playlists Category

Have you ever gotten obsessed about a song from a television commercial or the scoring on a TV show? Well I certainly have. Before you make fun and encourage me to pursue less nerdy hobbies, those mediums are the inspiration for this particular workout playlist. From Target ads to the recent X-Men Movie, many of these retro grooves got me hooked within a few bars. I've also added some rocking tunes that I’d like to see used to shill by favorite products. Hope you enjoy the mix! 

What is your all-time favorite song from a commercial, movie or television show?

• Let Me Entertain You – Robbie Williams
• Run – Gnarls Barkley
• Liar – Madcon
• I Bet You look Good on the Dance Floor – Arctic Monkeys
• Get Rhythem - Johnny Cash remix by Philip Steir
• Any Which Way – Scissors Sisters
• Hello – Martin Solveig & Dragonette
• Romance – Wild Flag
• Countdown – Beyonce
• Jolene (The Voice Performance) – Vicci Martinez
• Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio
• California Soul – Marlene Shaw remixed by Diplo
• Pictures of Matchstick Men- Status Quo

I don’t know who first put pineapple on pizza or wrapped a scallop in a slice of bacon. It probably seemed counter-intuitive at the time to combine such different flavors. But you can’t deny the tasty goodness created by those gastric combinations. That’s kind of how I feel today in presenting you with a workout playlist that mashes up pop music and country songs. You see, I’ve been a dance music diva since first practicing smooth moves in my bedroom mirror to the late 1970’s soundtrack to  “Thank God It’s Friday.” Country music was a different story.

Back in the day, I thought most songs involved a redneck lamenting his cheating heart or broken-down pick-up truck. Shania Twain and Faith Hill opened my mind with their cross-over hits in the 1990’s. Everything changed for me, though, with Carrie Underwood. Soon I started adding other upbeat country tunes to my playlists for maximum cardio impact.  And that’s what I hope you will enjoy with today’s playlist.

Do you combine different musical genres for workout music? What are some of your greatest musical mash-ups?

• Marry the Night – Lady Gaga
• Country Girl – Luke Bryant
• Flat on the Floor – Carrie Underwood
• Dream On (Live) – Aerosmith
• Barefoot Blue Jean Night – Jake Owen
• Run the World (Girls) – Beyonce
• Barbara Streisand – Duck Sauce
• Light Up the World – Glee Cast
• Hicktown – Jason Aldean
• Turn on the Radio – Reba McEntire
• You and I – Lady Gaga
• Down – Miranda Lambert

Stretching is often seen as the red-headed stepchild of the exercise world (yes, the auburn sheen of my hair means I can get away with this comment). Running, spin classes, hard core aerobics and intense interval strength training often get all of the glory.  But the post “burn” cool down and stretching is important in reducing injuries and improving flexibility.  That's why this playlist focuses on sharing some great songs to start slowing down the pace and giving your muscles a little extra love.  Whether you play them in order or snag a few tracks for your favorite treadmill mix, hope there is something you enjoy!

Do you cool down and stretch after exercise or often bypass it because of time limits or boredom? What are some of your favorite post-exercise tunes to lower your heart rate?

• Trouble Is – Allison Ihareta
• Coastin’ – Zion I
• What Part of Forever – CeeLo Green
• Rocketeer – Far East Movement
• We Used to Be Friends – The Dandy Warhols
• Rescue Me – Madonna
• Halo – Beyonce
• All the Right Moves – OneRepublic
• Angels – Robbie Williams
• I Believe – Simian Mobile Disco
• Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve
• Daydream in Blue – I Monster

Somehow this playlist evolved into a modern-day love letter to the 1980’s. We’ve got the first new song from The Cars in over 20 years, and Duran Duran’s latest cut. David Cook remakes “Don’t Your Forget About Me,” and does an amazing job. Elton John and Ray Davies from The Kinks reinvent themselves with new duets. Metric, J Lo, Oh Land and Britney supply us with a few tunes I would have loved to dance to in the 80’s, and there’s a couple of tracks from Kim Wilde and Klymaxx that actually had me out on the post-disco dance floor back then. What is your favorite song from the 1980’s?

• On the Floor – Jennifer Lopez
• Till the World Ends – Britney Spears
• Don’t You Forget About Me – David Cook
• All You Need is Now – Duran Duran
• Impossible – Anberlin
• Sad Song – The Cars
• Kids in America – Kim Wilde
• Hey Ahab – Elton John & Leon Russell
• Gold Guns Girls – Metric
• Sun of a Gun – Oh Land
• Meeting in the Ladies Room – Klymaxx
• Rescue Me – Madonna
• Sleepwalker (Glam Nation Live) – Adam Lambert
• Till the End of the Day – Ray Davies

Ready to get your blood pumping? My workout mix for March is heavy on the dance music, making it perfect to supercharge your cardio workout.  Including Lady Gaga’s  “Born this Way,” one of the best dance tracks I’ve heard in years, you’ll see a diverse collection of big hits from major artists and some emerging talents. I’ve added in a couple of country and indie charmers too for that extra element of surprise. Hope you enjoy this mix!  What’s your current favorite exercise tune?

• S & M – Rihanna
• Born this Way – Lady Gaga
• 21^st Century Girl – Willow
• Radical – Lenny B
• Blow – Ke$ha
• The Answer (original edit) – Joachim Garraud
• Gotta Work – Amerie
• Love Resurrection – Aurora
• Turn on the Radio - Reba  McEtiire
• Falling for You – Soulcatcher
• Price Tag – Jessie J
• Little Lion Man – Mumford & Sons

Whether you call me a workout music aficionado or a frustrated DJ, my obsession with sharing the latest great music each month will hopefully help keep your heart rate up during exercise. I’m so excited about this new playlist for February that it had to be shared before the month even started. Some highlights include appearances by two of my favorite British songbirds, Adele and Duffy, which are more upbeat than their last hits, a bunch of energetic releases by one-name pop stars (Pink, Britney, Avril and Usher) and some cool new discoveries too. Let me know which ones you incorporate into your exercise routines this month!

•  Rolling in the Deep - Adele
• I Just Wanna Run – The Downtown Fiction
• You Make the Rain Fall – Kevin Rudolf
• Tonight (I’m Loving You) – Enrique Iglesias
• Lovestruck – Duffy
• F**kin’ Perfect – Pink
• Hold It Against Me – Britney Spears
• What the Hell - Avril Lavinge
• Wildflower – The JaneDear Girls
• Porn Star Dancing – My Darkest Days
• More – Usher
• Wildflower – Cee Lo Green
• 99 Problems - Hugo

• Hit the Ground Runnin’ – Keith Urban
• Fashion Beats – The Black Eyed Peas
• I’ve Got the Music in Me – The Sing-Off Contestants
• Time Warp – Glee Cast Version
• Gotta Work – Amerie
• Liar - Madcon
• Coming Home – Diddy Dirty Money
• Gimme Dat – Ciara
• Bottoms Up – Keke Palmer
• Express – Christina Aguilera
• How You Like Me Now – The Heavy
• There Goes My Love – The Blue Van

• Bright Lights Bigger City – Cee Lo Green
• Show Me How You Burlesque – Christina Aguilera
• Start Me Up Remix – Glee Cast
• Stop in the Name of Love Remix– Glee Cast
• Na Na Na – My Chemical Romance
• Raise Your Glass – Pink
• Blow – Ke$ha
• Come On, Get In – KT Tunstall
• Whip My Hair – Willow
• Hey Baby (Drop it to the floor) – Pitbull
• Freak the Freak Out – Victorious Cast
• Cameras – Matt & Kim
• Straight Up and Down – The Brian Jonestown Massacre

• Not Afraid – Eminem
• Dancing the Whole Way Home – Miss Li
• 17 – Sky Ferrera
• Celebration Power Mix – Madge
• Check It Out – Will.i.am & Nicki Minaj
• Like a G6 – Far East Movement
• For Your Entertainment (Bimbo Jones Remix) – Adam Lambert
• The Club is Alive – JLS
• Homecoming – Hey Monday
• Whole New Way – Scissor Sisters
• Guns – The Bravery
• Bang Bang Bang – Mark Ronson
• Whiskey in Churches – Cassidy Haley