Imagine a sports fan arriving at a stadium to watch their favorite team play. Even if they’re on their phone and perusing offers from sportsbooks before they place their wagers, they’re going to register music playing in the background. It could be a classic rock band like Queen or Guns N’ Roses, or maybe something more modern like DJ Khaled or Fall Out Boy. And even if they’re still finalizing their money lines or over/under, they’re probably going to sing along to these songs.
The average playlist played at live sporting events tends to cover a similar list of songs and artists. No matter how far from home a sports fan wanders, they’re likely to hear at least one familiar tune. However, even if stadium music is heading along a more homogenized route, that doesn’t mean there aren’t variations in the style and type of music played.
In fact, the intersection of music and sports is incredibly varied. Musicians regularly refer to sports in their lyrics, whereas athletes rely on music to help them train and recuperate. Networks that broadcast live games carefully select the audio clips that help round out their show. But, most of all, it seems that music is a critical part of the fan experience. Let’s dive in to that.
An Emphasis on Classic Rock & Hip-Hop
Stadium music is designed to get fans fired up. Unsurprisingly, the professionals responsible for tinkering with playlists will opt for music with a higher BPM and a strong message. Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘Crazy Train’ and Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ are two great choices for a reason. They get the blood pumping—literally—and are well-known enough that even the least musically inclined fan can probably belt out a few lyrics.
The same goes for hip-hop. Though not quite as ubiquitous worldwide, songs like ‘Bodak Yellow’ by Cardi B or ‘Lose Yourself’ by Eminem are also some of the top-performing ‘hype hits’ on ESPN’s all-time stadium music ranking. Once again, the idea is to get fans on their feet, excited, and, hopefully, yelling out a few of those lyrics.
The Walk-Up Song (& Organs)
There’s one sports league that takes music a little bit more seriously than its counterparts: professional baseball. In the US, most MLB stadiums are fitted with massive organ instruments. These are a call back to the early days of the sport when organs were the only instruments large enough to fill a stadium and capable of accompanying themselves.
Today, the tradition has stuck—but it’s also evolved. Rather than playing the organs as batters head to home plate, stadiums now blast different ‘walk-up songs’. These are chosen by the player and are designed to get them into a grand slam mindset. This means that they aren’t all rock or hip-hop belters.
Some of them are actually quite strange. ‘Bad Blood’ by Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar is a favorite, along with ‘Boogie Nights’ by Heatwave. In 2022, one standout hit is ‘Dangerous’ by the Ying Yang Twins.
A Question of Regional (and Fan) Tastes
MLB notwithstanding, most sports stadiums focus on crafting the perfect playlists that will get fans engaged. But much of this approach depends on the region. In the US’s southern region, for example, it’s still common for stadiums and arenas to play lower BPM country and folk music. It wouldn’t get a crowd in Seattle or Glasgow on their feet, but it gets the party started in Tallahassee. You can find the updated concert schedule for stadiums near you by visiting the online booking websites.
In many cases, professional teams also have specific vocalists who open each game. They often sing the national anthem or another regional anthem—and they’re adored by fans and players alike. As a team advances toward the postseason, many opt to forgo bigger-name singers in order to keep their favorite opener.
And then, of course, there’s the season-winning song. These are tunes that fans and teams adopt as they advance toward a championship title. For example, the Saint Louis Blues adopted the song ‘Gloria’ by Laura Brannigan when battling through the Stanley Cups in 2019. The team won, and the song remains a classic throughout the city, able to get anyone up and on their feet.
