Of all a song’s qualities, lyrics are the most important for pushing us to work harder and for reducing fatigue, pain, and perceived effort. If you look at popular workout playlists, you’ll see song after song with lyrics that emphasize qualities like perseverance and determination. This is one reason Eminem’s “Till I Collapse” remains the most popular workout song of all time. Effective power songs often have lyrics that relate to physical activity itself, with words like work, go, or run.
