Listening to Certain Music Artists Can Make You Run Faster

A heart-pumping playlist is just as essential as a trusted pair of running shoes when you're out for a run. The right music can motivate you to run longer and harder, and distract you from fatigue.

This isn't news to most people who reach for their AirPods when it's time to work out. Research shows that acoustic stimuli, like music, can naturally boost athletic performance. Blasting a beat that matches your cadence can help you run at a consistent pace. And, as you get into the flow of high energy music, you tend to notice your physical exertion less.

Music that falls between 120 to 140 beats per minute (bpm) is ideal for a typical run where you want a steady pace, but consider a bpm that matches your fitness level and goals. And, while you should listen to music that you like, research shows some popular artists seem to draw out better performances from runners than others.

According to a study by Pour Moi, Beyoncé tops the list of music artists that make you run faster. The fashion brand tracked times, speeds, and distances of 20 participants who listened to an array of artists while running, such as Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, and Kanye West. Analyzing a total of 60 different runs, researchers calculated the runners' average pace per kilometer according to artists listened to.

Some singers motivated runners to hit a faster stride, while others seemed to slow participants down. On average, runners pushed the hardest when listening to Beyoncé, who's synonymous with catchy beats in songs like Crazy in Love and Single Ladies. The influential performer motivated runners to improve their pace by an average of 33 seconds per kilometer. At this pace, you'd take 2 minutes and 45 seconds off the time of a three-mile run, and more than 23 minutes off a marathon time.

Harry Styles — who crafts irresistible pop hooks in songs such as Sign of the Times and Watermelon Sugar — isn't far behind Beyoncé in encouraging runners to speed up. Styles' music pushed runners an average of 31 seconds faster per kilometer, improving a 3-mile run by 2 minutes and 35 seconds.

Britney Spears, Adele, Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, Rihanna, and Ed Sheeran also encouraged participants to pick up the pace. In comparison, rapper Drake — who topped charts with God's Plan and Hotline Bling — slowed runners down, adding 21 seconds per kilometer to their times. K-pop boy band BTS added 9 seconds per kilometer and music by rapper Doja Cat tacked on another 5 seconds per kilometer to run times.

And artists on the cusp? Participants ran one second faster per kilometer with Cardi B tunes playing, and one second slower per kilometer when listening to Katy Perry.