Table of Contents
- How Do I Choose the Right CPR Song for Me?
- What Are Some Great CPR Songs?
- Where Can I Learn More About CPR?
Do you have a go-to CPR song? When administered correctly, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving procedure.
The rhythm of chest compressions and rescue breaths is an important part of effective CPR.
ILCOR recommends that you perform your chest compressions at a rate of 100 – 120 per minute to mimic the beating of a heart.
Here’s what it looks like in action:
That’s easy enough to keep track of in practice if you have a friend with a stopwatch guiding you, but what do you do when you’re actually in an emergency?
Well, paramedics since time immemorial have used CPR songs to keep them on pace.
If you’ve had CPR training at work, you might have been told to use the ‘70s hit by the Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive.” At a pace of 104 BPM (or beats per minute) and with fitting lyrics, “Stayin’ Alive” is a great option.
However, it’s not the only CPR song – or even the best one.
Luckily, there are plenty of other great jams to choose from. You just need to know what to look for.
How Do I Choose the Right CPR Song for Me?
In theory, any song between 100 and 120 BPM will do, but in practice, it helps to err on the slower end. One of ProTrainings’ on-staff paramedics, Jason Courtade, says:
“A general rule of thumb is 118 – 120 BPM. However, usually when someone is doing CPR, with all the adrenaline, they tend to push faster. So, ideal songs would be between 100 and 114 BPM.” .”
Another important thing to keep in mind is to choose a song that you know well and will likely remember.
In high-pressure situations, we tend to forget things, so make sure that the song is extra memorable.
To choose the right CPR song for you, think of songs with choruses that get stuck in your head.
The song should also have a good, consistent beat. The point of the song is to keep you on rhythm, so it helps if the song is something that gets your foot tapping.
It also helps to make sure the song is one you like. You’re going to be using it to practice, so it’s going to be running through your head pretty frequently. There’s nothing worse than having a song you’re tired of stuck in your head!
What Are Some Great CPR Songs?
Here are some ideas for songs you can practice CPR to. Everyone has different reactions to stressful scenarios, so we’ve selected some quicker options (110-115) and some slower options (100-109).
Remember, anything that will be easy for you to remember and that makes you want to tap your foot is a great option.
Up-Tempo CPR Songs
Looking for up-tempo CPR songs with a bpm rate of at least 110? Here are some of our favorites – and here’s the playlist itself on Spotify!
- “Up in Here” by 5 After Midnight
- “Lovefool” by The Cardigans
- “Get What You Give” by the New Radicals
- “6 God” by Drake
- “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” by Bob Dylan
- “Bad Company” by Five Finger Death Punch
- “Born To Be Yours” by Kygo and Imagine Dragons
- “Check My Brain” by Alice In Chains
- “Burnin’ Up” by the Jonas Brothers
- “Do You Believe in Love” by Huey Lewis and the News
- “Caught Up” by Usher
- “Last Night In Miami” by Kat Luna
- “Mowtownphilly” by Boyz II Men
- “Without Me” by Eminem
- “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson
- “Baby Shark” by Pinkfong
- “I’ll Wait” by Van Halen
- “Lost and Found” by Brooks and Dunn
- “Orinoco Flow” by Enya
- “Dance Hall Days” by Wang Chung
Keep in mind that we tend to do CPR faster when the pressure is on. So if you want to learn CPR to a slower bpm song, check out our list of slower CPR songs.
Down-Tempo CPR Songs
Here are our top recommendations for CPR songs of 100 – 110 BPM.
And here’s that playlist on Spotify.
- “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor
- “Payphone” by Maroon 5, ft. Wiz Khalifa
- “Set Fire To The Rain” by Adele
- “Dancing Queen” by ABBA
- “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson
- “Pon de Replay” by Rihanna
- “Back in Black” by AC/DC
- “Sorry” by Justin Bieber
- “Moment 4 Life” by Nicki Minaj
- “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5
- “I Wanna Love” by Akon, ft. Snoop Dog
- “Haunted” by Taylor Swift
- “Intoxication” by Disturbed
- “Crazy in Love” by Beyonce, ft. JAY-Z
- “Father of Mine” by Everclear
- “Dirty Laundry” by Nickelback
- “Mysterious Ways” by U2
- “With You” by Linkin Park
- “The Real Slim Shady” by Eminem
- “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira, ft. Wyclef Jean
- “The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats
- “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors
- “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men
- “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
Remember, choose a song that you know well and won’t mind singing in your head for several minutes at a steady pace.
CPR Songs by Decade
Have a favorite musical decade? It’s OK – we all do. Choose a song that fits your music personality!
The 1970s
Nothing like a ‘70s throwback! These songs fall between the 100 to 120 BPM range.
- “Stayin’ Alive” – Bee Gees (103 BPM)
- “Superstition” – Stevie Wonder (105 BPM)
- “Let’s Stay Together” – Al Green (100 BPM)
- “Hotel California” – Eagles (115 BPM)
- “Go Your Own Way” – Fleetwood Mac (120 BPM)
- “Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd (98 BPM)
- “American Pie” – Don McLean (118 BPM)
- “Dreams” – Fleetwood Mac (120 BPM)
- “Rich Girl” – Hall & Oates (114 BPM)
- “Me and Bobby McGee” – Janis Joplin (108 BPM)
The 1980s
Absolute ‘80s fanatic? These songs range from 100 to 125 BPM.
- “Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson (117 BPM)
- “Sweet Child o’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses (125 BPM)
- “Every Breath You Take” – The Police (117 BPM)
- “Like a Virgin” – Madonna (116 BPM)
- “I Can’t Tell You Why” – Eagles (100 BPM)
- “Take On Me” – A-ha (168 BPM, but the chorus is around 105 BPM)
- “Physical” – Olivia Newton-John (122 BPM)
- “Sweet Child o’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses (125 BPM)
- “With or Without You” – U2 (110 BPM)
- “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” – Poison (100 BPM)
The 1990s
Are you a ‘90s kid? These songs fall within the 100-120 BPM range.
- “Wannabe” – Spice Girls (110 BPM)
- “Smooth” – Santana ft. Rob Thomas (116 BPM)
- “Say My Name” – Destiny’s Child (119 BPM)
- “No Rain” – Blind Melon (119 BPM)
- “Black Hole Sun” – Soundgarden (around 108 BPM, with variations)
- “What’s Up?” – 4 Non Blondes (121 BPM)
- “Torn” – Natalie Imbruglia (112 BPM)
- “One Headlight” – The Wallflowers (113 BPM)
- “Don’t Speak” – No Doubt (112 BPM)
- “I Want It That Way” – Backstreet Boys (99 BPM, but the chorus is around 117 BPM)
The 2000s
Some say the 2000s were a golden age of music. If that’s you, check out this list!
- “Hips Don’t Lie” – Shakira ft. Wyclef Jean (100 BPM, but it has energetic sections around 110 BPM)
- “Crazy” – Gnarls Barkley (112 BPM)
- “Drops of Jupiter” – Train (100 BPM)
- “Smooth” – Santana ft. Rob Thomas (116 BPM, but it has sections around 100 BPM)
- “Chasing Cars” – Snow Patrol (104 BPM, but it feels like around 100 BPM)
- “Mr. Brightside” – The Killers (148 BPM, but it has sections around 110 BPM)
- “Hot N Cold” – Katy Perry (132 BPM, but it has sections around 110 BPM)
- “Clocks” – Coldplay (131 BPM, but it has sections around 110 BPM)
- “Hey There Delilah” – Plain White T’s (100 BPM, but it has sections around 110 BPM)
- “Seven Nation Army” – The White Stripes (124 BPM, but it has sections around 110 BPM)
The 2010s
Can you believe some of these songs are reaching throwback status?
- “Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars (115 BPM)
- “Shape of You” – Ed Sheeran (96 BPM, but it has sections around 100 BPM)
- “Havana” – Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug (105 BPM)
- “Pompeii” – Bastille (127 BPM, but it feels like around 105 BPM)
- “Riptide” – Vance Joy (104 BPM)
- “Counting Stars” – OneRepublic (122 BPM)
- “Rolling in the Deep” – Adele (105 BPM)
- “Roar” – Katy Perry (100 BPM)
- “Stay” – Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko (112 BPM)
- “Some Nights” – fun. (108 BPM)
Where Can I Learn More About CPR?
At ProTrainings, we’re passionate about saving lives. That’s why we produce tons of great informational content for free. Our number one priority is making sure everyone knows what to do in emergency situations.
Make sure you and your team are ready for any emergency by taking a look at our online first-aid courses. For more high-quality content, follow us on LinkedIn!