Cool | Pylon

SONG: Cool - BAND: Pylon < Click to Stream whole song

BPM: 118

This is an interesting older song from the punk era that I used to listen to quite a bit. The song begins with the bass and drums with the guitar coming on with the full chords and the interesting riff. It has a quality of restrained power.

Fire | Kasabian

SONG: Fire - BAND: Kasabian < Click to Stream whole song

BPM: 118

This one starts out slow, but I usually just double my speed in the beginning until the fast part comes in, and then it rocks out with a background chorus and everything.

Gold Guns Girls | Metric

SONG: Gold Guns Girls - BAND: Metric < Click to Stream whole song

BPM: 178

I don't know if the lyrics to this song would make sense in any context; but the drums (which sound electronic) propelled me along at the very end of a 10k race fast enough to pass a good number of people on a slight hill. "Tools in the box..."?

Detroit Rock City | Kiss

SONG: Detroit Rock City - BAND: Kiss < Click to Stream whole song

BPM: 178

I am a sucker for guitar solos that have a doubled guitar part. There are certain classic rock songs where this is de facto. This song is kept alive by the drum beat for sure. The band members also had really long tongues as well as pre-dating the costumes of the Broadway musical Cats.

Ready to Go | Republica

SONG: Ready to Go - BAND: Republica < Click to Stream whole song

BPM: 130

I could swear there was a Cure song that had lyrics similar to the one "always love the one that hurt you," but I'm not sure. Did I hear this rhythm in a song from the 70s or 80s? It doesn't matter, the song is fun to run to, and the lyrics are catchy with that guitar riff that multiplies the drums and bass.

Beggin' | Madcon

SONG: Beggin' - BAND: Madcon < Click to Stream whole song

BPM: 129

Funny, but when I first started listening to this song while running, I had to create a custom version of it with a slightly lower bass, because the bass distorted in my ipod no matter what volume I had it on. Needless to say, the song has a really nice beat that reminds me of some of the Motown hits of the past.

Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting | Elton John

SONG: Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting - BAND: Elton John < Click to Stream whole song

BPM: 153

I used to listen to this song a lot when I was a kid, and found it listed on quite a few web playlists of songs for running. The drums and bass keep it driving and the jangly electric guitar strumming keeps it energetic all the way throughout. A great running song, even if it is rather retro.

Black Venom | The Budos Band

SONG: Black Venom - BAND: The Budos Band < Click to Stream whole song

BPM: 102

The folks in this band have the heaviest beat imaginable, which I think is partially because of the brass section perhaps doubling the bass. I sometimes try to imagine this band without a brass section. I wonder what would fit into these songs as a replacement instrument. In any case, they seem to put a lot of emphasis on the brass section, so I don't imagine they will come out with any non-brass songs unless someone does a remix.

Youthless | Beck

SONG: Youthless - BAND: Beck < Click to Stream whole song

BPM: 116

Beck has always been able to put together some of the most listenable contemporary beat oriented music that I have heard in the recent past. His lyrics never fail to put a smile on my face ("Shake your sea sick legs around..."), and he employs the most interesting producers for his records. The bass sounds almost as if it is doubled on this track, possibly because I hear what sounds like a cello bowing the bassline as well as the bass itself.

Dancing Days | Led Zeppelin

SONG: Dancing Days - BAND: Led Zeppelin < Click to Stream whole song

BPM: 118

I've always liked Jimmy Page's guitar riff in this song, and you can never go wrong with John Bonham on the drums. The lyrics approach the frou-frou, but they are what they are...a tadpole in a jar. For some reason my BPM program had a hard time figuring this one out, so I had to tap out the rhythm for it.