Music expert reveals secret to world’s happiest songs
by the Beach Boys one of the world’s happiest songs, along with “I Got You” by James Brown, “Get the Party Started” by Pink, and “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel.“Previous studies have found songs are perceived as happy if they are in a major key, with a sweet spot of approximately 137 beats per minute,” Bonshor said in a statement to media outlets.“We like ‘7th chords’ as they add interest; regular chords use three notes, whereas ‘7th chords’ add an extra note which provides a sense of musical ‘tension’ and ‘relief.’”The catchy tracks tend to be pop songs with repeated riffs, a strong beat and a bright tone.“We like high volume when it comes to how our happy songs are made, with notes played in a bright and bouncy way by instruments such as trumpets or electric guitars instead of mellower instruments,” Bonshor added. “Finally, a repetitive rhythm or guitar riff that people can latch onto and becomes memorable is the cherry on the cake.”To put the happiness formula to the test, producers Jamie P and Oliver Price created an upbeat track called “The Lighter Note,” which was commissioned by UK yogurt brand Müllerlight.