Spotify’s new Running Mode takes workout playlists to another level

Finding music for a run sounds easy until you actually try. Your favorite playlist might work perfectly for a relaxed jog, then feel completely wrong when you’re pushing through intervals. And after hearing the same handful of workout songs for the hundredth time, even a good playlist can start feeling painfully predictable.

Spotify thinks it has a better solution. Its new Running Mode is now rolling out to Premium subscribers using Android and iOS in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden, and rather than simply handing you another workout playlist, it builds one around the run you’re about to do. That means Spotify can factor in everything from how long you plan to run to the kind of workout you want, the music you like, and even the tempo that matches your stride.

Your playlist can now follow your workout’

Running Mode lives inside Spotify’s Fitness hub, where you can start by picking from 25 presets covering different workouts and music genres. If you only have 20 minutes before work, for example, you can jump into a simple Just Run session and get moving. If you’re following a more structured training routine, you can choose intervals, pyramid workouts, easier runs, and longer sessions. You can also adjust workout duration from 10 to 90 minutes.

The music gets just as customizable. You can pick genres such as pop, EDM, country, and hip-hop, then decide whether Spotify should stick mostly with familiar tracks or throw more discoveries into the mix. Things get even more interesting if you want to take control yourself. Running Mode uses Spotify’s Prompted Playlist feature, meaning you can actually edit the prompt being used to generate your soundtrack. You could ask Spotify to dig up songs you once loved but haven’t played recently, for instance, or request tracks shorter than three minutes. The resulting playlists refresh every day, although particularly good ones can be saved for another run.

Spotify can even match the music to your feet

The cleverest feature, though, might be Beat Matching. Instead of simply choosing energetic music and hoping it works, you can select a target beats-per-minute (BPM) figure and have Spotify find tracks that fit that rhythm. Spotify says 160 BPM is currently the most popular choice, while runners chasing a quicker cadence may prefer something around 170 to 180 BPM. You can even adjust song playback slightly so tracks stay aligned with your selected BPM. If the thought of Spotify messing with the speed of your favorite song sounds horrifying, you can leave that setting disabled and hear everything normally.

For more structured workouts, Running Mode can also sprinkle in optional English-language coaching cues. Those can provide guidance and encouragement during a session, or you can switch them off entirely when you’d rather hear nothing but music. And if you’ve ever spent longer choosing a workout playlist than actually warming up, that could be a surprisingly useful upgrade.