Running can be a challenge. We get it. Sometimes runs are repetitive, long or you’re just bored with the same scenery you keep seeing while running. You need a good type of distraction. That’s where music comes into play (no pun intended). A really great running playlist of music above all can get you through it and even make you run for longer! Don’t fret though, we have the best running playlist for you.
Music has a way of allowing you to mentally zone out or remember different memories/times associated with the song you are listening to, which may push you further. Think about when you hear “Eye of the Tiger” from Rocky. You are ready to run up those stairs like he did for example! According to HuffPost, research consistently finds that listening to music distracts athletes from their “bodily awareness” and less aware of their exertion. Controlling the songs to your pace also has a huge impact on your workout.
Here are playlists of our go-to songs to get you “in the zone”. Depending on your mood, we have broken out our playlists to songs perfect for each mood. Sometimes you just need a really good encouraging song and other times you just need a really angry song. Most importantly whatever will get you through it, right? See below for the best running playlist.
Dance/Upbeat Playlist- Best Running Playlist
There’s nothing like a good dance/upbeat song to get you going! Just close your eyes picture yourself back in the club dancing your butt off to these upbeat songs and most importantly get it going. In addition, throw a fist pump in there from time to time (fellow New Jerseyans will know what we are talking about)! This is our most favorite and best running playlist.
- “Let’s Get It Started”- Black Eyed Peas
- “Summer”- Calvin Harris
- “Bad”- David Guetta & Showtek
- “Don’t Stop the Party”- Pitbull
- “Feel This Moment”- Pitbull featuring Christina Aguilera
- “Timber”- Pitbull featuring Ke$ha
- “Fireball”- Pitbull featuring John Ryan
- “Time of Our Lives”- Pitbull & Ne-Yo
- “We Found Love”- Rihanna
- “Break Your Heart”- Taio Cruz & Ludacris
- “Rock That Body”- Black Eyed Peas
- “On the Floor”- Jennifer Lopez
- “Gettin’ Over You”- David Guetta & Chris Willis
- “Turn Up the Music”- Chris Brown
- “Pump It”- Black Eyed Peas
- “Dynamite”- Taio Cruz
- “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love- Usher featuring Pitbull
- “Poker Face”- Lady Gaga
- “Bad Romance”- Lady Gaga
- “Let Me Love You”- Mario
- “Scream & Shout”- will.i.am featuring Britney Spears
- “Don’t Wake Me Up”- Chris Brown
- “When Love Takes Over”- David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland
- “Freaks”- Timmy Trumpet featuring Savage
- “Memories”- David Guetta featuring Kid Cudi
Angry/Getting Over a Breakup Playlist- Best Running Playlist
Life happens, things happen. Relationships begin and suddenly end. As a result, love runs out. Use fitness and running to your advantage during the hard times. So if you are going through a breakup, pick yourself up, get off your couch and out of your sweats and hit the pavement with these songs to give you that confidence to keep moving forward. Know your worth and what you deserve. Most importantly keep moving forward. Above all remember there is nothing as sweet as the comeback.
- “Bulletproof”- La Roux
- “Bad Guy”- Billie Eilish
- “Toxic”- Britney Spears
- “Without You”- David Guetta
- “Gettin’ Over You”- David Guetta & Chris Willis
- “Confident”- Demi Lovato
- “Survivor”- Destiny’s Child
- “Fighter”- Christina Aguilera
- “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”- Kelly Clarkson
- “Don’t Start Now”- Dua Lipa
- “Fight Song”- Rachel Platten
- “Take What You Want”- Post Malone featuring Ozzy Osbourne
- “Electricity”- Silk City, Dua Lipa
- “Break Your Heart”- Taio Cruz & Ludacris
- “Don’t Call Me Angel”- Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Rey
- “Titanium”- David Guetta featuring Sia
- “Shake It Off”- Taylor Swift
- “Alive”- Sia
- “Fight for You”- Jason Derulo
- “Burn”- Papa Roach
- “Man In the Box”- Alice In Chains
- “My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark (Light Em Up)”- Fall Out Boy
- “Try”- Colbie Caillat
- “In the End”- Linkin Park
- “Didn’t I”- OneRepublic
- “Love Runs Out”- OneRepublic
- “Salt”- Ava Max
- “Bad Romance”- Lady Gaga
- “Summertime Sadness”- Lana Del Rey
Girl Power Playlist- Best Running Playlist
Girls have it going on. There is no question about that. Glorify in that fact that you are an amazing woman and you can do so much more than anyone says you can. Most certainly just believe in yourself. In short, that’s the only person standing in your way.
- “Run the World Girls”- Beyonce
- “Roar”- Katy Perry
- “Sweet but Psycho”- Ava Max
- “Confident”- Demi Lovato
- “Bang Bang”- Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj
- “Born This Way”- Lady Gaga
- “Wings”- Little Mix
- “The Man”- Taylor Swift
- “Cool for the Summer”- Demi Lovato
- “Look What God Gave Her”- Thomas Rhett
- “Come Get It Bae”- Pharrell Williams
- “Burnin Up”- Jessie J
- “Work B**ch”- Britney Speakers
- “The Edge of Glory”- Lady Gaga
- “Sexy and I Know It”- LMFAO
- “Sex on Fire”- Kings of Leon
- “Girl On Fire”- Alicia Keys
- “Sexy B*tch”- David Guetta featuring Akon
Strength Playlist
Some days you need just strong and powerful music. Similarly ones that keep you going with their messages and their beats. Ones you can play on repeat until exhaustion. Above all these are the songs that keep us going. Don’t give up! Fight fire with power.
- “Dogs Days Are Over”- Florence & the Machine
- “Just Like Fire”- P!nk
- “Stand by You”- Rachel Platten
- “Fight Song”- Rachel Platten
- “Unstoppable”- Sia
- “The Greatest”- Sia featuring Kendrick Lamar
- “Believer”- Imagine Dragons
- “Dream On”- Aerosmith
- “A Sky Full of Stars”- Coldplay (*Great beat. I play on repeat over and over.)
- “Enter Sandman”- Metallica
- “Underdog”- Alicia Keys
- “Cinderella Man”- Eminem
- “Lose Yourself”- Eminem
- “Eye of the Tiger”- Survivor (Sorry this had to make the list!)
Rap Playlist
A good rap playlist never goes out of style. Am I right? The fast beats keep you moving faster so press play, turn up the volume and just go with it. Moreover you probably don’t know the lyrics to these songs anyways!
- “8 Mile”- Eminem
- “Turn Down for What”- DJ Snake & Lil Jon
- “Starships”- Nicki Minaj
- “Pound the Alarm”- Nicki Minaj
- “Harlem Shake”- Baauer
- “I Like It”- Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin
- “Level Up”- Ciara
- “Dinero”- Jennifer Lopez featuring DJ Khaled & Cardi B
Good Beats Playlist
Sometimes you just need a good beat to run to. Similarly when the lyrics just flow and the beats keep you running at a good pace. According to HuffPost, the rhythm of your workout music stimulates the motor area of the brain as when to move, thereby aiding self-paced exercises such as running or weightlifting. So add certain songs a few times to your playlist to have them repeat and just keep on moving.
- “Chandelier”- Sia
- “Halo”- Beyonce
- “Lovely”- Billie Eilish & Khalid (I am nominating this as my top song throughout the quarantine. Whenever I hear this song in the future, I will think back to this time.)
- “Paradise”- Coldplay
- “Us Against the World”- Coldplay
- “Adventure of a Lifetime”- Coldplay
- “Charlie Brown”- Coldplay
- “Good Old Days”- Macklemore
- “I Will Wait”- Mumford & Sons
- “Faded”- Alan Walker
- “Everything I Wanted”- Billie Eilish
- “Can’t Hold Us”- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton
Warm Up/Cool Down Playlist
Moreover, what would a good run be without an easy warm up to start and a nice cool down to wrap it all up. Don’t worry though. We got you covered with these easy listening tunes.
- “Sunday Best”- Surfaces
- “Say So”- Doja Cat
- “When the Party’s Over”- Billie Eilish
- “Circles”- Post Malone
- “Shotgun”- George Ezra
- “Talk”- Coldplay
- “No Place”- Backstreet Boys
- “Lover”- Taylor Swift
- “Adore You”- Harry Styles
- “7 Rings”- Ariana Grande
- “Intentions”- Justin Bieber
- “ily”- Surf Mesa featuring Emilee
To conclude, running can be tough, but music makes it 10 times easier. Most certainly, download the songs we have listed above, sort into playlists and get going! In addition, add in other songs you know of that fit those moods and have a good beat to add to our best running playlist.
What songs motivate you while you run? We would love to hear them in the comments section!
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