Whether you’re an Olympic athlete, working out at the gym, or just getting gassed up for a football game, there’s always that one playlist that gets you going like no other. Now Olympians, they’re just like us! They need a hype playlist to get them in the zone for their very important events. With the Olympics coming to a close, it only felt right to see the songs on our athlete’s playlists that get them going for gold. Here are the songs that are part of Team USA’s playlist for the Tokyo Olympics, ranging from rap to rock and roll.
Sydney McLaughlin – Track & Field
“War” by Aha Gazelle and Starringo is a rap anthem that gets Sydney McLaughlin to run her fastest. The song is about the artist proving people wrong that seem to be working against him. I mean, how could a song like that not motivate you?
She tends to stick to rap beats and tempos but she enjoys music with real meaning. Her newest addition to her playlist is “Miracle” by Aaron Cole, a gospel music artist pairing meaningful words with modern beats.
Caeleb Dressel – Swimming
Caeleb rocked the Olympics by breaking records and taking home five gold medals. But which songs are getting him in the zone for his events? Before he swims, the song he listens to is “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by Dropkick Mondays. This Irish tune turned rock & roll song helps Dressel get in the mode before his races. Pop-punk has always stuck with him because of his older brother.
A’ja Wilson – Basketball
While some of us use this music to enliven us, Wilson uses it to tune everything out.
“I use music to rev me up sometimes, but majority of the time I use it to calm me down, because I’m probably flustered and nervous heading into the game. It helps put me in a mood to tune out the world.”
A’ja’s playlist is the one I would align with the most. She says her playlist is full of the 90s and 2000s R&B and hip hop. Her pregame music consists of any Drake song because he can get people pumped up or chill them out.
April Ross – Beach Volleyball
Ross has an interesting mix in her playlist, one extreme to the other. She takes her Olympics playlist very seriously. She feels her perfect playlist turns her nerves into aggression to put out on the court.
“There is a definite correlation for me between performance and good warm-up music. I listen to a lot of playlists on Spotify and when something speaks to me, I add it to my Tokyo playlist…I’m pretty laid-back in general, and when I go out on the court I want to be ready to battle, I want to be aggressive and fierce, so I listen to music with that same vibe.”
Music can take you out of the real world and put you into your own to motivate you. So if you’re wondering how the US managed to take home the most medals in the Tokyo Olympics, then this is it. Only the best of hype playlists will help you get to the Olympic level. Whenever I work out or go for a run, I stick to rap like Lil Uzi or Migos. My current go-to workout song is “Off-White” by NGeeYL feat Lil Uzi Vert. I just look for a fast-paced song that I can try to match the energy in my workouts. What song makes you feel like an Olympian?
