Musical Groove on Emotion: Influence of Tempo and Chord Progression

Groove, the pleasurable urge to move to music, is influenced by rhythmic and harmonic elements. Little research on groove, focusing on rhythm, has systematically examined the relation between groove and emotional responses. This study investigated how groove is modulated by musical emotions—specifically arousal and valence—by manipulating tempo and chord progressions. A total of 4,982 participants listened to one of 144 musical stimuli that varied in tempo (60–170 BPM) and chord progression (from sad to happy). Participants rated groove, arousal, and valence. Segmented linear regression analysis was used to determine the relations between these variables. An optimal tempo for groove was identified at around 130 BPM, beyond which groove ratings declined. Chord progressions influenced groove in a monotonic manner, with happier progressions leading to higher groove ratings. Analysis of emotional responses revealed that groove was associated with higher valence and moderately high arousal, suggesting an “emotional sweet spot” for groove induction. These findings indicated that groove is systematically influenced by both acoustic (tempo and chord progression) and emotional (valence and arousal) factors. The results suggest that groove is not driven solely by rhythmic anticipation, broadening the current understanding of musical groove and its applications in psychology, cognition, and movement-related activities.