16 artists like The National

Matched on how their catalogues actually move — measured intensity, dynamic range, texture and shared mood across 63 The National songs (averaging 41/100 intensity). Each one comes with the single song to start with.

Arcade Fire shares: energetic · cathartic · melancholy

Shares the same energetic register and runs hotter overall (57/100). 57 of their songs measured.

Start with Put Your Money on Me · 92 BPM · 90% feel-match to The National

PJ Harvey shares: heavy · melancholy · rebellious

Runs hotter overall (60/100), with the same heavy register running through 20 measured songs.

Start with Let England Shake · 110 BPM · 91% feel-match to The National

R.E.M. shares: melancholy · contemplative · introspective

89 measured songs that keep the same melancholy register — averages almost the same intensity (41/100).

Start with King of Comedy · 108 BPM · 91% feel-match to The National

Father John Misty shares: energetic · cathartic · warm

Shares the same energetic register and averages almost the same intensity (44/100). 20 of their songs measured.

Start with Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins) · 108 BPM · 91% feel-match to The National

Pixies shares: dreamy · introspective · rebellious

Runs hotter overall (65/100), with the same dreamy register running through 47 measured songs.

Start with Stormy Weather · 120 BPM · 90% feel-match to The National

Siouxsie and the Banshees shares: heavy · cathartic · rebellious

22 measured songs that keep the same heavy register — runs hotter overall (58/100).

Start with Cities in Dust · 120 BPM · 90% feel-match to The National

Arctic Monkeys shares: intimate · melancholy · introspective

Shares the same intimate register and runs hotter overall (49/100). 48 of their songs measured.

Start with Snap Out of It · 98 BPM · 91% feel-match to The National

Radiohead shares: contemplative · melancholy · energetic

Runs hotter overall (49/100), with the same contemplative register running through 78 measured songs.

Start with I Promise · 110 BPM · 91% feel-match to The National

The Smashing Pumpkins shares: melancholy · intense · cathartic

43 measured songs that keep the same melancholy register — runs hotter overall (53/100).

Start with Try, Try, Try · 92 BPM · 90% feel-match to The National

Hozier shares: intimate · contemplative · heavy

Shares the same intimate register and averages almost the same intensity (43/100). 38 of their songs measured.

Start with Almost (Sweet Music) · 112 BPM · 91% feel-match to The National

Wilco shares: melancholy · intense · reflective

Averages almost the same intensity (43/100), with the same melancholy register running through 27 measured songs.

Start with Kamera · 120 BPM · 90% feel-match to The National

The Mountain Goats shares: melancholy · rebellious · cathartic

19 measured songs that keep the same melancholy register — averages almost the same intensity (43/100).

Start with Old College Try · 120 BPM · 90% feel-match to The National

U2 shares: melancholy · contemplative · intimate

Shares the same melancholy register and runs hotter overall (52/100). 82 of their songs measured.

Start with The Playboy Mansion · 102 BPM · 91% feel-match to The National

The Cure shares: warm · intimate · introspective

Averages almost the same intensity (45/100), with the same warm register running through 65 measured songs.

Start with Club America · 110 BPM · 91% feel-match to The National

Pink Floyd shares: melancholy · cathartic · contemplative

64 measured songs that keep the same melancholy register — runs hotter overall (49/100).

Start with Two Suns in the Sunset · 110 BPM · 91% feel-match to The National

The Velvet Underground shares: intense · contemplative · heavy

Shares the same intense register and averages almost the same intensity (40/100). 27 of their songs measured.

Start with Head Held High · 120 BPM · 89% feel-match to The National

Frequently asked

What artists sound like The National?

The closest matches we measure are Arcade Fire, PJ Harvey, R.E.M.. Artists are matched by how their catalogs actually move — average intensity, dynamic range, texture and shared mood — across 63 measured The National songs, not by genre label or chart adjacency.

Which song should I start with?

Arcade Fire: “Put Your Money on Me” (90% feel-match); PJ Harvey: “Let England Shake” (91% feel-match); R.E.M.: “King of Comedy” (91% feel-match). Each is that artist's single closest track to the The National centre of gravity, so it's the least jarring way in.

How intense is The National overall?

Across 63 measured songs, The National averages 41/100 on our intensity scale. Individual songs vary — see the full catalog breakdown on their artist page.

How do you decide two artists are similar?

Every song is measured on 8 dimensions (intensity, dynamic range, tempo, sudden changes, texture, predictability, vocal force, fine sound detail). We compare an artist's catalogue centre of gravity to every other artist's, then weight shared mood tags. Matches cross genre and era, because the measurements don't know what genre is.

Want matches for one specific song instead of a whole catalogue?

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