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. Videos by VICE Heavy Music Heals: People Often Seek Rock Bands for Stress Relief 35% of people polled said they de-stress by listening to music, making it the number one technique. Additionally, 82% stated that their music taste changes with their mood, turning to different genres and artists when stressed, compared to a good mood.…