playlists – Lolakana

K-Pop Primer Sampler no.1

Nolan — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 23:20:29 +0000

If I spent less time thinking about K-pop since 2005, my jiu-jitsu would be better.

But here we are with another playlist for BJJ instead.

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K-pop is commercial music, and commercial music sucks.

At least it's supposed to, right? It's what the music snob in me says.

But I'm more of a music nerd than a snob nowadays, so I'll spend time thinking about how effectively K-pop has infiltrated my psyche the way it has.

As a child of the 80s and radio rock, the formula is simple: write a hook, put it in the right order with the other elements of a song, and you've got me.

But K-pop didn't stop there.

It blasted itself from passing cars, from loudspeakers outside convenience stores, loudspeakers alongside dancing girls and a balloon arches at new business openings, in food courts paired with the music videos, from the phones of children (via DMB) and from the ringtones of adults.

(The Sang-dong HomePlus played almost exclusively gangsta rap our first year there, to it's credit.)

I heard a serious amount of shit music.

But bad art is still art, and there's some legitimately good pop songs too, and those made the list.

But music isn't the whole of K-pop.

It's attractive performers, interesting dancing, charismatic personalities, the staging of everything—the illusion, it's omnipresence in advertising and television and social media spots, the cross-promoting of it all, and even the dirt.

It's all the front end of the culture.

The back end is business.

The commercial export of conglomerates. Subsidized by the Korean government.

I can't get enough of it.

I was there for a few years and witnessed the moving parts up close, but nowadays there's a lot of news in English so it's easier to follow.

But even this end is a pipeline to the talent, as far as I'm concerned.

How the hell else would I have learned about NewJeans?

I get exposed to new (to me) acts from reading stock reports and business news.

Stories about corporate infighting were the gateway drug to their track on this playlist:

K-Pop Primer

One (feat. Ji Sun) - Epik High
Girls On Top - BoA
I CAN'T STOP ME - TWICE
ExtraL - JENNIE & Doechii
Phone Number - JINUSEAN
True Romance (feat. Yoonmirae) - Drunken Tiger
Magnetic - ILLIT
WANNABE - ITZY
Lies - BIGBANG
Married To the Music - SHINee
Standing Next to You (Usher Remix) - Jung Kook & USHER
10 Minutes - Lee Hyori
Fire (feat. Jinsil) - Mad Clown
Discord - QWER
"O"-正.反.合. - TVXQ! 동방신기
Chaos (feat. Microdot & YDG) [From "Unpretty Rapstar 2 Track 8"] - KittiB
It's Raining - RAIN
I Know (feat. Teddy) - SE7EN
The Moment - YUKIKA & Pat Lok
God of Music - SEVENTEEN
LALALALA - Stray Kids
Super Shy - NewJeans
U - SUPER JUNIOR
JAJAJA (feat. Dynamic Duo & Crush) - YDG Series VOL.1 JAJAJA - Single
on the street - j-hope & J. Cole
Call Me (feat. 화사) - Basick & lIlBOI
Say Hi (feat. Woody) [Instrumental]
마이동풍 - Baechigi
Love's Battery - HONG JIN YOUNG
Let's See - MUSHVENOM

I can rank order the CEOs I'd like to meet (방시혁, 박진영 & Tiger JK) just like I can the celebs (홍진영, Yezi & 권은비).

And I'm sucked in. And I'm trapped and I don't want to give any of it up.

This playlist fits the bill around here. All of the songs are badass for jiujitsu or working out.

I know because at least half of these songs I've heard while rolling in Korea. The other half are just to my taste. The whole thing spans about 20 years, but there's a commercial aspect to all of them.

They're the songs that I think are good for jiu-jitsu—the best of K-pop.

...

I deserve all of the physical abuse that's coming my way when I put this on at the gym.

The post K-Pop Primer Sampler no.1 appeared first on Lolakana.

90s Sampler no.3

Nolan — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 21:11:58 +0000

Here's another playlist that focuses on the evolving sound of music over a decade—this time a curated 90s workout playlist for combat sports athletes—not just BJJ players.

All here and tailored for the mats: sludgy riffs, house beats, punk energy, lyrical precision, intricate rhymes, and crossover between genres and the evolution of new sounds.

This 100-minute 90s journey matches the diversity of a solid rolling session, from Kyuss’s desert rock grind to Bell Biv Devoe’s smooth R&B, ideal for the variety we face with a long session with multiple training partners.

If you’re picking a car from the fleet to pull up to the gym with this playlist’s vibe, it’s gotta be a 3000GT/GTO (maybe a Dodge Stealth if you’re in Canada… maybe…) because you’re not basic enough for an RX-7 or Supra.

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New playlists every Monday! Bookmark us or follow us on Instagram, Threads or X for updates!

Remember the 90s?

I’m going to act old now.

The 90s were pretty cool, and I have a warm, fuzzy nostalgia for a lot of it. I’ve put that nostalgia to work here. But that’s not what this playlist is about. These tracks made the cut because they work on the mats, not because they’re popular (although some seem forgotten):

Full Track Listing

Banditos - Refreshments
Green Machine - Kyuss
Tomorrow - Silverchair
#1 Crush - Garbage
Music Sounds Better with You - Stardust
Bastard Is As Bastard Does - Monster Voodoo Machine
Volcano Girls - Veruca Salt
Waiting - Noizegarden
Crazy - Seal
Friday I'm In Love - The Cure
Violet - Hole
Spiderwebs - No Doubt
Every You Every Me - Placebo
Dance with the Devil - Raggadeath
What I Got (Reprise) - Sublime
Reunited - Wu-Tang Clan
Nobody Does It Better - Nate Dogg
Changes (feat. Talent) - 2Pac
I Used to Love H.E.R. - Common
Informer - Snow
What's It Gonna Be?! (feat. Janet Jackson) - Busta Rhymes
Poison - Bell Biv DeVoe
Rusty Cage (Remastered 2016) - Soundgarden
How I Could Just Kill a Man - Cypress Hill
Vogue (Edit Version) - Madonna
Passin' Me By - The Pharcyde

Annoying Young People

BJJ clubs are often run by a 30+ crowd that appreciates a little bit of nostalgia and the way music used to be.

When I was younger, the older generations annoyed the hell out of me. They were always going on and on about the 80s, or their day, and how I was bothering them with my new “loud” (I’m making air quotes) music.

Their complaints had some truth—audio compression in the 90s was a trend; see the Loudness War.

I’d get yelled at (literally) about “rap music.”

I grew up in a WASP-y part of Western Canada where people were pissed about hip-hop.

I didn’t even listen to it.

But I had to hear about it.

Anyway...

Now that I’m the older generation, let me tell you what’s annoying about the youth I encounter nowadays:

If I ask what music they listen to, they usually say “older stuff.” Then, they list 80s radio rock tunes from the 80s.

It’s entirely unhelpful.

What good are the youth to the older generations if they can’t learn us anything?

Need More 90s?

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Funk Sampler no.2

Nolan — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 18:14:41 +0000

This playlist is a secret weapon for a BJJ club looking to elevate it's game—Evoke the hustle of some of the hardest working musicians to have walked this Earth and challenge your teammates and training partners to keep up. There's no slacking with the grit of James Brown or relentlessness of his band the J.B.'s relentless rhythms creating a no-quit vibe. Prince's slick grooves and the layered horn blasts and vocals of Earth, Wind & Fire demand you keep up.

There's no slacking here—no "chilling". It's music for tenacity and hard work so you can smash through plateaus and leave the mats better than you stepped onto them.

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New playlists every Monday! Bookmark us or follow us on Instagram, Threads or X and never miss an update!

Genesis

The One—that downbeat groove—is the backbone of this playlist and what put Funk on the map. It revolutionized music, stripping soul to a raw, rhythmic pulse. It dominates tracks like “People Get Up” and “Doing It To Death,” driving the groove in most of the cuts below—think “Let It Whip” and “More Bounce.”

Don't listen for the One, feel it.

Full Track Listing

Say Yeah Yeah - Yvonne Fair
Hot Thing - Prince
Best Beat In Town - Switch
Genius of Love - Tom Tom Club
Backstrokin' - Fatback Band
Let It Whip - Dazz Band
Dazz - Brick
She's A Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked) [Single Version] - Carl Carlton
Get the Funk out Ma Face - The Brothers Johnson
Too Hot to Stop, Pt.1 - The Bar-Kays
More Bounce to the Ounce - Zapp & Roger
I Want To Take You Higher - Sly & The Family Stone
Cola Bottle Baby - Edwin Birdsong
Doing It To Death, Pts. 1 & 2 - The J.B.'s
Keep Giving Me Love - D Train
Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire
Midas Touch - Midnight Star
People Get Up And Drive Your Funky Soul (Remix) - James Brown
Slide - Slave

Oh, You Think You Drill Hard?

So I've only been a small handful of BJJ seminars, but Jon Thomas ran the longest.

Like, 4+ hours long.

I didn't even know you could deep dive and drill BJJ for that long.

Especially on a Tuesday night..

But I have a minor obsession with people that can just work and work and work. I like to study them to provide perspective to the things I try to work on, and during the later hours of the seminar I started thinking about James Brown.

Before I knew any better, I thought he was the Hardest Working Man In Showbusiness because he got so sweaty on stage—which can and has been and is still gimmicked nowadays—but listening to Andrew Hickey's podcast set me straight:

James Brown rehearsed up to 12 hours a day—and not just where you'd imagine.

Backstage. Hotels. Tour buses.

Immediately after a show.

He demanded perfection—he had hand signals when a member of the band made a mistake during a performance (audiences thought it was part of the show) and would later fine the musician for the error.

All in service of the One. He built Funk around it and drilled everyone in his band until it became second nature.

You hear it in People Get Up And Drive Your Funky Soul.

But you hear the fruits of the effort in the musicianship and performance in Doing It To Death by the J.B.'s—Brown's band throughout the 70s and into the early 80s, which has the energy and vibe of a live performance, but recorded in studio.

It sold over a million copies in 1973.

That's what you get with the grind under the right leadership—results.

And that was James Brown.

The playlist has other artists who aspired for the same outputs—some even were probably fine doing the 12 hour a day practice thing. Maybe more.

I'm just a purple belt, but I've often thought back to that seminar with fondness because it made me realize I should do more that kind of practice. It also makes me think about what the One is in BJJ.

Probably some positioning concept I can't articulate.

Two More James Brown Facts

He worked as a Little Richard impersonator in the 50s—He'd be dispatched to shows Richard couldn't make because of scheduling conflicts, reasoning that people would be unfamiliar with his appearance (in a world of black and white TVs and newspapers). This didn't always work, but Brown is remembered as turning the crowds around by the end through the intensity of his stage performance, which included backflips.
The playlist features the remixed version of People Get Up And Drive Your Funky Soul, showcases Brown’s signature style: precise horn sections, syncopated guitar and raw, commanding vocals. The track was originally released as part of the Slaughter’s Big Rip-Off soundtrack.

The Playlist

Let's bring it back to the playlists.

Everything we upload here only features a single artist per playlist—occasionally someone's name will appear as a featured artist on a track.

If you're looking for more Funk I've got you covered:

Funk Sampler no.1

The post Funk Sampler no.2 appeared first on Lolakana.

10s Session no.1

Nolan — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 21:24:02 +0000

This is a double fistful of 2010s music for BJJ. It’s a mashup of iconic rock riffs, hip-hop bars, electronic drops and funky grooves that will bring a nostalgic glow to the mats and make you think there was more good music back then than there actually was.

These bangers will be the soundtrack of you and your training partners as you takedown, pass, sweep and submit each other over and over again.

Perfect for maintaining a consistent atmosphere across multiple classes or an extended training session.

Hit random, turn it up loud and play jiujitsu!

Get the Playlist

New playlists every Monday! Bookmark us or follow us on Instagram, Threads or X and never miss an update!

Full Track Listing

Stone - Alice In Chains
Snarling of Beasts - Bedowyn
Gold On The Ceiling - The Black Keys
Baby I'm Yours (feat. Irfane) - Breakbot
Moving - Bugzy Malone
New Gods (feat. Jay Prince & Oscar Jerome) - Catching Flies
Hats Off to the Bull - Chevelle
X-Ray Visions - Clutch
Sleeping on the Blacktop - Colter Wall
Get Lucky - Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers †
Open Fire - The Darkness
Hey Mama (feat. Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack) - David Guetta
Seeya (feat. Colleen D'Agostino) - deadmau5
Diamond Eyes - Deftones
Capsize - DELS
(All Along the) Watchtower (Acoustic) - Devlin
Mammoth (Radio Edit) - Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, MOGUAI & Like Mike
Raise Hell - Dorothy
All On You (feat. Natalia) - Eligh
Take It Easy (feat. Natalie Pa'apa'a) - Fdel
Never Catch Me (feat. Kendrick Lamar) - Flying Lotus
Rope - Foo Fighters
Houdini - Foster the People
Night Flight - Franc Moody
Rats - Ghost
Satoshi Nakamoto (feat. Adrian Lau & ProbCause) - Gramatik
Lighthouses - The Grouch
The Spark - GZA
GET SOME (feat. Jared Laville) - Isiah Dreads
Atomaton - Jamiroquai
Waves - Joey Bada$$
No Good - KALEO
Alright - Kendrick Lamar
Speed - L.A. Guns
Curl of the Burl - Mastodon
Deadly Nightshade - Megadeth
Sometimes - Miami Horror
The Hulk - Murs, 9th Wonder & The Soul Council
NY Se Mumbai (feat. Divine, Naezy & Ranveer Singh) - Nas
Wifey Material - Naughty By Nature
Stronger - NGHTMRE & A-F-R-O
Liar - ONE OK ROCK
Lemme Find Out - The Perceptionists
Who Knows - Protoje & Chronixx
I'm Taking Off (Shield Your Eyes) '19 - Space Knife
The Burden of Being Wonderful - Steel Panther
Song #3 - Stone Sour
We Were Set Up - Tangerine Dream, Woody Jackson, The Alchemist, Oh No & DJ Shadow
Fight to Survive (feat. Mr. Lif) - Thievery Corporation
Something Good Can Work - Two Door Cinema Club
Crystal Spiders - Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats
No Presents for Christmas - Victim Mentality
Chase the Feeling (feat. Chris Cester) - Wolfmother
She's American - The 1975

⠀† "Get Lucky" snagged two Grammys in 2014—Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

2010s Rewind

The first couple of years of the decade were a bit of a struggle for the wife and I. Although we'd been in Victoria for a few years, it still felt like a new city and we were trying to figure out what to do with ourselves. I had reconnected with a previous (and current) employer and the wife was still working for MAC Cosmetics.

We were still using BlackBerrys.

My extensive music library was rarely listened to, mostly when I was at the desktop. I was burning CDs for the wife and me to listen to while driving, but with all the windshield time, a short attention span, and hating the process, I was driving around mostly listening to commercial radio.

No surprise it was such a struggle.

The radio station introduced me to some great music. When we retired our BlackBerrys (too soon) for HTC Magics, becoming early Android adopters, I finally started listening to music on my smartphone. My wife's car never had an AUX input, so she continues playing many of the same CDs from a decade ago.

We started making annual trips to South Korea in 2012 and life suddenly got a lot better. We got back from that first trip (a measly 10 days) and started planning our next visit the following year. With that goal on the horizon it became a little easier to work on short term projects, and we started building more structure into our lives. For me, that meant deciding which projects and hobbies were priorities—one of them was BJJ.

The New Retro

I'm appropriating that word and prepared to die on the hill.

Too many people use it to refer to a bizarre re-imagining of the 80s, but I was there and remember what it was actually like day to day. By the 90s I was over it—over the poofy hair, blocky cars, musical themes and other bits of culture that just stuck around too long.

There was cool stuff back then, but this playlist isn't about wailing guitars, tight pants, and bitchin' Camaros—it's about the hustle of the previous decade. If you're old enough to remember these tracks, I hope they take you back to a 2010s moment, hitting at an unexpected time like mid-roll or sulking off the mat, reminding you of where you were versus where you've been.

This isn't about memberberries, it's about appreciating our past and future if we look forward.

Need More Decade Session Playlists?

What Did I Miss?

The decade was deep—I omitted some obvious tracks to make room for others and missed some that weren't on my radar. What track from 2010s gets you hyped? Comment below or hit me up on X.

Let's keep the vibe rolling!

The post 10s Session no.1 appeared first on Lolakana.

Uppers Session no.1

Nolan — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 22:22:38 +0000

Feel the vibe of the late 90s on the mats with this electronic music playlist for BJJ that captures the spirit of the era through a blend of classic anthems, rediscovered gems, and modern tracks that party people in 2025 will recognize.

This collection of uppers creates the vibe of a drug-fuelled rave or nightclub party where you're in the moment, full of energy, having fun, and intensely focused on the present—an emotional state perfect for BJJ, no questionable chemical compounds required.

Get the Playlist

New playlists every Monday! Bookmark us or follow us on Instagram, Threads or X and never miss an update!

The tracks here have been carefully chosen for their tempo and energy levels. Most songs are 120-130 BPM, optimal for a consistent pace on the mats. The electronic genre’s characteristic build-ups and drops mirror the intensity changes from warmups to technique to rolls, helping you stay motivated through the ups and downs of a couple of hours at the gym.

Full Track Listing

Atom Bomb (Atomix 1) - Fluke
Rude Boy Rock - Lionrock
Trickshot - Ceasefire
That Elvis Track (Radio Edit) - Sol Brothers
To Get Down (Radio Mix) † - Timo Maas
Exploration - The Karminsky Experience Inc.
Policeman Skank (The Story Of My Life) - Audioweb
Seize the Time - Fuselage
Push Up (Radio Edit) - Freestylers
Operator (feat. Blake Lewis) - DJ Dan & Uberzone
Am I Wrong? - Etienne de Crécy
Diesel Power - The Prodigy
Dragon Lounge - Cirrus
Red Alert - Basement Jaxx
Name of the Game - The Crystal Method
History Repeating (feat. Miss Shirley Bassey) - Propellorheads
Party People - Alex Gopher
Whatever, Whenever - Groove Armada
Cassius 1999 (Radio Edit) - Cassius
Casino "Sans Pareil" - The Wiseguys
Basstrap - Overseer
Safe and Sound - Justice
A Fine Way to Die (feat. Orlando Napier) - GRiZ
D.A.N.C.E. (Logic Reprise) - Logic & Justice
It Evolves on Its Own - Lunatic Calm
Organ Donor - DJ Shadow
Rocket Girl (feat. Betty Who) - Lemaitre
Loungemeister - Ugress
Out Of Control (Radio Edit) - The Chemical Brothers
Don't Give Up (Radio Edit) - Chicane
The Boys of Summer - DJ Sammy
Call on Me (Radio Mix) - Eric Prydz
Crusher (feat. Saffron) - Junkie XL
Matator - Skeewiff
It Just Won't Do (feat. Sam Obernik) [Radio Edit] - Tim Deluxe
Poor Leno - Röyksopp
For an Angel (Radio Edit) - Paul Van Dyk
Kalimba - Mr. Scruff
Toca's Miracle (Radio Edit) - Fragma
Man With the Red Face (Radio Edit) - Mark Knight & Funkagenda
Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh) - Lumidee
I'm Gonna Shock You, Daddy - Ursula 1000
Insomnia (Radio Edit) - Faithless
Kernkraft 400 (Original Radio Edit) - Zombie Nation
One More Time - Daft Punk
All I Want - Cyantific & T & Sugah
Rocket Fuel (feat. De La Soul) - DJ Shadow
What It Is - Freddy Fresh
I Want Your Soul (Radio Edit) - Armand Van Helden
Eez-Eh - Kasabian
Bodyrock - Moby

† To Get Down (Radio Mix) by Timo Maas doesn't appear to be on YouTube/YouTube Music at this time

The Uppers

The late 90s and early 2000s were an era in electronic music I look back upon fondly.

Growing up on 80s radio rock and later becoming a teenage metalhead in the 90s kept me stuck in a particular lane of music. Hip hop exploded over the same time, but unless I was watching MuchMusic or hanging out with friends, I didn’t give it much attention.

The late 80s and 90s saw an explosion of Eurodance, but after an initial infatuation, the thump-thump-thump-thump rhythm and mainstream themes wore thin and weren’t compatible with how I was listening to music at the time. The style’s imagery appealed to my teenage metal sensibilities even less.

Nearing the close of the decade, a new sound began to emerge:

Big Beat.

(Named after the Big Beat Boutique nightclub in Brighton, co-founded by Fatboy Slim.)

An electronic style built on heavy breakbeats and synthesizer loops, fusing elements from rock, metal, punk, hip-hop, and dance music, bands like the Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, and Fluke hooked me and opened the gates to music that had never clicked before: House (a favourite since then), Jungle, Drum n Bass, and Eurodance.

I had a serious amount of CDs by then and fortunately for my wallet and the little remaining space in my small basement bedroom at my parents’ house, this was happening just barely post-Napster and P2P file sharing was everywhere. The radio edits of the tracks I liked were suddenly much easier to find—the 60 seconds added to a three minute song at the front and the back of every track, placed there for DJs beat matching was a major hurdle that was suddenly gone.

I opened the post above describing the playlist as an attempt to capture the emotional state at a club or rave, where we’re focused on being in the moment. It’s a tribute to the times I started having fun at nightclubs with friends, and I’ve tried to capture the energy and vibe with music that’s good for any time you need high, but focused like our other playlists for the mats.

Want More Electronic Music Playlists For BJJ?

If you’re into the above playlist and are looking for more electronic music, check out our genre-focused Session playlists:

What Did I Miss?

If you’ve looked through the track list above (or actually gave the thing a listen), what’s missing? Anything obvious?

The second Uppers Session playlist is well underway, but you get bonus points if you can name something essential and obvious that’s not here, or on any of the other four playlists above.

What’s your favourite electronic music track for BJJ?

Hair Metal Sampler no.2

Nolan — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 23:16:21 +0000

This high-energy playlist of 80s Hair Metal classics brings maximum intensity to your BJJ sessions. Soaring vocals and face-melting guitar solos create the perfect soundtrack for the controlled aggression we’re shooting for on the mats.

With mainstream hits and underground classics that dominated radio then and still pump up athletes today, the theatrical confidence of the performances mixed with the technical precision in the musicianship mirrors what we love about jiujitsu—minus the spandex (well… not really) and hairspray.

Get the 80s Hair Metal Classics Playlist

New playlists every Monday! Bookmark us or follow us on Instagram, Threads or X and never miss an update!

80s Hair Metal Classics Tracks

Youth Gone Wild - Skid Row
Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) - Mötley Crüe
Inside the Electric Circus - W.A.S.P.
The Final Countdown - Europe
Dance - Ratt
Kiss Me Deadly - Lita Ford
Bathroom Wall - Faster Pussycat
Show a Little Love - Lillian Axe
Metal Health (Bang Your Head) - Quiet Riot
Mista Bone - Great White
Blondes In Black Cars - Autograph
Hungry - White Lion
New Thing - Enuff Z'Nuff
Naughty Naughty - Vinnie Vincent Invasion
Time to Surrender - Winger
One In a Million - Trixter
Born to Be My Baby - Bon Jovi
Apocalypse Blues - Eclipse
City Boys - TWO BIT THIEF
Hollywood Killer - Tigertailz
Doghouse - Sea Hags
A Matter of Time - Station
F.U. - Sebastian Bach
Love Me Insane - Tokyo Motor Fist

The Mix

This playlist spans three generations of hair metal:

The pioneers who defined the sound (Mötley Crüe, Ratt)
Underground innovators who pushed boundaries (Sea Hags, TWO BIT THIEF)
Modern torchbearers keeping the flame alive (Eclipse, Tokyo Motor Fist)

Hair Metal History

Before personal playlists, music blasted from boomboxes, car stereos, and shop radios everywhere. Hair Metal evolved from 70s rock to dominate these spaces, with hooks sharp enough to cut through street noise and production polished for FM radio. The genre's trademark sound—massive drums, searing guitars, and soaring vocals—created an instantly recognizable sonic signature that dominated Western airwaves.

While BJJ was still years away from mainstream recognition, this era's musical innovation laid groundwork for what we'd recognize today as workout-ready tracks and is ultra-compatible with the sport we love.

Facts

I put these playlists together while driving around between calls at work and when I stop the truck, I’ll check Wikipedia to get some story behind an artist or track I’ve listened to. A few standouts from this playlist:

The Final Countdown started as a simple keyboard riff Joey Tempest wrote and shelved in the early 80s. When bassist John Levén suggested building it into a full song, the band reluctantly agreed, viewing it as merely a potential live show warm-up. The record company saw its potential as a single, and the rest became rock history
Before launching the Vinnie Vincent Invasion, the eponymous guitarist was Ace Frehley’s replacement in KISS, contributing to their albums Creatures of the Night and Lick It Up. Contract and personal disputes with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons led him to leave the band, but he later worked with the pair in the early 90s on Revenge.
Lita Ford started the Runaways at age 16 alongside Joan Jett.

Need More Hair Metal?

Check out the Hair Metal Sampler no.1.

If you’re looking for more that of 80s radio vibe I’ve got you covered:

The four playlists above have a little bit of hair metal, including many tracks not featured in this playlist, but also include funk, hip-hop, punk, rock, new wave and more—all with the same swagger and attitude that was channeled into Hair Metal.

The post Hair Metal Sampler no.2 appeared first on Lolakana.

House Sampler no.3

Nolan — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 01:19:20 +0000

House music doesn't care who you are, it just welcomes you to the party and hopes you have a good time—like a great BJJ club. The best House music for BJJ brings energetic and positive nightclub vibes to the mats. You'd think that might not be a good fit for a morning or noon class, but it's surprisingly effective. This is our third House music playlist for BJJ players, running 100 minutes, inspiring your drive for smashing guards, hitting technical sweeps and highlight reel submissions.

Stream on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and YouTube. Get the playlist with the links below, or check the complete track listing to add any songs to your own mixes.

Get the Playlist

New playlists every Monday! Bookmark us or follow us on Instagram, Threads, or X and never miss an update!

Full Track Listing

In Your Eyes - Autograf & Mougleta
Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless) (La Da Dee La Da Da Da) [Basement Boy Strip To The Bone Mix] - Crystal Waters
Voyager - Daft Punk
Big Fun - Inner City
Less Talk More Action (feat. Terra Deva) [Album Version] - Tim Deluxe
Keep On Jumpin' (feat. Martha Wash & Jocelyn Brown) - Todd Terry, Martha Wash & Jocelyn Brown
Promised Land - Smooth
Starlight (Radio Edit) [feat. Mani Hoffman] - The Supermen Lovers
Tonite - Phats & Small
Big Love - Pete Heller's Big Love
People Come People Go - David Guetta, Joachim Garraud & Chris Willis
Back in the city - Cezaire
Beautiful People (C.J.'s Vocal Radio Edit) - Barbara Tucker
Alabama Blues (Todd Edwards Vocal Radio Edit Mix) - St Germain
Sola - Edd
I Will Follow You - George Cynnamon
Let Yourself Go (feat. Sybil) [A Director's Cut Radio Master] - Frankie Knuckles, Director's Cut & Eric Kupper
Destination Calabria (feat. Crystal Waters) [UK Radio Edit] - Alex Gaudino
World, Hold On (Children of the Sky) [feat. Steve Edwards] [Radio Edit] - Bob Sinclar
Make the World Go Round (Deep Dish Radio Edit) - Sandy B
Right On! (Radio Edit) - Silicone Soul
Shine On - Degrees of Motion
Lazy (feat. David Byrne) [Radio Edit] - X-Press 2

House Music Loves Parentheses & Brackets

So much gobbledegook in the list above... Those parentheses and brackets contain crucial details—Radio Edit is essential when we're putting together club music playlists for the gym. This saves us listening to 60 seconds of 4/4 beat at the intro and outro of every song.

Fun fact: Those long intros and outros emerged from the practical needs of disco DJs in the 1970s, who needed time to beatmatch vinyl records. Frankie Knuckles pioneered the technique at Chicago's Warehouse club—the venue that gave House music it's name.

While DJs need these extended versions for live mixing, radio edits deliver essence of a track without the padding. These versions used to be incredibly hard to come by on CD, but in a post-Napster world have become the de-facto standard for casual listening.

House Sampling

House emerged in the late 70s its mainstream influence spawned several subgenres, with this playlist featuring tracks from the classic Chicago/Detroit style—Big Fun and Promised Land; Vocal House—Gypsy Woman, Keep On Jumpin'and Beautiful People; French House—Voyager, Starlight, World, Hold On; and UK House—Big Love, Right On! and Tonight!, just to name a few.

Each subgenre brings a slightly different flavour and variety to the playlist; the classic style brings the rhythms to apply to your game. Vocal House adds inspirational lyrics to push through the physical challenge of a long roll, or get you back on the mats for one more hard round before calling it a day. French House's filtered disco samples are evocative of the smooth transitions we strive for between setting up submissions while the polished production of UK House cranks the energy up and goads you into following suit.

The Best House Music For BJJ

What Did I Miss & Get Wrong?

Am I missing something obvious here? Know a perfect House track for BJJ missing from these playlists? Spotted an error in the musical history? Leave a comment below and let me know.

The post House Sampler no.3 appeared first on Lolakana.

Punk Rock Session no.1

Nolan — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 18:48:02 +0000

Punk rock training playlist in hand, you're keeping training emotional and raw—this isn't background music, it's fuel to get choked out to for one more round (this time you'll leave your sparring partner in a heap) or smashing PRs at the gym. Grab it on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and YouTube Music.

This 70+ track beast runs you through the gauntlet. Heavyweights like The Clash, Dead Kennedys and Black Flag lay down the raw, foundational fury. New blood—Amyl and The Sniffers, The Lillingtons, The Suicide Machines—keep it feral and current. Non-English brawlers from Drei Meter Feldweg (German grit), THE STALIN (Japanese snarl) and Millencolin (Swedish speed) keep you on alert—you'll tap, you'll gasp for air, but you can't retreat. You can't surrender. Get back on the mats and fight on.

Get the Playlist

New playlists every Monday! Bookmark us or follow us on Instagram, Threads or X and never miss an update!

Full Track Listing

I Love Livin' In the City - FEAR
Bloodstains (1979 Original Version) - Agent Orange
Detroit is the New Miami - The Suicide Machines
Mars Bars - The Undertones
New York State Police - U.K. Subs
Handling the Big Jets - The Members
Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please - Splodgenessabounds
Gates of the West - The Clash
Go Buddy Go - The Stranglers
The Dreams of Children - Paul Weller
Getting Beaten Up - The Piranhas
Twister - The Fall
American Jesus - Bad Religion
Change Gonna Come - The Riptides
Alkoholimplantat - MÄNNI
Holiday in Cambodia - Dead Kennedys
Los Angeles - X
Rise Above - Black Flag
I Wanna Be Your Dog - The Stooges
Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies
Where Eagles Dare - The Misfits
I Against I - Bad Brains
Neat Neat Neat - The Damned
Caught With the Meat In Your Mouth - Dead Boys
Fast Cars - Buzzcocks
Minor Threat - Minor Threat
Lexicon Devil - Germs
Herzfiend - Drei Meter Feldweg
Gary Gilmore's Eyes - The Adverts
Teenage Kicks - The Undertones
The Kid With the Replaceable Head (Single Version) - Richard Hell & The Voidoids
Hast du kapiert? - Feine Sahne Fischfilet
Goo Goo Muck - The Cramps
Suspect Device (Single Version) - Stiff Little Fingers
Your Generation - Generation X
If the Kids Are United - Sham 69
Identity - X-Ray Spex
Born to Lose - Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers
Homicide - 999
Butcher Baby - Plasmatics
Hageshii Ame Ga - THE MODS
Endless Trip - Hi-STANDARD †
Typical Girls - The Slits
No More Heroes - The Stranglers
Invincible - No Use For A Name
The Science of Myth - Screaming Weasel
L.A.P.D. - The Offspring
Ung & Kåt - Ebba Grön
Competition Song - Pennywise
Lock, Step & Gone - Rancid
Blame Game - The Manges
Zodiac - The Lillingtons
Reach For the Sky - Social Distortion
Money - THE STALIN
Wild In the Streets - Circle Jerks
Waiting Room - Fugazi
New Noise - Refused
No Waves - FIDLAR
Seeing Double At the Triple Rock - NOFX
Take Back the Power - The Interrupters
Bad Brain - Ramones
Reservoir - PUP
Nothing - Millencolin
Double Trouble - THE STAR CLUB
Code Blue - T.S.O.L.
Problems - Sex Pistols
Danci No Obasan - Anarchy
Raum der Zeit - Wizo
Liebesspieler - Die Toten Hosen †
Endless Sky - D.O.A. †
Into the Valley - The Skids
Hertz - Amyl and The Sniffers

† These tracks are missing from YouTube & YouTube Music

Need More BJJ Playlists?

Check out our other Session playlists—all 200' in length, minimum and tailored for BJJ players.

One of the things we're particular about around here is that each artist only appears on each playlist once—variety is key. It helps put together future playlists and keeps songs from getting completely overplayed and worn out.

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Funk Sampler no.1

Nolan — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 23:32:28 +0000

This playlist delivers BJJ training music for athletes who live for the mats—not for rest rounds or leaning against the wall after a senior belt smashes you. With this playing, your body won’t care that you’re tired anyways. Even if you’ve got no rhythm, Funk ignites your soul and demands movement. Whether you’re rolling on the mats, lifting heavy, or putting in miles kilometres of cardio, these high energy tracks throw fuel on your fire.

Get the Playlist

New playlists every Monday! Bookmark us or follow us on Instagram, Threads or X and never miss an update!

Funk Sampler no.1 Track Listing

Cloud Nine † – The Temptations
Love Gun – Rick James
The Pride, Pt. 1 & 2 – The Isley Brothers
Machine Gun – The Commodores
Fantastic Voyage – Lakeside
Hollywood Swinging (Single Version) – Kool & The Gang
Cut the Cake (Single Edit) – Average White Band
Fire – Ohio Players
Chase Me – Con Funk Shun
Right Place Wrong Time – Dr John
You Dropped a Bomb on Me – The Gap Band
Atomic Dog – George Clinton
Street Player (Dance Mix) – Chicago
Off the Wall – Michael Jackson
Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) – Parliament
Fate (WSM Compilation Edit) – Chaka Khan
Midas Touch – Midnight Star
Automatic – The Pointer Sisters
Sir Duke ‡ – Stevie Wonder
I Just Want to Be – Cameo

† Cloud Nine won the Grammy in 1969—Motown’s first

‡ Stevie’s tribute to Duke Ellington

Funk Rules BJJ

Funk’s rhythm hits at the molecular level—downbeats and syncopated grooves that sync with the chaos of a scramble or the precision of a well-executed sweep. This playlist is basically a PED you take through your ears, amping focus and cutting fatigue, and isn’t on the banned substance list (yet! No snitching!). Flow through drills, lock in subs, sweep high calorie players and wristlock uppity juniors.

This playlist doesn’t play, it performs.

How To Use Funk Sampler no.1

Warm-ups: You’ll get your head nodding and foot tapping to the beat
Drills: Let the groove guide your flow and keep your energy steady—Funk is in control, like you’re about to be in control of your sparring partner
Match the hustle of Funk legends—road life, epic performances, relentless practice, day in and day out. Cardio doesn’t seem so hard now, does it? No wimping out. Funk won’t let you.
Cool-down: Not recommended. Try one of our secret playlists—You Need To Chill the F_ck Out.

Need More Playlists?

Dig into the Funk Rock Sampler no.1 and Funk Rock Sampler no.2 to see the style’s influence on hard rock and metal.

Turn It Up

This playlist brings the heat. Blast it, feel the groove and elevate your training. What funk tracks get you rolling? Share below!

The post Funk Sampler no.1 appeared first on Lolakana.

Afrobeat Sampler no.1

Nolan — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 21:19:30 +0000

Since 2016, Apple Music has been my go-to for both streaming and discovering new music. It's where I was put onto The Souljazz Orchestra and The Budos Band for the first time. Their Afrobeat sound—a fusion of African rhythms with jazz and funk became the foundation of my first Afrobeat for BJJ playlist, and later this Sampler I've shared below.

The vibe is a perfect companion for combat sport athletes. Whether you're rolling on the mats, grinding through a lifting session or putting miles under your feet in a long cardio session, the driving beats and infectious grooves put together in this playlist will keep your energy high, your rhythm sharp and your spirit inspired to blast through the task ahead of you.

Get the Playlist

New playlists every Monday! Bookmark us or follow us on Instagram, Threads or X and never miss an update!

Afrobeat Sampler no.1 Track Listing

Dog Eat Dog - The Souljazz Orchestra
By Hook or by Crook - Ikebe Shakedown
Yako - The Afromotive
Moto Moto - Renegades of Jazz
Heat in the Streets - Tommy Guerrero
Democracy - Albino!
Battle of the Species - Antibalas
Lost In Kinshasa - Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra
Dem Know (feat. Kaleta) - Bosq
Up From The South - The Budos Band
Abraka - The Funkees
Mo Ri Ke Ke Kahn - Jujuba
Funky Southern - The Funk Ark
Everybody (Tryin' to Get Buy) - Kokolo
Music for Gong Gong - Osibisa
Zombie - Fela Kuti

Why Afrobeat for BJJ?

The rhythms and energy make it a natural fit for BJJ and other combat sports.

The emphasis on timing and groove will help sync your movements whether you're drilling, rolling, or recovering between rounds.

The socio-political undertones add an extra layer of intensity, reminding me to work harder, because I'm fortunate enough to be playing a sport, and not living through the struggle of the themes that inspired the lyrics.

Explore More Playlists

Need more music for your training?

Check out all of our Sampler Playlists for BJJ. Each playlist is curated by genre with tracks hand-selected to match the intensity and flow of a workout, from rolling sessions to strength and conditioning.

Want An Afrobeat Deep Dive?

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