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In terms of workout music, the last year was both peculiar and valuable. On the peculiar front, the general musical trend toward slower tempos remains in full effect on this best-of list, with almost half of the tunes clocking in below 100 beats per minute. At the same time, a downtempo song that still compels folks to move must be doing something right. To that end, there’s no shortage of catchy hooks and lyrical inspiration at work in the list below.
Starting with the slower tunes, you’ll find Bloodpop’s remix of Taylor Swift’s “Ready for It” and an aptly-titled collaboration from Carrie Underwood and Ludacris. Picking things up a notch, you’ll find Cardi B featured on a Bruno Mars single and a jam with retro flair from gym favorites Calvin Harris and newcomer Dua Lipa. If momentum is a must for you, consider the pair of modern rock hits from Imagine Dragons and Muse.
All in all, the tunes below may work because of their unusual tempo variety—rather than in spite of it—as the genres at work are equally diverse. If you’re looking for ways to kick off the new year with a bang, last year’s highlights provide an excellent blueprint for your playlists to come. When you’re ready to review a few tracks—and make a few tracks—find the full list below, according to the votes logged on the workout music site Run Hundred.
Carrie Underwood & Ludacris – The Champion – 92 BPM
Taylor Swift – Ready for It (BloodPop Remix) – 80 BPM
Bruno Mars & Cardi B – Finesse (Remix) – 105 BPM
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – One Kiss – 110 BPM
Ariana Grande – No Tears Left to Cry – 122 BPM
Imagine Dragons – Whatever It Takes – 136 BPM
Drake – In My Feelings – 91 BPM
DJ Snake, Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B – Taki Taki – 96 BPM
Charli XCX & Troye Sivan – 1999 – 124 BPM
To find more workout songs, folks can check out the free database at Run Hundred. Visitors can browse song selections there by genre, tempo and era to find the music that best fits their particular workout routines.