10 songs that feel like Pretty Vacant
Matched to Pretty Vacant by Sex Pistols on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.
A 96% feel-match — carries the same aggressive pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (93/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (140 BPM).
94% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (95/100). Same harsh texture.
Keeps the same aggressive pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (94/100). Measured 98% alike.
Measures 92% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (97/100). Same harsh texture.
A 92% feel-match — carries the same aggressive pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (97/100).
96% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (92/100). Same harsh texture.
Keeps the same aggressive pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (92/100). Measured 96% alike.
Measures 96% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (95/100). Same harsh texture.
A 92% feel-match — carries the same aggressive pull and runs a little hotter at 100/100.
96% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (92/100). Same harsh texture.
…and if you want it calmer
Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Pretty Vacant is more than you want right now.
Keeps the same feel of the original, but it trades the harsher texture for something layered. Intensity 60/100, down from 93.
It trades the harsher texture for something layered, so it lands at 70/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.
If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 6 where the original climbs to 8. Reads 50/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.
Holds the same feel while it trades the harsher texture for something layered. 55/100, versus the original's 93. Nearly the same tempo, too.
Keeps the same feel of the original, but it trades the harsher texture for something layered. Intensity 60/100, down from 93.
It trades the harsher texture for something layered, so it lands at 60/100 — the pull without the edge.
If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while it trades the harsher texture for something layered. Reads 53/100.
Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 6 where the original climbs to 8. 51/100, versus the original's 93. Nearly the same tempo, too.
Frequently asked
What songs sound like “Pretty Vacant” by Sex Pistols?
The closest feel-matches we measure are “Wasted” by Black Flag, “Down on the Street” by The Stooges, “Jealous Again” by Black Flag — 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 “Pretty Vacant” but calmer?
“Through Being Cool” by Devo, “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Mr. Ray” by Suicide keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.
How intense is “Pretty Vacant”?
It measures 93/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 8/10, harsh texture, frequent sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Tempo is 140 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
This is one of the more intense things in our library — more energetic than 99% of the 19,209 songs we've measured. Its intensity reading of 93/100 comes from a dynamic range of 8/10, harsh texture, frequent shifts, and dynamic vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is blazing intensity: more extreme on that axis than 99% 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.
1977 in context
The 226 songs we’ve measured from 1977 average a dynamic range of 6.4/10. At 8/10, 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.
Want the single closest match, with every dimension compared?
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