In a major example of clickbait, the full headline of this story indicates that "scientists" have determined that the happiest song of all time is Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys.

https://www.castanet.net/news/Entertainment/412016/This-classic-track-has-been-named-the-happiest-song-of-all-time-by-scientists

Yet when you read the actual story, this determination appears to have been made by only a single person. That person is described as a musicologist. I have to express some serious skepticism at the idea that musicology is a science in the same way that physics or chemistry are.

I'm also really struggling with the reasoning that this "scientist"' used to choose Good Vibrations above all the other songs evbaer written. I feel sure there are hundreds if not thousands of songs that have a tempo of 137 beats per minute, have a time signature of 4/4, are written in a major key and use 7th chords. How did all of those other songs lose out?

I think this "scientist" simply chose HIS favourite song and wrote this justification for it to give it the weight of "scientific fact" rather than mere personal preference.

Rhino2 <hughmunguscan@gmail.com> wrote:
> In a major example of clickbait, the full headline of this story
> indicates that "scientists" have determined that the happiest song of all
> time is Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys.
>
> https://www.castanet.net/news/Entertainment/412016/This-classic-track-has-been-named-the-happiest-song-of-all-time-by-scientists
>
> Yet when you read the actual story, this determination appears to have
> been made by only a single person. That person is described as a
> musicologist. I have to express some serious skepticism at the idea that
> musicology is a science in the same way that physics or chemistry are.
>
> I'm also really struggling with the reasoning that this "scientist"' used
> to choose Good Vibrations above all the other songs evbaer written. I
> feel sure there are hundreds if not thousands of songs that have a tempo
> of 137 beats per minute, have a time signature of 4/4, are written in a
> major key and use 7th chords. How did all of those other songs lose out?
>
> I think this "scientist" simply chose HIS favourite song and wrote this
> justification for it to give it the weight of "scientific fact" rather
> than mere personal preference.
>

This guy, musicologist Dr Michael Bonshor is just a total joke.

He actually has a list of 10 songs with good vibrations (which he claims is
the most expensive song ever produced) being at the top.

(I am removing the url because it’s a total spam trap.)

He has stacks of degrees and credentials. All of which seem really
doubtful. BA Hons, MA, PhD, PGCertTLHE, FHEA, FISM

Music Psychologist, specialising in musical wellbeing and positive
psychology.

Studies Creativity in Music Education, LGBTQ studies, and Psychology of
Music

--
The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.