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10 songs that feel like Political Science

Matched to Political Science by Randy Newman 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
Political Science
Randy Newman
moderate 39/100 intensity 100 BPM
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Taylor — Haim moderate 100 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same contemplative pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (39/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (100 BPM).

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Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes — Paul Simon moderate 96 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (39/100). Same layered texture.

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Walk on the Wild Side — The Velvet Underground moderate 92 BPM

Keeps the same contemplative pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (39/100). Measured 98% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (92 BPM).

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Small Poppies — Courtney Barnett moderate 90 BPM

Measures 98% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Same layered texture.

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Hopefulessness — Courtney Barnett moderate 90 BPM

A 98% feel-match — carries the same contemplative pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100).

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One Step Too Far — Faithless moderate 90 BPM

98% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Same layered texture.

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Do It Again — Steely Dan moderate 100 BPM

Keeps the same contemplative pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (39/100). Measured 99% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (100 BPM).

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Babylon Sisters — Steely Dan moderate 100 BPM

Measures 99% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (39/100). Same layered texture.

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Congratulations — MGMT moderate 100 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same contemplative pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (39/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (100 BPM).

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Nothing Really Matters — Madonna moderate 100 BPM

99% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (39/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Political Science is more than you want right now.

If I Were a Boy by Beyoncé
If I Were a Boy — Beyoncé safe 92 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but nothing in it lurches or startles. Intensity 28/100, down from 39. 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

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

Merry Go 'Round by Kacey Musgraves
Merry Go 'Round — Kacey Musgraves safe 85 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while nothing in it lurches or startles. Reads 27/100.

Brenda's Got a Baby by 2Pac
Brenda's Got a Baby — 2Pac safe 92 BPM

Holds the same feel while nothing in it lurches or startles. 28/100, versus the original's 39. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Bird on the Wire by Leonard Cohen
Bird on the Wire — 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 39.

Anthem by Leonard Cohen
Anthem — Leonard Cohen safe 85 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6, so it lands at 16/100 — the pull without the edge.

Happy For You by Dua Lipa
Happy For You — Dua Lipa safe 95 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while nothing in it lurches or startles. Reads 29/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

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Electrolite — R.E.M. safe 92 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. 17/100, versus the original's 39. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Political Science” by Randy Newman?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “Taylor” by Haim, “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” by Paul Simon, “Walk on the Wild Side” by The Velvet Underground — 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 “Political Science” but calmer?

“If I Were a Boy” by Beyoncé, “Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding, “Merry Go 'Round” by Kacey Musgraves keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Political Science”?

It measures 39/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild sudden shifts, and soft vocals. Tempo is 100 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 32% of songs, calmer than the other 68%. Its intensity reading of 39/100 comes from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and soft 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

Sleep6/10
Focus10/10
Workout2/10
Dinner8/10
Party / hype3/10

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

1972 in context

The 269 songs we’ve measured from 1972 average a dynamic range of 6.0/10. 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

Intensity39
Dynamics56
Tempo33
Surprise25
Density33
Predictability50
Vocal force25
Trigger load25

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

Want the single closest match, with every dimension compared?

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