Garth Trinidad (DJ, KCRW-FM)

PICK ME UP:

Having kids means no matter what time I hit the sack, I'm up at the crack of dawn. For the ride to school, Murs has the whole fam head-bopping, while Yellow Alex and Big Moves provide bright, playful, high-energy indie rock and pop rhythms perfect for playground plans and, of course, the rest of Daddy's daytime adventures.

"Fresh Kicks" by Murs and Terrace Martin

"Lisa Lisa Lisa" by Yellow Alex and the Feelings

"Inspiration as a Recurring Theme" by Big Moves

CHILL OUT:

When the workday ends at 3 a.m., nothing like plugging in the headphones for some head nodding to chill those beta waves out. The down tempo swing and sublime vocal harmonies of Ana Tijoux and the Internet set me adrift to meet the Sandman, while Jensen Sportag's remix for Madi Diaz lays down the final groove for REM sleep.

"Volver" by Ana Tijoux

"Love Song -1" by the Internet

"Trust Fall" (Down We Go Remix by Jensen Sportag) by Madi Diaz

WORK IT OUT:

We'll call this one hypothetical, as it's been a while since I've witnessed the fitness. Spirit Animal's raucous punk funk is on repeat while we get the blood pumping on the treadmill. Then we go hard on benches, squats and free weights with the heavy monster sound of Blah Blah Blah and savage speed of Stiffed.

"Crocodile Skins" by Spirit Animal

"Why Am I the Only One Laughing?" by Blah Blah Blah

"What You Gon' Do?" by Stiffed

Randall Roberts (pop music critic, Los Angeles Times)PICK ME UP:

These songs serve myriad inspirational purposes, as the psychic fuel in my life, from Arthur Russell's ode to the dream life to the explosion that is Beyoncé's "Countdown," along with jazz iconoclast Sun Ra's wonderfully sloppy "Rocket No. 9" and L.A. punk band the Weirdos' burst of fury.

"Come to Life" by Arthur Russell

"Countdown" by Beyoncé