Move to the beat: Musicians that could make you run faster, or slower
By Anthony Vasquez-Peddie, CTVNews.ca writer
Click here for updates on this story
TORONTO, Ontario (CTV Network) — Runners who enjoy listening to tunes during their workout may want to set aside the likes of Drake and BTS in favour of Beyonce and Harry Styles if they want to finish their jog more quickly, according to an informal study.
The informal study, put together by women’s clothing retailer Pour Moi, recorded data from 60 runs completed by 20 runners listening to a range of music artists. It listed 15 musicians that could potentially shave time off your workout and five that might drag it out. No baseline measurements were given.
Topping the list of fast-paced artists was Beyonce, who, with a slew of number one hits, including “Put a Ring on It,” was found to improve running times by 33 seconds per kilometre. That translates to about 23 minutes and 12 seconds of time saved if you were running a marathon, which is 42.195 kilometres.
Following Beyonce was former One Direction member Harry Styles, who saved runners 31 second per kilometre with hits like “Watermelon Sugar.” Britney Spears rounded out the top three, with the “Baby One More Time” singer saving runners 28 seconds per kilometre.
Shawn Mendes was the top Canadian on the list at number six overall, improving times by 16 seconds per kilometre. Justin Bieber ranked 10th, shaving off about five seconds of each kilometre hitting the pavement.
When it comes to slowing things down, apparently nobody does it like Drake.
The “Hotline Bling” hitmaker added about 21 seconds per kilometre while running, according to the study. In a marathon, the Canadian superstar could potentially add 14 minutes and 42 seconds to your time.
Coming in well behind Drake at number two on the slow list was K-pop sensation BTS, with the singers of “Butter” adding just nine seconds of running time per kilometre. Next up was “Say So” artist Doja Cat, who added about five seconds for each kilometre run.
Each of the runners in the experiment ran for a minimum of one kilometre while listening to a music artist and their speeds were recorded via a smart fitness device. The musicians were then ranked from fastest to slowest.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
