How to curate the best running playlist

We all know the power that the right playlist can have on our run. And it’s not just in our heads – research has found that music makes our workout easier. Studies have proven that it not only makes exercise more enjoyable, but also can improve physical performance, endurance and recovery. And the benefits don’t stop there, especially for us runners. Listening to music with a particular beat can help us to maintain our pace, or motivate us to try a faster one, thanks to a handy effect known as auditory motor synchronisation.

So, we definitely have a good reason to curate the perfect workout compilation. What do we need to know? Those beats are key – experts suggest that songs with 120-130 BPM are said to be the best for a good, steady run. The content of the songs is important too, with motivational lyrics helping us out when we’re feeling tired.

Need some inspiration? PureGym, in collaboration with Spotify, have just released research that could help. They analysed 142,000 songs that had been added into running and workout playlists by Spotify users, to find which were the most popular.

The 20 top tracks are listed below – try adding them to your running playlist and see if they make a difference.

1. ‘Till I Collapse – Eminem
2. Roses – SAINt JHN (Imanbek remix)
3. The Business – Tiësto
4. Head & Heart (feat. MNEK) – Joel Corry
5. Turn Me On (feat. Vula) – Riton
6. Stronger – Kanye West
7. Remember the Name (feat. Styles of Beyond) – Fort Minor
8. Goosebumps – HVME
9. Power – Kanye West
10. Breaking me – Topic
11. Numb/Encore – Jay-Z and Linkin Park
12. Your Love (9PM) – ATB
13. Lose Yourself – Eminem
14. Paradise (feat. Dermot Kennedy) – MEDUZA
15. Some Say – Nea (Felix Jaehn remix)
16. Head Shoulders Knees & Toes (feat. Norma Jean Martin) – Ofenbach
17. All Around the World (LA LA LA) – R3HAB
18. Goosebumps – Travis Scott
19. X Gon’ Give It To Ya – DMX
20. Lovefood – Twocolour

You can find the playlist as a whole on Spotify here. And while we love putting our headphones on and getting in the zone, do remember to be safe – being able to hear traffic is important, so do be mindful in urban areas or anywhere you need to run near or on the road.