‘Bulletproof’
La Roux
This lyrical dedication is for those graduating seniors out there: “”Been there, done that messed around / I’m having fun, don’t put me down.”” Sounds like the right attitude for finals to me! Senioritis is kicking in hard and fast, but stay diligent. As veterans, we can’t let the underclassmen see us sweat. Stay bullet proof.
— Remy Albillar
‘Eye of the Tiger’
Survivor
This driving power ballad would make any montage 10 times more bad ass. So go ahead, crush a Styrofoam cup full of hot coffee on your forehead and shake off that scalding liquid like it’s sweat from your brow. The best thing about this song is that, as numerous ad campaigns have proven, you can substitute just about any combination of words for the real lyrics, so it can be tailor-made to your studying montage needs.
— Heather Price-Wright
ANY Hans Zimmer soundtrack
“”The Dark Knight,”” “”The Gladiator,”” “”Pirates of the Caribbean,”” “”Inception,”” “”Sherlock Holmes.””
Nothing gets the brain juices a-flowing like the powerful melodies the Zimmer creates. Maybe some of his brilliance will rub off on you.
— Dallas Williamson
‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You’ from ‘Mulan’
Donny Osmond
Don’t deny it. Every time you hear a sentence that begins “”Let’s get down to business,”” don’t you automatically fill in “”to defeat the Huns?”” True, you might not need to literally be a man to own a final, but something about this song is empowering to everyone.
— Miranda Butler
‘Tom Sawyer’
Rush
From Neil Peart’s steady beat and Geddy Lee’s opening slide of slippery synth, Rush’s ubiquitous Twain-inspired hit is a song that screams getting stuff done — ’80s style! You got this. You know your “”mind is not for rent / to any god or government.”” Well, maybe it is for another week or so, but after that it’s smooth sailing down the Mississip’, baby.
— Brandon Specktor