I get numerous press releases on various things. Many I have no care for (usually NFL related things that aren’t of interest to me, sometimes it’s electronics and their deals with other sport leagues). Others pique my interest (Kayem is now the official hot dog at Times Palace!).
This time around, I found one that not only piques my interest, it may pique your own.
BMI — “Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is an American performing right organization that represents more than 475,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music” — released a list of some of the most popular music titles played at arenas and stadiums for the 2009-10. Their charting covers the sport seasons continuously between July 1, 2009 and ending June 30, 2010.
Music is not only a great unifier at sporting events, but it also cements some tunes in our psyche. How many times have you heard “Na, Na, Na, Kiss Him Goodbye” sung during the waning moments of hotly contested games and playoff series? Or heard Queen rising everyone in unison to stomp their feet and clap to the tune of We Will Rock You before, during, and after a game?
Point is, movies have their soundtracks. So do sports. The official release is below the jump, identifying the most popular tunes at NFL, Major League baseball and NHL games.
NEW YORK, February 24, 2011 — “We Will Rock You” continues to be the most-played song at NFL games, but fans of other major league sports cheer to different tunes. Hockey crowds are more likely to visit the “Twilight Zone,” while baseball fans are working at the “Car Wash.”
The songs at NFL, NHL, and MLB events are tracked each year by Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), the non-profit-making organization which tracks music performances and distributes royalties for 475,000 songwriters, composers and publishers. As the global leader in rights management, BMI processed more than 92 billion music performances in America during 2010.
Contending to become sports mega-anthems of the future, most of the Top 10 overall sports anthems are newcomers to the list. These include “Boom Boom Pow,” “Run This Town,” “Fire Burning,” “Let It Rock,” “Burn It To the Ground” and “Turn My Swag On,” all of which were released within the last several years. Two performers with songs among the Top 10 sports anthems, the Black Eyed Peas and Christina Aguilera, were tapped for live performances in Super Bowl XLV.
The three top songs among individual sports illustrate the timeless nature of sports anthems. Claiming the top spot for another year, “We Will Rock You” was written by Brian May, legendary guitarist for British rock group Queen, who released it 34 years ago. The most-played jam at National Hockey League (NHL) games is “Twilight Zone,” released nearly 20 years ago by Phil Wilde and Jean-Paul DeCoster, of the Belgian-Dutch group 2 Unlimited. The preferred anthem of Major League Baseball (MLB) teams is “Car Wash,” written by Norman Whitfield and performed by Christina Aguilera with Missy Elliott. The original version of “Car Wash” was released in a movie soundtrack of the same title in 1976 by the group Rose Royce.
“The fact that the top sports songs from football, hockey, and baseball have been popular for two decades or more illustrates the enduring value of great music,” said BMI President and CEO Del Bryant. “When we celebrate good times and memorable occasions, we turn to superb music that has stood the test of time.”
