Oxygene Part IV
Oxygene Part IV by Jean Michel Jarre is 100 BPM — Andante (walking pace).
Half-time 50 BPM · Double-time 200 BPM · released 1976
Song DNA
Middle of the road on intensity, in the best way. It has a big quiet-to-loud range with just a little movement — a complex track with no vocals to track — it’s fully instrumental at a steady, walkable tempo. It’s fairly predictable, with a shape you can follow. Against the 19,209 songs we’ve measured, it sits more energetic than 49% of songs, calmer than the rest.
Cultural Context
Pioneered the use of synthesizers in music.
Listening Prompt
Invites deep listening and exploration.
What to Expect
No vocals at all — this is entirely instrumental, which removes one of the most common sensory friction points for sensitive listeners. Dynamic range of 7 means there's a real quiet-to-loud arc, but mild sudden changes suggest those shifts arrive gradually rather than as jolts. Texture is rated complex, which in an instrumental setting means the arrangement evolves in layered ways over time; predictability is medium, so it isn't fully clockwork but doesn't actively resist anticipation either. At 100 bpm the pulse is steady and moderate. Moods span cathartic, melancholy, and transcendent — an unusually wide emotional arc for a single piece. Rated moderate, suited for deep listening, focus, and meditation. Misophonia trigger data was not assessed. The absence of human voice makes this a particularly useful option for listeners who find vocal timbre or breath sounds activating — the sensation here is purely tonal and textural rather than interpersonal.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: cathartic, melancholy, transcendent
"Oxygene Part IV" climbs hard.
Dynamic range 7/10 places this in our upper band. The opening volume that feels comfortable will not be comfortable at the climax. If you are setting this up for a focused listen, anchor your volume to the quietest section, not the loudest. The arc is the point of the song; if you blunt it by riding the volume knob, you lose what makes it work. Jean Michel Jarre built the dynamic shape on purpose. Plan around it.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 7/10 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: mild. There are one or two transitions worth knowing about, though they're musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.
Texture: complex.
Predictability is medium — conventional structure overall, with one or two moments that deviate from what you'd expect.
Vocal style: instrumental.
1976 context
Released in 1976. We have 192 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.2/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 1970s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Guides that may help
How fast is "Oxygene Part IV"?
100 BPM — Medium (midtempo / pop ballad)
Too slow for most running; good for warm-up walks or cool-down.
Steady cardio, power walking, light weights.
Cooking, casual listening, cleaning, dinner music.
Browse more songs at 100 BPM.
When "Oxygene Part IV" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
No — too dynamic or too many surprises. Save for active listening.
Maybe — at 100 BPM this is more warm-up or cool-down pace than peak-effort running.
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
Yes — predictable enough for safe driving attention, interesting enough to stay engaged.
Yes — sits in the background without demanding attention.
Yes — this is a song for actively feeling what you came to feel, not for background.
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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.
See how “Oxygene Part IV” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
Listen on
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For focused listening
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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
On our 19k-song scale this lands in the middle band — more energetic than 49% of songs, calmer than the other 51%. Its intensity reading of 47/100 comes from a dynamic range of 7/10, complex texture, mild shifts, and instrumental. It shares this stretch of the spectrum with thousands of other tracks, so the finer fingerprint below is what really separates it.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is a huge quiet-to-loud swing: more extreme on that axis than 56% 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
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
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
1976 in context
The 192 songs we’ve measured from 1976 average a dynamic range of 6.2/10. At 7/10, this track is louder and more dynamic than its year.
Mixes smoothly with
Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.
The fingerprint
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "Oxygene Part IV"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "Oxygene Part IV" by Jean Michel Jarre?
"Oxygene Part IV" by Jean Michel Jarre has a tempo of 100 BPM (Andante (walking pace)). At half-time that is 50 BPM, and at double-time 200 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "Oxygene Part IV" by Jean Michel Jarre?
"Oxygene Part IV" by Jean Michel Jarre rates as Moderate intensity. Dynamic range 7/10, mild sudden changes, complex texture. Moderate is the default for well-produced music with real arc but no surprise elements.
How loud is "Oxygene Part IV" — what is its dynamic range?
"Oxygene Part IV" has a dynamic range of 7/10. Noticeable climb from quiet sections to loudest point. Set opening volume slightly lower than your preferred peak.
Does "Oxygene Part IV" have sudden or surprising changes?
"Oxygene Part IV" has mild sudden changes — one or two transitions worth knowing about, but they are musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.
What is "Oxygene Part IV" best for?
In our library "Oxygene Part IV" is recommended for: deep listening, focus, meditation. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "Oxygene Part IV" released?
"Oxygene Part IV" is from 1976, on the album "Oxygene". It appears in our 1970s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "Oxygene Part IV"?
We tag "Oxygene Part IV" as cathartic, melancholy, transcendent. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "Oxygene Part IV"?
The vocal style is instrumental.
Is "Oxygene Part IV" good for running?
Not really — at 100 BPM it's below most running cadences. Better for warm-up, cool-down, or walking. Recreational runners typically step at 140-175 BPM.
Is "Oxygene Part IV" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (7/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "Oxygene Part IV" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Contains transitions that will wake you up.
Should I listen to "Oxygene Part IV"?
"Oxygene Part IV" 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
complex 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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