World-renowned climber Alex Honnold revealed that he listened to music by American metal band Tool while performing his free-solo climb of a 101-floor tower in Taiwan.
Honnold, 40, said the music helped him manage pacing during the climb.
“Rock music I’ve liked my whole life. Part of the appeal of music is that it helps me with pacing. I know how long the songs are, so it gives you a sense of whether you’re going fast or slow,” he told Variety.
He added that he experienced a technical issue when the audio in his earphones cut out mid-climb, forcing him to rely on the sounds of the crowd below for motivation.
The record-setting climb of the 508-meter tower was streamed live on Netflix’s Skyscraper on Jan. 25, 2026, and lasted approximately an hour and a half. / TRC S