There’s nothing like a cold, snowy run in a park or along the trails with a personally selected group of songs playing in
my ears from the iPad shuffle I borrow regularly from my son.
Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not one of those runners who always has to be plugged in to enjoy a run. In fact, I probably only listen to music while running at most once a week, and that’s only for those long, lonely solo runs of 10+ miles.
But there ARE people who can’t bear to be alone with their thoughts and need music to carry them along. I empathize with them, I really do. During most of my races, my brain is constantly yelling at me to slow down, speed up, relax my arms, use that big guy over there to shield me from the wind. Or it’s telling me how tight my calves are, how heavy my body feels, that my hamstring isn’t as healed as I thought it was, that trying for a sub-7:00 opening mile was a bad idea, or that running in general is a stupid thing for a fortysomething guy to endeavor. It can be maddening. I understand why races forbid personal listening devices. It’s as close to cheating as anything I can conceive of.
But on those aforementioned long training runs? Yeah, that kind of cheating is sometimes exactly what you need to get you to forget how much your body doesn’t want to do what you’re making it do.
There are some people who can (and do) listen to any kind of music, and are happy to do so. I envy those people. I really do. Okay, no I don’t. I can’t stand most contemporary pop music and feel that anyone who eats what the music companies are shoveling them are more or less brainwashed by the equivalent of fast-food music. But that’s a different story, and my wife will be the first to tell you that you don’t want to get me started on that topic.
So then, what about the rest of us—those of us who are bored with the same old music over and over again? Especially those of us more, er—mature runners who still enjoyed 80’s music more than any of the decades that came afterward?
What was that? You want to know the SCIENCE of music as it pertains to running? Well, of course I’d only be happy to oblige! You see, studies have shown (and even if they hadn’t, pay attention the next time you’re listening to music and exercising and see if you’re stronger or weaker when a certain song starts or ends) that there are at least two, maybe three important variables to consider when pairing music with exercise.
The first, and most important is rhythm, or beats-per-minute. Strangely enough, most middle-of-the-pack distance runners tend to take a similar number of steps per mile, and that pace translates to a musical beats-per-minute
pace of roughly 180. Now, there isn’t an abundance of songs written at that speedy rate, but halving that rate (90
BPM) also result in success. Whether we like it or not, we tend to run to the pace of the music in our ears or on the
course in the case of running series like the ING Rock-and-Roll races.
Now, in truth, you can find TONS of lists of songs on places like jog.fm, spotify and itunes, but what I found was that no matter what the list, you’re going to find the same Big Hit Singles on each one of those lists. If you’re not a fan of the same 100 songs you hear on the radio in the first place, you’re out of luck. (But that’s where I come in).
The second variable to consider when selecting music I can label tone. This is where people’s tastes vary. Some like smooth, easy-flowing jazzy (or soft rock) sounds that allow them to float over the ground. Others prefer the angst of hard rock, metal or industrial music to fuel them with a kind of aggression as they pound out the miles.
The last variable is vibe, and while this often overlaps with tone, this concept takes into consideration the lyrics of a
song. I know, some of you want to say that you don’t even listen to the lyrics. And others say the lyrics don’t matter. But every study ever done
about positive reinforcement has shown that it matters in every way. (After all, don’t most of us engage in positive
mantras while running? You know, like The Little Engine that Could? I think I can, I think I can.) The National Geographic series, Brain Games, recently aired an episode that
revealed just how successfully positive words can affect someone trying to perform even the simplest tasks. (By the way, it’s a fantastic and engaging show that will teach you a lot about the
world in the most fascinating experiments!)
Now, while I can’t guarantee that you’ll like all of the songs that I like, my hope is that at least you’ll find an artist that can make your training runs a little more enjoyable and/or successful. This is the playlist I’ve been using lately. For the sake of explanation, I’ve divided the songs into four categories, but most of the time I don’t mind shuffling between moods. If you like a less schizophrenic running experience, you might stick to one category at a time. (The lists are alphabetized by artists’ first names: sorry, that’s the way iTunes does it).
The first group let’s call Happy Music. These are the songs that serve to get your mind lost in the running, pacing your feet with an upbeat rhythm and lyrics that either don’t get in the way or lighten your footfalls. If you want to glide over the ground, these are the songs to listen to. Oh, and there are plenty of instrumentals here, too. They’re also good highway driving songs, too—the kind that allow you to happily battle the traffic without getting stressed.
Acoustic Alchemy (pop-jazz fusion):
Flamoco Loco 4:05 2001
So Kylie 4:22 2005
Angel Of The South 6:41 2000
Tete A Tete 4:44 2000
The Last Flamenco 4:20 2000
Kidstuff 4:20 2000
Catalina Kiss 4:36 1989
Evil The Weasel 5:38 1988
Homecoming 5:36 1991
Ambrosia (light rock):
Apothecary 4:53 1978
Andrea Mingardi (Italian rock—yes, really):
Sai Ragazzo 4:54 1994
Andy Narell (jazzy World music with steel pans):
Disorderly Conduct 6:40 1992
Down De Road 3:17 1992
Andy Summers (melodic pop-jazz from the Police guitarist)
Easy On The Ice 4:36 1990
World Gone Strange 6:31 1991
Arto Lindsay (smooth Latin pop-jazz)
Habite Em Mim 4:35 2004
Kamo (Dark Stripe) 4:46 2004
Average White Band (70’s funk-rock)
Pick Up the Pieces 4:00 1974
Aztec Camera (catchy pop)
Black Lucia 4:00 1993
Vertigo 4:54 1993
Valium Summer 5:54 1993
Beautiful Girl 4:50 1995
The B-52's (80’s party rock)
Channel Z 4:50 1989
53 Miles West of Venus 4:53 1980
Bob Marley & the Wailers (reggae, mon)
Jammin’ 4:42 1977
Could You Be Loved 4:27 1977
Waiting In Vain 4:16 1977
Crowded House (alternative pop-rock)
Saturday Sun 3:26 2010
Either Side of the World 4:35 2010
Twice If You're Lucky 3:33 2010
David Byrne (alternative rock with a World twist from the former Talking Heads leader)
Angels 4:41 1994
Don't Want To Be Part of Your World 4:58 1989
Office Cowboy 3:42 1989
Strange Overtones 4:16 2008
David Cullen & Michael Manring (virtuoso jazzy guitar/bass duo)
Shuffle In 4:45 2001
Buenos Dias 6:03 2001
Depeche Mode (new wave kings of the 80’s)
Enjoy the Silence 6:13 1990
Devo (still dishing up catchy pop with a beat)
Monsterman 2:09 2012
Fresh 3:00 2010
What We Do 3:17 2010
Cameo 2:50 2010
Later Is Now 3:52 2010
March On 3:51 2010
Knock Boots 3:36 2010
Donald Fagen (you know, the guy from Steely Dan)
New Frontier 6:21 1982
Electric Light Orchestra (70’s Beatle-esque champions)
Shine a Little Love 4:41 1979
Last Train to London 4:30 1979
Genesis (70’s-80’s British art rock)
Turn It On Again 3:51 1980
Haircut 100 (upbeat 80’s jangly-guitar pop)
Love Plus One 3:34 1982
Fantastic Day 3:13 1982
…and the rest of the Pelican West album!
Imogen Heap (hoarse-voiced electronic pop)
Swoon 3:54 2009
Jamiroquai (psychedelic rock)
Virtual Insanity 5:41 1996
Jane Siberry (ageless singer/songwriter with a great voice)
Bound by the Beauty 4:42 1989
Everything Reminds Me of my Dog 4:20 1989
Begat Begat 6:36 1995
John Cale (former Velvet Underground singer with a great gravelly voice
Zen 6:03 2004
Bicycle 5:05 2004
Face to the Sky 4:57 2012
December Rains 4:23 2012
Joey Fehrenbach (electronica that sweeps you away)
Being Around You 7:35 2006
Behold 5:19 2006
Jovanotti (the king of Italian hip-hop/rock)
Bella 4:36 1997
Il Futuro Del Mondo 4:29 1994
Viene Sera 4:35 1994
Un Uomo 7:40 2002
Salato Parte Uno 3:59 2002
Il Quinto Mondo 4:32 2002
La notte dei desideri 3:27 2011
Safari 4:24 2008
The Judybats (quirky 90’s pop with jangly guitars)
Our Story 4:34 1992
She's Sad She Said 3:18 1992
Kate Bush (ageless and quirky singer/songwriter)
Why Should I Love You? 5:02 1993
Laurie Anderson (even more quirky experimental songwriter with a great sense of humor)
Only an Expert 7:26 2010
Level 42 (80’s dance-pop)
Lessons In Love 4:06 1986
World Machine 5:17 1985
Something About You 4:27 1985
Luca Carboni (smooth Italian adult pop)
Ex. T. Blu 4:11 1995
Ho Visto Anche Degli Zingari Felici 3:44 2009
Lucio Dalla (gravel-voiced Italian songsmith)
Nun Parlà 3:53 1996
Io Tra Un'ora Sono Li 4:23 1999
Masayoshi Takanaka (the king of Japanese jazz-pop)
Blue Lagoon Surf 4:23 2010
LAGOON DAYDREAM 5:44 2010
月と金星 5:24 2009
Nightmare 5:07 2011
Blue Lagoon 'K' 4:38 2011
Matmos (electronica with a dance beat)
Steam and Sequins for Larry Levan 5:21 2006
New Order (80’s-90’s alternative Brit-dance-pop)
Fine Time 4:43 1989
Round & Round 4:32 1989
New Orleans Night Crawlers (New Orleans jazz)
Pick Up The Pieces 8:15 1997
Nick Heyward (singer from Haircut 100)
Atlantic Monday 5:12 1983
The Kick of Love 4:36 1983
The Ocean Blue (90’s British upbeat pop)
Mercury 4:13 1991
Ohio Players (funk, man!)
Fire 4:32 1973
Oingo Boingo (quirky, edgy, adventurous alternative rock with xylophones)
Just Another Day 5:13 1985
Same Man I Was Before 3:24 1985
Islands 4:41 1982
Orange Juice (80’s New Wave pop)
Rip it up 3:45 1982
Paolo Conte (gravelly voiced smoky lounge singer)
Gli Impermeabili 3:55 1984
Pat Metheny Group (the king of American jazz)
Here To Stay 7:39 1995
Patrizia Laquidara (Italian lounge pop)
Ziza 3:53 2007
Sciroppo di mirtilli 3:52 2003
Kanzi 3:37 2003
Perpetual Groove (jazzy improvisational stoner pop)
Three Weeks 9:17 2003
Pino Daniele (Italian pop-jazz guitar virtuoso with a woodwind voice)
Alibi Perfetto 4:24 1999
Viaggio Senza Ritorno 4:34 1999
Stella Cometa 3:52 1999
Continueremo A Navigare 3:54 1997
La Mia Emozione Più Forte 4:20 1997
Back Home 3:31 2007
…and many others
Poi Dog Pondering (quirky pop-folk-alternative rock with upbeat lyrics)
Complicated 4:09 1995
The Shake of Big Hands 5:21 1995
Watermelon Song 5:15 1990
The Police (come on, you know The Police!)
Voices Inside My Head 3:53 1979
Roddy Frame (silk-and-honey-voiced songwriter)
Here Comes the Ocean 3:23 1998
Roger Hodgson (from Supertramp)
You Make Me Love You 4:59 1988
Spandau Ballet (edgy dance music)
Chant No. 1 4:08 1982
Split Enz (New Zealand alternative rock)
I Walk Away 3:50 1984
Doctor Love 4:17 1984
Make Sense Of It 3:34 1982
The Choral Sea 4:39 1980
Steely Dan (timeless smooth keyboard pop)
Hey Nineteen 5:07 1993
Glamour Profession 7:30 1993
Time Out of Mind 4:13 1993
Talk Talk (eclectic alternative post-rock)
Living In Another World 6:55 1986
Talking Heads (kings of the punk/New Wave era)
I Zimbra 3:09 1979
Animals 3:30 1979
Blind 5:00 1988
(Nothing But) Flowers 5:36 1988
Moon Rocks 5:05 1983
Todd Rundgren (ageless pop music)
Tables Will Turn 8:51 1995
Truth 5:13 2004
Living 5:36 2004
Parallel Lines 4:25 1989
In My Mouth 4:17 2013
“Healing, part III” 5:30 1981
Was (Not Was) (very fun, fairly weird R&B pop)
Are You Okay? 4:30 1990
Wax UK (easy pop)
Bug in the Machine 4:22 1991
Way of the West
Don't Say That's Just for White Boys (12") 7:28 2008
Zucchero (the Springsteen of Italy)
You Make Me Feel Loved 4:00 2004
Occhi 3:39 2006
Ahum 4:44 2001
The second group is Aggession-Music, or “Dammit, I’m getting up that hill no matter what” Music. Sometimes you need a kick in the pants, a heavy dose of attitude to keep you from giving up. These are those songs. If you don’t like hard rock, you’d better skip this section entirely (but there’s very little with any objectionable lyrics):
Bob Mould (angry hard rock from Husker Du’s frontman)
Stop Your Crying 4:30 1990
Sacrifice/Let There Be Peace 5:32 1990
Trade 5:24 2002
Whichever Way The Wind Blows 6:26 1989
The Clash (if you don’t know The Clash, you’ve missed something)
London Calling 3:20 1977
Clampdown 3:50 1977
Lost In The Supermarket 3:48 2003
The Magnificent Seven 5:33 1977
Rock The Casbah 3:43 1977
Crowded House
That's What I Call Love 3:40 1986
Danny Elfman (yes, the soundtrack composer)
Sucker For Mystery 5:19 1984
Lightning 3:46 1984
Depeche Mode
New Dress 3:44 1986
Devo
Gates of Steel 3:28 1980
Through Being Cool 3:19 1981
Front 242 (repetitive, angst-fueled industrial music)
Tragedy (For You) 4:32 1990
Front Line Assembly (danceable angst-fueled industrial music)
Iceolate 5:16 1990
Exhale 5:28 2013
Final Impact 6:04 1992
The Blade 5:51 1992
Gary Numan (danceable angst-fueled industrial music)
Metal 4:04 1979
Films 4:11 1979
A Question of Faith 4:52 1994
Big Noise Transmission 4:20 2012
God Lives Underwater (guitars and drum machines)
All Wrong 4:55 1995
Harry Connick, Jr. (no, I’m not kidding; this is a song that moves)
Mind On The Matter 4:09 1996
Helmet (harsh but talented jazzy metal)
Wilma's Rainbow 3:54 1994
Unsung 3:58 1992
Fbla II 3:22 1992
See You Dead 3:48 2004
Last Breath 3:03 2004
…and most of their other songs
Jean Leloup (quirky French rock)
Le Monde Est A Pleurer 4:51 1996
Jovanotti
Tanto 3:31 2005
Attaccami La Spina 3:44 1994
The Knack (great guitar solo; NOT the single version)
My Sharona 5:06 1979
Lucio Dalla
Trash 5:06 1999
Marillion (British art-rock; think angrier Genesis)
Incommunicado 5:17 1987
Michael Manring (possibly the world’s best bassist)
Dromedary 4:15 2004
Helios 4:21 2005
Big Fungus 3:36 1994
Disturbed 3:05 1994
Midnight Oil (one of the original grunge artists)
Blue Sky Mine 4:16 1989
Sell My Soul 3:37 1988
Read About It 3:53 1982
Nitzer Ebb (heavy-on-the-rhythm industrial music)
Control I'm Here 3:53 1988
Rope 3:27 1990
Poi Dog Pondering
Jack Ass Ginger 5:33 1992
The Police
Message In A Bottle 4:51 1978
Synchronicity I 4:58 1979
Primus (metal that defies description)
Jerry Was A Race Car Driver 3:11 1991
The Spent Poets (quick-paced alternative rock)
Mr. Einstein 4:19 1992
Your Existential Past 3:53 1992
St. Vincent (Annie Clark) (scratchy guitars and piercing lyrics)
Birth In Reverse 3:16 2014
Digital Witness 3:22 2014
Cruel 3:35 2011
Sugar (see Bob Mould)
Tilted 4:08 1993
JC Auto 6:13 1993
Feeling Better 6:22 1993
The Act We Act 5:10 1992
A Good Idea 3:47 1992
Therapy? (Irish hard rock when you’re in an angry mood)
Living In the Shadow of the Terrible Thing 3:56 2012
Enjoy The Struggle 4:11 2009
Crooked Timber 5:52 2009
Low Winter Sun 4:19 2010
Stories 3:11 1995
30 Seconds 5:25 1995
Rise Up (Make Yourself Well) 2:49 2004
Teethgrinder 3:27 1992
Little Tongues First 4:25 1999
Femtex 3:14 1994
Unrequited 3:03 1994
Brainsaw 6:28 1994
…and most of their other songs
24-7 Spyz (ska-hard rock)
We'll Have Power 3:42 1990
Todd Rundgren
Espresso (All Jacked Up) 5:52 1995
Mercenary 4:03 2008
Strike 3:30 2008
Ultravox (80’s new-wave Romantic rock)
Accent On Youth 4:45 1981
The Ascent 2:20 1981
Utopia (see Todd Rundgren)
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell 4:19 1979
Communion with the Sun 6:56 1978
UB40 (Reggae)
The Earth Dies Screaming 8:21 2010
White Zombie (er, um… hip-hop metal?)
More Human Than Human 4:29 1995
XTC (new-wave meets punk meets pop)
Down In The Cockpit 5:28 1982
Poor Skeleton Steps Out 3:28 1989
Across This Antheap 4:52 1989
Zucchero
Music In Me 3:21 2001
Porca L'oca 3:28 2001
Datemi Una Pompa 4:14 1998
O.L.S.M.M. 3:33 1998
The third group is the Vibe group, those songs that inspire you with their positive attitude and often have some attention to running itself. This is the feel-good category, kind of like having a coach inside your head constantly telling you “You can do this. Keep up the good work. Atta boy. Atta girl!” Though many songs from the first group could fit here, I only listed the most inspirational and/or fun.
Aztec Camera
Oblivious 3:12 1983
All I Need Is Everything 5:50 1985
The B-52's
Topaz 4:21 1989
Bruce Springsteen
Born To Run 4:31 1975
Crowded House
Don't Stop Now 3:54 2007
Roddy Frame
Turning the World Around 3:16 2002
Hinterland (Scottish rock)
(Racing up this) Dark Hill 4:31 1999
Jamiroquai (psychedelic rock)
Use The Force 4:01 1997
Jovanotti
Coraggio (Courage) 4:18 2005
Kate Bush
Running Up That Hill 5:04 1985
K.C. & The Sunshine Band (70’s dance pop)
That's The Way (I Like It) 3:07 1975
Keep It Comin' Love 3:55 1977
Marillion
Childhoods End? 4:33 1985
White Feather 2:25 1985
New Radicals (90’s pop)
You get what you give 5:02 1993
Newsboys (almost too catchy Christian rock)
In the Belly of the Whale 3:05 2002
The Ocean Blue (90’s British upbeat pop)
Peace Of Mind 3:01 1993
Bliss Is Unaware 2:24 1993
Mercury 4:13 1991
Poi Dog Pondering
Everybody's Trying 5:03 1990
Big Walk 4:48 1990
Roddy Frame
Bigger Brighter Better 3:27 1998
Steven Curtis Chapman (contemporary Christian rock)
Dive 3:59 1999
Talk Talk
Happiness Is Easy 6:31 1986
Talking Heads
Air 3:34 1979
Tears For Fears (80’s alternative rock)
Everybody Wants to Rule the World 4:12 1983
Todd Agnew (Christian rock)
Grace Like Rain 4:22 2005
Todd Rundgren
Courage 3:44 2008
Ultravox
Reap the Wild Wind 3:50 1982
The Song (We Go) 3:31 1982
Utopia
Say Yeah 3:04 1982
Was (Not Was)
I Feel Better Than James Brown 4:45 1990
Walk The Dinosaur 4:22 1988
Will Powers (self-help dance music; weird but strangely effective)
Smile 6:28 2004
The Woodentops (80’s rockabilly on steroids)
They Can Say What They Want 4:15 1988
XTC
Jason and the Argonauts 6:09 1982
Garden Of Earthly Delights 5:03 1989
The Mayor of Simpleton 3:58 1989
We're All Light 4:39 2000
The fourth group may be a surprise: Floating on Clouds. These are songs that don’t fall within that 90-180 BPM realm. Many of them are at the halfway mark of 45 BPM, but most have no discernable beat at all. This kind of music doesn’t so much propel you as it does lighten you. Because of the songs’ ethereal nature, you’re likely to lose yourself in them, and (hopefully) forget any pains or troubles as they carry you into the clouds. Slow music for running? Yeah, try it. It works! (Just don’t run in traffic while listening to these):
Acoustic Alchemy
Lullaby for the First Born 3:36 1991
Alaska & Halloween (see Talk Talk)
After the Flood 5:34 2012
Andreas Vollenweider (yeah, harp music)
World Inside a Grain of Sand 5:15 2009
Still Life 5:38 1989
Moon Dance 4:11 1986
The Secret, The Candle And Love 3:44 1986
Bruce Springsteen
Streets of Philadelphia 3:17 1994
David Hykes (meditative voice music)
Anything from Harmonic Meetings, or before 2000
Franco Battiato (gravelly voiced, soaring music)
Anything from Shadow, Light
Howard Jones (yeah, that uber-positive guy from the 80’s)
Hide And Seek 5:39 1984
Loscil (ambient music)
Diable Marin 4:15 2002
Luca Carboni
La Nostra Storia 4:52 2001
Luis Bacalov (orchestral composer)
I Suoni Dell' Isola (& others from the Il Postino soundtrack)
Michael Manring
You Offered Only Parabolas 6:13 1994
Pino Daniele (haunting elements of a cappella)
Africa A Africa E 5:55 2001
Arriverà L'Aurora 2:31 2004
Riley Lee/Gabriel Lee (Japanese meditation music)
Anything from Satori.
Sufjan Stevens:
Vito's Ordination Song 7:07 2003
Oh God Where Are You Now? 9:24 2003
The Sugarplastic (90’s quirky alternative mellow punk)
Soft Jingo 5:27 1996
Suzanne Vega
Medley: Ironbound/Fancy Poultry 6:19 1987
Talk Talk
Time It's Time 8:11 1986
New Grass 9:40 1991
Tears For Fears
Famous Last Words 4:31 1989
Thomas Dolby (yes, the guy who did those kooky songs)
The Flat Earth 6:40 1985
'Til Tuesday
Coming Up Close 4:44 1986
Todd Rundgren (meditative)
Healing, Pt. 1 7:32 1981
Healing, Pt. 2 7:51 1981
XTC
Chalkhills And Children 5:00 1989
Now, while I don’t consider this list to be in any way complete, my hope is that there might be something useful to many of you. I can’t even say that’s a definitive list, only my favorites right now in 2014. But there is one thing I can say for this collection: it’s not full of everything you’ve heard before. So, take a chance. Let the music lift you up, and, as always, have fun!