For dedicated sports fans who are loyal supporters of their favorite teams and players, there is truly no better experience than attending a game or match in real-time. This is the moment where fans get the chance to cheer at the top of their lungs, their voices resounding with others across huge arenas and stadiums.

Anyone who has gone to one of these live sports competitions knows one thing to be universally true: music is a big part of the event. Rock songs in particular are sewn into the cultural fabric of live sports, with high-profile Championships like the Super Bowl hosting famous singers to entertain screaming crowds of fans during Half-Time. Hit songs from superstar bands like the Rolling Stones and Queen compliment the already high-energy environment of live sports and stir excitement in fans that are watching on at the scoreboard in anticipation. But what are some of these iconic rock n’ roll tracks that play loudly in stadiums across the country? Here we point out three of the most popular. 

Music plays a big role in major U.S. sporting events, with the Super Bowl Half-Time show serving as a shining example of this
The Final Countdown

The 80s Swedish rock band Europe is perhaps most remembered for their smash hit “The Final Countdown”, which, if you are a sports fan, you have probably heard dozens of times at that nail-biting moment in a live game where the outcome is seconds from being revealed. Additionally, because another important aspect of fandom in the U.S. is online sports betting, with many different providers offering risk-free bets for both newcomers and existing customers, it can be assumed that at least a handful of people in any crowd have placed wagers on the game. As such, this song always manages to come on during that precise moment when nerves are at an all-time high because fans are unsure if their team will be the one to come out on top or not. As its name points out, it truly is the Final Countdown.

We Will Rock You

This classic rock anthem has a way of energizing any crowd, no matter the place or event at hand. However, especially during a live sporting event, this chart-topper by the one and only Queen inspires both fans in the stadiums and players out on the field to get rowdy. In fact, the British rock group is no stranger to sporting events, with many of their songs being played in large arenas and sung along with by huge crowds. Another classic Queen hit for live games is “We Are the Champions”, one that is frequently played at the cumulation of a Championship after the winners have been crowned. Although the band was formed over five decades ago, these two songs still remain a staple of major sporting events in the U.S. and all around the world to this day.

Rock music has a way of hyping fans up during live sporting events 

Start Me Up

Up until now the songs that have been mentioned are normally played during in-game action or when teams are getting close to the finish line. However, what about anthems that are played at the beginning of a game to kick off the spectacle? No list of legendary rock songs would be complete without an appearance from the Rolling Stones, a band whose smash hits have infiltrated huge stadiums and arenas for decades. Their song “Start Me Up”, which spent 24 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100, is one of these which can typically be heard leading up to a major sports competition, with the purpose of getting fans up and out of their seats for the start of the big event. The lyrics that Mick Jagger repeats: “If you start me up, I'll never stop/ If you start me up/ If you start me up, I'll never stop", inspire a sense of excitement in fans who have been eagerly anticipating game-time.