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10 songs that feel like Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois

Matched to Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois by Sufjan Stevens on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.

The song you love
Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
moderate 32/100 intensity 90 BPM
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The Miracle of Love — Eurythmics safe 85 BPM

A 96% feel-match — carries the same transcendent pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (35/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (85 BPM).

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Cathedral in a Suitcase — Pat Metheny safe 80 BPM

95% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (35/100). Same layered texture.

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Biscuit — Portishead moderate 85 BPM

Keeps the same spacious pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (27/100). Measured 90% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (85 BPM).

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10 Mile Stereo — Beach House safe 90 BPM

Measures 96% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (35/100). Same layered texture.

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Rubycon — Tangerine Dream safe 90 BPM

A 86% feel-match — carries the same spacious pull and sits a little calmer at 20/100. Nearly the same tempo, too (90 BPM).

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You're the One — The Black Keys moderate 90 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (32/100). Same layered texture.

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Blóðberg — Sigur Rós moderate 60 BPM

Keeps the same spacious pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (27/100). Measured 89% alike.

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Sound and Vision — David Bowie moderate 120 BPM

Measures 88% the same. It runs a little hotter at 38/100. Same layered texture.

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Hurricane Eye — Paul Simon safe 92 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same contemplative pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (32/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (92 BPM).

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You Are My Sister — Antony and the Johnsons moderate 72 BPM

93% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (34/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois is more than you want right now.

Horizon by Tycho
Horizon — Tycho safe 90 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but nothing in it lurches or startles. Intensity 20/100, down from 32. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Cypress by Tycho
Cypress — Tycho safe 95 BPM

It stays in our safe band start to finish, so it lands at 37/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Heaven by Depeche Mode
Heaven — Depeche Mode safe 100 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while nothing in it lurches or startles. Reads 18/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Grown Ocean by Fleet Foxes
Grown Ocean — Fleet Foxes safe 85 BPM

Holds the same feel while it stays in our safe band start to finish. 45/100, versus the original's 32. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Theft, And Wandering Around Lost by Cocteau Twins
Theft, And Wandering Around Lost — Cocteau Twins safe 85 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but nothing in it lurches or startles. Intensity 16/100, down from 32. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Rubycon by Tangerine Dream
Rubycon — Tangerine Dream safe 90 BPM

Nothing in it lurches or startles, so it lands at 20/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

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Neroli — Brian Eno safe

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 2 where the original climbs to 5. Reads 8/100.

Turning by Alex de Grassi
Turning — Alex de Grassi safe 60 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 5. 8/100, versus the original's 32.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois” by Sufjan Stevens?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “The Miracle of Love” by Eurythmics, “Cathedral in a Suitcase” by Pat Metheny, “Biscuit” by Portishead — the top match scores 96% 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 “Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois” but calmer?

“Horizon” by Tycho, “Cypress” by Tycho, “Heaven” by Depeche Mode keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois”?

It measures 32/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 5/10, layered texture, mild sudden shifts, and soft vocals. Tempo is 90 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 21% of songs, calmer than the other 79%. Its intensity reading of 32/100 comes from a dynamic range of 5/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and soft vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.

What makes it unusual

What stands out most about this song is an unusually steady, even volume: more extreme on that axis than 88% 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

Sleep7/10
Focus10/10
Workout2/10
Dinner7/10
Party / hype2/10

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

2005 in context

The 363 songs we’ve measured from 2005 average a dynamic range of 6.2/10. At 5/10, this track is gentler and steadier than its year.

Mixes smoothly with

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

The fingerprint

Intensity32
Dynamics44
Tempo28
Surprise25
Density33
Predictability0
Vocal force25
Trigger load0

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

Want the single closest match, with every dimension compared?

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