Best Workout Music: Fitness Playlist w/ 140 – 180 bpm songs

At its inception, the purpose of bold pace music was to provide running playlists to help my wife Monica with her training. I’ve since made several more with different BPM (beats per minute) to match other runner’s cadence/pace. But I’m now finding these playlists also really help me at the gym.  I travel often, so having music at the hotel gym is a must. I’m amazed at how easily I can get lost in a song and start moving faster to the beat. It’s especially helpful on the treadmill or stairmaster, but I find it pushes me throughout the entire workout.  So here is my first workout music playlist…

If you have a song that you love to use when working out, please share (either comment below our thru twitter @boldpacemusic)! If it is 140 – 180 bpm and meets our song “standards” below, I’ll add to our next workout (or running) playlist and link back to your site with a big thank you :)

I have chosen a few of the best, up-beat songs from our previous 5 running playlists and added new songs from several “Best of 2010″ lists.  All songs below meet our standard of being either about fitness/running, inspirational, or at least fun with a great beat (we don’t add songs with potentially uninspiring lyrics…ie. “19th Nervous Breakdown”, “Loser”, “Blister in the Sun” — all great songs, but not exactly motivational for running or fitness). For over 35+ hrs more of running and workout music, go to home page at Bold Pace Music.

Wondering if music can really improve your performance? We give links to several studies and discuss in more detail at our Bold Pace Music home page.

Looking for a perfect gift for a runner? Take some music below and slip it in with a running CD tin notecard set from Remanents. These cards, gifts, and tees have been sold at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Anthropologie, Nordstroms, Henri Bendel, Fortnum and Mason (London) and many other fine stores, however, you’ll find the largest selection at www.remanents.com.  See more running cards and tees along with beautiful Couture Fabric Holiday cards and Halloween cards too.

There are 41 workout songs below with a total playtime of 2.5 hours. Enjoy…

Best Workout Music: Fitness Playlist w/ 140 – 160 bpm songs

Click here to download songs from itunes

Click below to play samples and/or download songs from amazon:

To get this music, just click on either itunes or amazon playlist above and download either entire the playlist or individual songs. Or see our Amazon store for the very best full albums by artists on the playlists.

1. Kids – MGMT (122): This is one of my kids favorites, and the Grammy nominated song is undeniably catchy and a fun start to a workout. Favorite line is “We like to watch you laughing, you pick the insects off plants, no time to think of consequences”.
2. Outtasite (Outta Mind) – Wilco (130): This could be a workout mantra as you get into the “zone”… “outta mind outta site”
3. Hands – The Ting Tings (130): First single from their second album Kunst. Great beat for working out, actually “the beats so hard, your workin’ workin’ “
4. Tick Tick Boom – The Hives (137): Having been used for Nike/Finish Line commercials, NFL Football games and for the movie Taken…this song has some strong inspirational lineage as well…
5. Feel Good Inc. – Gorillaz (138): Start with a great laugh and then enjoy lines like “Take it all in your stride” and “Don’t stop, get it, get it”.
6. Too Fake – Hockey (138): Enjoy a little sarcasm from Hockey w/ lines like “Everybody’s watchin’ oh, but nobody cares..no, wait does it go…nobody’s watching, but everybody cares?…Oh, whatever talk to you later”
7. Young Folks – Peter Bjorn and John (138): If this song by this Swedish band sounds familiar, you may have heard it used on Grey’s Anatomy, Nip/Tuck, Dirty Sexy Money, or the Love Guru. This up-beat song is perfect workout music to keep you moving.
8. Higher Ground – Red Hot Chili Peppers *explicit lyrics* (141): Gotta love the Peppers… “People keep on running” (OK, not the actual lyrics, but it almost sounds like it) and “Keep on trying ’til I reach the higher ground”
9. Ali in the Jungle – The Hours *explicit lyrics* (142): One of my new all-time favorite running songs, but works great in the gym too. Just enjoy the motivational lyrics and chorus “Everybody gets knocked down, how quick are you gonna get up?” (you might recognize this from this Nike commercial)
10. 1901 – Phoenix (144): In danger of being over-played, but still a great song. Just enjoy the rhythm on this one, the lyrics are pretty esoteric and you can’t really hear the words anyway.
11. Hormones – Tracey Thorn (144): If you haven’t heard of Tracey Thorn, you are in for a treat. After putting out amazing music with partner Ben Watt as Everything But the Girl (they have a fun website called ebtg.com), Tracey stayed home in 2000 to raise their 3 children. Thorn began writing again in 2007 and her latest album “Love and Its Opposite” is a critically acclaimed mature singer/songwriter masterpiece. I’m sure many Moms can relate to these lyrics in Hormones… “Yours are just kicking in, mine are just checking out” and “we’re gonna have to tough it out, you turn the music up, I, I try to think before I shout…hey, hey…”
12. The Underdog – Spoon (145): Another for the all-time favorite list. As you glance over to view others in the gym, enjoy singing to yourself “you got no fear of the underdog, that’s why you will not survive”
13. The Re-Arranger – Mates of State (147): This one is back from a “Best of 2008″ list. The vocals on this song are layered to fit together perfectly. The band is so tight…amazing hooks are pulled off without going wrong.
14. Bubbles – Biffy Clyro (148): Fun, up-beat song from this Scottish band… “I can’t keep up with you” *see at NME’s “50 Best Tracks of 2010″
15. Come on Lets Go – Paul Weller *explicit lyrics* (149): A perfect running song, but just as motivating in the gym. It’s an up-tempo inspirational song by the former frontman of “The Style Council”… “You say where to, I say I don’t know, I just need to run, and you need it too, and I catch your eye, and I feel the wind, and it feels so high”
16. Banditos – The Refreshments (149): Channel your inner geek (ignore any political correctness) and enjoy this chorus “Well give your ID card to the border guard; Yeah, your alias says you’re Captain Jean-Luc Picard, of the United Federation of Planets, ’cause he won’t speak English anyway” and “Everybody knows that the world is full of stupid people, so meet me at the mission at midnight and we’ll divvy up there”
17. Dog Days are Over – Florence + The Machine (150): Definitely getting overexposed (especially after being put to a dance number on Glee), but still a great motivational song for working out…esp on treadmill w/ “run fast for your mother, run fast for your father, run for your children, for your sisters and brothers, leave all your loving, your loving behind, you can’t carry it with you if you want to survive”
18. Going On – Gnarls Barkley (150): “Connect the cause and effect, one foot in front of the next, this is the start of a journey” and “I’m going on, to a place in the sun that’s nice and warm”…sounds good to me.
19. Shake a Leg – AC/DC (152): I love AC/DC and if this song doesn’t get you pumped up, you might need another new year resolution. The title says it all. Can’t get this anywhere but here: AC/DC web site
20. 2012 – Gossip (152): An up-tempo song about getting over someone… “I’ve made it this far without you”
21. Lasso – Phoenix (152): A band getting more deserved attention w/ catchy, up-beat songs including this one w/ lyrics like “Where would you go with a lasso, could you run into…could you go and run into me”?
22. The Way We Get By – Spoon (152): This Austin, TX band is one of my favorites for running and workout music. This song was featured on The OC. “We go out in stormy weather…and that’s the way we get by”.
23. Talk to Ya Later – The Tubes (155): Good thing there were no video cameras when I did this song at a karayoke. But even that image wouldn’t keep you from enjoying this infectious beat and sarcastic “I’ll just see you around!”
24. This Orient – Foals (156): On many “best songs of 2010″ lists (NME.com, Amazon “Best of 2010″), the strong beat and layered vocals just make this a beautiful song to get lost with during a workout. Listen for “You’ve reached it, you’ve found your grace”
25. Keep Your Head – The Ting Tings (156): Enjoy this great beat and here’s the verse to focus on “yes, you’re gonna see, ten minutes to go and you’re keeping it, you’re head’s up (keep your head up), keep it low, be right, push it… “.
26. Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked – Cage the Elephant (157): “I can’t slow down, I can’t hold back…there ain’t no rest for the wicked, until we close our eyes for good”
27. Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen (157): A classic that I can’t believe I haven’t put on any running playlists (yet!). The ultimate inspirational song as you picture Freddy Mercury flamboyantly declaring “I’m a shooting star leaping through the sky…I’m gonna go, go, go, there’s no stopping me!”
28. Another Sunny Day – Belle and Sebastian (158): This will be a bounce in your step and it just feels like the title (even though the love story falls apart at the end of the song). It’s no wonder Belle and Sebastian have a cult-like fan base with lyrics like “you were digging plants, I dug you, beg your pardon…I took a photograph of you in the herbaceous border”
29. Never Miss a Beat – Kaiser Chiefs (158): A fun, sarcastic song with a faster beat that makes for good workout music…”Take a look at the kids on the street, no they never miss a beat”
30. Hey Ya! – OutKast (160): “You think you got it”!
31. Scissor Runner – Jenny and Johnny (160): Bright and cheerful music from this duo that was also on many “Best of 2010″ lists (Rolling Stone)…”She run with scissors, she delivers”
32. Walcott – Vampire Weekend (160) *explict lyrics*: I love that they want to “get out of Cape Cod” and head “all the way to New Jersey” (not sure why, but love it anyway). Very unique sound and a band I hope continues to grow and experiment.
33. It’s Okay - The Kings (165): From the same album that had “This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ to Glide” (which was named one of The Top 100 Canadian Singles of All-Time). However, for running and working out, you can’t beat (please excuse the pun) this classic and I bet you’ll be tempted to repeat lead singer David Diamond’s snarl “It doesn’t matter, not one bit, not two shits”. For further info on the Kings, check out their website at www.thekingsarehere.com
34. Lose Yourself – Eminem (172): I know this is on everyone’s running and workout music playlist, but there’s a good reason…you can’t help but get pumped. It was from the movie “8 mile” (which was actually pretty good and Eminem can act…or perhaps he was just being himself). Anyway, great motivational song… “Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted–one moment–would you capture it or just let it slip?”
35. Fire it up – Modest Mouse (172): Time to “Fire it up”…’nuf said.
36. Black and White Town – Doves (173): Another workout mantra perhaps?: “Here comes the action…Here it comes at last…Lord give me a reaction…Lord give me a chance”
37. Answer to Yourself – The Soft Pack (175): A good review here from “Leaps and Bounds” declares this album #2 on their Top 10 albums of 2010. Lyrics speak for themselves… “You gotta answer to yourself, you can’t depend on anyone else, you gotta know where you stand, and what’s in your hands”
38. Wolf Like Me – TV on the Radio (177): “My mind has changed, my body’s frame, but God I like it…my heart’s aflame, my body’s strained, but God I like it”
39. Dancing with Myself – Billy Idol (178): Another old familiar song to keep you going. Billy would never win any poetry contests, but he’ll keep you moving.
40. Say Aha – Santigold (184): Let this motivate you toward the finish “It’s that time, I’m picking up my ass, up from off the fence…Gonna blow a hole in this parade, it’s self-defense…I’m a army, got a whole brigade in my two cents”
41. The Echoes of Time – The Smiles and Frowns (185) To end the workout…”My bones are achin’ and I’ve lost my mind…Although it’s here today, today will turn into the past, and so we wait with hopeful minds, hope for a life eternal, for echoes we leave behind” *here’s a great review from “indie rock cafe”

There are a number of ways to get BPM for your music collection. See this comprehensive post from mmartins.com on BPM detection software.

Want more workout music? See all of our playlists and more songs listed by bpm…Bold Pace Music

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