Any Other Name
Any Other Name by Thomas Newman is 50 BPM — Largo (very slow).
Half-time 25 BPM · Double-time 100 BPM · released 1999
Song DNA
Near the stillest end of everything we measure. The track rises and falls a fair amount with no sudden shifts to brace for — a smooth track with no vocals to track — it’s fully instrumental at a slow pace. Predictable and even, it’s easy to settle into and let run. On our 19,209-song scale, it reads gentler than 99% of everything we’ve measured.
Cultural Context
Newman's score for 'American Beauty' has been critically acclaimed for its subtlety and emotional depth. The music highlights the film's exploration of beauty and existential despair.
Listening Prompt
Reflect on life as the music unfolds gently around you.
What to Expect
'Any Other Name' opens with a gentle piano motif that sets a contemplative mood. It gradually incorporates synth textures, creating an immersive soundscape that encourages introspection. The piece captures the nuances of everyday life, inviting listeners to ponder the deeper meanings behind the surface.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: calm, contemplative
"Any Other Name" sits at 50 BPM. Built for stillness.
This is well below typical speech rhythm. The body reads slow tempo as permission to rest. Smooth texture and instrumental keep the foreground spare. Good candidates for use: falling asleep, processing a hard day, slow mornings, study sessions where the music must not pull at you. Avoid for any task that needs alertness — the piece works against it.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 4/10 is within the normal pop-mix band. There is variation between verse and chorus, but it's the kind of variation most listeners encounter routinely.
Sudden changes: none. Transitions are musically signaled — nothing will surprise you if you're only half-listening.
Texture: smooth.
Predictability is high — the song telegraphs what it will do next. A sensory-sensitive listener can usually guess where it's going without close attention.
Vocal style: instrumental.
1999 context
Released in 1999. We have 304 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.3/10. This track is quieter / less dynamic than the year average. Explore more from the 1990s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Guides that may help
How fast is "Any Other Name"?
50 BPM — Very slow (ballad / ambient)
Too slow for most running; good for warm-up walks or cool-down.
Warm-up, cool-down, yoga, stretching.
Sleep, meditation, reading, focus work.
Browse more songs at 50 BPM.
When "Any Other Name" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
Yes — low-variance volume, no surprises, steady tempo. The ideal study-music profile.
No — 50 BPM is too slow for sustained cardio.
Maybe — calm overall, but tempo is a bit high for deep sleep. Better for winding down than falling asleep.
Yes — predictable enough for safe driving attention, interesting enough to stay engaged.
Yes — sits in the background without demanding attention.
Not really — it's pleasant but doesn't hit hard enough for cathartic listening.
Related reading
Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.
The 10 Calmest Albums Ever Recorded — A low-intensity Listening Guide
The 10 Calmest Albums Ever Recorded — A low-intensity Listening Guide — A guide for sensory-sensitive listeners on musiciwant.com
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Why this rating
We rate this song Safe because its dynamic range stays within our low-variance band, there are no unsignaled changes, and the texture and vocal style are both in the low-fatigue range. Our methodology uses an AND rule for Safe — a song has to clear every dimension to earn the rating.
See how “Any Other Name” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
Listen on
Spotify and YouTube links go direct to the track when we have the ID; otherwise they search for it. Embed this sensory profile on your site →
Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-04. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.
Think this rating is wrong? Contact the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.
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 sits near the calm end of everything we've measured — gentler than 99% of the 19,209 songs in the library. Its intensity reading of 12/100 comes from a dynamic range of 4/10, smooth texture, no sudden shifts, and instrumental. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is a slow, unhurried pace: more extreme on that axis than 100% 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
Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.
1999 in context
The 304 songs we’ve measured from 1999 average a dynamic range of 6.3/10. At 4/10, 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
The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.
Frequently asked about "Any Other Name"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "Any Other Name" by Thomas Newman?
"Any Other Name" by Thomas Newman has a tempo of 50 BPM (Largo (very slow)). At half-time that is 25 BPM, and at double-time 100 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "Any Other Name" by Thomas Newman?
"Any Other Name" by Thomas Newman rates as Low-Intensity. Dynamic range 4/10, no sudden changes, smooth texture. Our Low-Intensity rating means no single dimension triggers the higher-intensity thresholds.
How loud is "Any Other Name" — what is its dynamic range?
"Any Other Name" has a dynamic range of 4/10. Within normal pop-mix variation. Movement between verse and chorus but nothing dramatic.
Does "Any Other Name" have sudden or surprising changes?
No. "Any Other Name" has no sudden unsignaled changes. Every transition is musically telegraphed.
What is "Any Other Name" best for?
In our library "Any Other Name" is recommended for: deep listening, meditation. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "Any Other Name" released?
"Any Other Name" is from 1999, on the album "American Beauty (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". It appears in our 1990s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "Any Other Name"?
We tag "Any Other Name" as calm, contemplative. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "Any Other Name"?
The vocal style is instrumental.
Is "Any Other Name" good for running?
Not really — at 50 BPM it's below most running cadences. Better for warm-up, cool-down, or walking. Recreational runners typically step at 140-175 BPM.
Is "Any Other Name" good for studying?
Yes — low dynamic range (4/10) and no sudden changes means the song stays in the background without pulling focus.
Can I use "Any Other Name" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Dynamic range is too high — quiet moments will be ambushed by louder ones.
Should I listen to "Any Other Name"?
If you want gentle, low-arousal music, "Any Other Name" is a solid pick — Low-Intensity across every sensory dimension.
Songs with the same DNA
smooth texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
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