It's Friday once again and that can only mean one thing. It's time for my favorite tracks of the week! Today I have for you a newer tune that you can use as a flat road and an older one that makes a great hill.
The first song was released in June of 2015 by the American duo MKTO and it's got a very different sound from their 2013 hit ‘Classic‘. I've used it as a flat road at around 90 rpm's.
It's obvious I have a thing for Pirates Of the Caribbean. I featured Epica's Pirates of The Caribbean in my very first ‘Favorite Track of The Week‘ post and today I'm sharing this one by one of my favorites- Rodrigo y Gabriela. If you have not used any of their music in your classes, you should definitely check them out. They are an amazing acoustic guitar duo with a totally unique sound. Here are a few of my favorites to use in class by them:
Today's featured song is from the Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides soundtrack. It would make a great climb, alternating in and out of the saddle. Make sure you look for the Photek remix here.
New music Friday is a favorite day of mine. I love waking up with my morning cup of coffee and Spotify (and iTunes) to see what new music I can find to use in my classes. Sometimes I walk away disappointed and other times I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot. I can typically tell if a song is going to really work for me right away and then other times, it needs to really grow on me. Today I’m going to share a few of my finds from last week that I hope you’ll be able to add to your library!
I'll start you off with this one from one of my favorite bands, Imagine Dragons. It's around 79 RPM's so it can really be used as a flat road or a hill, depending on your resistance. It's only 3 minutes, but here's hoping for an extended version or maybe a remix in the near future. *Fun Fact: Imagine Dragons will perform on the series of premier of new Muppet Show airing Sept 22.
Another standout from last week's new music is from ZZ Ward's new album, Love and War. Check out Marry Well for a steep climb and also Rescue for a flat road, but watch for an F-bomb at about 1:45.
And finally, another female artist that I'm loving lately, Gin Wigmore. (If you haven't used her Black Sheep and New Rush yet, you definitely should give them a try.) Her new album Blood To Bone has several great tracks that would work well for cycling. Check them out here:
I hope you find something in this post that you can use in your next playlist.
A few weeks ago I noticed a new playlist along the left side of my main Spotify page titled Discover Weekly. I hadn’t put it there myself, so I clicked on it to see what it was all about and I was pleasantly surprised at the incredible mix of songs that it included. I investigated further and found that it’s a new feature that Spotify offers and it’s amazing! It’s like a fresh mix tape delivered to you every Monday.
According to Spotify, the songs included in your personal Discover Weekly playlist are based on your listening habits as well as what others are listening to. (Hint: Make sure you save your favorites because it will refresh every week! I created a new playlist called Discover Weekly Finds and then I will sort them out when I have more time.)
This week’s favorite song of the week is called Happy (no, not THAT Happy…) and it came straight from my personalized playlist. It’s from a group I’d never heard of called C2C (feat. Derek Martin) . Check out this video of them performing the song live. They’re using turntables to recreate the sounds of the drum and guitar and it’s pretty cool:
I used it as a climb, but it would certainly also make a great warm up or flat road.
2014 was another great year for music. Many of the songs that made my list this year dropped in the second half of the year and a few actually came out in 2013 with remixes that dropped in 2014. And I may have cheated here or there with songs that came out in late 2013 and didn’t fall on my radar until this year. Regardless, I’m sure you’ll find something you can use in this list. Maybe you’ll even find something new to you, or a song you had used earlier in the year but had forgotten about. You might even consider putting together a playlist including some of these favorites for your class to ring in 2015.
This year, I’m sharing with you how I used each song in my class. Feel free to use them in the same way or share how you use them in the comment section.
Here are my top 20 Indoor Cycling Songs of 2014 (in no particular order):
1.Lips Are Movin’ by Meghan Trainor: I like this one (at least for cycling) so much better than All About That Bass. They’re both fun, light songs that can always elicit smiles. How I used it: standing climb, warm up
2.Geronimo by Sheppard: There’s nothing NOT to love about this totally catchy tune. How I used it: standing climb, seated climb, warm up
3.Shot Me Down-feat.Skylar Grey by David Guetta: I love this adaptation of Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Bang Bang’ featuring Skylar Grey. It starts out slow and then builds, slows again and finishes with a strong beat. How I used it: alternating seated/standing climb
4.I Bet My Life by Imagine Dragons: This single was released on October 27 to promote their upcoming album Smoke and Mirrors. A big contender for my favorite song of the year. How I used it: standing climb with standing accelerations on the chorus
5.Turn Down For What by DJ Snake, Lil Jon: Technically, this song came out at the very end of 2013, but I didn’t start using it until 2014. Rolling Stone voted it as the 2nd best song of 2014 and I have to agree. How I used it: seated flat with accelerations on the chorus
6.Love Runs Out by OneRepublic: This song was supposed to be the first single from OneRepublic’s album Native, but apparently it wasn’t finished in time. It came out in 2014 with the re-release of the album, and it’s just as amazing as the rest of the songs on Native. How I used it: seated or standing climb/ warm up *Check out the remixes.
7.Fireball by Pitbull, John Ryan: My classes can’t get enough Pitbull, so I was so excited when this song was released in July. The horn melody at the end of each chorus sounds a lot like the Champ’s ‘Tequila’. It’s just a fun song with a ton of great Pitbull energy. How I used it: standing climb
8.All of Me-Tiesto’s Birthday Treatment Remix-Radio Edit by John Legend : All of Me, the original, came out in 2013, and this remix dropped in early 2014. While remixes don’t always work for me, this one really did and I love using it in my classes. How I used it: standing or seated climb
9.Animals by Martin Garrix: Another song that officially dropped in 2013, but I didn’t really start using it until 2014 so it’s going on the list. How I used it: alternating seated/standing climb *Check out the remixes.
10.Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars: This single was just released in November. I love the guest vocals by Bruno Mars and the retro sound. How I used it: This is a tough one at just under 60 RPMs, but we don’t always pedal to the beat. I’ve used this one as both a standing climb and a warm up.
11.Come With Me Now by KONGOS : This song by South African band KONGOS was initially released in 2011 but just found commercial success in the US this year. I’m voting for this one as my favorite of 2014. How I used it: seated fast flat road
12.Delirious (Boneless) by Steve Aoki, Chris Lake, Tujarr : This is one of those songs that has a great beat and just keeps your pedals moving. There are several different remixes to choose from as well. How I used it: standing climb *Check out the remixes.
13.Raging Fire by Phillip Phillips: I would definitely say this song is every bit as good as his previously released Home. How I used it: jumps on a hill, seated accelerations on the chorus
14.Sing by Ed Sheeran: This song was written by Sheeran and Pharrell Williams. Williams also provides uncredited background vocals. How I used it: alternating seated/standing climb
15.Centuries by Fall Out Boy: This song was released in September as a lead single for their upcoming album American Beauty/American Psycho. How I used it: seated flat road
16. Maroon 5: I’ve actually chosen two favorites from their most recent album V. The first is Maps, which was the lead single for the album. How I used it: standing climb. The second is Animals, which was the second single from the same album. How I used it: seated flat road
17. Hoochie Coochie by Band of Skulls: At 2 minutes and 40 seconds, it’s short and sweet. It’s around 75 RPMs, so it’s just between a seated flat and seated climb-your choice.
18. Shut up And Dance by Walk the Moon: Another very recent release that I’ve loved using lately. It has a catchy beat and it’s just fun and lively. How I used it: seated or standing climb
19.Come Get It Bae by Pharrell Williams : Pharrell pretty much became a household name this year. How could I not use one of his songs? How I used it: seated or standing climb, warm up
20. Take Me To Church by Hozier: This song has been on my repeat radar since I discovered it. Apparently I’m not the only one because it has received a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year! I will definitely be rooting for this one to win. How I used it: cool down
There you have it. My top 20 of 2014. It was so hard to decide which ones would make the list and if you asked me on a different day, the list might look completely different. I know there are so many great songs that didn’t quite make it, so here’s a list of honorable mentions:
Blame by Calvin Harris, John Newman (check out the remixes)
Peace by O.A.R
All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor
The Days by Avicii
The Nights by Avicii
Stolen Dance by Milky Chance
Am I Wrong by Nico & Vinz
A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay
Problem Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea
Angel in Blue Jeans by Train
Cadillac, Cadillac by Train
Feet Don’t Fail Me Now by NEEDTOBREATHE
Bang Bang by Macy Gray
The Man By Aloe Blacc
Ticking Bomb by Aloe Blacc
Can You Do This by Aloe Blacc
Summer by Calvin Harris
Ten Feet Tall by Afrojack, Wrabel (check out the remixes)
The Soundmaker by Rodrigo y Gabriela
Budapest by George Ezra
Fever by The Black Keys
Here’s the Spotify playlist which includes all of the songs mentioned:
What do you think? Did I get it right? Did I miss any? I welcome your comments and music suggestions. 🙂 Here’s to a happy and healthy new year filled with some great new music!
Adirondack Climbs profile is loosely based on a series of hikes through the beautiful Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York. There are 46 peaks that make up the Adirondack High Peaks, and some folks take on the challenge of hiking all 46 of them. This ride is based on one of the smaller scale challenges, which involves six of the peaks and is named the Saranac Lake 6er —for the 6 Adirondack mountains that surround beautiful Saranac Lake.
This is a great ride if you do a lot of visualization with your classes. Take your class to the top of each peak and describe the beautiful landscape along the way. Describing what the view will be like when they reach the summit will motivate riders to reach the top.
This video has additional information you can use to add more flavor to your profile.
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