personal development

Music can be such a fantastic source of motivation, it’s almost like a waste  not to make use of it! The reason why your favorite song can be a great motivator lies therein that music is able to elicit positive emotions within you, hence it can stir a spirit of optimism, energize you and get you into that epic “I can do anything” mindset – if the songs are chosen wisely.

No matter if you need to get motivated for work or studying, search for pump up music for sports or songs that will simply inspire you to boost your creativity, the following list will offer you a huge variety of motivational songs, from all kinds of different genres. If you feel that my list is lacking your favorite motivational songs, please feel free to submit all of your favorite songs that boost your motivation via the comments section at the end of this article and I will make sure to include them into this list as well!

In the following you can find a collection of some of the utmost motivational songs and the best motivational music, separated into the categories Soundtrack Music, Pop, Hip-Hop & Rap, Classic, Rock & Metal and Techno & House. Hint: you should stay away from music that either creates sadness or tiredness, such as ballads and lounge music, as they won’t have a noteworthy motivational benefit. Feel free to skip to each section by using the following short-links.

Table of Content

I. The Top 10 Motivational Songs
II. Motivational Songs sorted by Category

A) Motivational Soundtrack Music
B) Motivational Pop Songs
C) Motivational Hip-Hop & Rap Songs
D) Motivational Classic Songs
E) Motivational Rock & Metal Songs
F) Motivational Techno & House Music

III. Motivational Music submitted by Readers

All right, let’s get started with this list. I hope you like it and even more important, I hope you find some amazing songs that allow you to boost motivation!

I. The Top 10 Motivational Songs

#1 Jorge Quintero – 300 Violin Orchestra

Some call it an epic song, others consider it to be “the best pump up song that ever existed“. But these are just notations, more important is what this song makes you feel like. For me, it makes me want to get up, running around the block or doing something productive/creative.  Amazingly, it radiates a feeling of optimism and stirs the desire for heroic adventures. This song has everything an excellent motivational song needs, stomping drums, main strings accompanied by string hits and an epic choir rounded up with a supporting bass in the background. The song was featured in the introduction video of the first MLB game in 2009 and the ABC television series “Flash forward“.

#2 Steve Jablonsky – Arrival to Earth

If you haven’t considered listening to motivational soundtrack scores for motivation, you should definitely give it a trail. Steve Jablonsky‘s songs for the Transformers trilogy are highly addictive and the song “Arrival to Earth” is amazingly motivating, even though I haven’t even seen the movies themselves. I simply wasn’t interested in the Transformers movies. Nonetheless, this motivational soundtrack song elicits a feeling of hope, but also peace and tranquility mixed with glory. All in all, I consider this song as a heroic theme that leaves a lasting impression on the listener.

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#3 50 Cent – Ready for war (Mayweather vs De La Hoya remix)

I’m not sure if you are into hip-hop, but this remix is just fantastic, even if you do not like hip-hop at all. It’s a fantastic remix of a song by 50 cent, called “Ready for war“. It’s only instrumental, but nonetheless, very motivating and energizing. The perfect work-out music! The continuously clapping drums will make you want to go for more than you ever achieved, to overcome the obstacles and to reach even the most aspiring goals!

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#4 Ennio Morricone – The Ecstasy of Gold

This song is a fabulous classic. It’s (once again) a truly motivational soundtrack song from the film “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966) and was composed and orchestrated by Ennio Morricone. Every part of this song is epic, from the tranquil opening that is followed by brooding vocals to the part where the whole orchestra steps in. This song is pure ecstasy that makes you collapse in an exhaustive state at the crescendo! A song that is made to give you goosebumps all over your body.

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In case you prefer listening to heavy metal, you should give Metallica’s cover of this song “The Ecstasy of Gold” a try.

#5 Bill Conti – Gonna Fly Now

Bill Conti’s theme to the “Rocky” movie series the perfect song to boost motivation not only for your work-out, bodybuilding or running endeavors, but also for finding the right motivation while on the way to work, or when trying to get motivated to study. It’s a song that mustn’t miss in any list of motivation songs, it’s simply too good! Every time I listen to this great song, I envisage the movie’s main character Rocky Balboa completing his famous training, by running up the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, raising his arms in the victory pose, once he finished. Also, this fantastic song makes me think about all my dreams and aspirations in life, not to mention the huge boost in motivation I get while listening to it.

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#6 Paul Potts – Nessun Dorma

The following song isn’t one of the “typical motivational songs” that can be found in this list. Instead, it’s an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini’s opera entitled “Turandot“, which is traditionally performed by a tenor such as Pavarotti. I’ve chosen to include Paul Potts’ performance of Nessun Dorma (English: None shall sleep) on Britain’s Got Talent, because it’s stunning. I don’t speak Italian, hence I do not understand the message of this song, but the motivating message that comes with Paul Potts‘ amazing performance is clear. The aria literally screams: you can achieve anything in your life! Focus on your goals, dream your dreams and then go for it. If you can imagine it, you can get it! I personally recommend this song to anyone, even those who don’t like opera’s in general. Unfortunately, YouTube prohibited this song from being embedded.

#7 Queen – We will Rock You

Queen’s “we will rock you” is one of their most popular songs, besides the power ballad “we are the champions“. Both songs are amazingly motivating, but I’ve chosen to include the more powerful and energetic “we will rock you” into this list. The stamping and clapping are forming the rhythmic beat that is accompanied by a capella vocals make this song so unique, energizing and motivating.

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#8 Carl Orff - O Fortuna

We can agree to disagree, but this song has to be included into the top 10 of motivational songs, in my opinion. “O Fortuna” is a Latin poem, dedicated to the Roman goddess Fortuna, the personification of luck. The German composer Car Orff set the poem to music and created a masterpiece for his cantata “Carmina Burana“. From the beginning to the end, this masterpiece is just epic. In the beginning, the choir welcomes you with a fabulous aria, accompanied by thumping drums, building into a crescendo of horns, strings and drums until it peaks. “O fortuna” has become so popular that it was adapted in popular movie scenes, such as Excalibur, Hunt for Red October, Speed, The Doors, Natural Born Killers, Jackass: The Movie and many more. It’s an epic masterpiece that makes me envision hordes of warriors chasing on the backs of their horses across the horizon. Not to mention the elusive boost in motivation when listening.
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#9 Vangelis – Chariots of Fire

“Chariots of fire” is a very simplistic, yet very beautiful song. It’s THE motivational running song, every time I listen to it, I envision people running on the beach, breaking new and greater records, overcoming boundaries that no one else has ever overcome. It’s an inspiring song, that awakens the desire to do great things in life and to become just awesome.

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#10 U2 – Beautiful Day

U2′s “Beautiful day” is one of those amazing songs where you close your eyes, forget everything around you, feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and know that life’s a wonderful miracle. Listening to this fantastic song is a wonderful experience that gives you chills thoroughgoing. When you are feeling down, this is the song that uplifts your mood in an instant.

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 Encore

#11 Enigma – Return to Innocence 

The song has wonderful lyrics and the aboriginal Taiwanese chants make this song so special and interesting.

II. Motivational Songs sorted by Category

The following songs are sorted by genre, beginning with motivating soundtrack music and followed by pop, hip-hop, classic, rock and house music.

A) Motivational Soundtrack Music

Steve Jablonsky – Arrival to Earth (Transformers Soundtrack)
James Newton Howard – Epilogue (I am Legend Soundtrack)
John Powell – Test drive (How to train your Dragon Soundtrack)
Howard Shore – The Ring goes South (Lord of the Rings I Soundtrack)
Howard Shore – The Fellowship (Lord of the Rings I Soundtrack)
Hans Zimmer – Time (Inception Soundtrack)
Hans Zimmer – Red Warrior (The Last Samurai Soundtrack)
Hans Zimmer – Like a Dog chasing Cars (The Dark Knight Soundtrack)
Gustav Holst – Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity (The Planets Suite)

B) Motivational Pop Songs

U2 – It’s a Beautiful Day
Michael Jackson – Beat it
Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror
U2 – Elevation
Katrina and the Waves – Walking on Sunshine
Bon Jovi – Unbreakable
Bon Jovi – It’s my Life
Elton John – I’m still standing
Beach Boys – Good Vibrations
Ace of Base – It’s a Beautiful Life
Paul Engemann – Push it to the Limit
Paul Hoffman – You’re Unstoppable
Jimi Jamison – I’ll be ready
Men at Work – A Land Down Under
The Rembrandts – I’ll be There For You
Toto – Africa
Smash Mouth – All Star
Cristina Aguilera – Fighter
Mariah Carey – Hero
Nickelback – Gotta be Somebody
Jana Stanfield – Born for Greatness
Emily Shackelton ft. David Cook – Dream Big
Tina Turner – Simply the Best
Jakata ft. Seal – My Vision
Hurts – Wonderful Life
Nelly Furtado – Manos al Aire
Shaggy – Hope
Johnny Nash - I can see clearly now
Des’ree – You gotta be
Jimmy Eat World – The Middle

C) Motivational Hip-Hop & Rap Songs

Snap – I got the Power
Tupac – Me against the World
Eminem - Till I Collapse
Eminem – Loose Yourself
The Notorious B.I.G – Sky’s the Limit
The Notorious B.I.G ft. Puff Daddy – Victory
The Notorious B.I.G – Juicy
Nelly – Heart of a Champion
NAS ft. P.Diddy – Hate me now
NAS – Hero
NAS – I can
NAS – One Mic
50 Cent – Ready for War
50 Cent – Get Up
Kanye West – Good Friday
Kanye West – Touch the Sky
Kanye West – Go Hard
Kid Cudi – Heart of a Lion
Kid Cudi – Pursuit of Happiness
Kid Cudi – Up Up and Away
Jay-Z – Heart of a city
Jay-Z – Dirt Off Your Shoulders
Jay-Z ft. Mr. Hudson – Forever Young
NWA – Express Yourself
T.I. – No Matter What
Ghostface Killah – The Champ
Rick Ross – Push It
Outcast – Git Up, Git Out
Cypress Hill – Rock Superstar
MC Hush – All I got
Classified – All about you
Roy Jones Jr. – Can’t be touched
DMX ft. Fort Minor – Give me a Sign (Remix)
Fort Minor – Remember the Name
R. Kelly – I believe I can fly
Royce Da 5’9 – Can’t Nobody Stop Me
Flipside – Someday
Gym Class Heroes – Shoot Down The Stars
Ice Cube – You Can Do It
Magnetic North – Demons (remix)

D) Motivational Classic Songs

Jose Quintero – 300 Violin Orchesta
Carl Orff – O Fortuna
Ennio Morricone - The Ecstasy of Gold
Bill Conti – Gonna Fly Now
Luis Armstrong – What a Wonderful World
Enya – Orinoco Flow
Pavarotti – Nessun Dorma

E) Motivational Rock & Metal Songs

Phil Collins – Sussudio
Phil Collins – In the Air Tonight
Queen – We Will Rock You
Queen – We are the Champions
ACDC – Thunderstruck
Metallica – Enter Snadman
The Who – Pinball Wizard
Survivor – Eye of the Tiger
Europe – The Final Countdown
Van Halen – Right Now
Kenny Loggins – Danger Zone
Tom Cochrane & Red Rider – Life Is a Highway
Savage Garden – Affirmation
Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Can’t Stop
Billy Talent – Red Flag
The Killers – When you were young
Blur – Song 2
Skillet – Awake and Alive
Breaking Benjamin – I will not bow
P.O.D. – Boom
Linkin Park – In the End
Pillar – Frontline
Blue October - Jump Rope
Paul Stanley – Live to Win
All American Rejects – Move Along
Drowning Pool – Let the Bodies hit the Floor
Rise Against – Prayer of the Refugee
Disturbed – Down with the Sickness
Dope – Survive
Pantera – 5 Minutes Alone
Rob Zombie – Dragula
Amon Amarth – Gods of War Arise
Nine Inch Nails – Wish
Dope Stars Inc – Bang Your Head
Probot – Shake Your Blood
Saliva – Ladies and Gentlemen
Skillet – Monster
Skillet – Hero
ACDC – Highway to Hell

F) Motivational Techno, Electronic & House Music

Tom Pulse – Cuando
Daft Punk – Harder Better Faster Stronger
Daft Punk – Around the World
David Guetta vs. David Bowie – Just For One Day (Heroes)
Tiësto – Power Mix
Big Ali – Neon Music
Guru Josh Project – Infinity
Dave Darell – Freeloader
Spencer & Hill – Housebeat
Eiffel 65 – Move Your Body

III. Motivational Music submitted by Readers

Kutless – What Faith Can Do
Bon Jovi – Unbreakable
Irene Cara – What A Feeling
Optimistic – Sounds Of Blackness
Tracy Chapman – Fast Cars
Suede – Beautiful One
Powerman 5000 – Bombshell
Survivor – The Moment of Truth
Moody Blues – This is the Moment
Michael Franti – Hey Hey Hey
Guano Apes – Open Your Eyes
Foo Fighters – Everlong
Bon Jovi – Lay Your Hands on Me
Stevie Wonder – I Wish
Gary Glitter – The Hey Song
POD – Boom
Muse – Invincible
Muse – Butterflies and Hurricanes
The best Hip Hop melody by The Knarly Project

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Disclaimer: All videos in this article are embedded from YouTube. This means that NONE of the videos and/or their contents were uploaded to this website! The content holders of the videos are responsible for their contents and I sincerely apologize if these videos contain scenes you find offensive. Furthermore, I know that we are living in a huge world, with so many individuals that have the different kinds of music tastes and favorites. Therefore, I sincerely apologize if the above named lists do not contain any motivational songs in your point of view.

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