50 best workout songs for motivation, according to fitness instructors

Even the most fanatical fitness lover among us has "one of those days." You know, the kind of day that feels like it would be best spent under the covers pressing the "play next" button? Wouldn't it be great if we all had some way to pump ourselves up to work out? Well, guess what? We do. That magical something is music.

Only it's not magic, it's science. That's right, music is scientifically proven to aid fitness in some very important ways. According to recent research, listening to music while you work out can decrease your experience of fatigue and therefore may make you feel more comfortable exercising. So, yes, music really does make fitness more physically pleasurable.

The magic of music may be news to us mortals, but superstar fitness instructors have been using music to get people excited about working out for decades. We asked some of the best to give us their top workout hits. Here are the 50 best workout songs — plus a few extra for added fun!

Stephanie Mansour, Personal Trainer and TODAY Fitness Contributor

1. "Good as Hell" by Lizzo

2. "Crazy in Love" by Beyonce

3. "Jumpin' Jumpin'" by Destiny's Child

4. "Stronger" by Britney Spears

5. "That’s What I Like" by Bruno Mars

6. "Once in a Lifetime" by Flo Rida

7. "Where’s the Love" by Hanson

8. "Dear Future Husband" by Meghan Trainor

9. "Cold Heart" by Elton John

10. "A Whole New World" by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga

"I view my workout music as my own personal pump up time," Mansour tells TODAY. "It makes me feel more confident about myself, about my body. I like really kind of listen to the words and like the energy of the singer."

Rebecca Kennedy, Peloton Instructor

1. "Alive" by Gorgon City & Pax

2. "Make it Happen" by Rufus du Sol

3. "A Deeper Love (Sam Halabi remix)" by Aretha Franklin

4. "Dreams and Nightmares" by Meek Mill

5. "Gypsy Woman (Gianni Coletti KeeJay Freak Remix)" by Crystal Waters

6. "Stop this Flame (MK REMIX)" by Celeste

7. "Dancing on My Own" by Robyn

8. "Awa Ni (JAMES HYPE REMIX)" by The Knocks featuring Kah-Lo

9. "People Aint Dancing" by Billen Ted featuring Kah-Lo

10. "My High" by Disclosure featuring Slowthai

11. "San Frandisco" by Dom Dolla

“I need a beat! Songs that make you feel something, I love a deep house track that gets my heart rate up, makes me want to dance, and while I love lyrics, I genuinely crave the way these songs make me feel," Kennedy tells TODAY via email.

Denis Morton, Peloton Instructor

1. "The Pot" by TOOL

2. "Digital Love" by Daft Punk

3. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC

4. "Open Your Eyes" by Snow Patrol

5. "Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Variation)" by Rob Dougan

6. "Pumpin’ Blood (Chainsmokers Remix)" by NONONO

7. "Pennywise Tribute" by Bassnectar

8. "Ruff Ryders Anthem" by DMX

9. "‘Till I Collapse" by Eminem

10. "Legend" by The Score

“The beat, the build, the lyrics — whatever musical element speaks to us, it can create an arc for us to follow into the movement and the moment and inspire us to move beyond our expectations," Morton tells TODAY via email.

Jess Sims, Peloton Instructor

1. "Friday (Dopamine Re-edit)" by Friday featuring Mufasa & Hypeman

2. "Texts Go Green" by Drake 

3. "Blessed" by Shenseea featuring Tyga

4. "KEEP GOING" by DJ Khaled

5. "He wasn’t Man Enough" by Toni Braxton

6. "Grrrls" by Lizzo

7. "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey

8. "B*tch Better Have my Money" by Rihanna

9. "Show Me Love" by Robin S.

10. "Break my Soul" by Beyoncé

"In the moments of self-doubt, I pray for my girl Rihanna to come remind me who I am," Sims tells TODAY in an email. And "KEEP GOING" helps her do just that. "I literally sing the words out loud to 'keep going' through the toughest moments of my workout," Sims says.

Ash Pryor, Peloton Instructor

1. "Remember This" by NF

2. "I Am Here" by P!NK

3. "Don't Let Me Let Go" by Dillion Francis &ILLENIUM featuring Evan Gia

4. "Bikini Bottom" by Ice Spice

5. "Pick up the Pace" by BIG K.R.I.T.

6. "Dancin" by Kash Doll

7. "Better in Color" by Lizzo

8. "Gladiator" by Zayde Wolf

9. "Got to Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn

10. "Red Eye" by Justin Bieber and Troy Boi

"Taking your mood and what you need into consideration are both important factors when choosing workout music because the playlist can impact how effective you will be," Pryor tells TODAY via email.

Rad Lopez, Peloton Instructor

1. "Cold Hearted II" by Meek Mill

2. "Spectrum (Say My Name) Calvin Harris Remix" by Florence + The Machine

3. "Hasta Que Dios Diga" by Anuel AA, Bad Bunny

4. "Mr. Carter" by Lil Wayne and JAY-Z

5. "Mayback Curtains" by Meek Mill, featuring Nas, John Legend, Rick Ross

6. "Midnight City" by M83

7. "Efecto" by Bad Bunny

8. "Quevedo" by Bizzarrap & Quevedo

9. "Nazareno" by Farruko

10. "Frozen" by Lil Baby

"There is absolutely no doubt that music can drive a workout, the mood of the workout, and the overall enjoyment of it, too," Lopez tells TODAY in an email.

Don't feel like picking and choosing? Don't worry. Tracey Anne Duncan, a health and wellness editor at TODAY, made a handy dandy playlist of all the songs.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com