The Best Sports Songs of All Time
“Queen II” album cover – Queen has one of the best sports songs of all time – Author Anne Erickson, photo via Elektra Records
Sports and music go together well, and there’s a long history of the two having a relationship together. The best sports songs of all time have been used to pump up the greatest teams and players in the world of athletics. It’s always exciting to hear what song snippets baseball players pick to hear as they step up to bat. Those players’ favorite songs say a lot about them. It’s also always fun to hear what songs get played during NFL games during time outs and going to break. So, let’s discuss the best sports songs of all time, ranked, and what makes them so fantastic.
The Best Sports Songs of All Time, Ranked
6. Guns N’ Roses, “Welcome to the Jungle”
The guitars in Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” are absolutely on fire, and they make for a great pick-me-up during any game. This song is played a lot across different sports, and it’s just the kind of high-energy rock anthem that’s purpose-made for athletics. It’s certainly one of the best sports songs of all time.
5. Ozzy Osbourne, “Crazy Train”
For whatever reason, Ozzy Osbourne’s solo track “Crazy Train” always seems to be played at sporting events. It’s not really the kind of anthem that you’d expect to hear during sports, and the lyrics aren’t inspirational or uplifting. But, it first, and it’s always comforting to hear “Crazy Train’s” intro come on during a sporting event.
4. Van Halen, “Jump”
Van Halen’s hit “Jump” is the kind of pop-rock hit that everyone can enjoy. The name alone makes it a good choice for a sporting event. “Jump” is the explosive kind of rock anthem that simply makes for good background music during a major sporting outing.
3. The White Stripes, “Seven Nation Army”
The thumping, solider-like beat in The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” somehow compliments live sports perfectly. This song is the perfect mix of garage rock and alternative, and it appeals to a wide range of sports fans. Also, there’s the fact that Jack White is a huge Major League Baseball fan.
2. Journey, “Don’t Stop Believin'”
One of the best things about watching sports is experiencing crazy turnarounds in games. There are so many times I’ve been watching a game and think it’s over, because the score is so lopsided, only to see the other team turns things around, go on a crazy run and win the game. It’s really fun to watch that turnaround, unless, of course, your team is the one that ends up losing. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” is the perfect sports anthem for teams that look like they’re on the brink of disaster. It’s a reminder that all things are possible, if you believe. It’s one of the more inspiring best sports songs out there.
1. Queen, “We Will Rock You / We Are the Champions”
Did you expect anything else to top our list of the best sports songs of all time? The answer should be “no.” Of course Queen with “We Will Rock You” is the best sports anthem ever. The track has been used time and time again in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA and beyond. According to BMI, “We Will Rock You” is the performing rights organization’s most-played song at NHL, NFL and MLB games. Their stats say that the song has accumulated more than 9.5 million U.S. radio and TV feature performances from 1977 release through the third quarter of 2023. It’s simply a no-brainer to top our tally of the best sports songs of all time.
While those five songs make up our list of the best sports anthems of all time, there are so many more we could have included. A few honorable mentions include “Lose Yourself” by Eminem, which is one of my favorite sports songs, plus “Jump Around” by House of Pain, “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor,” “Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men, “Are You Ready For Some Football?” by Hank Williams Jr. and “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. Contact me with your favorite sports songs of all time at anne@audioinkradio.com or on social media.
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