Best Workout Songs Ever

Some people genuinely love working out, but even they will often tell you that the time spent exercising goes by much more quickly and pleasantly with an upbeat, motivating playlist. The best workout songs ever show up time and time again on fitness magazine recommendations and fitness professionals' blogs and YouTube videos.

Workout songs get your blood pumping, your adrenaline going, and they can motivate you to start your workout, make it through a boring section of your exercise routine, or even finish that last mile, set, or just one more rep. Some of the songs are merely upbeat while others make you feel the singer's anger and power through your task with an "I'll show you!" attitude. Still others make you want to keep running simply because the song is too good to stop.

Depending on personal preference, some songs will be best for running or other means of cardio exercise while others will suit your strength training best. The common theme throughout all the songs, though, is an energetic, powerful beat. It crosses multiple genres of music, from metal to country. Some of the best workout songs seem almost as if they were made to exercise to, and speak of getting stronger as time goes on. The best workout songs make it almost impossible to sit still, slow down, or give up.

According to a study that Gold's Gym conducted, the absolute best workout song is Kanye West's 2007 hit, "Stronger." Other songs that were in the running in that same study included:

Eminem's "Lose Yourself" Black Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow" Guns N Roses "Welcome to the Jungle"

A few of Fitness Magazine's favorites include:

Aerosmith "Walk This Way" C + C Music Factory "Gonna Make You Sweat" Kelly Clarkson "Since You Been Gone" Beyonce "Crazy in Love" Beck "Loser"

YouTube fitness guru, Sarah Dussault recommends:

Alien Ant Farm "Smooth Criminal" Fatboy Slim "The Rockefeller Skank" Cyprus Hill "Superstar" Onyx "Slam" David Guetta with Chris Willis "Getting Over You" Nelly Furtado "Maneater"

Other workout songs that will get your blood pumping and help you finish that exhausting workout include:

The White Stripes "Seven Nation Army" Green Day "American Idiot" Black Eyed Peas "Let's Get Retarded"/"Let's Get It Started" (The former was the original and the latter was the PC version released later) Britney Spears "Stronger" Carrie Underwood "Before He Cheats" Pink "Raise Your Glass" Outkast "Hey, Ya!" Queen "Fat Bottomed Girls" Christina Aguilera "Dirty" Survivor "Eye of the Tiger" Drowning Pool "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" Metallica "Enter Sandman" Taylor Swift "Picture to Burn" Daft Punk "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" Def Leppard "Pour Some Sugar on Me" AC/DC "You Shook Me All Night Long" Justin Timberlake "Sexy Back" Britney Spears "(I Got That) Boom Boom" Destiny's Child "Lose My Breath" Ram Jam "Black Betty"

Regardless of your music preferences, there are workout songs that will suit your tastes. You may even find that a song that you would normally not enjoy makes the perfect powerful selection to push you through the last few minutes of cardio. These songs can keep you going when you really just want to quit, so don't disregard one based on genre right away. Perfecting your playlist will take time, but discovering new songs and learning how they motivate you could be fun.