New Music Tuesday!

Happy Tuesday!

I was doing HIIT at the gym this morning and was thinking to myself how critical my music is to the success of my workout - especially if I'm in the gym.  Honestly, I wouldn't be able to workout without music (unless I was outdoors, but even that's still questionable).

So I thought I'd share my favorite playlists right now and see if I can get any suggestions from you! I’m always searching for new songs to rock out to during my cardio sessions, particularly when I’m doing HIIT.  Nothing motivates me more than good music (or DE-motivates me, if the music sucks!)

A lot of people always suggest songs like Eye of the Tiger or other old school rock songs.  I’m not a rock / heavy metal fan.  I prefer something with a thick fast beat and lots of momentum :)

First and foremost, I use Pandora on my iPhone and iPod a LOT.  My gym workouts usually revolve around one of the following Pandora stations:

1.      Cascada station (Cascada is a Swedish electronic artist.  She produces great house music with lyrics and good sounds.  Her claim-to-fame hit is “Evacuate the Dancefloor” – YouTube video HERE)

2.      Skrillex station (Skrillex is a house/electronic DJ artist).  Deadmau5 is another good station, as is the “Cracks” by Freestlyers station (youtube link to the song, HERE)

3.      Almost any remix channel of Rhianna's "Only Girl (In the World)” (The Liam Keegan one is good, link HERE).  While the song in an of itself isn't particularly stellar, I've found that the remix channels of this one song are awesome - they draw on a wealth of house and electronized pop culture and pop underground songs.

As for actual iTunes playlists, I have a few, and this one is my latest obsession.  If I could listen to it clock-round, I would.  But I save it for one specific workout - my Sunday morning beach 10ks I run in the sand.  The music gets me really excited and pumped up and I need that energy to get me thru it!  (PS, can you tell that I made the playlist after a break-up? Ha!)

1.  Drive By by Train

2.  We've Only Just Begun  by Run Kid Run

3.  Stronger by Britney Spears

4.  Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson

5.  Remember the Name by Fort Minor

6.  Blackout by Breathe Carolina

7.  I Don't Wanna Be In Love by Good Charlotte

8.  My Heart Starts Beating by Beat Union

9.  Starstrukk by 3OH!3

10.  Soldier by Eminem

11.  Shake it Out by Florence + The Machine

12.  Come Right Out and Say It by Relient K

13.  Naturally by Selena Gomez

14.  Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie

15.  Lose Yourself by Eminem

16.  Toxic by Britney Spears

17.  Womanizer by Britney Spears

18.  Keep Going by Taio Cruz

19.  I Don't Care About You by the Get Busy Committee

20.  Gimmie More by Britney Spears

21.  Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z

Some new, some old.... they get me moving :)  My absolute favorites are #2 and #18.  they are strategically placed because I've noticed that I need them at specific times in my workout.  And #7 is just a fabulous song in and of itself.  Listen to the lyrics when you can.  Transatlanticism is a bit of an odd ball because it is slow and stretched out, but I love the momentum the song picks up toward the end, plus it has a very very deep and personal meaning to me, it reminds me of when I was in absolute love with a friend of mine who lived in Sweden but it just didn't work out between the two of us because of the distance.  We had spoke about one of us moving to be with the other, but it just wasn't possible... despite our love for one another, that commitment was too life-changing for either of us to handle.

Anyway, happy New Music Tuesday, now get out there and pump some iron! :D