This article is part of All the Rage, an editorial package that digs into the science of anger. SELF will be publishing new articles for this series all week. Read more here.
There’s nothing quite like hitting the gym when you feel like you’re about to explode. Anger can make you feel powerful and, as SELF previously reported, there are physiological reasons for that. A spike in stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline, might actually make you feel like you can run faster, lift heavier, or just work out harder. There are plenty of reasons to temper that feeling of invincibility—namely, risk of injury—but rage workouts can be awesome because they often leave us feeling less angry afterward. Yup, that burning vexation gets replaced with satisfaction and a deep feeling of accomplishment. Pretty nice, right?
When the feeling strikes, we’ve got the perfect playlist to set the tone. These punk and rock songs span several decades—but they’ve all got a few things in common: screaming guitars, dynamic vocals, and solid, driving drum beats. We stacked the list with classics from The Runaways, Nirvana, Ozzy Osborne, and Alanis Morissette—but also threw in some newer hits from The Linda Lindas and Paramore. Though the playlist starts off strong, we hope that you finish your workout feeling a little calmer and clear-headed, which is exactly why we rounded out this list with upbeat tunes from The Strokes, Weezer, and The Verve.
Browse the tracks below on Spotify or keep scrolling for the complete playlist. Above all: We hope you lift, run, or cycle safely—and feel a helluva lot better when you reach your finish line.
Full playlist:
- “Cherry Bomb” by The Runaways
- “Breathe” by Prodigy
- “Heads Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- “Rebel Girl” by Bikini Kill
- “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the Machine
- “I Wanna Be Sedated” by The Ramones
- “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne
- “Celebrity Skin” by Hole
- “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins
- “Only Happy When It Rains” by Garbage
- “I Was a Teenage Anarchist” by Against Me!
- “Oh!” by The Linda Lindas
- “I Love Rock ’n Roll” by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
- “I Fought the Law” by The Clash
- “Basket Case” by Green Day
- “This Is Why” by Paramore
- “Monkey Wrench” by Foo Fighters
- “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette
- “Come As You Are” by Nirvana
- “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse
- “Howlin’ For You” by The Black Keys
- “Fell In Love With a Girl” by The White Stripes
- “Under Cover of Darkness” by The Strokes
- “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To” by Weezer
- “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by The Verve
