September 17, 2025, 12:02 pm | Read time: 7 minutes
Music plays in gyms, soft background music accompanies yoga, and nearly every runner you encounter on the street has headphones in or on their ears. Clearly, people love music while exercising. But is there scientific evidence that music actually enhances workout performance?
Studies Show: Listening to Music During Exercise Boosts Performance
There are many studies that explore the positive relationship between music and athletic performance. In one study, Brazilian researchers had 15 runners complete 5-kilometer runs—with and without music. The result: Those who listened to music ran the first two laps faster. Although the times evened out in the following laps, the overall result showed that runs with music led to slightly better times over the entire distance.1
A study from the University of Southern Queensland also provides interesting insights into music during exercise: The Australian researchers examined 139 existing studies that looked at the impact of music on performance during training. Sports where music is an integral part, such as dancing, gymnastics, or figure skating, were excluded. The team led by Professor Peter Terry, dean of research and innovation at the University of Southern Queensland, identified four possible effects of music: psychological reactions, physiological reactions, psychophysical reactions, and changes in athletic performance.2
Also During Strength Training!
In 2018, another study provided insights, this time specifically in the area of strength training. A British research team studied 16 trained individuals during bench presses and squats under different conditions: without music, with metal, with electronic dance music (EDM), and with self-selected music. The results were varied:
- Self-selected music performed best in almost all aspects: Participants completed more repetitions at moderate intensity (60 to 70 percent of maximum weight) and did not find the workout more strenuous.
- Metal music was in the middle: It also led to slight performance improvements compared to training without music, but not as pronounced as with self-selected songs.
- EDM (electronic dance music) showed the least benefit and even led to a higher perceived exertion. While training performance increased slightly, it was not as significant as with the other genres.
Overall, it was found that music does not improve explosive power or speed in high-intensity exercises, but it does allow for more repetitions in exercises with moderate intensity. The key factor: The effect strongly depends on the type of music listened to.3
Music and Its Effect on the Psyche
It has not yet been proven that music has a measurable impact on lactate production, oxygen supply, or heart rate during exercise. Nevertheless, other physical changes have been observed that explain the performance enhancement during training.
The reason for this is the so-called psychosomatic effect that music has on us. We automatically associate familiar melodies or voices, sounds, or lyrics with a situation from the past, a person, or a feeling. Listening to music triggers associations and, as a reaction, an emotion is elicited in us. This, in turn, leads to noticeable physical reactions that manifest in various ways. For example, through changes in skin temperature and moisture, effects on posture, or changes in muscle tone—the tension state of muscles, which can be intensified or relaxed depending on the music.
The effect of music during exercise is thus a psychological effect, but it is demonstrably linked to a reaction of the neurovegetative system triggered by sound stimuli. The neurovegetative system controls bodily processes that are not executed by our own will but are determined by the nervous system, such as our skin respiration.
This psychosomatic effect of music during exercise can also enhance athletic performance. Studies have shown that both marathon runners and beginners improved their performance by up to 15 percent under the influence of music.
Listen to Music Not Only During but Also Before Exercise
By the way, you shouldn’t rely solely on music during training—listening to music before exercise can also be effective. It can evoke positive emotions and memories, leading to a more balanced, focused state. Calm, relaxed music can also help relieve tension and reduce nervousness and restlessness.
Music can also be used as a form of meditation before exercise to mentally prepare for training. A study showed that listening to music before exercise reduces the so-called vagotonia.4 This is a state of our autonomic nervous system where the body is highly focused on rest and recovery. Both our physical and mental alertness are increased by listening to music, and athletes feel more motivated and enthusiastic about their upcoming physical exertion.
Top athletes from all fields also rely on this effect. Whether before track and field competitions or soccer games, many athletes can be seen with headphones.
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What to Consider for Your Workout Playlist
But is there really an optimal workout playlist? Yes and no. It’s very individual. For music during exercise, familiar and favorite songs that you associate with something positive, such as a person or a feeling like strength, determination, or endurance, are particularly suitable. This varies for everyone.
It’s important to choose songs with an appropriate tempo. Our movement during exercise automatically adjusts to the rhythm of the music. If it’s too slow, it can unnecessarily slow you down; too fast songs, on the other hand, risk overexertion.
Also, pay attention to the order and the mix of calm and energetic songs. From a scientific perspective, for intense strength training or a competition, it’s recommended to have about 80 percent fast and driving songs and 20 percent calmer, relaxing music on the playlist. If you already know how intense the workout will be and how many tempo and rest phases it will include, you can create the optimal workout playlist in advance.
What Our Editorial Team Loves to Listen to While Exercising
Music tastes are famously varied, especially when it comes to exercise. That was the impression when we asked some colleagues from the BOOKs editorial team about their favorite music for running, lifting, and more.
Julia Freiberger (FITBOOK)
“It really depends on the exercise for me: When I’m weight training, I usually need Russian or German rap—it pushes me the best. On the machines, techno is also fine. At the end, I often do bodyweight exercises and incorporate a bit of ballet, for which classical music fits perfectly. So, quite a variety in my training.”
Lena Hackauf (myHOMEBOOK)
“I don’t particularly enjoy training in the gym, so motivating music is essential for me when I’m alone. I prefer listening to 80s and 90s hits, pop, and R’n’B. The beat pushes me, lifts my mood—and I can usually sing along.
It’s completely different when I’m riding: I don’t listen to music there. I don’t need motivation, and I can listen to my riding instructor better.”
Felix Mildner (myHOMEBOOK)
“When I go for a walk, I mostly listen to intense death metal—to fight the inner sloth.”
Adrian Mühlroth (TECHBOOK)
“I always need variety during training, but generally, dub, hip-hop, drum’n’bass, and reggaeton are included—with the occasional outlier.”
Woon-Mo Sung (TECHBOOK)
“Fast, loud, driving, and propelling forward: When I need extra motivation during a workout, I love pumping my current favorite band, Wargasm from London. They create a lively mix of metal and electro, balancing screaming and harmonious female vocals. The combination sounds like it’s from a cyberpunk anime and really spurs me on!”
Nele Wegner (TECHBOOK)
“I like fast and energetic music when exercising, preferably metal or rock.”