Best Workout Music

With over 60 hours of running music, we wanted to pick the very best! If you’ve searched the web for running music, you’ll notice that most “best” lists do not agonize over lyrics to be sure they are motivational or inspirational. Most do not give you the Beats Per Minute (bpm) that is critical for optimal performance. Most also will have only pop songs, or maybe classic rock songs. So if you care about your music, you’ve come to the right place. You will not find “Eye of the Tiger” (too slow with bpm…see below) and you will not find “Blister in the Sun” (great song, but not exactly motivational). You will find indie, progressive, rock, with some R&B and rap songs mixed in. Nothing is experimental or avant-garde. I’ve tried not to have more than one song per artist, but a few favorites like Belle & Sebastian, Elvis Costello, Spoon, and the Strokes could not be denied. If you like pop music, but are open to listening to music that for some reason didn’t make it on the radio, give some of below a try. Every single song below is outstanding, runner tested and approved :)

All songs also meet our standard of being either about running, inspirational, or at least fun w/ a great beat. We also limited this list to only songs we have posted that are between 140 to 190 bpm. We are always looking for the top motivational songs for running or fitness. For over 60+ hrs more of music for running and fitness 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.

There are 100 songs below with a total playtime of 6.3 hours. Enjoy…

100 Best Motivational Running Songs with pace (7 to 10 min pace)

Click here to download songs from itunes

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

On Spotify (most songs):

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. Pump it up – Elvis Costello (140): “Pump it up until you can feel it.” From Marathon Playlist #2: Monica’s Mix
2. This Year – The Mountain Goats (140): Can easily substitute “marathon” for “year” in the chorus “I am going to make it thru this marathon if it kills me”. From Marathon Playlist #4: Jane’s Mix
3. The Boy with the Arab Strap – Belle and Sebastian (141): This critically acclaimed Scottish indie-pop band may get more well known when front-man Stuart Murdoch’s movie “God Help the Girl” gets released. In the meantime, this catchy beat will keep you going. From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
4. Blinded by the Light – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (141): What could be more appropriate than “Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night”? You can also enjoy listening to “some brimstone baritone anti-cyclone rolling stone preacher from the east” and just try to understand anything else they are talking about with these bizarre lyrics. From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
5. Can’t Hardly Wait – The Replacements (141): On every band’s list of “influenced by”, let the Replacements get you into the running groove with: “‘Try and try and try” and “Hurry up, hurry up, ain’t you had enough of this stuff?” From Half-Marathon Playlist
6. Walkie Talkie Man – Steriogram (141): Another song that might sound familiar from ipod commercials. This fast talking song doesn’t have as fast of beat as it may seem, but it will definitely feel like you are starting to go faster. From Marathon Playlist #3: Jean’s Mix
7. Generals & Majors – XTC (141): A minor hit from my favorite all-time band…you can appreciate running vs. being in Iraq or Afghanistan. From Marathon Playlist #3: Jean’s Mix
8. Ali in the Jungle – The Hours *explicit lyrics* (142): One of my all-time favorite running songs. 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) From Marathon Playlist #5
9. Low Rider – WAR (142): “Low Rider is a real goer”…pretty much says it all. From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
10. Suedehead – Morrissey (143): Many people have tried to understand the meaning of “suedehead” and this song, but it is one of his best. “Suedeheads” where a offshoot of the “skinhead” subculture in the UK and they grew their hair slightly longer, wore more formal fashion, and enjoyed music that was slower and more soulful. It seems that the song is about a love affair gone wrong with a suedehead, but “it was a good lay”. And as it ends on that last note, I think that is still motivational :) (plus it’s an all-time favorite song…had to make the list!) From Marathon Playlist #5
11. What Are You Waiting For? – The Rushes (143): In the vein of Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, and the Bravery, the Rushes are a UK band from London that released this song in 2006. The lyrics are perfect with “everything that you do, you are…what you waiting for” From Workout Playlist #2. Could only find the video on itunes: the song is on the “Corners EP” on Amazon: What Are You Waiting For?
12. 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…” (Monica also did a post on hormones/menopause). From Workout Playlist #1
13. Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken – Camera Obscura (145): This song is a response to Lloyd Cole & the Commotions “>”Are You Ready to be Heartbroken” (which is a great song by an awesome band…too bad it has slow bpm). Just a fun, upbeat song to keep you moving even if you “can’t see further than {your} own nose at this moment”. From Marathon Playlist #4: Jane’s Mix
14. The Underdog – Spoon (145): Another for the all-time favorite list. As you pass another runner, enjoy singing to yourself “you got no fear of the underdog, that’s why you will not survive” From Marathon Playlist #5
15. Bloody Well Right – Supertramp (145): Time to think of your running motto…whatever it is, use this song to re-inforce: “‘Right, you’re bloody well right…You know you got a right to say”. From Half-Marathon Playlist
16. Clampdown – The Clash (146): Great song! One of my favorites by the Clash…enjoy “You don’t owe nothing, so boy (substitute “girl”) get runnin’, it’s the best years of your life they want to steal”. From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
17. The Headmaster Ritual – The Smiths (148): The Smiths serve up their usual intellectual, heady fare with a great rhythmic beat. As you continue to run, enjoy Morrissey’s infectious rant “Belligerent ghouls run Manchester schools spineless bastards all”. From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
18. 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″. From Workout Playlist #1
19. My Sharona – The Knack (149): My younger son always likes to hear this song to get psyched up for a soccer game…should work for running too. From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
20. Come on Lets Go – Paul Weller *explicit lyrics* (149): This will be your new running favorite. It’s the perfect up-tempo motivational song by the master in Paul Weller (formerly 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” From Marathon Playlist #5
21. 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“. From Marathon Playlist #5
22. Use Me – Bill Withers (150): Better known for the classics Lean on Me and Ain’t No Sunshine, here’s another great tune from this R&B legend…
23. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen (150): Got have the Boss giving it to you straight. Can’t live in NJ without loving Bruce. From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
24. Hey Now Now – The Cloud Room (150): Gotta love Twitter…this song suggested to me by @linwoodstudios and hadn’t heard of this band. Great song w/ fun chorus and beat and named a “top ten single of the year” by Rolling Stone in 2006. If David Bowie, The Arcade Fire, and Spoon have all been to see The Cloud Room in concert, they must be doing something right. (Thanks Jonathan!) From Marathon Playlist #4: Jane’s Mix
25. Radio, Radio - Elvis Costello (150): “You better listen to the voice of reason”…Elvis is king. From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
26. I Ran - Flock of Seagulls (150): Taking you back to the 80′s “New Wave” music…it’s now a “classic” running song. From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
27. Getting Down – The Kills (150): Great band with very original sound. Enjoy the harmonies, the “aa, aa, aa, ah” chorus and lines like “What’s going on fire, I want you to know my spirit’s alive”. From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
28. Talk to Ya Later – The Tubes (150): 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!” From Marathon Playlist #3: Jean’s Mix
29. I Want The World To Stop – Belle and Sebastian (151): One of Rawkblog’s Best Songs of 2010 and one of my favorite running music bands. Refined, cool, and smooth…this song should get you started off right. “I run alongside rush hour traffic…a prayer for every car”. From 10K Playlist
30. When The Night Comes – The Boomtown Rats (151): Just a fun party song that will get you thinking about having a good time after the race… “‘And when the night comes, it’ll help you disappear, and when the night comes, forget about the day that brought you here.” From Half-Marathon Playlist
31. New Shoes – Paolo Nutini (151): “Hey, I put some new shoes on, and suddenly everything is right”…true, right? From Marathon Playlist #1: Jamie’s Mix
32. Can’t You Hear Me Knocking – The Rolling Stones (151): As you pass other runners, listen for: “‘Can’t you hear me knockin’ down your dirty street, yeah” , “Hear me prowlin’, I’m gonna take you down, Hear me growlin’, Yeah, I’ve got flatted feet now, now, now, now” . From Half-Marathon Playlist
33. Shake a Leg – AC/DC (152): I love AC/DC and this song just rocks. The title says it all. AC/DC are now on itunes! If you don’t have the whole “Back in Black” album, do yourself a favor and download now! From Marathon Playlist #5
34. Nine In The Afternoon – Panic At The Disco (152): Gotta just love the name of this band. The first line sums it up well for the treadmill… “Back to the streets where we began, feeling as good as lovers can you know, yeah we’re felling so good“. From Marathon Playlist #3: Jean’s Mix
35. 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”? From Marathon Playlist #3: Jean’s Mix
36. The Way We Get By – Spoon (152): This Austin, TX band is one of my favorites for running music. This song was featured on The OC. “We go out in stormy weather…and that’s the way we get by”. From Marathon Playlist #4: Jane’s Mix
37. Wonder Why – Vetiver (152): One of Rollo & Grady’s Top Songs of 2011. The gym is always a good place to reflect and think about your future goals. Vetiver serves up some themes many can relate to in this song, but in a finely crafted, up-beat, jaunty way and ends with… “Up ahead I know, there’s a rocky road. No complaint could ease the way it rides. Yet how far we are from where we once stood high. Wonder if. Wonder how. I wonder why.” From Workout Playlist #2
38. Just Like Heaven – The Cure (153): A great fun song and love the lyrics with “Show me how you do it and I promise you, I promise that I’ll run away with you…“. From Marathon Playlist #3: Jean’s Mix
39. Balance – Future Islands (154): Another Best Song of 2011 according to Noise Toyz. Another great workout song: “But if you want something to change, you gotta change your life, and take your time, it just takes time…hard work and your time” …so true. From Workout Playlist #2
40. No Rain – Blind Melon (155): A great upbeat song to celebrate that there’s “no rain” during the race (or perhaps lament?). From Half-Marathon Playlist
41. Take Your Mama – Scissor Sisters (155): Scissor Sisters makes impeccable pop and this song is certainly no exception. I hear them channeling a combination of the Bee Gees and Elton John. Love this line for running: ” Now we end up takin’ the long way home, lookin’ overdressed wearin’ buckets of stale cologne, it’s so hard to see streets on a country road, when your glasses in the garbage, and your Continental’s just got towed” . From Half-Marathon Playlist
42. Zorbing – Stornoway (155): Zorbing is the sport of rolling downhill in an orb. Listening to this fantastic song by Stornoway during a run may make you wish you could jump into a plastic ball and start rolling… “So electrifying, Oh I’m nearly flying”. From Half-Marathon Playlist
43. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots – The Flaming Lips (156): [Actual bpm is 78, but if you double and run off the half-beats, it works at 156.] I must have played this song a thousand times when I first heard it. My kids now know it by heart and love it too. I feel like this should be playing during an episode of the Big Bang Theory while Sheldon discusses Asimov. It should bring a smile to your face on a run as well…enjoy the story. “she’s gotta be strong to fight them…so she’s taking lots of vitamins”. From 10K Playlist

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