Picking the right mix for your next performance can be a tough decision. You can start to narrow down your choices by considering the context. Are you selecting music for game-time or competition? The two typically require very different criteria. Competition music will be more structured and must hit all the right notes on the judge’s score sheet. Time-out music is more of a free-for-all, with the primary goal of entertaining the fans while pumping up the athletes. We’ve organized our music selection into a variety of categories so you can browse time-out tracks or cheer mixes, depending on what you’re looking for. Here are a few tips on how to choose music for competition or game time:

The music of 2019 is off to a pretty strong start. Now that we are a few months into the new year, it’s a good time to take stock of the music trends that are beginning to take hold in cheer, hip-hop, Pom, and dance to see how your squad can use them to dominate the rest of 2019.

We recently sat down with Carsen Rowe, owner of Tribe 99 Choreography and one of the most influential people in the cheerleading and dance community to understand what music trends are developing in the dance world.

From new dance styles to fresh editing and ways to play with beats, here are some of the music trends that Carsen shared with us:

A cheer or dance performance without music is like a fish without water. Music sets the mood of the show, keeps the audience engaged, and ensures the entire squad is coordinated and on point. Selecting the music for a big performance can be tricky, but the process can help you sharpen the vision for your routine. A good music song for a cheer or dance performance has a few important qualities:

If your inspirational battery is dead, you may need to jump-start it with some fresh musical energy. These songs can help infuse new blood into an otherwise dull cheer routine—give them a listen to see if you can find the fresh sound you’ve been looking for: