"Dopamine Brats" (Dopagaki) refers to those who depend on and consume stimulating content that triggers excessive dopamine release. Since my previous introduction of music for Dopamine Brats was well-received, I have now selected 10 songs that are likely unsuitable for them, based on my own subjective judgment. Please note that this article is not discussing the quality of the songs themselves.
I've made a playlist of all the songs introduced in this article! Check the links at the bottom (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, LINE MUSIC, Amazon Music only).
Song Selection Criteria
- Long intros or intros without dopamine-inducing phrases (Dopamine Brats feel stressed waiting for vocals during monotonous intros).
- Long song duration (Dopamine Brats get bored halfway through long tracks).
- The song progression isn't "hyperactive" (Dopamine Brats drop off if it's too simple; they can't listen without beat switches, genre-mashing, or excessive effects).
1. Sakanaction - "Me ga Aku Aiiro"
6 minutes 55 seconds. A grand song strongly supported by core fans. Dopamine Brats should listen to many other songs and learn to like Sakanaction before attempting this one.
2. Arashi - "Song for you"
While the sound changes many times throughout, the length is 11 minutes 29 seconds. Despite being a moving song about the bond with fans, the difficulty level is high for Dopamine Brats.
3. X JAPAN - "Art of Life"
A shocking 29 minutes long! A historic piece that includes various genres like ballads, rock, and orchestral elements. However, it is far too long for Dopamine Brats to endure.
4. Official Hige Dandism - "Apoptosis"
6 minutes 29 seconds. While it is a ballad with a beautiful melody, the beginning moves slowly and the overall song is quite long. With a heavy theme looking at the end of life and parting, it's a bit tough for Dopamine Brats seeking instant pleasure.
5. SEKAI NO OWARI - "Hakuchu no Yume"
6 minutes 48 seconds. A long, quiet, and fantastical track typical of early SEKAI NO OWARI. It's not the type to grab you instantly with a flashy chorus, but rather a song to slowly savor for its pale melody and storytelling, so Dopamine Brats will likely want to open SNS halfway through.
6. EPIK HIGH - "You Are The One"
Over 7 minutes. A type of song you gradually immerse yourself in, featuring floating vocals and electro-leaning sounds. For Dopamine Brats waiting for an obvious explosion or flashy development, their concentration will likely break before the pleasure hits.
7. GLAY - "SAY YOUR DREAM"
12 minutes 59 seconds. One of GLAY's longest tracks, depicting life itself on a grand scale. While it is a moving song, it's about the length of three regular singles, making it more of an endurance event than music for a Dopamine Brat.
8. Queen - "The Prophet’s Song"
8 minutes 21 seconds. A grand song mixing heavy rock, fantastical choruses, and long a cappella-style parts. High difficulty for Dopamine Brats.
9. The Beatles - "Hey Jude"
While it has Dopamine Brat elements by starting with vocals, the same melody and progression repeat thereafter. Especially the final chorus part is so long that it's a feat for a Dopamine Brat to listen to the end. I'd recommend "Help!" for them instead.
10. Michael Jackson - "Will You Be There"
Around 7 minutes 40 seconds. A grand ballad starting with a solemn classical-style introduction and expanding into a gospel-like chorus. It's not the type of Michael Jackson song you can instantly groove to, so the difficulty is high for Dopamine Brats.
I've created a playlist of the songs introduced! Please help spread this article. Spotify Apple Music YouTube Music LINE MUSIC Amazon Music
