Shake It Out by Florence and the Machine is 124 BPM — Allegro (fast).
Half-time 62 BPM · Double-time 248 BPM · released 2011
Song DNA
Misophonia Triggers
A balanced track — neither sleepy nor charged. It’s fairly predictable, with a shape you can follow. This one swings widely from quiet to loud with the occasional gentle turn, densely layered in texture, with powerful vocals leading at a brisk, driving tempo. Across the library, it sits more energetic than 69% of songs, calmer than the rest.
Hear it the way it was made
The right gear changes everything.
Moods: cathartic, energetic, uplifting
Traditions: baroque pop, indie pop
"Shake It Out" climbs hard.
Dynamic range 7/10 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. Florence and the Machine built the dynamic shape on purpose. Plan around it.
How this song sits on each sensory axis
A dynamic range of 7/10 means this song moves. Expect a real volume climb between quiet sections and the loudest part of the arrangement — enough that you may want to set the initial volume below where you'd normally land.
Sudden changes: mild. There are one or two transitions worth knowing about, though they're musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.
Texture is layered — a full arrangement with clear separation between parts.
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 Florence and the Machine's catalog
We have 7 songs from Florence and the Machine in the library. Of those, 0 are rated Safe, 6 Moderate, and 1 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 7/10 sits above the artist average of 6.7, making it the #4 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.
2011 context
Released in 2011. We have 373 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.4/10. 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 "Shake It Out"?
124 BPM — Upbeat (dance-pop / running warm-up)
Slow jog or recovery run pace. Matches a 120-140 stride-per-minute cadence.
Steady cardio, power walking, light weights.
Driving, getting ready in the morning, light party.
Browse more songs at 124 BPM.
When "Shake It Out" 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.
Yes — 124 BPM sits squarely in the running / cardio band. Matches natural stride cadence.
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.
Yes — this is a song for actively feeling what you came to feel, not for background.
Related reading
Editorial guides that cover this song's use cases, moods, or artist.
Nick Cave's albums ranked by emotional darkness — which one is your nervous system ready for?
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds made some of the most devastating music in rock history. But not all darkness is the same. This guide ranks his …
I rated every Billie Eilish album by emotional intensity
From bedroom ASMR whispers to walls of distortion — a deep sensory dive into all three Billie Eilish studio albums and what each one actuall…
10 songs dropping this week — what they actually sound like
From Laufey's jazz-pop swells to Lady Gaga's Doechii collab, we analyzed 10 new and trending releases so you know exactly what you're walkin…
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 “Shake It Out” 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: 2026-04-13. 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
On our 19k-song scale this lands in the middle band — more energetic than 69% of songs, calmer than the other 31%. Its intensity reading of 53/100 comes from a dynamic range of 7/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and dynamic vocals. It shares this stretch of the spectrum with thousands of other tracks, so the finer fingerprint below is what really separates it.
What makes it unusual
What stands out most about this song is a fast, driving tempo: more extreme on that axis than 81% 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.
2011 in context
The 372 songs we’ve measured from 2011 average a dynamic range of 6.4/10. At 7/10, 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 "Shake It Out"
Quick answers pulled from the song's sensory analysis.
What is the BPM of "Shake It Out" by Florence and the Machine?
"Shake It Out" by Florence and the Machine has a tempo of 124 BPM (Allegro (fast)). At half-time that is 62 BPM, and at double-time 248 BPM.
What is the sensory intensity of "Shake It Out" by Florence and the Machine?
"Shake It Out" by Florence and the Machine rates as Moderate intensity. Dynamic range 7/10, mild sudden changes, layered texture. Moderate is the default for well-produced music with real arc but no surprise elements.
How loud is "Shake It Out" — what is its dynamic range?
"Shake It Out" has a dynamic range of 7/10. Noticeable climb from quiet sections to loudest point. Set opening volume slightly lower than your preferred peak.
Does "Shake It Out" have sudden or surprising changes?
"Shake It Out" has mild sudden changes — one or two transitions worth knowing about, but they are musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.
What is "Shake It Out" best for?
In our library "Shake It Out" is recommended for: emotional release, movement, workout. These tags are assigned only where the song's sensory profile genuinely supports the use case.
When was "Shake It Out" released?
"Shake It Out" is from 2011, on the album "Ceremonials". It appears in our 2010s catalog.
What is the emotional mood of "Shake It Out"?
We tag "Shake It Out" as cathartic, energetic, uplifting. Moods are tonal descriptors based on how the song reads emotionally — separate from the sensory intensity axes.
What is the vocal style of "Shake It Out"?
The vocal style is dynamic vocals.
Is "Shake It Out" good for running?
Yes — at 124 BPM it sits in the running-cadence band (120-180 BPM). Match your stride to the beat and it keeps pace with most recreational runners.
Is "Shake It Out" good for studying?
Only partially. The song's dynamic range (7/10) means there will be loud moments that break focus during deep work.
Can I use "Shake It Out" for sleep?
Not recommended for sleep. Contains transitions that will wake you up.
Should I listen to "Shake It Out"?
"Shake It Out" 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
layered 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.
What this song means to people
No stories yet. Be the first.
Share what this song means to you
Keep exploring
You know how this one feels — now go find the next one.