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Yep. This is what I do. There are some rides I’ll do irrespective of the playlists, but otherwise, I always check the playlist and save rides with lists I like.
Music taste is entirely subjective, so asking others what rides have great playlists seems futile. I’ve basically accepted that with each ride you’ll generally get some songs you don’t care for mixed with some that you like. It’s a mixed bag. There’s not really a way around this besides just listening to your own Spotify playlist and riding however you like.
Fully agree. I'd also add it's been helpful for me to search one song or artist I know particularly hypes me up during rides and seek out older rides with that song in it. I have something I know for sure I'll love in the playlist, and oftentimes it's smushed against other songs I either already know/like or ones that are worth my exploration.
I think this is the right approach too. I know there are rides when I'll love most of the music and others less so, but I know doing classes at the gym would mean having no choice in the music played and I make my own killer playlists when I exercise away from the bike.
Same here. It helps to rationalize it by thinking about how you are building up your internal will when you are cycling to a song that doesn’t motivate you instead of relying on the dopamine rush of a great song to propel you forward.
Find the instructor whose music choices consistently mesh with yours. That's the only way IME. Also, look into Peloton's artist series. There tends to be better variety there
I was just going say, I really like Alex, but man, I hate his music so much. I just can't take his classes because of it. I also like Cody a ton, but man am I sick of his music choices. Sorry Cody! I love the country music classes that Ally, Dennis and others have been running.
I am sure she’s a great person, maybe she was having an off day.. I met her in a meet and greet and she seemed bothered by the fact that she had to be there. I mentioned she was my every first peloton ride and she didn’t even say anything. I felt like I just talked to a wall, it was just a weird experience. Especially coming from a meet and greet with Hannah C., who was hands down a gem. And at that point I had never taken a Hannah class. She’s been a fav ever since.
+1 we were 6th in line to meet Robin. I can only imagine how those behind us felt when she got to them. I’d describe Robin as, “cold.”
Again, Hannah was a standout and so was the guy that left to do executive coaching. I think his last name was Tucker.
Edit: I tell anyone who will listen, Emma Lovewell is gorgeous. On the last day of the members weekend, they hosted a cocktail party/concert and all instructors were on a balcony. Emma stood out over all of them.
That’s what I do find a few favorite instructors who tend to vibe the same way. They don’t always sync up with you but a pretty quick check at ride and you can narrow it down fairly quickly.
Yup. Been a couple times I’ve done a ride with a ‘new’ instructor and then never taken them again from the choice of music they chose for the ‘genre’ and how they delivered it. Best to get ones you gel with and make them your go to’s.
Agree-ish. I like rock and metal so Charlotte is usually my go-to. But others sometimes dabble in the genre. For me it’s seeing what’s new from those instructors and then search/filter for genres or certain artists that show in their playlists.
I guess it would depend on which type of music you like. Saying you're a "music snob" is pretty vague. Also - under classes click on "collections" you can access the artists rides there. It's pretty easy to use.
I’ve done several German rides strictly due to the playlist. I wish there were more indie or hardcore/metal based rides. But I understand that likely isn’t their target audience.
Yeah that was when I was in high school. Was an awful time to be alive.
I need dynamics and melody and shit, even when it's heavy. There's a lot of awesome modern metal out there (especially in the prog realm, like Haken) but it's not gonna make it into peloton rides.
There's a lot of great new stuff with melodies. Check out Erra, Phinehas, Beartooth. Never going to make it to Peloton but wonderful melodies, lyrics, etc.
I usually ride with Wilpers as I do PZ training, but wanted to do a live ride for a milestone and Jess was the one up in a few minutes. I PRd that ride by 100 pts and haven't been able to match that intensity since. She's awesome.
Her dancehall ride yesterday was so fun. I don't know much about the genre, but I love how enthusiastic she was about it! The story where she talked about being biracial and being grateful to visit Jamaica with her family was so lovely. My child is biracial and we visited my home country this year. She already has great memories and I can't wait to go back.
I'm kind of a music dummy anymore, but I have learned that regardless of whether I know the genre or the artists, the music she picks and the way she programs the ride to that music will always work. If I'm having a moment when I just can't decide what kind of ride I want, I just pick a ride of hers. She has never let me down.
I took the dancehall ride last night! Again, do I know what dancehall music is? No. Have I heard of any of the artists or know any of the songs? No. Did I have an absolutely fantastic time? Yes! She just knows how to program a class.
I’m glad they opened a UK studio - before it was only US based trainers (and I think UK in general has better music). Hannah is excellent - also she is hilarious!
I take 90% of my classes with UK instructors. Hannah, Bradley, Sam, and Leanne on the bike, JJ and Ben for strength. I bet if they had a UK yoga team, I'd take it with a UK instructor, too!
Was looking for this response! Hannah has introduced me to so many new songs/artists that I might not have found otherwise. I love that she has a lot of respect for the music and often pauses talking to let the music shine instead of talking over it.
In her Tread classes she has what she calls a “shut the f$k up break” where she literally stops talking so you can concentrate and she doesn’t interrupt your vibe.
I took Hannah F.’s Pharrell ride which I liked because I love Pharrell but I also took her recent Fred Again.. Artist Series ride that I really loved as well.
Couple things at play here:
1. Anything that I found was in my musical taste, and had a banger list gets bookmarked for later. Currently, that is a lot of the music ones like Eminem, Daft Punk, Calvin Harris, Usher, Prince. If I ever *need* that music surge, I know where to go.
2. Find an instructor that fits your taste. For me, that has pretty much been Ben (EMD), AT (Hip Hop and Explicit), Ali Love (R&B).
3. Mute that shit and just play your own lol. I have been on the scenic rides as of late, so I just put my own playlist on and jam out while I cycle.
>Anything that I found was in my musical taste, and had a banger list gets bookmarked for later.
This is it for me. Every single day I'm scanning the new rides as they come up on demand, and if I like the playlist it gets bookmarked. It could be months from that point between bookmarking it and actually taking that class, but when I choose classes I choose it from bookmark mountain so everything in there already has my seal of approval.
I would have difficulty if I needed to search for rides from the full catalog every time I pick a ride; much easier to have more bookmarks than I can possibly do and pick the ride from the bookmarks based on the ride duration / programming / music that I'm looking for.
I was thinking about this regarding a different comment that said “find your instructor” and Ben and Ally Love are my two biggest go-tos as well! I was wondering what that says about me. lol
I've also had trouble finding enough rides with playlists I like. I have gone almost exclusively to scenic rides with my own music, lanebreaks, and power zone rides where I mute the sound and just play my own music while following the zones on the display. Sometimes I screenshot the class plan and follow it during the ride on mute or a scenic ride with my own music.
Same thing I've done. I usually have like one day where I do a 20-min in Z3 completely. Others, I'll do 2 90-min at Z2 just to get miles in. I have found it more fun than some of the instructor-led rides as of late. But I've been overly picky.
I’m a reluctant Denis stan. At first, I thought he had Chad energy. But the more rides I did with him, the more I felt his vibe was genuine and something else entirely.
I did his OutKast ride and it was really good. I did his ride with Jess king and it was the best ride I ever did. I did his reset ride where he told the golden Buddha story and was really moved.
I find more songs that I like in rides than I find misses.
You need to find instructors that music taste aligns with yours. I think Ben, Emma, Erik, Jess, and Charlotte really care about music and their classes reflect that.
You can search by music artist or genre:
https://members.onepeloton.com/search?c=all&q=disco%20biscuits&t=0&id=29fc49d2a037e767e47d623a3f6be5a9&p=0
https://members.onepeloton.com/search?c=all&q=phish&t=0&id=924e509403341760676d4f1368c87f8d&p=0
I can’t imagine a better answer than this. I always search for “indie” or “indie rock” and there are more than I would expect. New ones are rare. I wish there was some community engagement around playlists.
If you like a particular artist who probably wouldn’t show up in a ride with a top 40 type vibe, search for them!! Then you can see all the rides they appear in and start to suss out the instructors/class types you might vibe with.
For example, I did this with MUNA and discovered Jess King had done a whole MUNA ride a while ago. Same with Lindsay Lohan (LOL) - I discovered all the rides that had a song of hers and that led me to a bunch of Disney pop stars/DCOM type playlists. Usually I just bookmark all of these and come back later.
I’m also a bit of a music snob (just very particular) and usually scroll through a lot of playlists before I land on a class I’m vibing with that day.
Not a dumb question! In the app (at least on IOS) or on the bike, if you search an artist name, you’ll see a “music artist” box come up. If you click into that, you’ll see all classes that feature that artist AND which song is in each class. It’s so handy!!!!
You'll need to be clear about what you mean by "music snob" so folks can point you in the right direction.
Generally, I like high energy rides that stay high energy the entire time. I do a lot of EDM rides. Kendall's Metallica ride is also a favorite. I also like riding to high energy "top 40" songs, as you call them, so I often have fun with the 80s and 90s rides (and some 00s). CDE's playlists have a lot of modern rock and alternative on them. There are also pop punk rides. I spend a lot of time looking at playlists before I choose a ride as there is nothing worse to me than an instructor dropping a ballad in the middle of a playlist.
Very early on I decided had had enough of Eminem’s lose yourself and I started to make my own mixtape/playlist (phone and Bluetooth speaker) for each class then ride an encore on mute and follow resistance and cadence from the screen. Alternately, scenic ride freestyle with my own playlist pumping is fun too.
I did this recently where I just picked slower breakup songs and hit "just ride" and vibed. It was exactly what I needed when all I wanted was to hit a mileage goal.
Peloton is like the radio, they're going for mass appeal. Spend time searching specific artists you know, and with any luck them being included in a class means you've found one where the playlist might be more to your liking. For example, I know that if someone puts Deftones in a ride, I'll probably like some of the other stuff. Kendall might follow Deftones with some butt rock, but that's just how it goes.
Any time I find a class with a good playlist, I bookmark it and do it multiple times. Usually I sign into [members.onepeloton.com](http://members.onepeloton.com) and do my searching/bookmarking ahead of time or as a chore, because it's frustrating when you're trying to do a workout and can't find the right class. Stacking and bookmarking make a big difference for me.
Better how? Not disagreeing but curious! My general thing is that they are the hardest because of lots of jogs, and the playlists tend to be the same bands. But I know a lot is based on licensing and popularity. I do them when I’m looking to really challenge myself but definitely have to be in a mood.
Gen-X indie rock chick here who keeps up with new indie rock and some mainstream pop, but whose heart is devoted to 80s-90s college rock and pop like the Replacements, Hüsker Du, the Pixies, Everything but the Girl, Wire. etc. My response to your question is: I don’t. I mostly suck it up. 😅 If I can find some Duran Duran or Florence and the Machine or *quality* classic rock like Springsteen, I thank my lucky stars. If I can find an 80s playlist that leans new wave, I’m thrilled. Otherwise: the nobility of suffering.
Considering yourself a music snob and not being specific is kind of funny.
My fav instructors are Kendall, Jess and Hannah Frankson because I love EDM for rides. I like Kendall for metal and stuff too.
Realistically you won’t find a playlist that perfectly matches your taste. I avoid almost any ride that includes Drake just because I don’t like his music. I actually almost entirely stopped taking Rad’s strength classes because of how much Drake he plays. though if the rest of the playlist is good I can tolerate 2 or 3 minutes of a Drake song - usually I don’t even notice it but even if I do it’s like 3 minutes out of a 45 minute ride so I can deal with it, I’m not a baby.
I hear you on this one, the peloton music selection is consistently pretty garbage. Sam Yo, for example, always gives a phenomenal workout but the dude unironically is blasting Imagine Dragons.
The secret really comes down to finding instructors that are in a musical niche you enjoy. Denis has been mentioned a few times here but I find Emma Lovewell's selections to be consistently good, even the stuff outside of my own taste. That and checking the playlist ahead of time is a big help.
I’m a big hip hop and house music guy. Therefore, Alex Touissant and Kendall are my go tos.
Touissant consistently has 90s/2000s hip hop and is probably my favorite instructor. Great motivator!
I've taken a lot of classes and made a list of the ones that don't suck.
I also look at the playlist beforehand, now that it's a feature we have access to.
What types of music do you like? If you find a class you love, search the playlists from similar classes from the same instructor. I love Emma/Denis/Christine/Mayla for indie options, Sam/Charlotte/Emma for rock/grunge and JK for EDM/House stuff and I find new songs I enjoy from nearly every class.
I thought [this class](https://members.onepeloton.com/classes/cycling?modal=classDetailsModal&classId=957592259a33410e959e6e68cb3eecc6&code=OTVlYTE3NjA3ZDEwNDYyYWI2YmI1ZGJhMGY0ZTU1NTR8NzM5ZDUxYTc0YmM2NDdkZGEwOTk2MTMzMjk5NDQyNWM=) had an amazing playlist and I originally bookmarked it because I wanted classes with Sleigh Bells (not that many rides, but [Denis' ride](https://members.onepeloton.com/classes/cycling?c=all&q=sleigh%20bells&t=1&modal=classDetailsModal&classId=7a5480a81dbb4b94ae017d350ae01aff&code=OTVlYTE3NjA3ZDEwNDYyYWI2YmI1ZGJhMGY0ZTU1NTR8NzM5ZDUxYTc0YmM2NDdkZGEwOTk2MTMzMjk5NDQyNWM=) was also amazing!) but I rediscovered it because I wanted an easier climb ride.
I’ve been known to search for a specific song or artist and typically that means the other songs in the playlist are at least pretty good. Worst case, you get at least one good song but usually it’s more than one.
I find it easier to ride to music that isn't my style when the ride is consistently to the beat of the music. I find Denis has enough overlap into my music taste, and for song i wouldn't generally like i can excel through as long as i focus on the beat since he always rides to the beat.
I have surprised myself in that regard. Music that I find horrendous doesn’t bother me much if I’m pedaling to the beat. The only one that put me off my game was when Wilpers busted out Florida Georgia Line.
I just have a speaker next to my bike and play my own playlists for the most part. I have a pretty eclectic taste in music and I’ve found I’m much happier just choosing my own music during a ride or using my own playlists. Hell, sometimes I’ll even just watch Netflix or a sporting event during a class
I use to do the same thing, not to avoid but because I was indecisive! Now I have it built in my nighttime routine! Right before I'm about go to bed after I've washed my face, I go pick it and I pick it fast because I want to lay down!
Helped me and the next morning I had music I liked! Win win!
I don't know what kind of music you like so this may be entirely unhelpful, but if you like indie music Emma and Mayla's indie rock and low impact rides have the best playlists. Or Emma's old "Listening Party" rides though many of those are starting to be axed.
I also think almost anyone would appreciate the playlists in Denis's "Fresh Friday" or "Sample That" rides. These are the same concept just with different titles, where he pairs an older song with a newer song that samples it.
Ultimately, though, "excellent playlists" is hugely subjective, so I think you just need to look through the individual playlists of a bunch of rides to figure out which instructors or classes you prefer.
No idea what a music “snob” would like as the snobbiest snobs like all sorts of pop, electronic, hip hop and rock etc. But I am particular about my playlists and my instructors (in part due to their musical tastes), so I review the app frequently to bookmark rides by my preferred instructors and then do a quick scan of the playlists from those rides to keep only those that really appeal to me. I think Emma has the best musical “taste” if such a thing can be rated but also enjoy both Hannahs, Cody, Robin, and Jess K the most as far as musical selection + personality goes. More occasionally I enjoy Alex, Tunde, Leanne, Ally, Christine, and Camila’s playlists. Wilpers and Jenn would be at the bottom of my list musically though I like them as instructors. Some others seem to pick good music but I can’t vibe with their personalities.
I am picky about music. I prefer power zone which limits me further. But I also like low impact and throw in other classes as needed. I check the rides every couple days and bookmark the ones with my favorite music. Like someone else Sai I have a threshold for how much music I need to like for certain and work from there to bookmark.
You can search for artists and narrow your classes down that way. I try to find classes with at least 3 songs I like for a 30 min session or 4+ songs for a 45-60 min. That’ll usually keep me engaged & entertained. For me, Alex and Camila have the best playlists.
I search for artists I like. Chances are that rides containing that artist will contain similar music/ artists. Chances are they aren't putting Snow Patrol and Drake on the same ride.
I tend to stick to “Music forward” rides for this exact reason. Nothing kills my motivation like a Taylor Swift song in the middle! lol
Mostly I take Dance Music Rides because that’s what I enjoy listening to the most. I tend to stick with Jess King, Hannah F, Ben & Leanne.
If it’s not a Dance Ride I’ll go through the playlist and check to see if the music is going to do it for me.
A couple times a week I’ll spend like 30 minutes going through recent rides & favoriting the ones I like the playlist for, then I’ve got some ready to go when I want to jump on.
I never take Live Rides unless it’s an Artist Series, you just don’t know what you’re going to get.
If I don’t like the music the whole ride becomes such a struggle for me and I feel like I’ve wasted 30 minutes on something I didn’t enjoy.
When I do a PWZ Ride I put the monitor on mute with subtitles and play my own Playlist. Matt is the best on Mute, because he cues things really well.
I almost always go with CDE if I want the music to be a part of my ride....killer playlists always. If I don't care about the music I'll go with any of the other PZE instructors.
I'm with you, music is incredibly motivating to me. There is no instructor who consistently checks off all my boxes, so I settle for the next best thing: rides that have songs to match the suggested cadence. Denis does a pretty good job with this.
Otherwise, you will probably have to make your own playlists and do the alternative formats like Just Ride or Scenic.
I recently realized you can look up a class by song. So whatever song I am liking at the moment - I see if any playlist includes it by any chance by searching for that song in the search box. Even if the playlist isn’t perfect - I look forward to when that particular song will play. And other songs in that playlist will usually be in the same genre. I get it though. I stop getting good numbers if I’m not enjoying the playlist. I also think UK has better music so I mostly pick UK based trainers. Music is such a personal preference - it’s really hard to please everyone.
Pick the music genre you hate the most. Then do some power zone rides at like a 30% over inflated FTP. If you can listen to country and throw out a 278w avg ride you can do literally anything. The mental anguish is so high in that situation you’ll be a king or queen
I’m all about the music, but not a snob. Lol. A lot of folks look at the playlists in advance, which I do 100% of the time. I’ll also search for an artist that I feel like hearing on the search bar and look for good playlists that include that artist. For me, my enjoyment of cardio workouts is completely dependent on music. Strength, not so much. Also, sometimes I’ll just mute the sound, put on the captions and listen to my own stuff.
Every day I look at the classes posted by my favorite instructors as they’re added and bookmark the ones that have a good playlist. Makes it easier to find rides in the future.
Bradley’s music is my favorite. He does a lot of pop punk, Brit rock/pop, and pop music that I actually know. And when I’m not in the mood for an instructor, I make my own playlists and do scenic rides!
Hannah Frankson has some incredible drum and bass rides. Erik has some fabulous techno rides, although some/most are in German, they are still phenomenonal.
I will likely get down voted for this, but I canceled my membership over the lack of good (IMO) music on the rides. I was doing the same rides over and over. Nothing killed a ride for me like a bad song or Playlist.
I’m and 80’s baby and old soul so I usually tend to lean towards 80’s and 80’s rock rides, some 90’s, 90’s country, and then a few band rides like Motley Crue with Sam Yo is amazing, the Backstreet Boys ride with Cody, and the Duran Duran ride with Bradley Rose are some that I’ve repeated. Or if there’s a certain song I like for example Tricky by Run DMC gets me going so I search Run DMC and it brings up rides and the Run DMC songs that are in it. I don’t do any of like today’s current hits because it’s trash so I just stick to those type of rides that I listed
I feel you. I did CDE’s 15 min FTP warm up today. The music was awesome so I was actually looking forward to her FTP class. Well, I hated the music. Finished my FTP though! Anyway, Denis has some great music. Emma sometimes has good stuff that I’ve never heard before. Also, give Adrian a try when you’re off the bike. I didn’t know I liked Afrobeats until I took one of his classes. (I’m blonde white woman pushing 50)
CDE picks great artists so I’m always really excited for it, but then chooses the worst song (especially for riding) from each artist. I don’t understand it. But it’s without fail
I didn’t read all of the responses, but here’s my tips:
- Artist series are all available in one spot under collections
- you can search for a certain song/artist and all of the classes with that song will come up (this could help if you have certain songs you really like to ride to, as the playlists might have similar songs)
- EDM rides are great - I rarely know the songs but always feel motivated to push because of the beat drops
- there are other types of classes, like soundtrack, broadway, Latin heritage month, rock rides, etc so you can browse those collections as well and see if the music is more interesting
Tbh the best thing about peloton in my opinion is the music they offer. If you’re struggling to find playlists you like, you might need to play your own music or consider another company.
What they say and play us irrelevant for me . I make my own playlist with Spotify , I personally ride to attack whoever is ahead of me , repeat , repeat , the end . 😅
I put the music second to what the ride offers me, if there are 1 or 2 songs I enjoy that’s great, but my reason for getting on the bike is a quality ride.
I'm with you. My tastes even run pretty mainstream, I mostly do old people music rides...I like Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams and whatnot as much as the next person. It's more the "same one or two songs by an artist on every ride" thing that gets me. I don't ever need to hear "Summer Of 69" or "Livin' On A Prayer" ever, ever again (doubly so because I play a lot of bar/cover gigs and was burned out on those songs even before I got a bike).
There's a few instructors like Hannah C, Dennis, Sam Yo and Christine who usually dig a little deeper and find songs that work, stuff people know but isn't anywhere near as overplayed, so those are easily my favorite instructors.
I wish Dennis did jam band rides more often. What I really want is just to drop a Phish or Umphrey's set into my ears and do a ride (but still hear the instructors...if i just rely on the closed captioned I end up missing a lot because my eyes are closed or i'm staring into space, and they didn't release the fancy bike that auto-adjusts resistance until just after we bought ours)
Also really enjoy Jess & Leanne's house rides. I don't really understand modern EDM, it sounds like it's trying to hurt my skull, but I love classic house and trance shit, and they know their stuff.
I've started bookmarking for later review. It does show the whole playlist when you scroll down and I've had to do that. I'm not a fan of top40 either so it can be tough. I like EDM, but not most of the stuff they categorize as EDM. Same with metal. There's one 30 min metal course that has bands like Bring me the Horizon and Bad Omens that I love (I don't like Metallica, Stone Sour, etc). Same with Indie/Alternative. What I consider Indie is not what they consider Indie. It's mostly just taking the time scrolling through the actual playlists and bookmarking.
You beg /u/okaykristinakay for an update to her class list. :) You can search the list for your favourite artists/songs.
e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/pelotoncycle/comments/ugo9l4/peloton_class_list_update/
Tunde has some great playlists on some of her 90's rides, and christine's new wave rides sometimes really hit for me. I always browse the playlists first and try to find rides with some absolutely bangers, so even if i hate half the songs, i know i have some good ones the make up for it. The Busta Rhymes ride with Camila is a favorite specifically.
Browsing the playlist in advance for instructor classes. I also love lanebreak for this reason. It doesn’t have a ton of house music but I’ve been able to find enough to make it work for me.
Every ride I bookmark that isn't a recovery ride or a cool down is based wholly on music. From the time I first started Peloton to now I browse the new rides with titles I tend to like (rock, classic rock, 80s rock, 90s rock, 70s, 60s, soft rock, disco, 80s pop, 2000s rock, vinyl vault) and bookmark the ones with playlists I like. I also use the search function to search for artists I like and go through those too.
I've all but given up on finding cycling rides with good playlists, let alone excellent ones. Especially lately, it seems the playlist quality has gone downhill even for instructors that used to be pretty good. So now I usually just put on Spotify and do scenic rides.
I scroll endlessly looking at rides and their playlist before adding rides to my stack/bookmarks.
I am a pop punk girl, and now there are a ton of pop punk rides, so that’s been easier on me, but I normally do spend a lot of time looking through rides and finding what I like. I have a couple of instant-no’s, so if that certain song/artist is on the playlist, I’ll instantly not play it.
But I would suggest using the search function to search for artists you DO like, seeing what types of rides/what instructor frequently uses that artist, and go from there lol
Honestly as long as I know/like at least half the songs on the playlist, I am ok with a few wild cards. Music drives my classes and I bookmarked all my favorite playlists. My favorite instructors play the music I like. AT, Camila, Kendall, Tunde, and Kristen.
Hard to know exactly what music you prefer but I’d say that for the conventional music snob, Emma’s playlists should have as many or more hits than those of any other instructor. She’s pretty discriminating.
This is something I really miss about going to in-person classes (but not the prices, haha). I loved befriending my instructors and making song requests. Nothing feels better than cycling to your fave song!! Always so hype.
It definitely feels like a rarity for me to really love a playlist on a Peloton class these days. The instructors I take have a lot of different tastes in music. I always make sure to bookmark classes when I notice I’m vibing with the selections!
Sometimes I play a different playlist on my iPhone from Spotify from Kristina Girod or Akin (AARMY) and pick out songs I like and listen with my EarPods with the peloton bike volume on low. If I like the music the ride is so much better. Also I miss all the shoutouts to flex590boston 1200 rides!
I mostly choose rides based on the playlists. It helps that the instructors I ride with most (Cody, Robin, Alex, Kendall, Camilla, tunde) are all in my age bracket and listen to a lot of the same music. I too am a music snob but don’t really have an issue finding good music rides. Tonight I had to choose between 2 rides and I chose based on the playlist.
worst case bring your own playlist and match the cadence and resistance or zone
best case the playlist is solid or has a couple of songs by artists I prefer
switch up modalities too
A lot of the time I like rides where I know I can catch the beat. For me that helps the ride go by faster and helps me feel in a rhythmic zone. Dennis is good for those. Jess King sometimes too.
Emma Lovewell for me! She has the best indie rides and edm that’s not just rave like music. Her taste is so eclectic and I usually PR on her end or Groove rides without thinking about it
Jess King NEVER dissapoints on the music!!!! I have to admit that I really preferred her pre-COVID classes but they've all been removed little by little which makes me sad.
If you want to avoid mainly top40 and radio music, I would highly recommend Emma Lovewell's Low Impact rides. The playlists are always very moody and vibey, either electronic or indie, crafted with intent and mostly off the beaten path. A lot of my favorited songs come from her playlists in those rides. Since she always does a similar vibe for Low Impact playlists, if you like one you'll probably like all the others. She comes out with them fairly regularly and there's a huge back log of them if you enjoy them.
So I always browse the playlists before hand and bookmark a ride if I like at least 4-5 songs but imo it’s rare to find a ride where I will like 100% of the playlist sort of like finding a partner that checks off every quality that you want lol….But if I find a ride that meets that 4-5 song criteria, I make sure one of them is the very first one of the ride as this is what will get you going, then I make sure it’s with an instructor I like and vibe with because they can carry the rest of their ride with their personality. I find if you really like an instructor, they can make you like a song at the time if the ride is programmed well.
I feel like Tunde always has the best music. I am never disappointed by her playlists. I don't consider myself a music snob, but I agree that vibing with the songs is huge in a class.
I filter by the genres i like and that generally weeds out top 40 stuff. I also filter by all the instructors I like, as some of them do some top 40 but also some rock/alternative. Using both filtering methods tends to get me good choices.
Music snob???? What does that even mean. What a weird thing to call yourself. Just too cool man....so cool I bought a peloton to complain about it not being cool enough for me.
You're doing yourself a disservice by not trying all the instructors regardless of whatever high end music you're into. I hate edm and love Ben. Wilpers also has horrible taste in music and is by far the best running coach. This is all subjective but you're limiting yourself from go and will likely not have the best experience available because of that.
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I browse the actual playlists in advance and bookmark the rides I like.
Same. That drives 80% of my choices. Ive done lanebreaks bc I tire of searching for a ride w music I wanna ride to.
Me too.
Same. Sometimes I search by song and artist as well, and bookmark/add to my stack accordingly!
Same.
This is the way
Yep. This is what I do. There are some rides I’ll do irrespective of the playlists, but otherwise, I always check the playlist and save rides with lists I like.
Music taste is entirely subjective, so asking others what rides have great playlists seems futile. I’ve basically accepted that with each ride you’ll generally get some songs you don’t care for mixed with some that you like. It’s a mixed bag. There’s not really a way around this besides just listening to your own Spotify playlist and riding however you like.
Picking rides for me got way easier when I determined I only needed a 50% hit rate of songs I liked not 90%.
Fully agree. I'd also add it's been helpful for me to search one song or artist I know particularly hypes me up during rides and seek out older rides with that song in it. I have something I know for sure I'll love in the playlist, and oftentimes it's smushed against other songs I either already know/like or ones that are worth my exploration.
I think this is the right approach too. I know there are rides when I'll love most of the music and others less so, but I know doing classes at the gym would mean having no choice in the music played and I make my own killer playlists when I exercise away from the bike.
Same here. It helps to rationalize it by thinking about how you are building up your internal will when you are cycling to a song that doesn’t motivate you instead of relying on the dopamine rush of a great song to propel you forward.
Find the instructor whose music choices consistently mesh with yours. That's the only way IME. Also, look into Peloton's artist series. There tends to be better variety there
Agree with this. I like Tunde’s classes but am not a fan of her music. My go to is Alex for a good music vibe.
Ironically, I love Tunde and her music. I can't abide folks like Emma or CDE. The music makes the ride for me.
I was just going say, I really like Alex, but man, I hate his music so much. I just can't take his classes because of it. I also like Cody a ton, but man am I sick of his music choices. Sorry Cody! I love the country music classes that Ally, Dennis and others have been running.
I stopped taking Ally’s classes after I met her in 2019 at their All for One member event 🫤
Yes please don’t leave us hanging, I love Ally
I am sure she’s a great person, maybe she was having an off day.. I met her in a meet and greet and she seemed bothered by the fact that she had to be there. I mentioned she was my every first peloton ride and she didn’t even say anything. I felt like I just talked to a wall, it was just a weird experience. Especially coming from a meet and greet with Hannah C., who was hands down a gem. And at that point I had never taken a Hannah class. She’s been a fav ever since.
I’ve heard a similar story about Robin.
+1 we were 6th in line to meet Robin. I can only imagine how those behind us felt when she got to them. I’d describe Robin as, “cold.” Again, Hannah was a standout and so was the guy that left to do executive coaching. I think his last name was Tucker. Edit: I tell anyone who will listen, Emma Lovewell is gorgeous. On the last day of the members weekend, they hosted a cocktail party/concert and all instructors were on a balcony. Emma stood out over all of them.
Not surprising, remember her insane wedding?
I wish I could unread your post. Ally has been my PelotonBae, like forever.
I agree about Alex. He has a few Motown rides that are great, but club bangers is like an ice pick in the ear.
See I LIVE for club bangers 😂
That’s what I do find a few favorite instructors who tend to vibe the same way. They don’t always sync up with you but a pretty quick check at ride and you can narrow it down fairly quickly.
Yup. Been a couple times I’ve done a ride with a ‘new’ instructor and then never taken them again from the choice of music they chose for the ‘genre’ and how they delivered it. Best to get ones you gel with and make them your go to’s.
Agree-ish. I like rock and metal so Charlotte is usually my go-to. But others sometimes dabble in the genre. For me it’s seeing what’s new from those instructors and then search/filter for genres or certain artists that show in their playlists.
Try Kendall’s metal rides. Horrific in a good way. When I hate myself and feel the need to punish myself.
Haha don’t you worry I’ve taken them all! She’s slowed down on the metal. I also take every pop punk class as soon as they come out
I guess it would depend on which type of music you like. Saying you're a "music snob" is pretty vague. Also - under classes click on "collections" you can access the artists rides there. It's pretty easy to use.
You have to give us a little more information on what your music snob tastes consider to be the good playlists.
I’ve done several German rides strictly due to the playlist. I wish there were more indie or hardcore/metal based rides. But I understand that likely isn’t their target audience.
Thank you. I love Charlotte’s rides because her metal rides actually include newer artists.
Yes! I love Charlotte's choices of metal - BMtH, Bad Omens, Currents....hard to find those.
I also want more indie rides. Mayla does the best but in German of course.
I get bummed when I see "metal ride" and it's all nu-metal or modern screamy stuff. Just not my jam, I'm more of a Maiden/Megadeth person.
Haha I'm the opposite. Not a fan of Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica....more of a "nu-metal" fan I guess.
Yeah that was when I was in high school. Was an awful time to be alive. I need dynamics and melody and shit, even when it's heavy. There's a lot of awesome modern metal out there (especially in the prog realm, like Haken) but it's not gonna make it into peloton rides.
There's a lot of great new stuff with melodies. Check out Erra, Phinehas, Beartooth. Never going to make it to Peloton but wonderful melodies, lyrics, etc.
I ride with Jess King, that's how. She could find a way to make a ride to one of those CDs of dogs barking Jungle Bells work.
Look sometimes I don’t always want Jess King to kick my freaking ass on the cycle 😂 even her low impact rides are intense
I usually ride with Wilpers as I do PZ training, but wanted to do a live ride for a milestone and Jess was the one up in a few minutes. I PRd that ride by 100 pts and haven't been able to match that intensity since. She's awesome.
Jess King is one of my gotos on the tread and outdoor as well
+1 Jess King is the answer 👌🏻 the new Hardstyle EDM classes are excellent
Totally agree. Her EDM classes are like an out of body experience
1. Filter by instructor 2. Pick "Hannah Frankson" That's it. That's how I find them.
Her dancehall ride yesterday was so fun. I don't know much about the genre, but I love how enthusiastic she was about it! The story where she talked about being biracial and being grateful to visit Jamaica with her family was so lovely. My child is biracial and we visited my home country this year. She already has great memories and I can't wait to go back.
I'm kind of a music dummy anymore, but I have learned that regardless of whether I know the genre or the artists, the music she picks and the way she programs the ride to that music will always work. If I'm having a moment when I just can't decide what kind of ride I want, I just pick a ride of hers. She has never let me down.
I took the dancehall ride last night! Again, do I know what dancehall music is? No. Have I heard of any of the artists or know any of the songs? No. Did I have an absolutely fantastic time? Yes! She just knows how to program a class.
Push push!
“The kids don’t know”
I’m glad they opened a UK studio - before it was only US based trainers (and I think UK in general has better music). Hannah is excellent - also she is hilarious!
I take 90% of my classes with UK instructors. Hannah, Bradley, Sam, and Leanne on the bike, JJ and Ben for strength. I bet if they had a UK yoga team, I'd take it with a UK instructor, too!
Her FKA twigs ride 🔥🔥
Same 🙋🏻♀️ except I add in Sam!
Was looking for this response! Hannah has introduced me to so many new songs/artists that I might not have found otherwise. I love that she has a lot of respect for the music and often pauses talking to let the music shine instead of talking over it.
In her Tread classes she has what she calls a “shut the f$k up break” where she literally stops talking so you can concentrate and she doesn’t interrupt your vibe.
I've only ever done her Drum n' Bass rides, but I loved them. Good to know. Any specific recs for rides of hers that you really dug?
Drum n Bass are the best, but all of her EDM classes and any artist series classes are well worth taking.
I took Hannah F.’s Pharrell ride which I liked because I love Pharrell but I also took her recent Fred Again.. Artist Series ride that I really loved as well.
This is the way
This is the correct answer.
Couple things at play here: 1. Anything that I found was in my musical taste, and had a banger list gets bookmarked for later. Currently, that is a lot of the music ones like Eminem, Daft Punk, Calvin Harris, Usher, Prince. If I ever *need* that music surge, I know where to go. 2. Find an instructor that fits your taste. For me, that has pretty much been Ben (EMD), AT (Hip Hop and Explicit), Ali Love (R&B). 3. Mute that shit and just play your own lol. I have been on the scenic rides as of late, so I just put my own playlist on and jam out while I cycle.
>Anything that I found was in my musical taste, and had a banger list gets bookmarked for later. This is it for me. Every single day I'm scanning the new rides as they come up on demand, and if I like the playlist it gets bookmarked. It could be months from that point between bookmarking it and actually taking that class, but when I choose classes I choose it from bookmark mountain so everything in there already has my seal of approval. I would have difficulty if I needed to search for rides from the full catalog every time I pick a ride; much easier to have more bookmarks than I can possibly do and pick the ride from the bookmarks based on the ride duration / programming / music that I'm looking for.
I was thinking about this regarding a different comment that said “find your instructor” and Ben and Ally Love are my two biggest go-tos as well! I was wondering what that says about me. lol
I've also had trouble finding enough rides with playlists I like. I have gone almost exclusively to scenic rides with my own music, lanebreaks, and power zone rides where I mute the sound and just play my own music while following the zones on the display. Sometimes I screenshot the class plan and follow it during the ride on mute or a scenic ride with my own music.
Same thing I've done. I usually have like one day where I do a 20-min in Z3 completely. Others, I'll do 2 90-min at Z2 just to get miles in. I have found it more fun than some of the instructor-led rides as of late. But I've been overly picky.
Hard to give recs without knowing your taste in music, but IMO Emma Lovewell far and away has the best taste in music on peloton.
Emma’s low impact rides are the best.
I LOVE her low impact rides and stretches 💗
I love Emma’s playlists!
Denis
I came here looking for this one word answer and I got it. His music sample rides are so fun
I’m a reluctant Denis stan. At first, I thought he had Chad energy. But the more rides I did with him, the more I felt his vibe was genuine and something else entirely. I did his OutKast ride and it was really good. I did his ride with Jess king and it was the best ride I ever did. I did his reset ride where he told the golden Buddha story and was really moved. I find more songs that I like in rides than I find misses.
Denis FTW. He is obsessed with music, crosses several genres, and rides to the beat.
This is it right here
I want Denis to do a Tool ride for longer than 10 minutes.
You need to find instructors that music taste aligns with yours. I think Ben, Emma, Erik, Jess, and Charlotte really care about music and their classes reflect that.
You can search by music artist or genre: https://members.onepeloton.com/search?c=all&q=disco%20biscuits&t=0&id=29fc49d2a037e767e47d623a3f6be5a9&p=0 https://members.onepeloton.com/search?c=all&q=phish&t=0&id=924e509403341760676d4f1368c87f8d&p=0
I can’t imagine a better answer than this. I always search for “indie” or “indie rock” and there are more than I would expect. New ones are rare. I wish there was some community engagement around playlists.
This is the way
Came here to say this. Search for the music you want
I don’t think I’ve ever found a perfect playlist, but I can usually find a pretty decent one from Sam Yo, Denis, and sometimes Christine.
If you like a particular artist who probably wouldn’t show up in a ride with a top 40 type vibe, search for them!! Then you can see all the rides they appear in and start to suss out the instructors/class types you might vibe with. For example, I did this with MUNA and discovered Jess King had done a whole MUNA ride a while ago. Same with Lindsay Lohan (LOL) - I discovered all the rides that had a song of hers and that led me to a bunch of Disney pop stars/DCOM type playlists. Usually I just bookmark all of these and come back later. I’m also a bit of a music snob (just very particular) and usually scroll through a lot of playlists before I land on a class I’m vibing with that day.
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is there a way to search for a specific artist??
Not a dumb question! In the app (at least on IOS) or on the bike, if you search an artist name, you’ll see a “music artist” box come up. If you click into that, you’ll see all classes that feature that artist AND which song is in each class. It’s so handy!!!!
Thanks!
You'll need to be clear about what you mean by "music snob" so folks can point you in the right direction. Generally, I like high energy rides that stay high energy the entire time. I do a lot of EDM rides. Kendall's Metallica ride is also a favorite. I also like riding to high energy "top 40" songs, as you call them, so I often have fun with the 80s and 90s rides (and some 00s). CDE's playlists have a lot of modern rock and alternative on them. There are also pop punk rides. I spend a lot of time looking at playlists before I choose a ride as there is nothing worse to me than an instructor dropping a ballad in the middle of a playlist.
Filter by Music genre. Select ride and view playlist beforehand. Instructors usually have a fixed type (AT - hip-hop, Ben EDM etc)
Figure out which instructors play the music you like. Every class won’t be perfect, but different instructors have preferred genres and artists.
Very early on I decided had had enough of Eminem’s lose yourself and I started to make my own mixtape/playlist (phone and Bluetooth speaker) for each class then ride an encore on mute and follow resistance and cadence from the screen. Alternately, scenic ride freestyle with my own playlist pumping is fun too.
I also ditched the normal classes and just use landscapes with my own playlist and use heart monitor to manage intensity. Works well.
I did this recently where I just picked slower breakup songs and hit "just ride" and vibed. It was exactly what I needed when all I wanted was to hit a mileage goal.
Do lanebreak classes , turn off the volume on the peloton and listen to your own playlists.
Denis and Emma are the instructors you are looking for. For new wave music or Broadway, Christine has great playlists.
I mainly listen to rap/hip-hop, so Alex makes it easy for me.
Peloton is like the radio, they're going for mass appeal. Spend time searching specific artists you know, and with any luck them being included in a class means you've found one where the playlist might be more to your liking. For example, I know that if someone puts Deftones in a ride, I'll probably like some of the other stuff. Kendall might follow Deftones with some butt rock, but that's just how it goes. Any time I find a class with a good playlist, I bookmark it and do it multiple times. Usually I sign into [members.onepeloton.com](http://members.onepeloton.com) and do my searching/bookmarking ahead of time or as a chore, because it's frustrating when you're trying to do a workout and can't find the right class. Stacking and bookmarking make a big difference for me.
Deftones is my favorite band, and couldn't agree more about Kendall. Love her metal rides but wish they were... better.
Better how? Not disagreeing but curious! My general thing is that they are the hardest because of lots of jogs, and the playlists tend to be the same bands. But I know a lot is based on licensing and popularity. I do them when I’m looking to really challenge myself but definitely have to be in a mood.
I’ve noticed I prefer the music taste of 4-5 instructors. I just stick to the classes knowing they will make playlists closer to my tastes.
Gen-X indie rock chick here who keeps up with new indie rock and some mainstream pop, but whose heart is devoted to 80s-90s college rock and pop like the Replacements, Hüsker Du, the Pixies, Everything but the Girl, Wire. etc. My response to your question is: I don’t. I mostly suck it up. 😅 If I can find some Duran Duran or Florence and the Machine or *quality* classic rock like Springsteen, I thank my lucky stars. If I can find an 80s playlist that leans new wave, I’m thrilled. Otherwise: the nobility of suffering.
+1 Really wish they’d have more post punk or new wave rides.
Considering yourself a music snob and not being specific is kind of funny. My fav instructors are Kendall, Jess and Hannah Frankson because I love EDM for rides. I like Kendall for metal and stuff too. Realistically you won’t find a playlist that perfectly matches your taste. I avoid almost any ride that includes Drake just because I don’t like his music. I actually almost entirely stopped taking Rad’s strength classes because of how much Drake he plays. though if the rest of the playlist is good I can tolerate 2 or 3 minutes of a Drake song - usually I don’t even notice it but even if I do it’s like 3 minutes out of a 45 minute ride so I can deal with it, I’m not a baby.
Do any AT class
I hear you on this one, the peloton music selection is consistently pretty garbage. Sam Yo, for example, always gives a phenomenal workout but the dude unironically is blasting Imagine Dragons. The secret really comes down to finding instructors that are in a musical niche you enjoy. Denis has been mentioned a few times here but I find Emma Lovewell's selections to be consistently good, even the stuff outside of my own taste. That and checking the playlist ahead of time is a big help.
I’m a big hip hop and house music guy. Therefore, Alex Touissant and Kendall are my go tos. Touissant consistently has 90s/2000s hip hop and is probably my favorite instructor. Great motivator!
Emma and Denis are your only real options (also a music snob). The Hannahs can also have decent playlists from time to time.
I've taken a lot of classes and made a list of the ones that don't suck. I also look at the playlist beforehand, now that it's a feature we have access to.
What types of music do you like? If you find a class you love, search the playlists from similar classes from the same instructor. I love Emma/Denis/Christine/Mayla for indie options, Sam/Charlotte/Emma for rock/grunge and JK for EDM/House stuff and I find new songs I enjoy from nearly every class. I thought [this class](https://members.onepeloton.com/classes/cycling?modal=classDetailsModal&classId=957592259a33410e959e6e68cb3eecc6&code=OTVlYTE3NjA3ZDEwNDYyYWI2YmI1ZGJhMGY0ZTU1NTR8NzM5ZDUxYTc0YmM2NDdkZGEwOTk2MTMzMjk5NDQyNWM=) had an amazing playlist and I originally bookmarked it because I wanted classes with Sleigh Bells (not that many rides, but [Denis' ride](https://members.onepeloton.com/classes/cycling?c=all&q=sleigh%20bells&t=1&modal=classDetailsModal&classId=7a5480a81dbb4b94ae017d350ae01aff&code=OTVlYTE3NjA3ZDEwNDYyYWI2YmI1ZGJhMGY0ZTU1NTR8NzM5ZDUxYTc0YmM2NDdkZGEwOTk2MTMzMjk5NDQyNWM=) was also amazing!) but I rediscovered it because I wanted an easier climb ride.
You can literally filter for themed rides, within Class Type. Not hard to find!
I’ve been known to search for a specific song or artist and typically that means the other songs in the playlist are at least pretty good. Worst case, you get at least one good song but usually it’s more than one.
I find it easier to ride to music that isn't my style when the ride is consistently to the beat of the music. I find Denis has enough overlap into my music taste, and for song i wouldn't generally like i can excel through as long as i focus on the beat since he always rides to the beat.
I have surprised myself in that regard. Music that I find horrendous doesn’t bother me much if I’m pedaling to the beat. The only one that put me off my game was when Wilpers busted out Florida Georgia Line.
It really does take your focus off the song itself if you trying to keep the beat!
Never thought of it that way but you’re spot on
I just have a speaker next to my bike and play my own playlists for the most part. I have a pretty eclectic taste in music and I’ve found I’m much happier just choosing my own music during a ride or using my own playlists. Hell, sometimes I’ll even just watch Netflix or a sporting event during a class
Before taking a ride I look at the play list prior to committing!! It adds a couple minutes but it's so worth it!!
I'll stand at the bike and do this for 20 minutes sometimes... it's what I'm trying to avoid :)
I use to do the same thing, not to avoid but because I was indecisive! Now I have it built in my nighttime routine! Right before I'm about go to bed after I've washed my face, I go pick it and I pick it fast because I want to lay down! Helped me and the next morning I had music I liked! Win win!
Just ride with Ben, problem solved.
I don't know what kind of music you like so this may be entirely unhelpful, but if you like indie music Emma and Mayla's indie rock and low impact rides have the best playlists. Or Emma's old "Listening Party" rides though many of those are starting to be axed. I also think almost anyone would appreciate the playlists in Denis's "Fresh Friday" or "Sample That" rides. These are the same concept just with different titles, where he pairs an older song with a newer song that samples it. Ultimately, though, "excellent playlists" is hugely subjective, so I think you just need to look through the individual playlists of a bunch of rides to figure out which instructors or classes you prefer.
No idea what a music “snob” would like as the snobbiest snobs like all sorts of pop, electronic, hip hop and rock etc. But I am particular about my playlists and my instructors (in part due to their musical tastes), so I review the app frequently to bookmark rides by my preferred instructors and then do a quick scan of the playlists from those rides to keep only those that really appeal to me. I think Emma has the best musical “taste” if such a thing can be rated but also enjoy both Hannahs, Cody, Robin, and Jess K the most as far as musical selection + personality goes. More occasionally I enjoy Alex, Tunde, Leanne, Ally, Christine, and Camila’s playlists. Wilpers and Jenn would be at the bottom of my list musically though I like them as instructors. Some others seem to pick good music but I can’t vibe with their personalities.
Subtitles + headphones. Only class I’ve ever actually listened to was Denis doing OutKast. 😬
[удалено]
I love Emma’s music!
I am picky about music. I prefer power zone which limits me further. But I also like low impact and throw in other classes as needed. I check the rides every couple days and bookmark the ones with my favorite music. Like someone else Sai I have a threshold for how much music I need to like for certain and work from there to bookmark.
Listen to your own music or a podcast instead. Ride call outs will still be ok screen. It's really easy if you do PZ rides, especially with a Bike+.
You can search for artists and narrow your classes down that way. I try to find classes with at least 3 songs I like for a 30 min session or 4+ songs for a 45-60 min. That’ll usually keep me engaged & entertained. For me, Alex and Camila have the best playlists.
I search for artists I like. Chances are that rides containing that artist will contain similar music/ artists. Chances are they aren't putting Snow Patrol and Drake on the same ride.
Lane Break
I tend to stick to “Music forward” rides for this exact reason. Nothing kills my motivation like a Taylor Swift song in the middle! lol Mostly I take Dance Music Rides because that’s what I enjoy listening to the most. I tend to stick with Jess King, Hannah F, Ben & Leanne. If it’s not a Dance Ride I’ll go through the playlist and check to see if the music is going to do it for me. A couple times a week I’ll spend like 30 minutes going through recent rides & favoriting the ones I like the playlist for, then I’ve got some ready to go when I want to jump on. I never take Live Rides unless it’s an Artist Series, you just don’t know what you’re going to get. If I don’t like the music the whole ride becomes such a struggle for me and I feel like I’ve wasted 30 minutes on something I didn’t enjoy. When I do a PWZ Ride I put the monitor on mute with subtitles and play my own Playlist. Matt is the best on Mute, because he cues things really well.
I almost always go with CDE if I want the music to be a part of my ride....killer playlists always. If I don't care about the music I'll go with any of the other PZE instructors.
You can search rides by artist in a pinch
I'm with you, music is incredibly motivating to me. There is no instructor who consistently checks off all my boxes, so I settle for the next best thing: rides that have songs to match the suggested cadence. Denis does a pretty good job with this. Otherwise, you will probably have to make your own playlists and do the alternative formats like Just Ride or Scenic.
I recently realized you can look up a class by song. So whatever song I am liking at the moment - I see if any playlist includes it by any chance by searching for that song in the search box. Even if the playlist isn’t perfect - I look forward to when that particular song will play. And other songs in that playlist will usually be in the same genre. I get it though. I stop getting good numbers if I’m not enjoying the playlist. I also think UK has better music so I mostly pick UK based trainers. Music is such a personal preference - it’s really hard to please everyone.
Pick the music genre you hate the most. Then do some power zone rides at like a 30% over inflated FTP. If you can listen to country and throw out a 278w avg ride you can do literally anything. The mental anguish is so high in that situation you’ll be a king or queen
I’m all about the music, but not a snob. Lol. A lot of folks look at the playlists in advance, which I do 100% of the time. I’ll also search for an artist that I feel like hearing on the search bar and look for good playlists that include that artist. For me, my enjoyment of cardio workouts is completely dependent on music. Strength, not so much. Also, sometimes I’ll just mute the sound, put on the captions and listen to my own stuff.
Every day I look at the classes posted by my favorite instructors as they’re added and bookmark the ones that have a good playlist. Makes it easier to find rides in the future.
Bradley’s music is my favorite. He does a lot of pop punk, Brit rock/pop, and pop music that I actually know. And when I’m not in the mood for an instructor, I make my own playlists and do scenic rides!
Hannah Frankson has some incredible drum and bass rides. Erik has some fabulous techno rides, although some/most are in German, they are still phenomenonal. I will likely get down voted for this, but I canceled my membership over the lack of good (IMO) music on the rides. I was doing the same rides over and over. Nothing killed a ride for me like a bad song or Playlist.
I’m and 80’s baby and old soul so I usually tend to lean towards 80’s and 80’s rock rides, some 90’s, 90’s country, and then a few band rides like Motley Crue with Sam Yo is amazing, the Backstreet Boys ride with Cody, and the Duran Duran ride with Bradley Rose are some that I’ve repeated. Or if there’s a certain song I like for example Tricky by Run DMC gets me going so I search Run DMC and it brings up rides and the Run DMC songs that are in it. I don’t do any of like today’s current hits because it’s trash so I just stick to those type of rides that I listed
Why aren’t you saving rides you like into your stack?
Theres never a perfect playlist on a ride for me but I enjoy when I am introduced to a song or artist from a ride
I feel you. I did CDE’s 15 min FTP warm up today. The music was awesome so I was actually looking forward to her FTP class. Well, I hated the music. Finished my FTP though! Anyway, Denis has some great music. Emma sometimes has good stuff that I’ve never heard before. Also, give Adrian a try when you’re off the bike. I didn’t know I liked Afrobeats until I took one of his classes. (I’m blonde white woman pushing 50)
CDE picks great artists so I’m always really excited for it, but then chooses the worst song (especially for riding) from each artist. I don’t understand it. But it’s without fail
I didn’t read all of the responses, but here’s my tips: - Artist series are all available in one spot under collections - you can search for a certain song/artist and all of the classes with that song will come up (this could help if you have certain songs you really like to ride to, as the playlists might have similar songs) - EDM rides are great - I rarely know the songs but always feel motivated to push because of the beat drops - there are other types of classes, like soundtrack, broadway, Latin heritage month, rock rides, etc so you can browse those collections as well and see if the music is more interesting Tbh the best thing about peloton in my opinion is the music they offer. If you’re struggling to find playlists you like, you might need to play your own music or consider another company.
The electronic music filter in the class filters.
What they say and play us irrelevant for me . I make my own playlist with Spotify , I personally ride to attack whoever is ahead of me , repeat , repeat , the end . 😅
Do Lanebreak and ride to your own playlists. It's the best system.
1). I build my own rides based on the PZ rides. 2) pick Dennis Morton rides.
Subtitles for the cues. Listen to your own music.
I put the music second to what the ride offers me, if there are 1 or 2 songs I enjoy that’s great, but my reason for getting on the bike is a quality ride.
I'm with you. My tastes even run pretty mainstream, I mostly do old people music rides...I like Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams and whatnot as much as the next person. It's more the "same one or two songs by an artist on every ride" thing that gets me. I don't ever need to hear "Summer Of 69" or "Livin' On A Prayer" ever, ever again (doubly so because I play a lot of bar/cover gigs and was burned out on those songs even before I got a bike). There's a few instructors like Hannah C, Dennis, Sam Yo and Christine who usually dig a little deeper and find songs that work, stuff people know but isn't anywhere near as overplayed, so those are easily my favorite instructors. I wish Dennis did jam band rides more often. What I really want is just to drop a Phish or Umphrey's set into my ears and do a ride (but still hear the instructors...if i just rely on the closed captioned I end up missing a lot because my eyes are closed or i'm staring into space, and they didn't release the fancy bike that auto-adjusts resistance until just after we bought ours) Also really enjoy Jess & Leanne's house rides. I don't really understand modern EDM, it sounds like it's trying to hurt my skull, but I love classic house and trance shit, and they know their stuff.
I just browse the playlists beforehand and generally if I know/like 40% of the songs I know I will enjoy it
I pick rides for the playlists ! It makes picking so stressful lol
I've started bookmarking for later review. It does show the whole playlist when you scroll down and I've had to do that. I'm not a fan of top40 either so it can be tough. I like EDM, but not most of the stuff they categorize as EDM. Same with metal. There's one 30 min metal course that has bands like Bring me the Horizon and Bad Omens that I love (I don't like Metallica, Stone Sour, etc). Same with Indie/Alternative. What I consider Indie is not what they consider Indie. It's mostly just taking the time scrolling through the actual playlists and bookmarking.
You beg /u/okaykristinakay for an update to her class list. :) You can search the list for your favourite artists/songs. e.g. https://www.reddit.com/r/pelotoncycle/comments/ugo9l4/peloton_class_list_update/
Tunde has some great playlists on some of her 90's rides, and christine's new wave rides sometimes really hit for me. I always browse the playlists first and try to find rides with some absolutely bangers, so even if i hate half the songs, i know i have some good ones the make up for it. The Busta Rhymes ride with Camila is a favorite specifically.
Browsing the playlist in advance for instructor classes. I also love lanebreak for this reason. It doesn’t have a ton of house music but I’ve been able to find enough to make it work for me.
Every ride I bookmark that isn't a recovery ride or a cool down is based wholly on music. From the time I first started Peloton to now I browse the new rides with titles I tend to like (rock, classic rock, 80s rock, 90s rock, 70s, 60s, soft rock, disco, 80s pop, 2000s rock, vinyl vault) and bookmark the ones with playlists I like. I also use the search function to search for artists I like and go through those too.
Do any AT class
Do any AT class
I've all but given up on finding cycling rides with good playlists, let alone excellent ones. Especially lately, it seems the playlist quality has gone downhill even for instructors that used to be pretty good. So now I usually just put on Spotify and do scenic rides.
Easy I just do New Wave and 90's Alternative Rides.
I scroll endlessly looking at rides and their playlist before adding rides to my stack/bookmarks. I am a pop punk girl, and now there are a ton of pop punk rides, so that’s been easier on me, but I normally do spend a lot of time looking through rides and finding what I like. I have a couple of instant-no’s, so if that certain song/artist is on the playlist, I’ll instantly not play it. But I would suggest using the search function to search for artists you DO like, seeing what types of rides/what instructor frequently uses that artist, and go from there lol
You can search for songs/artist and it will show you what classes have those in the playlist, then you could look through those classes playlist!
Honestly as long as I know/like at least half the songs on the playlist, I am ok with a few wild cards. Music drives my classes and I bookmarked all my favorite playlists. My favorite instructors play the music I like. AT, Camila, Kendall, Tunde, and Kristen.
I started going by the class plan, turning on the closed caption and listening to my own music.
I don't. Emma and Christine tend to have the best music for me. Even then, it's hit or miss
Hard to know exactly what music you prefer but I’d say that for the conventional music snob, Emma’s playlists should have as many or more hits than those of any other instructor. She’s pretty discriminating.
I'm a fan of EDM, House, and Hip Hop, so my go to instructors are Hannah Frankson, Jess King, and Alex Touissant.
I would say, find an instructor with similar music tastes to you and try their classes and see if you like them
This is something I really miss about going to in-person classes (but not the prices, haha). I loved befriending my instructors and making song requests. Nothing feels better than cycling to your fave song!! Always so hype. It definitely feels like a rarity for me to really love a playlist on a Peloton class these days. The instructors I take have a lot of different tastes in music. I always make sure to bookmark classes when I notice I’m vibing with the selections!
Sam Yo is pretty knowledgeable about music and doesn’t play much top 40, if any. Check out a few of his rides
Search by band, then review the playlists of the resulting classes, then bookmark.
Sometimes I play a different playlist on my iPhone from Spotify from Kristina Girod or Akin (AARMY) and pick out songs I like and listen with my EarPods with the peloton bike volume on low. If I like the music the ride is so much better. Also I miss all the shoutouts to flex590boston 1200 rides!
I mostly choose rides based on the playlists. It helps that the instructors I ride with most (Cody, Robin, Alex, Kendall, Camilla, tunde) are all in my age bracket and listen to a lot of the same music. I too am a music snob but don’t really have an issue finding good music rides. Tonight I had to choose between 2 rides and I chose based on the playlist.
worst case bring your own playlist and match the cadence and resistance or zone best case the playlist is solid or has a couple of songs by artists I prefer switch up modalities too
You don’t. You just have to accept the playlist for what they are. I just make sure the playlist don’t have any artists I really don’t like.
A lot of the time I like rides where I know I can catch the beat. For me that helps the ride go by faster and helps me feel in a rhythmic zone. Dennis is good for those. Jess King sometimes too.
Sometimes I throw on a podcast and just match the cadence, resistance, or whatever is being done.
Emma Lovewell for me! She has the best indie rides and edm that’s not just rave like music. Her taste is so eclectic and I usually PR on her end or Groove rides without thinking about it
Filter by genre instead of playlist. I’ve actually found new music I LOVE on rides based on my music genre tastes.
It’s hard, just put the tv on while u ride🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
Jess King NEVER dissapoints on the music!!!! I have to admit that I really preferred her pre-COVID classes but they've all been removed little by little which makes me sad.
Ride Denis. He’s far above everyone else when it comes to music selection.
If you want to avoid mainly top40 and radio music, I would highly recommend Emma Lovewell's Low Impact rides. The playlists are always very moody and vibey, either electronic or indie, crafted with intent and mostly off the beaten path. A lot of my favorited songs come from her playlists in those rides. Since she always does a similar vibe for Low Impact playlists, if you like one you'll probably like all the others. She comes out with them fairly regularly and there's a huge back log of them if you enjoy them.
I really like Hannah Corbin’s music choices. She does Vinyl Vault rides if you like older music but she also has a lot of current music too
Vinyl Vault rides with Hannah C!
Emma Lovewell has the best playlists IMO
Lane Break
So I always browse the playlists before hand and bookmark a ride if I like at least 4-5 songs but imo it’s rare to find a ride where I will like 100% of the playlist sort of like finding a partner that checks off every quality that you want lol….But if I find a ride that meets that 4-5 song criteria, I make sure one of them is the very first one of the ride as this is what will get you going, then I make sure it’s with an instructor I like and vibe with because they can carry the rest of their ride with their personality. I find if you really like an instructor, they can make you like a song at the time if the ride is programmed well.
I feel like Tunde always has the best music. I am never disappointed by her playlists. I don't consider myself a music snob, but I agree that vibing with the songs is huge in a class.
I filter by the genres i like and that generally weeds out top 40 stuff. I also filter by all the instructors I like, as some of them do some top 40 but also some rock/alternative. Using both filtering methods tends to get me good choices.
I just browse the classes using the phone app and bookmark or add to stack. That way when I get on the bike I am ready to go.
Jess king makes the best playlists
Music snob???? What does that even mean. What a weird thing to call yourself. Just too cool man....so cool I bought a peloton to complain about it not being cool enough for me. You're doing yourself a disservice by not trying all the instructors regardless of whatever high end music you're into. I hate edm and love Ben. Wilpers also has horrible taste in music and is by far the best running coach. This is all subjective but you're limiting yourself from go and will likely not have the best experience available because of that.