Did a popular music album just drop? A hidden—and deadly—effect will follow
There’s more than one reason to stay home the next time Beyoncé drops an album. Yes, you’ll want to hole up and listen to Act III—but you’ll also want to avoid being on the road, where traffic fatalities spike when major albums release, according to a new study. Researchers at Harvard Medical School found a link between the biggest album release days on Spotify and increased fatalities on the…
The release of a Beyoncé album can have more consequences than just the music. A new study reveals that traffic fatalities spike on the days major albums are released, according to research from Harvard Medical School. Published in JAMA Network Open, the study found that fatal crashes were 15% more common on album release days compared to the 10 days preceding and following.
The lead author of the study, Vishal Patel, was inspired to investigate the topic after a near-accident while searching for a new Taylor Swift album on Spotify. Patel and his team compared data on fatal crashes with the top 10 biggest album release days on Spotify from 2017 to 2022. Adjusting for risk factors, they found a 15% increase in crashes on release days, resulting in 182 additional deaths over the 10-day periods.
While the study cannot definitively prove causation, the researchers ruled out other possible causes for the increased fatalities. One possible solution is for passengers to control the music during the drive, as the increased risk was almost entirely among solo drivers. Additionally, music platforms could incorporate reminders to set up music before driving, which could help keep drivers focused on the road.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
