Crystals
Crystals by Of Monsters and Men is 100 BPM — Andante (walking pace).
Half-time 50 BPM · Double-time 200 BPM · released 2015
Song DNA
This carries real energy. Mostly steady, it still leaves a little room to surprise. The track swings widely from quiet to loud changing direction here and there, busy in texture, with powerful vocals leading at a steady, walkable tempo. On our 19,209-song scale, it reads more energetic than 88% of everything we’ve measured.
Cultural Context
Continues the band's exploration of rich soundscapes.
Listening Prompt
Feel the rhythm and let the energy flow.
What to Expect
Transitions from soft verses to a grand chorus.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: energetic, transcendent
"Crystals" climbs hard.
Dynamic range 8/10 places this in our upper band. The opening volume that feels comfortable will not be comfortable at the climax. If you are setting this up for a focused listen, anchor your volume to the quietest section, not the loudest. The arc is the point of the song; if you blunt it by riding the volume knob, you lose what makes it work. Of Monsters and Men built the dynamic shape on purpose. Plan around it.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 8/10 is in the upper band of our library. This song has a significant quiet-to-loud arc. For sensory-sensitive listening, set the opening volume well below your comfortable top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Sudden changes: present. This song uses surprise as a feature. For focus or background listening, it's likely to pull your attention away; for active listening, that's often the point.
Texture: complex.
Predictability is medium — conventional structure overall, with one or two moments that deviate from what you'd expect.
Vocal style: dynamic vocals.
Where this sits in Of Monsters and Men's catalog
We have 9 songs from Of Monsters and Men in the library. Of those, 1 are rated Safe, 6 Moderate, and 2 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 8/10 sits above the artist average of 7.1, making it the #2 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.
Other tracks from Beneath the Skin
We have 2 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans moderate in sensory profile.
- Wolves Without Teeth — moderate DR 6
2015 context
Released in 2015. We have 373 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.3/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 2010s.
Explore by mood and tradition
Guides that may help
How fast is "Crystals"?
100 BPM — Medium (midtempo / pop ballad)
Too slow for most running; good for warm-up walks or cool-down.
Steady cardio, power walking, light weights.
Cooking, casual listening, cleaning, dinner music.
Browse more songs at 100 BPM.
When "Crystals" works, and when it doesn't
Use-case verdicts computed from the song's tempo, dynamics, and sensory profile.
No — too dynamic or too many surprises. Save for active listening.
Maybe — at 100 BPM this is more warm-up or cool-down pace than peak-effort running.
No — contains elements that will keep an awake nervous system engaged.
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.
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Why this rating
We rate this song Moderate because it falls between our Safe and Intense thresholds on at least one dimension. Moderate is the default for most well-produced music that has real arc but no surprise elements. Full rubric: methodology.
See how “Crystals” sits against your own sensitivities, or use it as a waypoint in a calmer set.
Listen on
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For focused listening
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Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-05. 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 is one of the more intense things in our library — more energetic than 88% of the 19,209 songs we've measured. Its intensity reading of 68/100 comes from a dynamic range of 8/10, complex texture, moderate 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 88% 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.
2015 in context
The 373 songs we’ve measured from 2015 average a dynamic range of 6.3/10. 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.
Frequently asked about "Crystals"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "Crystals" by Of Monsters and Men?
"Crystals" by Of Monsters and Men has a tempo of 100 BPM (Andante (walking pace)). At half-time that is 50 BPM, and at double-time 200 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "Crystals" by Of Monsters and Men?
"Crystals" by Of Monsters and Men rates as Moderate intensity. Dynamic range 8/10, moderate sudden changes, complex texture. Moderate is the default for well-produced music with real arc but no surprise elements.
How loud is "Crystals" — what is its dynamic range?
"Crystals" has a dynamic range of 8/10. Substantial quiet-to-loud arc. Start at a volume well below your top-end; the climax will land harder than the intro suggests.
Does "Crystals" have sudden or surprising changes?
Yes. "Crystals" uses surprise as a compositional feature. Expect unsignaled transitions.
What is "Crystals" best for?
In our library "Crystals" is recommended for: deep listening, focus. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "Crystals" released?
"Crystals" is from 2015, on the album "Beneath the Skin". It appears in our 2010s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "Crystals"?
We tag "Crystals" as energetic, transcendent. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "Crystals"?
The vocal style is dynamic vocals.
Is "Crystals" good for running?
Not really — at 100 BPM it's below most running cadences. Better for warm-up, cool-down, or walking. Recreational runners typically step at 140-175 BPM.
Is "Crystals" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (8/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "Crystals" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Contains transitions that will wake you up.
Should I listen to "Crystals"?
"Crystals" is Moderate intensity — fine for most listeners, but with enough dynamic activity that it works best as active listening rather than background.
Songs with the same DNA
complex texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.
Safer alternatives with a similar feel
These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.
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