For many people music is a massive motivator when exercising, especially when you are training for longer periods of time, as it is a great distraction from what you are going through which can pass the time ‘slightly’ quicker. But can the volume, type of music and the BPM (beats per minute) make a difference? A 2012 study by researchers at Sheffield Hallam University in which people who cycled in time to music needed 7 percent less oxygen than other cyclists, so yes the BPM in what you are listening to can improve performance; however the volume of the music did not make a difference as it could not only damage your ears but also because you only need it loud enough to stay in time with.