Looking to make a Synthwave song but you're not sure what the tempo should be? 

I examined the tempos of 50 different Synthwave songs to find out what I could learn, and here is the data:

I used Tunebat.com to find the BPMs of these songs.

Most Synthwave Songs are between 80 and 140 BPM. If you want a dreamier and slower song, shoot for between 80-120 BPM, but if you want something more upbeat, feel free to make your track between 128-168 BPM.  

Obviously, that is a pretty big range, so it's safe to say it doesn't really matter what BPM you make your Synthwave song. It just depends what kind of Synthwave vibe you're going for, as there is a lot of diversity in the genre. 

What Is The Average BPM of A Synthwave Song?

From the 50 songs I examined, I found the average tempo to be 124 BPM, with the Median being 125 BPM. 

So if you're looking for a sweet spot to aim for as far as tempo goes, you can't go wrong with anything around 125 BPM. 

What Is The Lowest Tempo Of A Synthwave Song?

Of the 50 songs I researched, I didn't find a single song below 86 BPM (Tech Noir by Gunship). All the other songs were at least 90 BPM or higher. (Although if you read below you'll find that this is a little misleading). 

So while Synthwave can have a floor below 90 BPM, it seems like most songs stay above this threshold...at least until we dig a little deeper... 

What Is The Highest Tempo Of A Synthwave Song? 

The highest tempo I found was a whopping 174 BPM, which was City Hunter by Sebastian Gampl. 

Not sure if this song was a reference to the great Korean TV show with same name, but if so, sweet!

While this song may be 174 BPM, and is certainly upbeat, it doesn't feel like a crazy fast song. In fact, I found myself head-bobbing along at the tempo of 87 BPM, which is half the listed tempo on Tunebat. 

As you probably know, cutting a tempo in half is really just the same tempo, it just depends on which notes you're counting for the beat. 

The second fastest BPM song was Static by Timecop1983. 

However, like City Hunter, this song has you head-bobbing along with the kick drum at 85 BPM. Definitely a slower feeling song. 

The first truly fast-feeling song of the 50 that I examined was Never Stop by FM-84 featuring Ollie Wride (a truly spectacular song by the way). 

This song clocks in at 168, and you can definitely find your self grooving along at that pace thanks to the driving bass and drums. 

50 Synthwave Song Tempos Examined

Curious to see the wide range of song tempos that can be found in Synthwave?

Check out this list of 50 different Synthwave songs and their tempos:

Song Name

BPM

Nightcall

by Kavinsky

92

Running In The Night

 by FM-84

133

Kids

by The Midnight

140

Run Away With Me

by Moonrunner83

135

NASA

by Futurecop!

126

Tonight

by Timecop1983

90

Georgetown

by The Bad Dreamers

122

New Cydonia

by Starcadian

94

A Real Hero

by Electric Youth

112

Waiting On The Summer

by VHS Collection

105

City In The Sea

by Andromeda Coast

99

Crystal Ships

by Michael Oakley

110

By Your Side

by The Runaway Club

126

Adrift 

by Dance With The Dead

95

Modern Love

by Kristine

148

Radio

by Le Cassette

116

Sanfransokyo Girl

by Satellite Young

131

Sky High

by D/A/D

120

Love Someone

by DWNTWN

140

Tiger Teeth 

by Walk The Moon

105

We Lost

by Anoraak

90

Inhale 

by New Arcades

144

Forever In Your Heartbeat

by Fear Of Tigers

157

This Whole Nothing

by Color Theory

140

Magic 

by FM Attack

128

Jetpacks

by Von Kaiser

110

Can't Stop Falling In Love

by W O L F C L U B

100

Tech Noir

by Gunship

86

Stars of the Night

by Dynatron

115

Automatic Call

by NINA

117

Runaway

by LeBrock

130

Bad Dream Baby

by September 87

138

'85 Again (feat. Miss K)

by Robert Parker

125

Levitate

by Kalax

95

Le Mirage

by Dana Jean Phoenix

147

Sweet Nothings

by Robert Parker

135

Nomad City

by Phaserland

133

 Stranger Love

by Sunglasses Kid

88

Midnight Run

by Sebastian Gampl

174

The Danger 

by Kristine

160

Turn Back Time

by Michael Oakley

124

Sunset

by The Midnight

114

Days of Thunder

by The Midnight

163

Never Stop

by FM-84

168

Static 

by Timecop1983

170

Dreams

by Timecop1983

115

Transformers

by Futurecop!

130

We Belong 

by Futurecop!

120

Teenage Color

by College

125

Desert King

by Lghtnng

125

The Mixdown: Conclusion

As you have probably already deduced from the data, you can create a Synthwave song in just about any tempos.

What’s more important to creating a Synthwave-sounding song is the arrangement and instrumentation.

If you want to write better songs, then grab my free Hit Creation Checklist, which includes a quick system for writing hit songs using the 9 elements that hit songwriters use again and again. 

Write A Hit Song!

Click below to download my free Hit Creation checklist which demystifies the songwriting process and boils down the techniques hit songwriters use into a simple 9-step formula. 

Even if you aren't interested in writing hits, you can still learn some valuable tips in this guide for how to make music that taps into human nature, and what we as people find enjoyable to listen to. 

I hope you found this article on, What BPM is Synthwave Music In, helpful!

If you found it valuable I'd love for you to give it a share, and let me know in the comments below...

What Questions Do You Have About Writing Synthwave Songs?

Reagan Ramm


Hi! I'm Reagan, and I've been writing, recording, and mixing music since 2011, and got a degree in audio engineering in 2019 from Unity Gain Recording Institute. I also work full-time in Digital Marketing and Entrepreneurship, and am striving to help fellow musicians and producers improve their art and make a living doing the work they love.

- Reagan Ramm


Tags

songwritting, Synthwave, Tempo


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