For years, fitness playlists revolved around pop, hip-hop, and EDM: high-energy sounds built to keep workouts moving. But in 2024, things shifted.
What we learned from our 2024 Wellness & Workout Music Report, is that listeners leaned into genre mashups that offered more than just BPM. They wanted attitude, emotion, and variety. From brat-inspired pop to country crossovers, workout music became more personal, unpredictable, and engaging.
This trend reflects a broader shift in how businesses use music in digital experiences, moving from formulaic to more curated, emotionally driven soundtracks. Tools like Feed.fm’s unified music system (UMS) help make that shift seamless, delivering fully licensed, brand-aligned music at scale.
So what led to this shift? And why did brat-inspired pop, country-pop, and genre-blending fusions take over fitness? Let’s break it down.
1. Brat-inspired pop brought attitude and rebellion to workout music
One of 2024’s biggest music trends was the rise of brat, and it made its mark in fitness. Led by Chali XCX's Brat album, the pop music of the moment has been all about high-energy beats, playful irreverence, and rebellious confidence: a perfect match for workouts that needed an extra dose of attitude.
Tracks like Charli XCX’s “360” gave fitness playlists a fresh, edgy vibe, shifting the focus from just grinding through a workout to feeling bold and unstoppable while doing it. This wasn’t music designed just to keep tempo, it was music that turned every session into a main-character moment.
BRAT’s success in fitness reflected a larger trend: music that makes workouts fun, expressive, and full of personality. In a year where fitness culture embraced individuality more than ever, brat-inspired pop delivered exactly that.
2. Country-pop found its way onto fitness playlists
For a long time, country music and workout playlists seemed like two separate worlds, but 2024 changed that. Country-pop crossovers made a mainstream breakthrough, and suddenly, they weren’t just radio hits—they were showing up all across fitness soundtracks.
Beyoncé’s dive into country music and artists like Shaboozey blending country with pop and hip-hop gave the genre a fresh, modern energy that resonated beyond its usual fanbase. Country music wasn’t just about storytelling, it was also about movement.
The appeal? Steady rhythms, familiar melodies, and anthemic choruses that worked surprisingly well in fitness settings. The same way people embraced nostalgic hits and classic rock for workouts, country-pop’s strong hooks and infectious energy made it a natural addition to fitness soundtracks.
3. EDM-hip-hop fusions kept workouts feeling fresh
While electronic and hip-hop have always had a place in fitness, 2024 saw them blending in new ways, creating some of the year’s most exciting workout tracks. Instead of just looping the usual club anthems or rap beats, workout playlists embraced genre-crossing collaborations that made movement feel unpredictable and fresh.
Tracks like David Guetta and Coi Leray’s “Baby Don’t Hurt Me,” which combined EDM’s high-energy builds with hip-hop’s rhythm, gave workouts a dynamic feel. Bass-heavy beats and seamless transitions between styles made these fusions especially effective for cardio and high-intensity training.
This trend reflected a larger demand for workout music that keeps people engaged. Predictability can lead to fatigue, and the mashup of electronic and hip-hop kept workouts feeling new, high-energy, and ever-changing.
What this means for the future of workout music
2024 proved that workout music doesn’t have to fit a formula. People want variety, personality, and tracks that match their individual workout styles. Breakout trends like “brat,” country’s unexpected rise, and EDM-hip-hop’s seamless fusion all point to one thing: fitness music is evolving.
Looking ahead, we can expect:
✔️ More genre-blending experiments in fitness playlists.
✔️ A shift toward music that creates an emotional connection, not just a beat to follow.
✔️ The continued push for variety, giving listeners more ways to personalize their workout experience.
And behind it all, unified music systems like Feed.fm are helping businesses deliver on that promise, powering music-led growth through scalable music streaming, flexible licensing, and seamless integration via streaming music APIs.
📖 For more insights on last year’s biggest fitness music trends, check out the full Feed.fm 2024 Wellness & Workout Music Report.
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