10 Best Running Music Player 2026 in the United States

The Garmin Forerunner 165 Music is a lightweight running smartwatch designed to be a strong companion for your fitness routines. Weighing just 1.38 ounces, it is comfortable to wear during long runs. The battery life is impressive, offering up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 19 hours with GPS, ensuring it lasts through extended training sessions. With 4GB of storage capacity, you can download and listen to music directly from the watch, supporting phone-free listening through wireless headphones, which is great for focused runs.

The colorful AMOLED display and ease of navigation with both touchscreen and traditional button controls make it user-friendly, even during intense workouts. Additionally, the watch is equipped with various training metrics and recovery insights to help you optimize your fitness regime. It also includes safety features like incident detection and Assistance, which can send your live location to emergency contacts, providing peace of mind when running outdoors. However, the need for subscription services to access music playlists may be a drawback for some users.

The smartwatch also offers smart notifications, contactless payments with Garmin Pay, and multiple built-in activity profiles, making it versatile for various sports. While it performs excellently for running and general fitness, the dependency on smartphone pairing for some features and the relatively limited storage capacity might be limitations for users looking for more standalone functionality and more extensive music storage.

The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds are designed specifically for active users like runners, thanks to their secure-fit earhooks that stay put during intense movement. They offer a very impressive battery life—up to 45 hours total with the charging case and 10 hours on a single charge—meaning you can go days without recharging, which is great for long-term use. The earbuds are sweat and water resistant (IPX4), so they can handle tough workouts and rainy conditions. One standout feature is the real-time heart rate monitoring built right into the earbuds, which is handy for tracking your fitness without extra devices. The earbuds are also lightweight (around 8.7 grams each) and come with five different ear tip sizes, offering a comfortable and personalized fit that won’t feel bulky during runs.

In terms of sound, they provide active noise cancelling tailored for gym and workout environments, plus Transparency mode so you can stay aware of your surroundings when needed. Connectivity is solid with Class 1 Bluetooth, ensuring stable wireless connection and compatibility with both Apple and Android devices, including hands-free voice controls and quick device switching. However, these earbuds don’t have built-in music storage, so you need to stream music from a phone or another device, which might be a drawback if you prefer to run without carrying extra gear. The charging case supports wireless Qi charging, but the USB-C charging cable is sold separately, which is something to keep in mind.

Though the earbuds are moderately sized, their lightweight design and flexible earhooks help keep them comfortable even on long runs. These earbuds represent a strong choice for runners who want reliable battery life, fitness tracking, and workout-focused sound features, but they may be less ideal for those seeking standalone music playback.

The Garmin Forerunner 165 Music is a lightweight running smartwatch with a bright AMOLED display and a compact 43mm size, making it comfortable to wear during workouts without feeling bulky. It offers a strong battery life, lasting up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 19 hours with GPS active, which is excellent for extended training sessions or multi-day use. With 4 GB of storage, you can download playlists from popular streaming services like Spotify and Amazon Music, allowing phone-free listening through wireless headphones—great for runners who want to stay untethered.

Durability is solid with a fiber-reinforced polymer case and 50 meters of water resistance, suitable for sweat and rain, although it is not meant for deep-water swimming. The watch combines a touchscreen with physical buttons, helping usability during runs when you might want quick, reliable controls without fumbling. Connectivity is versatile, including Bluetooth for headphones and smartphone pairing, plus smart notifications and Garmin Pay for contactless payments.

The screen resolution is modest (240 x 204), so while the display is colorful and clear, it’s not as sharp as some premium models. Some safety features like incident detection require a paired smartphone with network coverage, so they’re less useful if you run in remote areas. The watch provides plenty of training insights and recovery advice, which is helpful for runners focused on improving performance. This smartwatch is well-suited for runners who want a reliable GPS watch that also handles music playback without needing a phone, appreciate a long battery life and solid training support, and desire a user-friendly, durable device for outdoor use.