The creation of the playlist follows the release of the 2021 NHS Staff Survey results on 30 March 2022, which highlighted the increasing pressures on the NHS, with rising stress levels and 46.8 percent of respondents reporting that they had felt unwell as a result of work-related stress within the past 12 months (a 2.8 percentage point increase on 2020).
“A car is a valuable lifeline for the many teams who sacrifice their time to keep the nation safe and healthy, so it’s important that the journey gives them something more than just getting from A to B. That’s why we conducted this research and put together the Commute Home Playlist; we all enjoy listening to music when driving but it’s important we are listening to songs that help us to unwind whilst remaining focussed.”
“Humans are passive absorbers of music, which is why it’s so powerful in affecting mood. That said, driving playlists shouldn’t be static. People need to be taken down gently, especially after a traumatic or high intensity shift.”
Victoria’s tips for a wind down playlist:
● Start at 90-110 beats per minute before taking it down to 60-80 beats per minute
● Cinematic music and scores work well
● Finish with two or three inspiring songs to get the driver into a positive frame of mind
Motorfinity’s “Commute Home Relaxation” playlist can be accessed on Spotify.
On the playlist, Daniel Briggs, Managing Director at Motorfinity, added:
“The playlist starts like Victoria suggests, with higher beats per minute, including songs like Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves and We are Never Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift, selected to help lift the driver’s mood. The beats per minute then gradually decrease and move into cinematic scores to aid relaxation including songs from the Forrest Gump and Jurassic World soundtracks.”
1. Pocketful of Sunshine - Natasha Bedingfield
2. Shake it Out - Florence + the Machine
3. Walking on Sunshine - Katrina & the Waves
4. Breakfast at Tiffany’s - Deep Something Blue
5. We are Never Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift
6. Drops of Jupiter - Train
7. Run Forrest Run - Alan Silvestri
8. The Last Jedi - John Williams
9. Ragnarok Suite - Mark Mothersbaugh
10. Welcome to Jurassic World - Michael Giacchino
11. Fawkes the Phoenix - John Williams