I test headphones for a living — here are 5 more tracks that I use every time

Tom's Guide

27-05-2025

As Tom's Guide's Audio Editor, I spend a lot of time testing headphones. However, because I spend so much time putting the latest and greatest audio gear through its paces, I can't use the same tracks over and over again — that would get boring.
I've already told you about five tracks that I use the most to get an idea of how an audio device sounds, but I thought you might want to know other tracks that I like to use to test headphones.
Without further ado, here are five more pieces of music that I like to use when I get Qobuz running to test the best headphones.
Ghost's covers are well known for being an eclectic mix of old pop music, Abba, and little-known Swedish rock ballads. This cover is of Genesis' take down of commercial preachers — and it's wonderful. Playfully orchestral, joyfully silly, and immaculately produced, it oozes sardonic critique.
It's a big, soaring track destined for the stage, but bound to your portable audio device by streaming services. It's a great way to test the low-end earbuds and headphones, with the pulsating bass and kick drum mixed to be as powerful as possible.
I've found some devices struggle to keep up with Tobias Forges' operatic vocals, struggling with the really high notes in the chorus. Cymbals need to chirp, and the guitars need to be easily separated from the bass notes. When it sounds good, it sounds epic, but it's a track that can really trip up less impressive cans.
I don't think the Icelandic queen of avant-garde pop music really needs any introduction, and I'd wager the album opener of her 1997 album Homogenic doesn't either. Equal parts strange and unsettling, "Hunter" was written about the pressure Björk felt to write new music. The result is haunting and multi-layered.
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It's that layering that makes it such a good track to use to test headphones and speakers. I want to make sure that the device can pick out each element of the moving synth lines. I don't want them to bunch up with the synthesized drum beats or the strange, jumping bass.
Bjork's Vocals need to be clear and concise. As the track builds and gets even more layered, I want to make sure I can hear every stroke of the violin, and the accordion needs to cut through the cacophony.
At The Gates invented an entire sub-genre of metal with Slaughter Of The Soul, and mid-album heavy hitter "Suicide Nation" and its galloping distorted guitars and machine-gun drumming are a case in point. It's heavier than a neutron star, blisteringly fast, and timed to perfection.
There's plenty for a pair of headphones or earbuds to get stuck into. I want to make sure that the bass drum and bass guitars don't blend into a single mass of noise, staying separate and discernible.
The distorted guitars need to be chunky but sharp, and the hi-hats and cymbals of the drums need to have plenty of clarity. The screamed vocals need space to breathe, and everything needs to be separated enough that it doesn't become a wall of noise.
Good headphones bring out the heavy and get me headbanging like little else, while bad options can make the track intolerably monotone.
Jazz is an excellent litmus test for good headphones. Casiopea's instantly catchy Jazz Fusion is particularly fit for the task, with virtuosos taking it turns to come to the mic and get center stage with their instruments.
There's a lot going on in "Midnight Rendezvous". I want the funky bass line to sing and bounce, the guitar riffing to be clear and concise. The orchestral swells that signify a new soloist joining the fray need to be smooth and dynamic, changing volume without issue.
Some headphones struggle with the clarity of the mix, with floppy bass signatures struggling with the exacting bassline — either way, there's a lot of opportunity to show what a set of cans can do.
Gunship is loads of fun – it's the eighties that I like to think existed, but never did. "Monster In Paradise" is the band at their most sleezy, all the way down to the cyberpunk music video, slick saxophone solo, and sickly sweet guitar solo.
It's not the most difficult track to play well, but there are some key areas that I watch out for. The vocals need to be clear, standing out amongst the synths and drums. It's those synths that present the most challenge, though.
The song is great to make sure that a pair of headphones is good for mid-range presentation. The synth lines need to be at the forefront of the track, not giving way to any other elements. But they also need to be well separated, leaving enough room for everything to work. It's a tough balancing act — and one that only the best headphones will know how to handle.