Music to take on the world with!

November 13, 2012 12:35 AM

Songs to make me strong! What music sets you up for the day ahead?

Going through a tough time at work recently and under a lot of pressure, I've realised some good inspirational music on the way to work can at least help me not to feel defeated before I even arrive. When I say inspirational, I'm not talking profound as such - I find David Guetta-Titanium and Katy Perry-Firework to be two pretty good ones. Looking for more songs like those to add to my playlist and get me fired up to take on the world! What songs do it for you mefi?

posted by Mnky197 to Work & Money (32 answers total)

I find it pretty hard to maintain a downer when my head's echoing with Anne Of Cleves turned up loud.
posted by flabdablet at 1:07 AM on November 13, 2012

There is of course, the old standby - Mulan's I'll Make A Man Out Of You. It's my battle anthem when the going gets tough.
posted by titantoppler at 1:11 AM on November 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

If you like Titanium, you might like some other electronic music - Don't You Worry Child by SHM is good, City of Dreams by Alesso & Dirty South, In My Mind (Axwell's Mix)...

So Young So High, Rolling Stones T-Shirt and Feed the Dada by Dada Life are really great songs for getting pumped up. This is their soundcloud page.

If this is your thing, you can always send me a message. I've got a lot more!
posted by cyml at 1:24 AM on November 13, 2012

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead always makes me feel like I'm on a horse charging onto a battlefield, so, that!
posted by mannequito at 1:25 AM on November 13, 2012

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger
Christina Aguilera - Fighter
Unique II - Break My Stride
The Who - Baba O'Riley
U2 - Beautiful Day
Florence and the Machine - Shake It Out
Foo Fighters - Best of You
Christina Aguilera (feat. Lil Kim) - Can't Hold Us Down
Ricki Lee - Can't Touch It
Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
James Brown - I Feel Good
Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
posted by Defying Gravity at 1:44 AM on November 13, 2012 [4 favorites]

Harry Lauder's Keep Right On to the End of the Road
posted by rongorongo at 1:51 AM on November 13, 2012

If french isn't a problem (and it shouldn't be), les lacs du Connemara by Michel Sardou starts of tranquil and slow, but will have you marching out and conquering the world by the time you reach the 3' mark.
posted by Sourisnoire at 2:12 AM on November 13, 2012

if you don't feel like you are wearing armour after listening to the soundtrack from Conan the Barbarian then I can't help you!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:23 AM on November 13, 2012

Stronger and Power , both by Kanye. Also On to the Next One by Jay Z
posted by Fig at 2:31 AM on November 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Des'ree - You Gotta Be.
posted by essexjan at 3:16 AM on November 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Spencer Davis Group - Keep On Running
posted by Trivia Newton John at 3:45 AM on November 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Destiny's Child - Survivor
Matthew Wilder - Break my Stride
Guns N Roses - Welcome to the Jungle (the first 30 seconds, just like at the sporting events. Also, Axl...so young! Gah!)
posted by kimberussell at 4:22 AM on November 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

My wake-up playlists are pretty much always 212 by Azealia Banks and most of the Black Album by Jay-Z. The Kanye songs suggested above are really good also. Kanye, especially Graduation-era Kanye, is so confident it's hard for some of that not rub off.

Also:
Beyonce - Diva
Nicki Minaj - Beez in the Trap
posted by SoftRain at 4:26 AM on November 13, 2012

Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
posted by Telpethoron at 4:36 AM on November 13, 2012

I don't know about inspirational, but listening to rap (esp. the "gangster" variety) often makes me feel invincible and generally badass (see Office Space).

Geto Boys - Still
Wu-Tang - Protect Ya Neck
Nas - The World is Yours
Mobb Deep - Survival of the Fittest
Cannibal Ox - Scream Phoenix

These are a few that come to mind.

You might also want to try listening to The Go! Team. They're music is awesomely fun and energetic!

The Go! Team - Ladyflash
The Go! Team - Huddle Formation
posted by quosimosaur at 5:06 AM on November 13, 2012

Whenever I want to feel like a badass I play Battle Without Honor or Humanity. Works every time.
posted by bettafish at 5:55 AM on November 13, 2012 [2 favorites]

No YT links, sorry. On work computer. My playlist:

Queen - I Want It All

Muse - Uprising

Red Rider - Lunatic Fringe (yeah, Vision Quest)

Pearl Jam - Rearviewmirror

Pat Benatar - All Fired Up

Enigma - Push The Limits

Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench

The Police - Synchronicity 2

Bon Jovi - It's My Life
posted by skypieces at 5:56 AM on November 13, 2012 [2 favorites]

I have a whole playlist from when I was going through a similar phase (I think I named it "Quiet Strength and Perseverance, DAMMIT"). A couple of the ones have already been mentioned above ("Beautiful Day" and "Tubthumping"), so a couple more:

Great Big Sea, Ordinary Day
Johnny Nash, I Can See Clearly Now
Three Dog Night, Shambala (if you were a fan of the show Lost, you DEFINITELY need to use this)
INXS, The Stairs. For that one - the music is rockin', but pay close attention to the lyrics as well.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:57 AM on November 13, 2012

Gotta add the Foos "All My Life"
posted by skypieces at 5:58 AM on November 13, 2012 [2 favorites]

Not sure if these count as inspirational, but these songs set me up, get me smiling and make me feel ready for the day.

Cage the Elephant - Ain't No Rest For The Wicked
E.S Posthumous - Unstoppable
Andrew W.K - Get Ready to Die
posted by Inner Universe at 6:00 AM on November 13, 2012

Oh, DUH - you also want U2's Mysterious Ways and Get On Your Boots.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:02 AM on November 13, 2012

Sunshine even in the winter time is thoroughly provided by Avery*Sunshine and her I Got Sunshine (Mass Sheen Remix). The same rays are also provided in a slower fashion but the dosis and the results are the same: :-)
posted by KMB at 6:41 AM on November 13, 2012

Beyonce: Get Me Bodied, Single Ladies, Countdown, Run the World, Diva

Beyonce has a remarkable ability to motivate and empower IME.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 6:44 AM on November 13, 2012

Nothing beats This Too Shall Pass by OK Go. Some other options from my personal playlist:

Arcade Fire - Wake Up, Neighbourhood #1, We Used to Wait, Rebellion (Lies)...but particularly Wake Up

The Pixies - Where is My Mind?

Weezer - Keep Fishin'

The Beastie Boys - Sabotage (and large chunks of Ill Communication), particularly for a little anger to your energy

Rage Against The Machine - Renegades of Funk

Recently I've been using some up tempo classical music to keep me charging forward when I need to be productive. They're energetic enough that I find myself throwing an imaginary baton around. Some pieces I've discovered (still a neophyte in this area):

Mozart: Symphony No. 25
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
Schubert: Symphony No. 5
posted by dry white toast at 7:00 AM on November 13, 2012

Agreed with the gangsta rap. I have a playlist called "Training Montage" for just this sort of thing; it's a lot of gangsta rap.

I like Eminem too: the classic Lose Yourself; Rabbit Run...
posted by liet at 7:42 AM on November 13, 2012 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: All fantastic suggestions thank you! I feel tougher just reading them!
posted by Mnky197 at 10:09 AM on November 13, 2012

Uptight (Everything's Allright) by Stevie Wonder.
posted by immlass at 10:26 AM on November 13, 2012

Indigo Girls - Hammer and a Nail
posted by Lexica at 1:13 PM on November 13, 2012

For a solid couple months there, I started every morning with The The - This Is The Day on repeat.
posted by saul wright at 2:16 PM on November 13, 2012

Sing Sing Sing I like Benny Goodman's version best.
posted by marsha56 at 1:07 AM on November 14, 2012

Queen: Don't Stop Me Now

Janelle Monae: Cold War

Muse: Knights of Cydonia

The Who Won't Get Fooled Again ("Yeeeeeeeeeeeeahh!")

Oh man, I am pumped! Let's do this thing!
posted by mskyle at 6:40 AM on November 14, 2012 [1 favorite]

I dug out my own "inspirational playlist" CD just this morning, and was reminded of one more: The Call's Let The Day Begin.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:22 AM on November 26, 2012