Music is a great motivator, which is the reason why most guys in the gym are wearing headphones. From stretching to running to lifting, there’s a jam for the activity.
It can be difficult to quantify a list of the top 10 workout songs because everyone has a favorite -- and an opinion. That’s why we asked you, via our Facebook page, to tell us what your favorite workout songs are, no matter the genre, tempo, artist or song. After 100-plus responses, we took a look at what you had to say, and the top 10 workout songs list is composed of the tracks mentioned most. The list is a bit eclectic, so there's something for everyone. However, the fact that it’s not exactly what you’d expect, though there are standards on it, makes us love our readers more. Get ready to hit play.
Yes the other anthems from Rocky were nominated but, as corny as it is, “Eye of the Tiger” was the favorite among them. Not only among Rocky themes, but among all workout songs you guys like this Survivor song best. It’s hard to believe that decades later, “Eye of the Tiger” is still motivating men to get into Rocky shape. You’ll have to thank Stallone for this one, and not just because he’s Rocky, but because he commissioned the writing of this song when he couldn’t get permission to use Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” for Rocky III.
Now go make your playlist!
It can be difficult to quantify a list of the top 10 workout songs because everyone has a favorite -- and an opinion. That’s why we asked you, via our Facebook page, to tell us what your favorite workout songs are, no matter the genre, tempo, artist or song. After 100-plus responses, we took a look at what you had to say, and the top 10 workout songs list is composed of the tracks mentioned most. The list is a bit eclectic, so there's something for everyone. However, the fact that it’s not exactly what you’d expect, though there are standards on it, makes us love our readers more. Get ready to hit play.
10. "Joker & The Thief" by Wolfmother
“Joker & the Thief” might seem like an odd partner to working out, but the opening guitar solo really gets you in the zone. Once the riff emerges and the drums kick in, you should be in full stride on the treadmill or your favorite trail.
This seemingly ubiquitous track (it appears in a number of movies, commercials and video games) is one of those songs you recognize upon hearing and then you say: “I know that. Who sings it?” If you’re a New York Rangers fan, you’ll recognize it as the song that’s played when the team goes on a power play -- see, it’s almost a sports anthem.
This seemingly ubiquitous track (it appears in a number of movies, commercials and video games) is one of those songs you recognize upon hearing and then you say: “I know that. Who sings it?” If you’re a New York Rangers fan, you’ll recognize it as the song that’s played when the team goes on a power play -- see, it’s almost a sports anthem.
09. "Victory" by Puff Daddy Featuring Notorious B.I.G.
“Victory” by Puff Daddy (featuring Notorious B.I.G.) also features some rough vocals by Busta Rhymes and has a slow intensity to it. How you use this track as workout music really depends on your personality (cardio or lifting), but any track that features a heavy sample from Bill Conti’s “Going the Distance” (from the Rocky soundtrack) deserves a spot on a list of workout songs. And with lyrics such as: “I perform like Mike Anyone - Tyson, Jordan, Jackson” and “Our music keeps you movin’, what are you provin’?” how can you not stay motivated?
08. "Master of Puppets" by Metallica
Sh*t doesn’t get much more agro than old-school Metallica. Released in 1986, “Master of Puppets” deals with drugs and how they end up controlling you, but we suppose you can imagine that you’re the master of the bench press. Clocking in at 8 minutes and 36 seconds, you should be able to get a pretty intense set in before the song finishes. Of special note: VH1 has ranked this song as the third greatest heavy metal song ever.
07. "Stronger" by Kanye West
Again, this Kanye Grammy-winning track is a bit slow, but if you take "stronger" to be about your muscles and not your, well, you know, then it works. It seems to work for a lot of you guys at any rate. Charting on Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 1, “Stronger” samples heavily from Daft Punk’s “Harder Better Faster Stronger,” which is why it rings familiar and gets guys pumped up.
06. "Remember the Name" by Fort Minor
While “Remember the Name” isn’t on any of AskMen’s editorial team’s list of favorite workout songs, it’s a favorite with some of our developers, and obviously with a number of our readers. The song builds a slow intensity that never sees its apex, but perhaps that’s the appeal. Leaked several months prior to 2005’s The Rising Tied, this workout song has since become a staple in the NBA, appearing as the theme song for the 2006 and 2007 NBA Playoffs and for the 2008 Draft. It also appears in the NHL, several TV shows, movies and in the UFC. It’s no lie that this song is a total sports anthem.
05. "Levels" by Avicii (Bonus: Workout: AskMen x 8tracks Playlist)
You've heard this song before, probably while out dancing on a Friday night after one too many drinks. For some, this song should be taken with extreme seriousness; for others, it's a douchebag anthem. Wherever you fall on the continuum, there's no denying it's got a get-off-your-ass beat that's sure to do the trick in the gym.
04. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
It’s pretty apparent that there’s an obvious lack of hard rock and metal songs on this list of workout songs. It’s true that, to use a general term, rock has a lot of backbone and aggression, and it’s also true that not many bands have exemplified this more often than AC/DC. “Highway to Hell,” “Heatseeker,” “Back in Black,” “For Those About to Rock,” any number of songs could have been chosen, but “Thunderstruck,” like a few of the previous entries, has a climb to intensity that gets your blood boiling. In a comment about “Thunderstruck’s” origins, Angus Young had this to say: “We came up with this thunder thing and it seemed to have a good ring to it. AC/DC equals power. That's the basic idea." Any guy in the gym will testify.
03. "Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J
Although LL Cool J directed his lyrics toward the critics who said he was finished, they easily motivate any dude in the gym. A steady rhythm and an angry roll spitting out lyrics like "Don't you call this a regular jam/I'm gonna rock this land/I'm gonna take this itty bitty world by storm/And I'm just gettin' warm" LL struck a chord with guys everywhere. Adding to the “fighter” quality of the song is the video, which features LL in a boxing ring. A classic jam that hit No. 17 on Billboard’s Hot 100 back in '91.
02. "Till I Collapse" by Eminem Featuring Nate Dogg
We feel that “Lose Yourself” would have made more sense for this list, as it has a bit more intensity to it. Drawing on some military aural imagery and using Queen’s “We Will Rock You” (as classic as a sports anthem can get) as a sample, and some heavy fight-your-way-to-the-top lyrics, there’s no way you can walk away from this song unaffected.
“'Cause sometimes you feel tired, feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up/But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength and just pull that sh*t out of you and get that motivation to not give up and not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.”
Those lyrics say it all.
“'Cause sometimes you feel tired, feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up/But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength and just pull that sh*t out of you and get that motivation to not give up and not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse.”
Those lyrics say it all.
01. "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
Yes the other anthems from Rocky were nominated but, as corny as it is, “Eye of the Tiger” was the favorite among them. Not only among Rocky themes, but among all workout songs you guys like this Survivor song best. It’s hard to believe that decades later, “Eye of the Tiger” is still motivating men to get into Rocky shape. You’ll have to thank Stallone for this one, and not just because he’s Rocky, but because he commissioned the writing of this song when he couldn’t get permission to use Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” for Rocky III.Now go make your playlist!
