Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance cracked the instructor-requested top 10 this year. Not for their tracks in a specialized pop punk throwback mix. The main list of top artists requested in workout music today.

Juan Hernandez-Cruz, senior curator at Feed.fm and bassist for metal band Black Sheep Wall, has been tracking the shift. "A couple of years ago we were talking about MGK and the pop punk revival. Now what we are seeing from trainers is a resurgence of 2000s and 2010s pop punk."

Why does it work? Instructors are programming for emotional peaks, not just tempo. Bands like Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance bring a mix of energy that today's pop can't replicate. Nostalgia layered with intensity. Lyrics that hit emotionally. Production that builds to cathartic releases. The result, as Juan puts it: "A 2025 fitness soundtrack that's dynamic, familiar, and fiercely motivating."

This is part of a bigger pattern. Three nostalgia lanes performed well this year: the loud stuff (pop punk, emo, 90s grunge), the classic pop icons (Britney, Katy, Rihanna, early Gaga), and legacy rock (Duran Duran, Def Leppard). Platforms mixing throwbacks with current hits are seeing stronger retention than those chasing new releases exclusively.

Claire McConnell, senior curator at Feed.fm and former YouTube Music and Rhapsody curator, put it simply: "Nostalgia never goes out of style. Reunion tours will continue to drive appetite for catalog tracks from seminal artists of the 90s and 00s."

Nostalgia isn't a gimmick. It's a genuine emotional driver that keeps people coming back. When users hear songs tied to positive memories, they get a mood boost that translates into workout performance and app engagement. That's why we're still working out to "Toxic" in 2025.

What to watch in 2026

Major pop punk album anniversaries from My Chemical Romance, Paramore, and Panic! At The Disco. After two strong years of the genre's resurgence, there's no sign of it cooling off. Mike Savage, who leads artist relations and A&R for Feed Originals, is also watching the touring calendar: legacy acts like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and The Cure are readying new album releases and tours. Even the Backstreet Boys' Las Vegas residency is reviving fan nostalgia.

The full report

The 2025 End of Year Report covers the songs, artists, and trends that defined fitness music this year, plus 2026 predictions from the curators who called Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan's rise early.

Inside you'll find:

• Top 10 tracks and artists with play counts
• Instructor request data revealing what pros actually program
• Analysis of the nostalgia economy, R&B's crossover, and genre convergence
• 2026 predictions from curators who called Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan's rise
• Customer success metrics and the business case for music strategy

Want the full picture?

Our 2025 Year in Music report breaks down the songs, artists, and trends that defined fitness this year, plus predictions for 2026 from our curation team.