The Best Erg Music - an Overview of Different Training Intensities

Music during training, an often good friend.

Most rowers listen to music while they work out. Especially on the erg, bike, or during weight training, music is a complementary factor that boosts motivation and drags athletes through long sessions and tough intervals. The feeling of a song that matches your stroke rate is one of the nicest there is, and can be an instant mood booster for some athletes. That feeling is exactly the aim of this article: which music can you use for each stroke rate to have the beat align with your strokes. 

Below, you will find three examples of songs matching stroke rates varying from 18 to 34+ strokes per minute. This match is based on the type of song and the song’s BPM (beats per minute, varying by a maximum of three above or under). Some matches will be based on BPM in half-time, these are songs with a very high BPM, which can be used in half-time for more than four beats per stroke, or on its own for pieces rated above 38. These songs will have the half-time BPM noted and the regular BPM mentioned after. The list of three will cover multiple genres of music. For more music, you can check out the playlists linked below the three suggestions, with bangers guaranteed for every type of session. Just copy and paste the link, and it will direct you to the playlist. All playlists can also be found on the profile. These playlists will be continuously updated with new music, and suggestions can be sent to our DMs on Instagram!

18 strokes per minute:

1. Cry Me a River - Justin Timberlake (74 BPM)

2. She Bangs the Drums - Stone Roses (72 BPM half-time, regular 144 BPM)

3. Thunderstruck - AC/DC (75 BPM)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7GoV3CTVWgxralGEsyhQ10?si=902e7c17cca843a6

20 strokes per minute:

1. Iron Man - Black Sabbath (77 BPM)

2. We Will Rock You - Queen (81 BPM)

3. Carla’s Song - Harry Styles (77 BPM half-time, regular 154 BPM)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1uEuaifidtj7ZkTqmzud6v?si=9ed96443c153463e

22 strokes per minute:

1. Everlong - Foo Fighters (86 BPM)

2. Gold Dust - DJ Fresh (89 BPM half-time, regular 177 BPM)

3. Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day (86 BPM)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5WwpoeSgxLIS4fNlLYuMhR?si=efb02f20b4354d47

24 strokes per minute:

1. Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers (98 BPM)

2. Nuthin’ But a “G” Thang - Dr. Dre (96 BPM)

3. Gasolina - Daddy Yankee (96 BPM)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/703Caa9nhjdZ10RPqf55Y3?si=e581f31780ae45b1

26 strokes per minute:

1. Semi-Charmed Life - Third Eye Blind (102 BPM)

2. Stronger - Kanye West (104 BPM)

3. Walk This Way - Aerosmith (106 BPM)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1i6PNooSWTKSv6h3ZVoyk1?si=3fd2268528ff4707

28 strokes per minute:

1. You Get What You Give - New Radicals (113 BPM)

2. Gimme More - Britney Spears (113 BPM)

3. Toxicity - System of a Down (112 BPM)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4LOlYSEic4BtOukwTmP5kT?si=0c711214d8554435

30 strokes per minute:

1. Don’t Stop - Fleetwood Mac (119 BPM)

2. Ready, Steady, Go! - Harry Styles (118 BPM)

3. We R Who We R - Kesha (120 BPM)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3v2W4CehHFO98wgHEvqd1a?si=24473ec9b6594775

32 strokes per minute:

1. Beauty and a Beat - Justin Bieber & Nicki Minaj (128 BPM)

2. Mimosa 2000 - Furacão 2000 (125 BPM)

3. Rock That Body - Black Eyed Peas (125 BPM)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4amh7ecQKLYg0D9V1H7cXK?si=e3e6ddc3fd674d38

34 strokes per minute (or above in playlist):

1. Rock ‘n’ Roll Star - Oasis (138 BPM)

2. Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival (136 BPM)

3. Master of Puppets - Metallica (137 BPM)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1CHpQ3qJVjOWUuDRiR3ugH?si=aad4a5ab52374d2f

Finding your own songs - the simple maths:

Did you find a good song, and wonder where it fits in your training scheme? Just look up the song BPM and use the table below to find which session it best matches your pace:

Due to the standard BPM for most music, often three or four beats per stroke are used. In the lower range of strokes per minute, you often use four beats per stroke, whereas in the higher range three beats can work too. The table is simply based on your stroke rate times three or four.