Music’s role in the waiting room is more than just background noise — it could actually impact patients’ experience of their treatment. As for the song with the strongest association with feelings of calm and relaxation in medical situations, it turns out to be Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” Meanwhile, heavy metal, hip-hop, and rap are the genres people least want to hear in the waiting room. These genres exacerbate an already stressful medical situation. Researchers analyzed 59,363 songs that had been added to Spotify playlists containing the terms doctor’s office or dentist’s office waiting room. Respondents were asked which genres they found most relaxing in medical waiting rooms and which ones were stressful, as well as what type of music they tend to hear in medical settings. The second and third most preferred songs were Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like a Bird” and TOTO’s “Africa” respectively. Strangely, many people said classical music is the genre most associated with feeling pain. Jazz was associated with the shortest wait times, while country music was associated with the longest.
