# What is Michael Phelps listening to? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750 "2004-08-20T17:41:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/1 "2004-08-20T17:41:27Z")
My wife and I have been enjoying watching Michael Phelps efforts in the Olympics. It seems that before every event, he has on a set of headphones, as if for a CD player or something. He takes them off just before stretching and taking the stand. So what could he be listening to? My wife and I think he’s listening to some motivational speaker: “You are a winner! You will win the race! People like you! The swimming cap doesn’t make you funny-looking!” 🙂 Anyone have an idea? ---
**Author:** ![boucheresq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@boucheresq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boucheresq)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/2 "2004-08-20T17:50:37Z")
Sorry to disappoint, but NBC said the other night that he is listening to music - Eminem, Usher and some others I can’t remember - in fact, they are selling CD’s with the music he is listening to on [nbc.com](http://nbc.com) - they are selling a lot of music of athletes that they are listening to during the competition - cheesy if you ask me! ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/3 "2004-08-20T18:02:24Z")
He used to listen to Dr. Dre. Now it is strictly Eminem, right before a race at least. He used to have a CD player but recently bought himself an ipod. He evidently is a big rap fan, bought spinners for his car but his coach made him take them off, telling him he is a swimmer not a rapper. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/4 "2004-08-20T18:06:55Z")
He should totally get spinners that look like two ripped arms swimming the freestyle. So when he pulls to a stop in his BlingScalade, the little arms twirl and look like someone swimming. And then he should tie a bright yellow lane buoy around his car like a racing stripe, and have everything between the buoy and the ground painted lacquered, shiny, chlorine-pool blue. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/5 "2004-08-20T18:07:00Z")
> [@dauerbach](#): > > He used to listen to Dr. Dre. Now it is strictly Eminem, right before a race at least. He used to have a CD player but recently bought himself an ipod. He evidently is a big rap fan, bought spinners for his car but his coach made him take them off, telling him he is a swimmer not a rapper. Only tangentially related to the thread, but why in the hell would his coach give a Baby Ruth what kind of rims he has on his car? ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/6 "2004-08-20T18:13:52Z")
I would guess that his coach is trying to keep him in the right mental state. Concentrate on swimming, keep a low profile, etc. The low profile is pretty much doomed at this point, and some recent spot pieces on NBC show the spinners, so maybe they are back on now. Custom made swimming spinners is a good idea. I will have to suggest it. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/7 "2004-08-20T18:50:02Z")
> [@Ol'Gaffer](#): > > Only tangentially related to the thread, but why in the hell would his coach give a Baby Ruth what kind of rims he has on his car? I was wondering this as well. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/8 "2004-08-20T20:03:59Z")
They aren’t headphones. He is trying to push back those gigantic ears so they won’t cause resistance in the water. If he could train his ears to stroke along with his arms he would have those 8 gold medals. Its true I saw it on CNBC 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/9 "2004-08-20T23:22:41Z")
According to [NBC](http://www.nbcolympics.com/phelps/5009163/detail.html), he’s listening to Usher, Twista, and Outkast. That page also has a link to a video in which he talks about his interest in rap music. Here is NBC’s page of [playlists](http://www.nbcolympics.com/music/5029511/detail.html) for the Olympic athletes. ---
**Author:** ![brzrk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@brzrk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brzrk)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/10 "2004-08-21T05:03:57Z")
Athletes apparently have awful taste in music. ---
**Author:** ![Milford\_Cubicle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Milford\_Cubicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milford_Cubicle)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/11 "2004-08-21T07:14:05Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > \*\*If he could train his ears to stroke along with his arms he would have those 8 gold medals. \*\* Or, perhaps if he just slightly altered the dosage of whatever performance enhancing drug he’s on. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-michael-phelps-listening-to/260750/12 "2004-08-21T23:07:00Z")
> [@brzrk](#): > > Athletes apparently have awful taste in music. How many gold medals do _you_ have?