Get unlimited access to everything VICE has to offer.

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

Turn off all ads on VICE.com

Exclusive New VICE Documentaries

Member Exclusive Features & Columns

4 Magazines Delivered to Your Door

Listeners Turn to a Specific 2000s Nu-Metal Band To Relieve Stress, Study Reveals

Rock, indie, and metal genres appeared often on mental health playlists, according to a recent study.

Share on X (Opens in new window)X

Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook

Share using Native toolsShareCopied to clipboard

According to a study published in April 2026, listening to music is the top stress reliever in the U.S., with some surprising go-to artists. Health software developer Tebra polled 1,000 people about what they listen to when de-stressing. Additionally, the company gathered data from public playlists curated for mental health or stress relief, and an interesting pattern emerged.

The study analyzed 155,626 tracks from 560 playlists labeled for stress relief and mental health. Listeners seemed to turn to rock, metal, and heavy music a lot when “seeking emotional relief,” the study shared. But hip-hop and indie rock also dominated the poll.

Heavy........

© Vice