January 15, 2025
Some days, you just need the right soundtrack to power through. Music that fuels the fight, lifts the spirit, and drowns out the hum of IV pumps. Starting with LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out”—because if ever there were a theme song for battling cancer, this might be it—it rolled seamlessly into the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” and DMX’s “Party Up.”
But I needed more. A proper chemo playlist has to keep the energy high and the determination higher. So, here’s my curated list of tracks—music to punch through the fog, bring a smile, or simply make you feel alive:
The Ultimate Chemo Playlist, Volume 1
The Commodores – "Brick House"
Van Halen – "Jump"
LL Cool J – "Mama Said Knock You Out"
Bee Gees – "Stayin' Alive"
Metallica – "Enter Sandman"
Curtis Mayfield – "Move On Up"
Eminem – "Lose Yourself"
Earth, Wind & Fire – "September"
Nirvana – "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Gloria Gaynor – "I Will Survive"
Run-D.M.C. – "It's Tricky"
AC/DC – "Thunderstruck"
The Isley Brothers – "Shout"
Queen & David Bowie – "Under Pressure"
Donna Summer – "Hot Stuff"
The Offspring – "Self Esteem"
DMX – "Party Up (Up In Here)"
Aretha Franklin – "Respect"
Rage Against the Machine – "Killing in the Name"
Marvin Gaye – "Got to Give It Up (Part 1)"
Stevie Wonder – "Superstition"
Chic – "Le Freak"
Kool & The Gang – "Get Down on It"
Bon Jovi – "Livin' on a Prayer"
Missy Elliott – "Get Ur Freak On"
Guns N' Roses – "Welcome to the Jungle"
Red Hot Chili Peppers – "Give It Away"
Sam Cooke – "A Change Is Gonna Come"
Foo Fighters – "Everlong"
Otis Redding – "Try a Little Tenderness"
Beastie Boys – "Sabotage"
Kanye West – "Stronger"
Al Green – "Love and Happiness"
Led Zeppelin – "Immigrant Song"
Survivor – "Eye of the Tiger"
Dio – "Holy Diver"
Kanye West – "Power"
Tina Turner – "Simply the Best"
Elton John – "I'm Still Standing"
The Prodigy – "Firestarter"
Florence + The Machine – "Dog Days Are Over"
Imagine Dragons – "Believer"
AC/DC – "Back in Black"
The Rolling Stones – "Gimme Shelter"
Pink – "Just Like a Pill"
Linkin Park – "Bleed It Out"
The White Stripes – "Seven Nation Army"
Sia – "Unstoppable"
Muse – "Uprising"
Foo Fighters – "My Hero"
Some songs bring fight, others bring joy, and a few just remind you that even in the toughest times, you can still rock out.
What songs would you add to the playlist?
Great Playlist. Only song I would add is
Scorpions, "Rock You Like A Hurricane"