5 Genres of Music Great for Running and Working Out

Music. It just makes any kind of physical activity seem to go faster. No wonder people in gyms, on the track and in the park are all wearing earbuds while moving their bodies! Add to that the pure enjoyment of discovering new tunes and you’re all set for an awesome time.

If you’re in need of good exercising music, why not try out these five genres? Set up a playlist and let the driving rhythm keep you going.

1. Top 40 Dance Hits

You’re cruising along in your car and you suddenly hear a song that makes you feel like tugging on your jogging shoes. That’s exactly the type of good music for running you need to keep active and push past those mental barriers to going one more mile.

Although dance hits change from year to year, a few have stuck around as go-to playlist must-haves. Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” comes to mind thanks to its irresistibly steady beat. Many of Ke$ha’s offerings elicit similar feel-good responses. And who could forget Katy Perry’s “Chained to the Rhythm?”

2. Hip-Hop

Oh, yeah. Get your hip-hop going for good workout music that won’t let you down. Even if you don’t customarily listen to hip-hop in your leisure time, you’ll appreciate the way it motivates you to keep up with your toughest gym routines.

Train your way to fitness with tunes from Kanye West like “Fade,” Drake’s “Energy” or Beyoncé’s “Formation.” There’s certainly no shortage of cool hip-hop options out there, so play around with the latest.

3. Heavy Metal

You’re someone who doesn’t give less than 110 percent, even when your body’s exhausted and your lungs are crying for a break. Why not shed extra pounds and toughen your muscles to the sounds of heavy metal?

The good news is that this genre spans several generations. Prefer ‘80s bands like Metallica or Megadeth? Feel like listening to more current heavy-metallurgists such as Mastodon and Anubis Gate? The metal world is your oyster — and your burning quads will thank you for the stimulation.

4. Sports Anthems

Okay. What do Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” and Queen’s “We Will Rock You” have in common? You guessed it: They’re both sports stadium favorites.

When you’re looking for steady beats that will course through your veins and make you go the distance, head straight for the rock anthems of the ages. They’re just perfect songs to listen to while working out or running. Period.

5. Big Band

So you’re not someone who heads in the same direction as the crowd, even with your music? No problem. Rather than setting your Pandora or Spotify to modern, think big band jazziness. “In the Mood” will definitely get you in the mood for a 5k without all the fuss!

Never let a workout go to waste. Use every run or gym session to get your brain in the game with the right music picks.