A new study is forcing a fresh look at the relationship between album releases in music, smartphones and traffic deaths.
Researchers found that fatal crashes increased on days when major artists released highly anticipated albums. The findings suggest the distraction may involve more than texting or phone calls.
Dr. Vishal Patel, a physician at Mass General Brigham and researcher at Harvard Medical School, first considered the question after a personal driving scare.
Patel was searching Spotify for Taylor Swift music when he realized his car had drifted from its lane.
That moment became the starting point for research published in JAMA Network Open. The study examined the 10 most-streamed albums released between 2017 and 2022.
The projects included albums from Taylor Swift, Drake, Bad Bunny, Harry Styles, Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West.
Researchers compared traffic fatalities surrounding major release dates. They found an average of 139 deaths on album release days, compared with 121 on nearby dates.
That amounted to a 15% increase, or roughly 18 additional deaths on release days.
Music’s Big Album Releases Are Connected To Surge In Traffic Deaths, Per New Study
The pattern was particularly pronounced among younger drivers and motorists traveling alone. Researchers also found stronger effects among sober drivers.
The increase did not center on nighttime hours, challenging the idea that parties or alcohol explained the results.
“What convinced me it was real was the pattern underneath it,” Patel said.
Still, the researchers stopped short of establishing a direct cause. Federal crash records cannot determine whether drivers used phones before fatal collisions.
Dr. Anupam Jena, a Harvard Medical School professor, said several explanations remain possible.
“Is it that the music is louder?” Jena asked. “Is it that it’s a new album, and people are just excited to hear it?”
He also pointed to drivers handling phones while searching, downloading or selecting music.
The study broadens a conversation that has long centered on texting behind the wheel. Smartphones now offer countless other distractions, from navigation to social media.
“The technology is competing with the attentional resources needed to safely operate the vehicle,” said Dr. Despina Stavrinos.
Dr. Christopher Worsham said listening to music itself may not pose the greatest danger.
“Our study suggests that the dangerous part here is the fiddling with the phone or the infotainment system,” Worsham said.
His advice carries a simple soundtrack: “Queue up your music before you put the car in drive.”
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