Latest news with #TomCrawford
North Wales Live
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Formula shows which karaoke songs are most likely to boost mood
An Oxford University mathematician has explained the best karaoke song of all time, after devising a unique formula. Dr Tom Crawford has explained which songs are best to sing - and why - as new 'Kathartic Karaoke' booths from Three UK and Samaritans launch at festivals this summer. Dr Tom devised a formula which grades each song with a score out of 100 (K). In the equation, which was developed using data from 2,000 karaoke lovers, V refers to the number of verses, C repetition of chorus, BPM to the song's beats per minute and Y to the year the song was released. Dr Tom used his formula to rank the UK's favourite karaoke songs and identify ten guaranteed to boost moods and help find joy. 1. Livin' On a Prayer – Bon Jovi (91%) 2. I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston (90%) 3. Don't Look Back in Anger – Oasis (89%) 4. Man! I Feel Like a Woman – Shania Twain (88%) 5. 500 Miles – The Proclaimers (88%) 6. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) – ABBA (85%) 7. Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield (84%) 8. Someone Like You – Adele (84%) 9. Wannabe – Spice Girls (84%) 10. Let Me Love You – Mario (83%) Dr Tom said: 'People love a fast-paced song with an average 126 BPM and 3 repeated chorus' for every 2 verses, just like most pop songs – hence why common favourites are scoring highly in the research. With ABBA dominating the 70's, through to Adele in the 2010's, the average release year of a karaoke classic is 1995. This captures the boyband craze, as well as Brit pop with Oasis, and girl power like the Spice Girls, showing there's some serious maths behind a karaoke belter.' The 'Kathartic Karaoke' initiative forms part of Three and Samaritans' commitment to mental health support and wellbeing. Launching this week at Klarna presents Latitude Festival in Suffolk (24 to 27 July), the karaoke booth will then move to The Mound at Edinburgh Fringe (15-16 August). The experience has been designed to help festival goers boost their mood with music and singing. And in partnership with Samaritans, singers can head to Samaritans tent at Latitude if they want to talk or scan a QR code to seek additional support. Nicki Lyons, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer at VodafoneThree, said: 'We are delighted to be partnering with Samaritans for the first time at music festivals, to create joyful spaces for people to connect to one another and experience our 'Kathartic Karaoke' for themselves.' Sonya Trivedy, Executive Director of External Engagement at Samaritans, said: 'Music has a unique power to have a positive impact on our mental health. Singing, in particular, can help people process emotions, ease stress and boost mood. Through this pitch-perfect partnership with Three, we're turning up the volume on wellbeing, using music as a carefree way to connect, express, and take care of your emotional health.' Samaritans volunteers will be at Latitude throughout the festival, ready to listen without judgement, whether it's in the early hours after a long night or while queuing for a morning coffee. Their presence is a powerful reminder that support is available 24/7, every day of the year. The festival also coincides with Samaritans Awareness Day on 24 July, known as 24/7, which shines a light on the charity's round-the-clock service and the life-saving impact of human connection.
Daily Mirror
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gen Z are turning to the taste of this quintessential British favourite
Younger generations are swapping trendy choice for more humble rival, new research finds Gen Z are ditching elaborate barista-style coffee and opting for a simple cuppa instead, new research has found. Last year saw coffee overtake tea as the UK's preferred drink, with 63% of consumers saying they opted for beans over brew. But a poll of Amazon workers aged under 28 has revealed over half (52%) would prefer tea to a latte, flat white or cappuccino. And while 13% said coffee was too expensive, the most popular reason was 'tea just tastes better' (22%). It comes as tea has enjoyed a recent surge of popularity amongst 18-24s, thanks in part to a renewed presence on social media. Last month a TikTok prank joking to Americans about the existence of a fake daily 'tea alarm' telling Brits when to put the kettle on, sparked more than 600,000 posts and 18 million posts on Instagram. Younger generations are also embracing the drink for health reasons with 55% saying tea helps them feel 'calm and centred.' And a quarter (25%) said they chose not to drink coffee because it was bad for them, and made them feel 'jittery and anxious'. The survey was part of Amazon's Chatterbox series, which shines a light on the personalities of its employees and acts as a barometer of UK opinions. The survey, which was released alongside a video debating the topic, also pointed to a rise in the popularity of herbal teas - with 16% of Gen Z naming them as their preference. James Webster, 23, who works at Amazon's Fulfilment Centre in Coalville said: "I've never really been a coffee drinker. Tea's always felt like a proper home comfort - no matter what kind of day you're having, a good cuppa just makes everything better. I imagine coffee would just leave me feeling wired. "Plus, it's just so much cheaper and easier to get a round of teas in than an elaborate coffee round with 13 triple shot oat milk macchiato extremes with a shot of vanilla, or whatever people are drinking these days.' With a workforce of around 75,000 across the UK, Amazon is perfectly placed to explore the topics that matter most. Oxford Mathematician and Countdown star Dr Tom Crawford said: 'The data obtained in the Amazon survey is a fascinating insight into the make-up of modern-day Britain.'
North Wales Live
22-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- North Wales Live
Tea making a comeback as the UK's favourite hot drink
People are ditching elaborate cafe-style coffees and opting for a simple tea instead, according to new research. Last year saw coffee overtake tea as the UK's preferred drink, but a poll of Amazon workers under 28 has revealed over half would prefer tea to a latte, flat white or cappuccino. And while 13% said coffee was too expensive, the most popular reason was 'tea just tastes better'. The survey was part of Amazon's Chatterbox series, tying into Amazon's latest video tea is better than coffee. Watch here. Oxford Mathematician and Countdown star Dr Tom Crawford said: 'The data obtained in the Amazon survey is a fascinating insight into the make-up of modern-day Britain.' It comes as tea has enjoyed a recent surge of popularity amongst 18-24s, thanks in part to a renewed presence on social media. Younger generations are also embracing the drink for health reasons with 55% saying tea helps them feel 'calm and centred.' And a quarter said they chose not to drink coffee because it made them feel 'jittery and anxious'. The survey also pointed to a rise in the popularity of herbal teas, with 16% of Gen Z naming them as their preference. Amazon worker, Johan Thomas-Kelly, 22 from Bolton said: "Tea's definitely the way to go. A brew in the morning is essential - otherwise, coffee just makes my breath stink. Honestly, there's an epidemic of coffee breath going on right now. I always feel like I need about fifteen chewing gums after one cup just to feel normal again. 'For me, coffee is the Jägermeister of caffeinated drinks - intense, hits you fast, and not something you want too much of. Tea's more like a trusty lager. It's chill, comforting, and you can have a few throughout the day. 'When I lived in a shared house, the kettle was basically the social hub. You'd pop into the kitchen and there'd always be someone there asking, 'Do you want a brew?' Next thing you know, you're sitting down, chewing the fat, and three hours have passed. Tea isn't just a drink - it's a proper social moment. 'The price of coffee these days is also wild. You order a grande oat milk hazelnut frappuccino macchiato and suddenly you're seven quid down - and it barely even tastes like coffee. Strip away the syrup, the foam, the sprinkles… is there even any actual coffee left in there? 'My partner's big into the whole biscuit-dunking ritual. I used to think it was grim - soggy biscuits, crumbs floating around at the bottom of the mug - but I've got to admit, I've come around to it.'
Wales Online
22-04-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Tea making a comeback as the UK's favourite hot drink
Tea making a comeback as the UK's favourite hot drink It comes after coffee overtook the traditional cuppa Coffee, tea and herbal tea People are ditching elaborate cafe-style coffees and opting for a simple tea instead, according to new research. Last year saw coffee overtake tea as the UK's preferred drink, but a poll of Amazon workers under 28 has revealed over half would prefer tea to a latte, flat white or cappuccino. And while 13% said coffee was too expensive, the most popular reason was 'tea just tastes better'. The survey was part of Amazon's Chatterbox series, tying into Amazon's latest video tea is better than coffee. Watch here. Oxford Mathematician and Countdown star Dr Tom Crawford said: 'The data obtained in the Amazon survey is a fascinating insight into the make-up of modern-day Britain.' Article continues below It comes as tea has enjoyed a recent surge of popularity amongst 18-24s, thanks in part to a renewed presence on social media. Younger generations are also embracing the drink for health reasons with 55% saying tea helps them feel 'calm and centred.' And a quarter said they chose not to drink coffee because it made them feel 'jittery and anxious'. The survey also pointed to a rise in the popularity of herbal teas, with 16% of Gen Z naming them as their preference. Amazon worker, Johan Thomas-Kelly, 22 from Bolton said: "Tea's definitely the way to go. A brew in the morning is essential - otherwise, coffee just makes my breath stink. Honestly, there's an epidemic of coffee breath going on right now. I always feel like I need about fifteen chewing gums after one cup just to feel normal again. 'For me, coffee is the Jägermeister of caffeinated drinks - intense, hits you fast, and not something you want too much of. Tea's more like a trusty lager. It's chill, comforting, and you can have a few throughout the day. Article continues below 'When I lived in a shared house, the kettle was basically the social hub. You'd pop into the kitchen and there'd always be someone there asking, 'Do you want a brew?' Next thing you know, you're sitting down, chewing the fat, and three hours have passed. Tea isn't just a drink - it's a proper social moment. 'The price of coffee these days is also wild. You order a grande oat milk hazelnut frappuccino macchiato and suddenly you're seven quid down - and it barely even tastes like coffee. Strip away the syrup, the foam, the sprinkles… is there even any actual coffee left in there? 'My partner's big into the whole biscuit-dunking ritual. I used to think it was grim - soggy biscuits, crumbs floating around at the bottom of the mug - but I've got to admit, I've come around to it.'
Scottish Sun
21-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
Young Brits are ditching fancy coffees for a traditional cup of tea, surprise new research reveals
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GEN Zers are ditching fancy coffee for dependable tea, according to research. Nearly two-thirds picked the bean-based beverage as their favourite hot drink last year — sparking fears the traditional cuppa was dying out. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Gen Z are ditching fancy coffee for dependable tea, according to research Credit: Getty But more than half of under-28s (52 per cent) now prefer a tea over a flat white, latte or cappuccino. The most popular reason was 'tea just tastes better' (22 per cent), while 13 per cent blamed rising coffee prices. Youngsters are also loving tea for health reasons, with more than half (55 per cent) believing it helps keep them 'calm and centred'. A quarter (25 per cent) claimed coffee makes them feel 'jittery and anxious'. It comes as cuppa fans celebrated National Tea Day yesterday. Johan Thomas-Kelly, 22, from Bolton, said: 'A brew in the morning is essential. 'Coffee just makes my breath stink. 'I always feel like I need about 15 chewing gums after one cup just to feel normal again.' Amazon's poll of 2,000 under-28s comes as tea enjoys a social media boom. A prank last month tricked Americans into believing a daily 'tea alarm' sounded across the UK to signal when to put the kettle on. Britain's Best Brew Maths whizz and Countdown star Dr Tom Crawford said that the survey data is 'a fascinating insight into modern-day Britain'. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
