Why do gyms play such crappy music?
The people who run my gym are a knowledgeable and helpful bunch. Aside from tips on exercise routines and general fitness, they’re happy to offer advice on running shoes, workout clothes and even sports drinks. But ask why they insist on pumping mind-numbing techno over the sound system and the best they’ll offer is a smile and a shrug. I wish they’d offer an explanation instead, because the metronomic, unmelodic music (which, at my gym, tends to come from a Jonathan Peters compilation) makes me want to chuck a free weight at the speakers. Unfortunately, my gym’s musical taste isn’t an anomaly. A spot check of several New York gyms revealed a preponderance of techno and electronica soundtracking the sweat.
