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10 songs that feel like Closer to the Heart

Matched to Closer to the Heart by Rush on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.

Closer to the Heart
The song you love
Closer to the Heart
Rush
moderate 44/100 intensity 96 BPM
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Excursions — A Tribe Called Quest moderate 95 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same uplifting pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (44/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (95 BPM).

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Juicy — The Notorious B.I.G. moderate 87 BPM

95% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (43/100). Same layered texture.

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Me in Honey — R.E.M. safe 110 BPM

Keeps the same uplifting pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (45/100). Measured 97% alike.

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Cudi Zone — Kid Cudi moderate 85 BPM

Measures 98% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (43/100). Same layered texture.

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Surfin' — Kid Cudi safe 96 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same uplifting pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (44/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (96 BPM).

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400 Years — Bob Marley moderate 76 BPM

94% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (42/100). Same layered texture.

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South of the Border — Ed Sheeran feat. Camila Cabello & Cardi B moderate 98 BPM

Keeps the same uplifting pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (44/100). Measured 99% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (98 BPM).

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Closed on Sunday — Kanye West moderate 95 BPM

Measures 96% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (44/100). Same layered texture.

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The Weeping Song — Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds moderate 95 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same contemplative pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (44/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (95 BPM).

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Imazaghen N Adagh — Tinariwen moderate 95 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (44/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Closer to the Heart is more than you want right now.

Anthem by Leonard Cohen
Anthem — Leonard Cohen safe 85 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Intensity 16/100, down from 44.

If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out by Cat Stevens
If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out — Cat Stevens safe 92 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6, so it lands at 17/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

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Teach Your Children — Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young safe 92 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Reads 17/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

She's Got Her Ticket by Tracy Chapman
She's Got Her Ticket — Tracy Chapman safe 85 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. 16/100, versus the original's 44.

BLACKBIIRD by Beyoncé
BLACKBIIRD — Beyoncé safe 72 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Intensity 15/100, down from 44.

Both Sides, Now by Joni Mitchell
Both Sides, Now — Joni Mitchell safe 82 BPM

Nothing in it lurches or startles, so it lands at 27/100 — the pull without the edge.

This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie
This Land Is Your Land — Woody Guthrie safe 100 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Reads 18/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding
Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay — Otis Redding safe 88 BPM

Holds the same feel while nothing in it lurches or startles. 20/100, versus the original's 44. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Closer to the Heart” by Rush?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “Excursions” by A Tribe Called Quest, “Juicy” by The Notorious B.I.G., “Me in Honey” by R.E.M. — the top match scores 99% alike. Matching is by how the songs actually move (intensity, dynamic range, texture, tempo, predictability, vocal force), not by genre tag or popularity.

What songs are like “Closer to the Heart” but calmer?

“Anthem” by Leonard Cohen, “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” by Cat Stevens, “Teach Your Children” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Closer to the Heart”?

It measures 44/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Tempo is 96 BPM.

How do you decide which songs are similar?

Every song in our catalog is measured on 8 dimensions — intensity, dynamic range, tempo, sudden changes, texture, predictability, vocal force and fine sound detail. Similarity is the distance between two songs across those measurements, so matches cross genres and eras. Shared mood tags break ties.

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 41% of songs, calmer than the other 59%. Its intensity reading of 44/100 comes from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and dynamic vocals. 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 an unusually steady, even volume: more extreme on that axis than 79% 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

Sleep4/10
Focus8/10
Workout3/10
Dinner8/10
Party / hype3/10

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

1977 in context

The 226 songs we’ve measured from 1977 average a dynamic range of 6.4/10. At 6/10, this track is right in line with its year.

Mixes smoothly with

Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.

The fingerprint

Intensity44
Dynamics56
Tempo31
Surprise25
Density33
Predictability0
Vocal force75
Trigger load13

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

Want the single closest match, with every dimension compared?

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