The New Sounds of Yoga

Out with singing monks and Tibetan bowls, in with Sia, Bon Iver and Coldplay: Spotify has revealed the top 10 surprising artists and tracks being played by Aussie yogis.

According to RoyMorgan, 1 in 5 Australians between the ages of 14 and 34 practice yoga, so it’s no surprise the demand for yoga-appropriate music is on the rise.

While the traditional style of yoga music tends to entail nature sounds, oriental instruments or intense chanting, pop music and modern artists are becoming an increasingly popular choice for all those downward-dogging Australians.

Spotify has just revealed a list of the top 10 surprising yoga artists in Australia, which consists of Bon Iver, Angus and Julia Stone, the XX, Odeza, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Chet Faker, Flight Facilities, Sia and Jack Johnson.

Not what you’d expect, right?

Dr Amanda Krause, who specialises in the social and applied psychology of music, says that the music you put on while practicing any mental or physical exercise is a great tool for improving your performance.

“There is a growing interest globally on the impact certain music has on performance. We refer to it in the industry as ‘musical fit,’ where the type of music you feel ‘fits’ an activity creates an impact on the way you physically react,” says Dr Krause.

“A person’s judgement of musical fit relates to their listening preferences, environment, and goal for certain practices. For example, with yoga, the variety of music is chosen with regard to how it helps timing, focus, and motivation, which in turn enhances your overall performance.”

If you’re looking to shake up your yoga practice with something a little funkier than traditional yoga and meditation music, these are the 10 surprising tracks that Australian yogis are practicing to:

  1. Bon Iver – Holocene
  2. Flight Facilities – Clair de Lune
  3. The xx – Intro
  4. The Cinematic Orchestra – To Build A Home
  5. James Vincent McMorrow – Higher Love
  6. Sia – Breathe Me
  7. Xavier Rudd – Spirit Bird
  8. Bon Iver – Re:Stacks
  9. Ben Howard – Only Love
  10. James Blake – Retrograde

Yoga may be thousands of years old, but the modern yogi has access to so many different options of music, and it is so easy to experiment with different music styles and find the tunes that will allow your body and mind to work it’s best.

So, why not whip out your phone and put on something fresh for your next sun salutation? The benefits of finding the right tracks for you could be incredible.

Sarah Carroll

Sarah navigates health and fitness alongside a sinful sweet tooth and an unfortunate tendency to splash her savings online shopping, eating out or buying $10 cocktails at happy hour. With a love for yoga, animals and musical theatre, Sarah is rarely found without a peppermint-green tea in hand, tearing up over animal videos on Instagram.

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