These Are the Most Motivating Workout Songs of All Time

By , With Melinda Hershey & Megan Patrick, Staff Writers
When it comes to motivational workout music, everyone likes something different. I know people who love to run to instrumental music, otherwise seemingly innocent friends who exercise to hardcore rap and people whose musical tastes in "real" life don't match up with the songs that inspire them to work out.

Personally, I like a huge mix. For me, almost anything that's catchy and has a good beat will work. But sometimes, you need something better than that. Sometimes you need the motivation to get off the couch, or go the extra mile, or push through that heavier lift, or muscle through your first marathon. When you really need a boost, what you need is an inspirational work out song.

Our editors and fitness experts compiled a list—128 songs to be exact—of songs that have fast beats worthy of exercising to, but also have motivational messages and lyrics.

These are great to listen to when you find yourself at a crossroads or needing that extra push. This list features everything from modern day pop songs to oldies to country to rap, so you're sure to find something that speaks to you. All of them have a positive message that will lift you up and inspire you to reach your fullest potential!
Links will take you to amazon.com where you can preview or purchase the mp3. I also threw in just a few YouTube videos for some of my personal favorites, so you can listen to it right now.

Motivational Songs That Will Inspire You to Work Out


12 Stones  -  We Are One
Ace of Base  -  Beautiful Life

 
Alicia Keys - Girl On Fire
"Looks like a girl, but she's a flame so bright
She can burn your eyes, better look the other way
You can try but you'll never forget her name
She's on top of the world..."


Angels & Airwaves - The Adventure
"Even if your hope has burned with time,
Anything that's dead shall be re-grown,
And your vicious pain, your warning sign,
You will be fine."




Aretha Franklin - Respect
Avicci  -  Wake Me Up
Basement Jaxx  -  Good Luck
Bastille  -  Pompeii
Bee Gees  -  Stayin' Alive
Beyoncé - Run the World
Bill Conti  -  Gonna Fly Now (theme from "Rocky")
Black Eyed Peas  -  I Gotta Feeling
Bon Jovi  -  It's My Life
Bon Jovi – Livin' On A Prayer
Britney Spears - Stronger
Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
BT  -  Never Gonna Come Back Down
Calvin Harris  -  Let's Go


Capital Cities - Safe and Sound
"I could lift you up
I could show you what you wanna see
And take you where you wanna be
You could be my luck
Even if the sky is falling down
I know that we'll be safe and sound"

 
Christina Aguilera - Fighter
Classified ft. David Myles  -  Inner Ninja
Daft Punk  -  Harder Better Faster Stronger
Daft Punk  -  One More Time

David Guetta ft. Sia - Titanium
"I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down but I won't fall
I am titanium"


Des Ree  -  You Gotta Be
Destiny's Child  -  Survivor
Destiny's Child - Independent Women
DJ Khaled - All I Do Is Win
Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky

Elton John - I'm Still Standing
"Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I'm still standing after all this time"


Eminem  -  Lose Yourself
Eminem  -  Til I Collapse

Eminem - Not Afraid
"I'm not afraid to take a stand
Everybody, come take my hand
We'll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Just letting you know that you're not alone"


Europe  -  The Final Countdown
Fatboy Slim  -  Wonderful Night
Fleetwood Mac  -  Go Your Own Way
Flo Rida  -  Good Feeling
Florence + the Machine  -  Dog Days are Over
Foo Fighters  -  Monkey Wrench
Fort Minor  -  Remember the Name

Fun. - Carry On
"If you're lost and alone
Or you're sinking like a stone,
Carry on.
May your path be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground,
Carry on."


Fun. - We Are Young
George Michael  -  Faith
George Michael  -  Freedom
Gloria Gaynor  -  I Will Survive
Gym Class Heroes ft. Ryan Tedder  -  The Fighter
Heather Small  -  Proud
Imagine Dragons  -  On Top of the World
Imagine Dragons - It's Time
James Brown  -  I Got You (I Feel Good)
Janelle Monáe  -  Tightrope
Jason Derulo - Undefeated

Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
"You know you're doing better on your own, so don't buy in
Live right now, yeah, just be yourself
It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else
It just takes some time
Little girl you're in the middle of the ride
Everything, everything will be just fine
Everything, everything will be alright, alright"


Jordin Sparks  -  You Gotta Want It
Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
Junior Senior  -  Move Your Feet
Kanye West  -  Stronger
Kanye West - All Of The Lights
Kanye West - Touch The Sky
Katrina & The Waves - Walking on Sunshine

Katy Perry - Roar
"I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter
Dancing through the fire
'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar"


Katy Perry - Firework

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone"


Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
Kris Allen  -  Live Like We're Dying
Kristin Chenoweth  -  Defying Gravity (Wicked Soundtrack)
Labyrinth  -  Express Yourself
Lady Gaga  -  The Edge of Glory
Lady Gaga - Born This Way
LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It
Lupe Fiasco - The Show Goes On

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Ray Dalton -  Can't Hold Us
"Raise those hands, this is our party
We came here to live life like nobody was watching
I got my city right behind me
If I fall, they got me.
Learn from that failure gain humility and then we keep marching ourselves
Can we go back, this is the moment
Tonight is the night, we’ll fight 'til it’s over
So we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us
Like the ceiling can’t hold us"


Mandisa  -  Good Morning
Mandisa  -  Overcomer
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Matchbox Twenty - How Far We've Come
"I believe the world is burning to the ground
Oh well I guess we're gonna find out
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come"


Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride
Mausi  -  Move
MC Yogi  -  Give Love
MercyMe  -  Move
Michael Jackson  -  Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Natasha Bedingfield  -  Pocketful of Sunshine
Natasha Bedingfield  -  Unwritten
Nelly - Heart of a Champion
Nelly - Warrior
 
New Radicals - You Get What You Give
"But when the night is falling and you cannot find the light
If you feel your dream is dying, hold tight
You've got the music in you
Don't let go
You've got the music in you
One dance left
This world is gonna pull through
Don't give up
You've got a reason to live
Can't forget you only get what you give"


No Doubt  -  It's My Life
NoNoNo  -  Pumpin Blood
One Direction - Live While We're Young
OneRepublic  -  Counting Stars

OneRepublic - Life in Color
"Well this is life in color
Today feels like no other
And the darkest grays
The sun bursts, clouds break
Well this is life in motion (motion)
And just when I could run this race no more
The sun bursts, clouds break
This is life in color"


OneRepublic - Good Life
Owl City - Good Time
P!nk  -  Raise Your Glass
Paolo Nutini - New Shoes
Passion Pit - Take a Walk
Paul Engemann  -  Push It to the Limit
Paul Van Dyk  -  Time Of Our Lives
Pharrell Williams  -  Happy
Queen  -  Don't Stop Me Now
Queen - We Are the Champions
Queen - We Will Rock You
R. Kelly -  The World's Greatest
Rachel Platten - Fight Song
Rihanna - Diamonds
Sia - The Greatest
Skillet  -  Hero
Snap - The Power
Stevie Wonder - Uptight (Everything's Alright)
Survivor  -  Eye of the Tiger
Swedish House Mafia  -  Save the World

Swedish House Mafia - Don't You Worry Child
"Don't you worry, don't you worry, child.
See heaven's got a plan for you.
Don't you worry, don't you worry now."


T.I.  -  Live Your Life
Taio Cruz ft. Travie McCoy  -  Higher
The Chemical Brothers - Galvanize
The Killers  -  Human
The Matches  -  Wake The Sun
The Script - Hall of Fame
The White Stripes  -  Seven Nation Army
Timeflies  -  Worth It
Tinie Tempah ft. Eric Turner  -  Written in the Stars
Toby Mac  -  Get Back Up
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers  -  I Won't Back Down
Twisted Sister  -  We're Not Gonna Take It
Two Door Cinema Club  -  Something Good Can Work

U2  -  Beautiful Day
"It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day"

Van Halen  -  Jump
Walk the Moon - Work This Body


You may also like our best running songs of all-time.

Which lyrics or songs motivate you the most during a workout?