Why Listening to Music Can Help You Work Out Longer and Harder
Listening to music during exercise does more than lift your mood — it can actually improve your endurance, motivation, and workout performance. Research shows that the right rhythm and tempo can help you train longer, push harder, and even enjoy your workouts more.
How Music Affects Your Workout Performance
According to Dr. Costas Karageorghis, associate professor of sport psychology at Brunel University in England, music tempo plays a key role in how effectively we exercise. In his study, published in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 30 participants listened to music with a moderate tempo of 125 beats per minute (BPM).
- Those who exercised with music showed a 15% increase in endurance compared with the control group who worked out in silence.
Music essentially helps the brain dissociate from sensations of fatigue — allowing you to focus on rhythm and flow instead of physical exertion. Karageorghis, who has studied the psychology of music and exercise for more than 20 years, notes that certain tempos can:
- Energize or calm athletes before competition.
- Synchronize body movements with an optimal exercise rhythm.
Finding the Right Tempo for Your Workout
Choosing music with the right BPM can make all the difference. Use these ranges to create your own BPM-based workout playlist:
- Warm-up or cool-down: 80–90 BPM
- Fast walk (around 4.5 mph): 137–139 BPM
- Running or high-intensity cardio: 147–160 BPM
You can easily create tempo-based playlists with apps like Tangerine! or use Spotify’s built-in BPM data to tailor your music to your workout goals.
What Science Says About Music and Motivation
When we move in sync with the beat, the brain releases dopamine — the feel-good chemical that boosts motivation and mood. This is why synchronous music (songs you can move to in time with the beat) is especially effective for maintaining pace and motivation during longer sessions.
The Most Popular Workout Songs
Spotify’s annual report on the best workout songs shows what people actually listen to when breaking a sweat. According to their data:
- Men often choose pump-up tracks like “Till I Collapse” by Eminem or “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor.
- Women tend to prefer pop-driven, rhythm-focused songs such as Rihanna’s hits that match their exercise tempo — aligning with current research on synchronous movement and music.
Top 10 Workout Songs in the U.S.
- “The Monster” — Eminem ft. Rihanna
- “Timber” — Pitbull ft. Kesha
- “Work B**ch” — Britney Spears
- “Wake Me Up” — Avicii
- “Leaving You” — Various Artists
- “Roar” — Katy Perry
- “Can’t Hold Us” — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- “Till I Collapse” — Eminem
- “Blurred Lines” — Robin Thicke
- “John Doe” — B.o.B. ft. Priscilla
These tracks continue to dominate workout playlists worldwide, proving that rhythm and motivation go hand in hand.
Build Your Own Motivational Playlist
Whether you’re training for a marathon or just trying to make it through your next gym session, music can transform your workout. Match your BPM to your activity, choose songs that inspire movement, and let the rhythm keep you going — one beat at a time.