The science is in—music can seriously boost your workout gains. But not all workout apps have great music. Click to see our favorite workout music apps.
If you feel like your best workouts happen when the playlist is straight fire, you’re not alone. When you’re counting reps, training for a 5K or hitting the heavy bag, science shows that music can enhance your workout performance.
But curating the perfect workout mix from scratch is easier said than done. There are a lot of fitness apps out there, but not all of them incorporate playlists or offer tailored exercise courses around music. With a workout music app, you can get a fun, beat-driven fitness routine that works for you.
Get ready to achieve your fitness goals and reach for new personal milestones. Keep reading to get the scoop on fitness playlists and our favorite fitness apps with music in 2022.
Where Do Fitness Instructors Get Their Music?
Fitness instructors tend to build their playlists the same way you and I do—by picking out songs that get them hyped. They get their music from multiple sources, including streaming services and commercial fitness platforms like GYM Radio. To liven things up, fitness instructors also look for remixes of chart-topping singles, which is a great way to energize a song that might not normally pump you up.
Does Spotify Have Fitness Music?
Yes, Spotify is an endless source of fitness music. On top of Spotify’s HIIT (high-intensity interval training) playlist service, the platform has a bevy of workout music to fit any mood or exercise, from running to weightlifting. You can browse by category and choose one that matches your vibe or you can make your own exercise playlist.
What Workout Apps Work with Spotify?
Dozens of apps—including popular options RunKeeper, Pace DJ and Shred—allow you to sync your music collections from Spotify, Tidal or Apple Music. If your fitness app doesn’t allow in-app syncing with your streaming service, try starting your playlist on Spotify before loading your workout app.
What is the Best Workout Music App?
Great workout apps combine tailored exercise courses and progress-tracking features with curated music just for you. Here are five of our favorite fitness apps with music, in no particular order.
1. RockMyRun
True to its name, RockMyRun is one of the top music workout apps available. The app is much more than a collection of playlists and running routes—it synchronizes the music BPM, or beats per minute, to your body movements.
RockMyRun can help you achieve your fitness goals with the help of music. It’s a true “runner’s app” made by leading fitness experts and world-class DJs, but it’s not just for runners. With RockMyRun, you’ll get a seamless mix of heart-thumping music to inspire a variety of workouts, whether you’re jogging, weightlifting or cycling—it’s like having a personal DJ to push you through your workouts. Browse through thousands of mixes to find the perfect workout music for you.
RockMyRun follows your lead. Using data from your smartphone, the app can calculate your steps per minute and automatically adjust the tempo of the music. In addition to matching the BPM to your footsteps, RockMyRun can also sync to a heart rate monitor to follow the beat of your heart.
2. Perform
Perform matches music to your movements using AI. Along with personalized workout modes and all-in-one fitness tracking, Perform gives you everything you need to stay in the zone.
With Perform, you can use your heart rate or movement speed to control your music. The AI system will automatically choose the right song from your existing music platform based on whatever your body does. Or, when things get intense, you can select a banger from your Power Songs menu.
Perform iOS integrates with Apple HealthKit and tracks your entire workout. If you use an Apple Watch, you can keep track of your data, manage your workout and control music straight from your wrist.
3. Fit Radio
Fit Radio has a community of over two million fitness enthusiasts and coaches who use the app in personal and professional workout programs. It has fitness and music down to a science.
Instead of randomizing music, Fit Radio scans songs and follows a precise formula to deliver a motivating workout mix. During your run, the app plays music to maximize performance at each stage of your workout, from your warm-up to your peak. The songs are played in an open format, meaning you’ll hear a wide array of music, mixed to perfection by professional DJs.
4. Pace DJ
Pace DJ chooses music from a database of 35 million songs and synchronizes the beat to your running pace. By matching music tempos to your workout, you’ll feel the drive to get faster and stronger.
Beyond Pace DJ’s accurate music-matching system, you can fine-tune the BPM on the fly. In addition to the massive music selection, the app allows you to pull tunes from your music library for a personalized experience that will get your body moving.
If interval training is your jam, this is the app for you. Pace DJ lets you create custom interval workouts or select from dozens of pre-programmed templates to get inspired.
5. Aaptiv
Get access to thousands of workout programs in a wide range of categories such as strength training, kickboxing, barre, yoga, cycling, running and much more. Aaptiv provides tailored workouts and guided coaching based on your personal goals—while you move to the music you love.
Tired of following the same workout program week after week? Challenging yourself to reach new milestones keeps your brain and body guessing, which ultimately leads to a more satisfying fitness lifestyle. Aaptiv erases the stale feeling of working out to the same routines by introducing a fresh selection of workouts every week.
With Aaptiv’s large music selection, you can find fresh hits and classic tracks that will light a fire in your step when you work out. During the sign-up process, Aaptiv asks you what music you like, so you’ll always get a curated selection of tracks that matches your tastes.
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