When John Lennon first wrote the words, he envisaged a slow tempo to match the emotion of the song. The classic example here is Help! by The Beatles. Sometimes, a songwriter might start out with a particular idea for a song's tempo, only for it to evolve over time. Gave the song a whole new edginess when they started playing it in their silly encores section at live shows. While the likes of Michael Bublé might stick to the “easy listening” tempo that we know so well, 1970s punk band Stiff Little Fingers The Bing Crosby festive classic White Christmas must be one of the best known songs of its genre, and has been covered numerous times. The clearest illustrations of how BPM can affect a piece of music can be found in songs with which we are all familiar,īut that take on a whole new character at a different tempo. The speed at which a song is recorded and performed has a profound impact on how it is perceived and whether it will work in the context that you have planned. Most people will immediately think about the melody, the words and the genre, but a fundamental aspect is to get the right tempo. What are the key ingredients to finding the right song for a particular occasion?

The perfect playlist needs the perfect tempo – the importance of BPM

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