riot grrrl

Stopped analyzing, started running

By Rob Gordon

Here's the thing about riot grrrl and running: both are about refusing to be polite about your body taking up space. You're not jogging daintily around the lakefront - you're claiming territory. And you're sure as hell not doing it to some algorithmically optimized "motivation mix."\n\nI spent the '90s arguing with customers about whether Bikini Kill was "actually punk" or just "making a statement." Dumb argument. The statement WAS the punk. And now, twenty years later, I'm seven miles into a run and "Rebel Girl" comes on and suddenly I remember why I needed this music in the first place. It's not about nostalgia - it's about that specific energy that makes you run harder when you're already tired.\n\nThe tempo is deceptively perfect. Riot grrrl isn't thrash-fast; it's urgency-fast. Most tracks clock between 140-170 BPM, which is that sweet spot where you can sustain a hard effort without redlining. The Breeders understood groove in a way most punk bands didn't - "Cannonball" has this propulsive thing that makes mile repeats feel inevitable instead of punishing. Dog Party brings that same economics-of-energy approach: maximum impact, zero fat.\n\nBut here's what really matters: riot grrrl gives you permission to be pissed off while you run. Not fake-aggressive, not performing toughness - actually angry. And anger is fuel. When you're at mile six of a tempo run and your legs are filing a formal complaint, you don't need someone telling you you're strong and capable. You need Kathleen Hanna screaming that she's not interested in your opinion. You need Brody Dalle's voice like gravel and gasoline.\n\nLook at these playlist names: "MAD @ DAD." "PISSEDOFFEDNESS." That's the whole point. Running isn't always about zen and endorphins. Sometimes it's about channeling everything that's eating you into forward motion. Riot grrrl gets that.

11 playlists

Top 10 Riot grrrl Running Songs

These tracks appear across multiple curated riot grrrl running playlists.

  1. 1. Cannonball — The Breeders
  2. 2. 302 — The Lippies
  3. 3. A Pack Of Wolves — Black Eyes
  4. 4. ALIEN LOVE CALL — Blood Orange
  5. 5. About A Girl — Nirvana
  6. 6. Again — Girl Tones
  7. 7. Age of Consent - 2015 Remaster — New Order
  8. 8. All Babes Are Wolves — Spinnerette
  9. 9. All The Time — Radium Dolls
  10. 10. All The Way Dumb — Angel Du$t

Frequently Asked Questions

What pace does riot grrrl work best for?

Tempo runs and hard efforts, mostly. We're talking 140-170 BPM, which maps perfectly to that uncomfortable-but-sustainable zone where you're working but not sprinting. I've tried running easy pace to Bikini Kill and it's like trying to whisper along to a bullhorn - the music is telling your body to do something your training plan isn't. Save it for when you actually need to channel something. The Breeders work for steady-state efforts where you need to lock into a groove and stay there.

Is riot grrrl too aggressive for long runs?

Depends on what kind of long run you're doing and what kind of day you're having. If you're trying to run easy and conversational, yeah, probably - unless you're angry about something specific and need to work it out over ten miles. But for progression long runs or marathon-pace segments? Absolutely. That playlist called 'PISSEDOFFEDNESS' with seventeen tracks - that's practically built for the back half of a long run when positivity stops working. Dog Party keeps you honest without being exhausting.

Which riot grrrl artists should I start with for running?

Start with The Breeders - 'Last Splash' is a masterclass in propulsive rhythm that doesn't rely on speed. Then Dog Party, who bring that same stripped-down energy without the '90s baggage if you're not feeling nostalgic. From there, dive into a playlist like 'MAD @ DAD' or 'BRODY DALLE' - those titles tell you what emotional territory you're entering. If you came up on this music originally, you already know. If you didn't, just remember: this isn't background music. You're either in or you're out.

Does riot grrrl work for track workouts and intervals?

Not really, and here's why: intervals need precise tempo control and rest-recovery rhythm. Riot grrrl is more about sustained intensity than structured work-rest ratios. The energy doesn't come in convenient 400-meter packets. It builds and sustains. Save your riot grrrl for tempo runs, threshold work, or those runs where you're not watching splits - you're just going until it's done. That 'TURNSTILE' playlist might work for longer intervals like mile repeats, but for 200s and 400s? You want something more mechanical.

Why is riot grrrl having a moment in running playlists right now?

Because people are tired of being told exercise is self-care performed with a smile. Sometimes running is about being furious at the world and needing to put that somewhere productive. Riot grrrl never pretended otherwise - it was always about making noise, taking space, refusing to be easy to digest. That translates. Plus, newer bands like Dog Party prove this isn't just nostalgia-farming. The music still does the thing it always did: gives you permission to not be nice about your effort.