After a quick search I was surprised to find this hasn't really been covered here before. Personally I'm not yet at the stage of following the WODs as I'm rehabbing but I still need a little extra motivation to get on with it some times and the right music can make a big difference.
The run2rhythm site has some good information on the role of music in sports:
For a piece of music to truly inspire the listener, it must have strong rhythmic qualities that match the activity at hand and also a tempo which matches the predicted heart rate. The melody and harmony of the music should promote a positive mood state; that is, they should energize the listener and increase vigor. The music should also stem from the listener's socio-cultural background and comply with their preferences. Finally, it is ideal that for the music to be associated with physical activity either through the lyrics, e.g., Work Your Body!, or its association with other media such as film or TV. A classic example of such a track would be Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger", which was a theme from the Rocky series.
...the rhythmical qualities of music also emulate patterns of physical skills; therefore, music can enhance the acquisition of motor skills and create a better learning environment. There is evidence from both gymnastics and swimming in support of this (Chen, 1985; Jernberg, 1981).
Personally I like Hip Hop. It certainly has the "strong rhythmic qualities" but I have to admit it might not strictly stem from my "socio-cultural background"
I don't tend to go for music associated with physical activity through the lyrics as I find it a little too cheesey! But there's no arguing with "Eye of the Tiger"!
Some of my "go-to" tracks are:
Nas - One Mic remix with Ennio Morricone
Mylo - Drop the Pressure
OR, if I'm in the mood for something on the cheesier side:
La Roux - Bulletproof
What are your recommendations?
Maybe we can compile an ultimate Gymnastic Bodies playlist!