Workout Playlist: A Key to Success

One of the biggest hurdles I've had to overcome over the last 18 months is maintaining a kick-butt playlist that gets me up and moving.  Okay, so maybe "big hurdle" is a relative term, but it can be tricky to have an amazingly awesome playlist, because once something achieves amazingly awesomeness, you start to get tired of it.  A playlist needs constant tending to maintain amazingly awesome.

Anyway, as a result, I keep my ears open for good upbeat songs, and regularly scour the internet for new stuff.  Fitness Magazine's website and Running.com have all kinds of suggested playlists, but you kind of have to sift through all of that to get what works for you.

So I thought I'd share with you the fruits of my labors.  Just a selection. You may not agree with all my choices. You may laugh at some.  But if you're like me, always searching for the perfect workout song, maybe this will be helpful.

It would be superawesome if I linked all these songs to Itunes or YouTube or something, but that would take a long time and I don't want to spend my whole Saturday afternoon on the computer.  Sorry.  But feel free to head over there and take a listen yourself.

This is specifically from my running list, but it could work for any cardio. I just pulled twenty from the top today.  Maybe I'll share more in a future post.

1. Raise Your Glass, Pink (my newest acquisition)
2. Girls Lie Too, Terri Clark (I've loved this for years, but just recently discovered its greatness for running)
3. Forget You, Glee (still my go-to dance party song)
4. King of Anything, Sara Bareilles (fun to sing along to, as well...thanks to Jenna for pointing me towards this)
5. Best Song Ever, Katie Armiger (The beat/music is awesome...thanks to Toby for recommending)
6. Let My Love Open the Door, Pete Townsend (an older one, but still good)
7. Misery, Maroon 5 (a little slower, but makes me want to groove)
8. Sweet Child O' Mine, Guns N' Roses (The guitar solo at the beginning really gets you moving, but then the whole thing gets really repetitive, so I skip it once I get about halfway through)
9. Just Fine, Mary J. Blige (Slower beat for running, but great for dance partying)
10. No One Like You or Foreverandever Etc, David Crowder Band (great song!)
11. If You're Wondering If I Want You To, Weezer (um, one of my current fav songs)
12. Party in the USA, Miley Cyrus (this was really popular with the teen-aged friends last summer. Now it makes me smile and think of them when it comes on)
13. I Do Not Hook Up and My Life Would Suck Without You, Kelly Clarkson (I don't think there's anyone better to run to than Ms. Clarkson)
14. Walk Like an Egyptian, The Bangles (seriously, this is a great workout song)
15. Grandmother Song, Vienna Teng (great beat, great girl power message by my favorite artist to see live)
16. Be OK, Ingrid Michaelson (It becomes kind of chant as I run, "I just want to be okay, be okay, be okay, be okay today")
17. One Week, Barenaked Ladies (Takes me straight back to 1998 and my first roommate, Nancy)
18. Just Friends, Jonas Brothers (Laugh if you must, but those Jo Bros have some good beats. This was one of the first songs I discovered that would keep me running when I wanted to quit back when I could only run for one minute at a time)
19. Holding Out for a Hero, Bonnie Tyler (Workout songs don't get better than this, just ask Kevin Bacon)
20. Pump It, Black Eyed Peas (You could list any number of BEPs songs, but none makes me move the elliptical faster than this one.)

If you've got any great workout songs to share with me, I would love to have them. Post them in the comments section below!