4 Famous Songs Used by Michigan Sports Teams
You’ve probably seen this at least once: a team is on the verge of losing in the game’s final minutes, but the crowd suddenly chants a familiar song. Before you know it, everyone in the stands is singing it, and as if by miracle, the losing team scores and takes the win at the last possible second.
But have you ever wondered how the crowd picked a particular song to sing? It all comes down to one thing: tradition. Few in the crowd actually know how or why they sang that particular song, but everyone knows they must sing it for their team when it truly matters.
With that, let’s look at the four famous songs Michigan sports teams use to boost morale and increase their chances of winning. And if you can’t join your fellow sports fans at the stadium, make sure you check the odds first at www.mlive.com/betting/ so you can make an intelligent betting decision. A game is always more exciting when a bet is on the line, making you more inclined to sing along – even at home.
Mr. Brightside by The Killers
At first glance, there’s not a strong connection between the song and sports in general. Mr. Brightside talks about jealousy and infidelity, which aren’t things that will cheer you up. But somehow, this song became the go-to song since 2016, whenever The Big House needs to make some noise for their home team. And boy, does it work. For some reason, everyone loves singing along to this song.
When they first played this song, Michigan won their home game against Wisconsin, cementing Mr. Brightside as a staple in The Big House since then. The only time it wasn’t played was in 2020, when games were held without crowds, due to the pandemic.
Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey
Listen to the first verse of Journey’s popular belter and you’ll immediately figure out why the Detroit Red Wings love using this song for their home games. After all, it mentions South Detroit while telling the story of people struggling and fighting through life. And when the chorus hits, it’s hard not to get swept away by its inspirational message.
Never mind that there’s no “South Detroit” really , because if you go too far south of Detroit River, you’ll end up in Windsor, Canada. But as long as you can overlook that little geographical nitpick, Don’t Stop Believin’ is going to keep playing as a feel-good song for the Red Wings.
Lose Yourself by Eminem
There’s no need to ruin sweaters here or waste your mother’s spaghetti; just singing along is enough to get Michigan sports fans and athletes pumped. A rap song may not be anyone’s first choice when it comes to hyping people up, but Eminem’s classic carries such a heavy message of capturing opportunities that it’s a staple at The Big House during game day.
It also helps that Lose Yourself was heavily featured in the movie 8 Mile, which was set in – you guessed it – Detroit. Eminem may not be from the Motor City but he may as well be the city’s adopted son with how he ingrained this song (and the movie in general) with Detroit’s culture.
Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N’ Roses
Alright, let’s be honest: almost every sports team in the nation has played this song at least once. Other states’ teams regularly claim Welcome to the Jungle as their song, and why wouldn’t they? It’s a great way to set the atmosphere for the visiting team, as if to say that it’s a jungle here on their home turf, and only they know how to navigate it. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the song is lively with heavy guitar riffs and is a classic rock and roll song.
But just imagine your favorite Michigan-based team playing this song as they come out of the tunnel. It’s the perfect song to portray them as the predators, hunting around the jungle for a win, and their opponents are the prey. It’s encouraging for the home team and intimidating for the visitors, and that’s the exact feeling you want to create right before a crucial home game.