Here are the top songs runners love
If you love channelling your inner Rocky or shaking it off with Taylor Swift, you're not alone
Still listening to “Eye of the Tiger” to help you channel your inner Rocky (III) when running stairs? You’re not alone—but marathoners do like a range of music to power them through their workouts. The charity fundraising website Just Giving recently conducted a survey of 2,000 participants gearing up for the 2024 London Marathon in April, hoping to reveal the rhythm that fuels their 42.2K journey.
We already know that music can play a powerful role in helping us get out the door and stay motivated. Studies have shown that not only does what you listen to while you exercise potentially improve your performance, but tuning in to some pre-workout music can boost your performance in the gym and help you get more out of each session. One could predict that playlists and preferences would be largely unique and individual, just like running styles and abilities, but it seems that runners have a lot of similarity in what they find motivating.
From more than 6,000 song nominations, the top 10 tracks emerged as the ultimate running playlist, with Survivor’s timeless Rocky anthem “Eye of the Tiger” still leading the way (however, the classic theme from the original Rocky didn’t make the list). Eminem‘s “Lose Yourself” and Queen‘s invigorating “Don’t Stop Me Now” also raced to the forefront. And while you may be getting tired of hearing about Taylor Swift‘s latest football sideline fanatics, you’re apparently still happy to have her cheer you through the miles of a long, slow distance session, with her name appearing on both favourite artists and within the top 10 songs.
Top 10 songs marathoners love to listen to:
1. Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
2. Lose Yourself – Eminem
3. Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
4. Dog Days Are Over – Florence & The Machine
5. Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
6. Mr Brightside – The Killers
7. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
8. Adore U – Fred Again
9. Pump It – Black Eyed Peas
10. Cruel Summer – Taylor Swift
The survey also determined the top artists runners tune in to, with Queen, Swift and Fred Again making the cut for both lists.
Top 10 artists marathoners love to listen to:
1. Taylor Swift
2. Beyoncé
3. Calvin Harris
4. Queen
5. Eminem
6. Fred Again
7. Dua Lipa
8. Ed Sheeran
9. Coldplay
10. Drake
If you’re still looking for that unique tune to help you fly on race day, consider trying some gentle Christmas tunes. Ultrarunner Nick Coury swears by this during races, claiming it stops his adrenaline from spiking and prevents him from going out too fast. “It’s put me where I want to be for the first few kilometres of a race,” says Coury.
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