Sports arenas\/stadiums and concert venues often give off the same kinds of energetic vibes. It\u2019s understandable then that some popular songs have earned a second life from their incorporation into the sports world.<\/p>\n
This list could go much longer, as there\u2019s hardly a live sporting event of note that takes place these days without some music pumping through the speakers. Let\u2019s narrow it down to five of the most famous examples of the intersection of music and live sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cSirius\/Eye In The Sky\u201d by Alan Parsons Project<\/p>\n
This one goes way back to the dynasty that was created by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. Chicago won six titles in eight seasons during one stretch in the 90s. One of the highlights of attending a Bulls game was getting to hear the player introductions. They\u2019d all lead up to Jordan being announced last. Evocative instrumental music with crashing crescendos accompanied these announcements. Sharp listeners recognized this music as \u201cSirius\u201d, the instrumental that leads into The Alan Parsons Project\u2019s hit single \u201cEye In The Sky\u201d<\/a> on the album of the same name.<\/p>\n \u201cRenegade\u201d by Styx<\/p>\n Sometimes, a song can be deemed a good-luck charm for a team. That\u2019s the case with \u201cRenegade\u201d by Styx and its connection to the NFL\u2019s Pittsburgh Steelers. Back in 2002, the team was struggling at home against the Cleveland Browns in the second half when \u201cRenegade\u201d made its appearance. The song\u2019s quiet opening leads into a hard-charging main section. That day, it seemed to wake up the Steelers, as they made an unlikely comeback for the win. Ever since, \u201cRenegade\u201d has been played in the second half while highlights pop up on the video screen. And the stadium shakes with the frenzied reaction of the Steelers\u2019 faithful.<\/p>\n \u201cSweet Caroline\u201d by Neil Diamond<\/p>\n Who knows why some songs catch fire at sporting events? On the surface, \u201cSweet Caroline\u201d, a 1969 ode to a special girl that gave Neil Diamond one in a string of seemingly countless hits, doesn\u2019t seem to fit. But it possesses excellent sing-along potential. In fact, sports fans have added parts to it over the years that even Diamond didn\u2019t imagine in the original. \u201cSweet Caroline\u201d was first used in the 90s by the Boston Red Sox to pump up the fans late in the game. It has become a steadfast tradition ever since. Diamond has even shown up to sing the song himself on a couple of occasions.<\/p>\n \u201cEnter Sandman\u201d by Metallica<\/p>\n Well, if we\u2019re going to have the Red Sox represented in this list, we\u2019d better give the New York Yankees equal time. So-called \u201cwalk-up\u201d music, which is the practice of a song accompanying every player who comes to the plate or the pitching mound, has become an everyday occurrence in Major League Baseball these days. Mariano Rivera, legendary relief pitcher for the Yankees, helped popularize all that. When he would enter the game from the bullpen, \u201cEnter Sandman\u201d would come blaring across Yankee Stadium\u2019s speakers. It was the perfect tribute song for him because he would generally put the other team to bed.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t Look Back In Anger\u201d by Oasis<\/p>\n The other examples in this list refer to specific teams and stadiums. \u201cDon\u2019t Look Back In Anger\u201d has been able to spread among many different sectors of football (or soccer, as we in America call it) fandom in Great Britain. Another area where it differs from the other songs we\u2019ve mentioned here is that it\u2019s often used to soften the blow after a tough loss. Oasis is beloved in Great Britain, so it makes sense that the fans connect with the song. In 2024, the crowd at an NFL game played in England even sang \u201cDon\u2019t Look Back In Anger\u201d, proving its malleability in the sports world.<\/p>\n Photo by Mat Hayward\/Getty Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sports arenas\/stadiums and concert venues often give off the same kinds of energetic vibes. 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