This is Spinning Music’s third annual list of the top 25 Spinning tunes of the year. I have to admit, I struggled a bit to find 25 worthy songs this year. I usually try not to include multiple songs from the same artist, but this year I have multiples from Katy Perry, B.o.B., and Taio Cruz. David Guetta makes a couple of appearances as well. There are a disproportionate number of songs suitable for climbing, but unlike last year, many will do double-duty for jumps. We’re shorter on good sprinting tunes this year, with only five making the cut.
As in previous years, to be eligible for consideration, the song had to be released in 2010. I used Wikipedia to confirm release dates.
Without further ado, here they are:
1. Dynamite – Taio Cruz (hands down, one of the catchiest songs of the year for a climb)
2. Naturally – Selena Gomez and the Scene (a chorus that just makes you want to sprint)
3. Magic (feat. Rivers Cuomo) – B.o.B. (a cheeky song for jumps, and challenging too)
4. Raise Your Glass – P!nk (hurray for sprints)
5. Memories (feat. Kid Cudi) – David Guetta (a relentless beat to propel a climb; also works for jumps)
6. Witchcraft – Pendulum (a great big juicy sprinting song)
7. Firework – Katy Perry (my favourite Perry song of the year, perfect for sprints at the choruses)
8. Telephone (feat. Beyonce) – Lady GaGa (climbing or jumps)
9. Club Can’t Handle Me (feat. David Guetta) – Flo Rida (climbs)
10. Airplanes (feat. Hayley Williams) – B.o.B. (a haunting melody that sent me scrambling to find out who does this song. Hip hop cool down energy)
11. Teenage Dream – Katy Perry (climb, with a push at each chorus)
12. California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg) – Katy Perry (climbing or jumps)
13. We R Who We R – Ke$ha (climb)
14. DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love (feat. Pitbull) – Usher (great for a climb or jumps)
15. I Like It (feat. Pitbull) – Enrique Iglesias (climb for the verses, sprint at the choruses)
16. Stuttering – Fefe Dobson (ahhh…. cool down time)
17. Whoa is Me – Down with Webster (perfect for a grind of a seated climb)
18. Love the Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna) – Eminem (classic Eminem, another seated climb)
19. Check it Out – will.i.am and Nick Minaj (love the sample from Video Killed the Radio Star; climb or jumps or as a warm up)
20. Stay the Night – James Blunt (as catchy a cool down as you could ask for)
21. Blah Blah Blah (feat. 3OH!3) – Ke$ha (climbing or jumps)
22. Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) – Shakira (cheerful warm up energy)
23. OMG (feat. will.i.am) – Usher (climb)
24. Higher – Taio Cruz and Travie McCoy (climbing or jumps)
25. Dead – Buckcherry (pure hard rock sprinting energy)
What do you think? Did I get it right? Did I forget any of your favourites?
I’m working on a Best of 2010 playlist – look for it in the next few days.
Need more song ideas? Fitness Magazine offers a list of the 100 best workout songs, divided by genre, here. Lots of current stuff!
S p i n n i n g M u s i c 
Kaskade – Raining (Dance.Love Edit) feat. SunSun RIDICULOUS!!!!
Thanks Christopher!
Great website Cynthia. Bit ignorant, but could you let me know what jumps are?
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your post. Actually, you aren’t the first to ask so I think I will post an explanation on my jumps page.
Jumps are a move taken from the Spinning program. Some people also call them lifts or speed bumps. In a nutshell, they are controlled movements out of the saddle to a standing climb position, then back to seated. They are all about quads, not at all about arms, so you are raising and lowering yourself with your legs, not pulling up on the handlebars. They are typically done on 2,4,8 or 16 counts (or beats) with pedaling in time to the music, although another way to do them is to rise into a standing run for a certain number of seconds, then go back down (I call that an attack, though, not a jump).
Jumps are not entirely without controversy. Some programs don’t recognize them (e.g. Schwinn). Popcorn jumps (very fast, usually 2 counts or less, and to a quick beat) are jumps where you cannot sit fully in the saddle between jumping movements – those are contra-indicated.
I’ve used jumps throughout my time as an indoor cycling instructor and I think that properly coached, they’re a great addition to the program.
Here’s a link to a PDF from the Spinning program explaining each of their core movements, including jumps: http://www.spinning.com/images/Core_Movements.pdf
This is a great list! I’m always looking for things to help improve my spinning since I bore easily. A couple things that I do are taking breaks and doing other exercises like crunches or pushups and watching TV or listening to music while spinning. I do almost all my watching on my laptop through DISH Online with my employee subscription so I get to watch pretty much anything on demand even older episodes. It really helps take my mind of off the burning in my legs.
Mmonica, there are a few organizations that actually offer spinning videos – mostly footage of real bike races. For an example, check out http://www.thesufferfest.com.
I know this will sound ignorant but when you write something like
Memories (feat. Kid Cudi) – David Guetta (3:31): Jack that tension up to 7/10 and focus on a seated climb at a much faster than usual pace.
What do you mean by 7/10?
Do you mean 7 from a scale of 1-10
I noted on another profile it was a climb and it said 4/10 this got me confused.
Hi Maddy,
Yes, I cue based on % of maximum effort, so 2/10 would be 20%, an easy spin, could go all day. 4/10 is 40% of maximum effort, about the minimum for sprinting or climbing out of the saddle. 7/10 is 70% of max effort – a steep hill. Of course, this doesn’t say anything about cadence, but I find the music usually suggests a cadence and I don’t argue with it.
When will you be adding new songs for March 2011? Thanks for a great website, sure is helpful!!!!!
Hey Traci, thanks for stopping by. Life with a 1 year old sort of took over for a while. I will be marking exams for a couple of weeks but then mostly off for the summer. I am pining to create a new mix, and as soon as I do, I’ll post it.
Awesome list, Cynthia! I just jumped onto your site because I need some new tunes on my iPod. This did the trick. :)
I agree with Chris – “Forget You” is a favorite of mine.
I’m also loving Hey Baby (Drop it to the Floor) by Pitbull ft. T-Pain for a steady/tempo set, and Tonight (I’m Lovin You) by Enrique Iglesias for a fast peddle set with climbs up out of the saddle on the chorus (it’s got a great beat for 90+ rpms!)
“Marry You” by Bruno Mars is also a great warm up tune. Very upbeat.
Thanks LegalB! Great to hear from you. I downloaded Hey Baby and Tonight which would also be good for jumps. I am still trying to figure out what to do (spinning-wise) with Forget You. Warmup?
I surfed by your blog and see that you’re recovering from an injury. Hope you’re feeling better soon.
Here are a few of my faves from 2010:
Forget You/Cee Lo Green (and also the Glee Version)
Tell Em/Sleigh Bells
Rolling In The Deep/Adele
Beauty In The World/Macy Gray
Kissed It/Macy Gray
Ke Nako/J Pre, Wyclef Jean, Jazmine Sullivan, and B. Howard
One/Swedish House Mafia (sprints)
Watercolour/Pendulum (sprints)
Thanks Chris! I especially like One, Watercolour and Kissed It.
Chris, I have been listening to Rolling in the Deep and Forget You a lot lately – look for them both in an upcoming mix. Wicked choices – thanks.