Stage & Screen  •  Television Music

Sports Anthems

Overview Albums

Sports Anthems -- or "jock jams," to borrow a phrase coined by the cable sports network ESPN on a series of compilation CD's -- are pop hits that have become recurring favorites at athletic events. From high-school basketball games to the Super Bowl, these songs are constants, and are now as impossible to separate from the fan experience as eating hot dogs or drinking beer. Typically, sports anthems are loud, insistent songs with some kind of hook that proves irresistible to listeners, often allowing for audience participation (like the KLF's "Doctorin' the Tardis"). Some, like Queen's "We Are the Champions" or Kool & the Gang's "Celebration," speak to themes of victory and euphoria, while others, like Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)" allow the winning team and its fans to revel in the misery of the losers. Other staples of any good arena's playlist: Blur's "Song 2," Tag Team's "Whoomp! There It Is," Europe's "The Final Countdown," and Snap's "The Power."