Southern rock, by how it feels

Southern rock is mostly low-intensity. 3 of the 15 songs analyzed land in the safe range.

The character of Southern rock

Across the 15 Southern rock songs we've measured, intensity averages 41/100 — calmer than the typical song we measure (46/100).

They run from Pineola (the calmest here, 16) to Cumberland Gap (the most charged, 65), with layered textures most common and a mix of the expected and the surprising. It spans 1970–2024.

The widest dynamic swing belongs to Cumberland Gap.

6.1
Avg Intensity
3
Safe
11
Moderate
1
Intense

Safe for sensitive ears (3)

♪
Pineola
Lucinda Williams
safe Album art for Mama Said by Metallica
Mama Said
Metallica
safe
♪
Southern Accents
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
safe

Controlled — moderate intensity (11)

♪
Ain't Wastin' Time No More
Allman Brothers Band
moderate
♪
Dreams
Allman Brothers Band
moderate
♪
End of the Line
Allman Brothers Band
moderate
♪
Pony Boy
Allman Brothers Band
moderate
♪
Revival
Allman Brothers Band
moderate Album art for Parachute by Chris Stapleton
Parachute
Chris Stapleton
moderate Album art for Traveller by Chris Stapleton
Traveller
Chris Stapleton
moderate Album art for Last of My Kind by Jason Isbell
Last of My Kind
Jason Isbell
moderate Album art for King of Oklahoma by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
King of Oklahoma
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
moderate
♪
All I Can Do Is Write About It
Lynyrd Skynyrd
moderate Album art for Mercury in Retrograde by Sturgill Simpson
Mercury in Retrograde
Sturgill Simpson
moderate

Intense — proceed with awareness (1)

Album art for Cumberland Gap by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Cumberland Gap
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
intense

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