If you’re looking for the concert most likely to leave you feeling euphoric in 2025, science suggests looking towards hard rock legends Guns N’ Roses. A new study by Betway analyzed the setlists and metrics of major touring artists this year, concluding that GNR‘s performances rank highest for inducing happiness based on song tempo.
The research delved into the science of music and mood, specifically focusing on the number of songs artists perform within the 140-150 beats per minute (BPM) range. This tempo bracket is scientifically suggested to trigger heightened feelings of happiness and excitement in listeners. Betway analyzed setlists from sources like Setlist.fm and tempo data from SongBPM to rank artists accordingly.
Guns N’ Roses topped this “happiest concerts” list, with their typical 2025 setlist featuring five high-energy tracks falling within the crucial 140-150 BPM sweet spot. Cited examples contributing to this include high-octane tracks like “It’s So Easy” and “Reckless Life.” Furthermore, their overall average concert tempo sits at a robust 130 BPM.
The top 10 “happiest” concerts identified by the study, based on the number of songs in the optimal BPM range and average setlist BPM, are:
| Rank | Artist | No. of songs with BPM between 140-150 | Average BPM |
| 1 | Guns N’ Roses | 5 | 130 |
| 2 | Billy Joel | 5 | 127 |
| 3 | Bruce Springsteen | 5 | 120 |
| 4 | Post Malone | 3 | 139 |
| 5 | Coldplay | 3 | 131 |
| 6 | Fontaines D.C. | 3 | 127 |
| 6 | Jeff Lynne’s ELO | 3 | 127 |
| 8 | Stereophonics | 3 | 122 |
| 9 | Usher | 3 | 118 |
| 10 | Sting | 3 | 116 |
Several other iconic rock acts featured prominently in the happiness rankings alongside Guns N’ Roses. Bruce Springsteen came in third overall, also boasting five songs in the target BPM range, though with a slightly lower average concert tempo of 120 BPM. Post-punk outfit Fontaines D.C. and classic rock group Jeff Lynne‘s ELO tied for sixth place, each featuring three songs in the happy tempo zone and an average BPM of 127. Welsh rockers Stereophonics also made the top ten at number eight.
The Betway report, which compiled data in March 2025, extended beyond just BPM analysis, also examining overall concert quality (based on fan and critic reviews from sources like LiveRate and Metacritic) and value for money (cost per song based on Ticketmaster prices and setlist length).
Rock artists showed strength here as well. Bruce Springsteen ranked third for best overall concert experience (8.8/10 score). Fontaines D.C. also scored highly for quality (5th, 8.3/10) and offered good value (3rd, £3.05 per song). Notably, heavy metal titans Iron Maiden placed seventh for overall concert quality with an 8.2/10 rating, while veteran Neil Young landed at tenth place in the quality rankings.
While pop acts like RAYE and Beyoncé led the overall quality scores, the study indicates that for fans seeking scientifically-backed high energy and mood-boosting tempos, Guns N’ Roses currently leads the pack, with the rock genre well-represented across various measures of concert satisfaction in 2025.
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