Best Workout Playlist for 2014
September 19, 2014 3:36
You have to admit: No workout is complete without the perfect soundtrack. So, in pursuit of this year's best workout playlist, we asked our members to sound-off on their favorite heart-pumping tracks.
From EDM to rap, members shared their eclectic list of best workout songs on our Facebook page. What we collected was a list of popular, fast-paced jams packed with lyrics to keep you motivated the next time you're sweating in the gym.
Topping our best workout playlist 2014 was EDM favorite by Britney Spears, "Work Bitch." In this song, Britney asks "You wanna hot body?" And her response — to be received in the most respectful way possible — "You better work, bitch…don't stop now. Just be the champion." Ringing in at 128 beats per minute, this hit is great for cardio exercises.
If you like EDM, then you may also be a fan of its cousin, Electropop. Our members love to keep "Sexy & I Know It" by Los Angeles duo LMFAO on their gym rotation. Its lyrics and upbeat tempo can keep you attentive not only to the workout at hand, but also on the "sexy" feedback you'll receive as your hard work pays off.
DJ Snake and Lil' Jon's song "Turn Down for What" is another workout fav in our 2014 best workout playlist. Though lyrically light, this platinum, chart-topping Trap song is sure to remind you not to quit. The moment you want to skip out on that last set, Lil' Jon yells, "Turn down for what?!"
With Skrillex's "Recess," it isn't just about not turning down, it's about turning it up. The hard bass drop makes it hard to stay still, making it perfect for later stages of a run or when it's time to kick that bike ride into high gear.
But let's not forget electronic rock band Awolnation and their Billboard Hot 100 hit "Sail." Based on this song's style and tempo, it may be best suited for strength-training exercises.
The perfect song to kick off your workout is Icona Pop's "Get Lost." It has a steady beat in the beginning, so you can work your way to a greater intensity – by the time it hits the chorus, you will definitely be ready to pick up the pace.
Once that workout is in full swing, it's no wonder Daddy Yankee's Latin pop song, "Limbo" is a fitness must-have. In fact, this song was specially created for Zumba Fitness classes around the world. Whether you're listening to its English or Spanglish version, once you hear it, you're sure to memorialize this into your best workout playlist.
If Daddy Yankee isn't enough to keep you going, add dance pop songs "Closer" by Ne-yo and "Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson. Lyrics like "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and "I just can't pull myself away…I just can't stop" are exactly the messages your brain needs for a better-than-average day in the gym — mind over matter.
For those who use rap to get their blood flowing, add Wiz Khalifa's "Work Hard, Play Hard" or Eminem's "Lose Yourself" to your playlist. After all, gym time isn't play time and sometimes it helps to just "lose yourself in the music, the moment" when you need to finish that last mile.
And last, but certainly not least, Eminem's old rap song "'Till I Collapse" is still as popular as ever in the gym, according to our members. So if you need one final addition to your best workout playlist as you're pushing through your final set, this song's lyrics will do it: "Sometimes you just feel tired, feel weak…you gotta find that inner strength. 'Till the roof comes off, 'till the lights go out, 'till my legs give out…"
Get the Playlist
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1. "Work B****" by Britney Spears
2. "Sexy & I Know It" by LMFAO
3. "Turn Down for What" by DJ Snake and Lil' Jon
4. "Sail" by Awolnation
5. "Limbo" by Daddy Yankee
6. "Closer" by Ne-Yo
7. "Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson
8. "Work Hard, Play Hard" by Wiz Khalifa
9. "'Till I Collapse" by Eminem
10. "Lose Yourself" by Eminem
11. "Recess" by Skrillex
12. "Get Lost" by Icona Pop
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