The Soundtrack To Our Homes Revealed

However, we had a feeling that the music we listen to in the kitchen might be different from what we listen to while doing the dusting . So we dug into the data to find out what the most popular songs and artists are for a range of homely tasks and activities.  

If the research inspires you to create your own playlists for your home, check out our broadband deals to make sure you have the best connection so you can stream from day to night. 

Rise and shine songs

Getting up can be the hardest part of the day, so it’s no wonder that so many acoustic artists feature on our waking up playlists. From the folk-sound of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, to the laid-back vibe of Jack Johnson and Leon Bridges, these mellow tunes are perfect to shake you out of your slumber.

The general consensus amongst the most popular rise and shine songs is their ambient sounds which slowly build up to a stronger beat that will gradually wake you up as it progresses, the best examples of this include ‘I Don’t Care’ by Charlotte Sands and the gentle tones of Dermot Kennedy’s ‘Outnumbered.’ 

Working from home  

As we all face the realities of working from home, it’s no wonder there are so many playlists helping us to stay focused. There’s no surprise to see productivity-related songs like Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’ and the motivational ‘I’m Still Standing’ by Elton John, but it’s interesting to see these songs alongside the likes of ‘Blinding Lights’ by The Weeknd, proving variety is key.  

The most popular artists who have been keeping us all on track also offer a great variety; from current artists like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and The Weeknd to absolute classics like Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles and Elton John. 

Pooping playlists 

Yes, believe it or not, people do create playlists for toilet time. If you’re a parent, this may be the only time you can get to yourself and therefore you want to make the most of it, or maybe you’re in a flat share and want to distract your housemates from your bathroom activities. Whatever the case, it’s rap music that we turn to for our toilet tunes – Tyler The Creator, Eminem, Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar all feature on the list. 

The Neighbourhood’s ‘Sweater Weather’ has recently found fame again on TikTok despite being a Tumblr fan-fave among millennials in 2013, so it’s interesting to see it featuring as the most popular pooping anthem. In total contrast to the soft-grunge sound of The Neighbourhood are the several rap songs from the likes of Travis Scott and Juice WRLD. 

Bathing ballads and shower songs 

Bubbles, salts and steaming hot water makes for a relaxing bath time, but having the right music to lull you into relaxation mode makes for a 10/10 experience. It seems that pop is the winner when it comes to the artists we want to share our bath time with, with Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, and Rihanna being the most popular female artists, while The Weeknd, Harry Styles and Ed Sheeran come out on top for male artists.

The Neighbourhood has two songs in the top three; ‘Daddy Issues’ is on 100 playlists, while ‘Sweater Weather’ appears on 78. Harry Styles also has two songs on the most popular bathing list, with ‘Falling’ and ‘Sign of the Times’. And Lewis Capaldi features twice with ‘Before You Go’ and ‘Someone You Loved.’ Meanwhile, Billie Eilish has three songs featuring on the list, including ‘when the party’s over,’ ‘lovely (with Khalid)’ and ‘i love you.’

What’s so different between bath time and shower time, you ask? Singing... loudly. Whether it’s a guilty pleasure or an absolute classic, there’s no surprise that the time we spend in the shower is a time we want to be pumped up rather than wound down like our bathing time, which is why there are so many pop and R&B artists. It turns out that we like to channel our inner One Direction, BTS and Taylor Swift when we’re in the shower, followed by Billie Eilish and Rihanna. 

It’s very apt that the most popular song for showering is the teen-pop song ‘Shower’ by Becky G. After that, it’s Miley Cyrus’ ‘Party In The USA,’ followed by ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ by One Direction, which are all worthy of being sung loudly. One Direction also features further down the list with ‘Best Song Ever’, but the most popular artist on this list is Bruno Mars, who has three songs featured.

Cooking  

Making a meal for yourself, a loved one, or an entire dinner party is a hobby for many, so it makes sense that there are so many playlists to create some ambience. It’s interesting that the most popular songs we cook along to are mostly jazz, blues, and soul. Otis Redding’s iconic ‘(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay’ is the most popular cooking song, followed by ‘Beyond the Sea’ by Bobby Darin, and then ‘A Sunday Kind of Love’ by Etta James.  

The list also shows how we might transport ourselves to the country that has inspired our meal, as ‘Volare (Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Ble),’ ‘Mambo Italiano’ and ‘La Vie En Rose,’ are among the most popular cooking songs.

Frank Sinatra, one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century, is the most popular artist to feature alongside our cooking hobby, followed by ‘The King of Cool’ Dean Martin and then the ‘Queen of Jazz’ Ella Fitzgerald. In fact, most of the artists on this list are from the jazz, soul, and blues genre, apart from the boy band BTS, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayer and Ed Sheeran. 

Cleaning chart-toppers 

For most people, cleaning isn’t the most exciting of tasks, so it’s no surprise that hundreds of cleaning playlists have been created to provide a little more fun while you’re dusting and mopping.  

When it comes to the most listened to artists while cleaning, it’s three pop queens that top the list – Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Rihanna. Marie Kondo, a so-called ‘cleaning consultant’, is the fourth most popular artist – you can listen to excerpts of her bestselling book ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up’ on Spotify.   

 The rest of the top 20 list features some of the biggest pop stars in the world, showing that pop is incredibly pop-ular while keeping your house spick and span.  

Pop songs dominate the most listened to songs while cleaning too – with a good number of the top 20 being hits from the 80s such as ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ by Whitney Houston, ‘9 to 5’ by Dolly Parton and ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ by Journey.

Methodology: 

Spotify playlists with relevant names were scraped to discover the most included artists and songs. Playlist keywords used were: morning, working from home, pooping,/pooing, bath, shower, cooking, cleaning.  

 All data correct as of 5 May 2021.