, not least those [parts] associated with pleasure and reward.
It releases endorphins, the feelgood chemicals that can make us feel euphoric – and dopamine, an important pleasure chemical associated with reward.’
Other songs in the top ten were Pharrell Williams’ hit Happy, Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Wham! single Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, ELO’s Mr Blue Sky and Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive.
Our Top 20 mood boosting songs:
1. Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
2. Dancing Queen – Abba
3. Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
4. Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves
5. Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys
6. Happy – Pharrell Williams
7. I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
8. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go – Wham!
9. Mr. Blue Sky – ELO
10. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
11. Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
12. 9 to5 – Dolly Parton
13. Build Me Up Buttercup – The Foundations
14. I Gotta Feeling – the Black Eyed Peas
15. Take On Me – A-Ha
16. What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
17. You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes
18. I Feel Good – James Brown
19. Hey Ya! – OutKast
20. Lovely Day – Bill Withers