4 Country Songs That Surprisingly Became Stadium Anthems

Historically, rock music has dominated sports via stadium anthems. “We Will Rock You” by Queen and “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes are just a couple of examples. That being said, a few country songs here and there have become favorites at football games and other sports events in the last few years, and those stadium anthems deserve some love. Let’s take a look!

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1. “Friends In Low Places” by Garth Brooks

A karaoke classic in addition to being a sports event favorite, “Friends In Low Places” by Garth Brooks is the most timeless country song to make it to this list. Released back in 1990, this Brooks hit is easy to sing along to, even if you’re as drunk as a skunk. You’ve probably heard this country tune blasted from the parking lot ahead of a football game on a Sunday afternoon once or twice.

2. “The Boys Of Fall” by Kenny Chesney

This entry on our list of country stadium anthems actually involves football in some capacity. “The Boys Of Fall” by Kenny Chesney was released back in 2010 and is a classic ode to high school football. The music video for this track even debuted on ESPN back in the day, setting it up as a standard for football events for years to come.

3. “Had Me By Halftime” by Morgan Wallen

Another song that directly references football, Morgan Wallen’s “Had Me By Halftime” has become a bit of a fan favorite in recent years. This track was released in 2018 as part of Wallen’s If I Know Me album. The song is a modern country ode to connecting over a game of corn hole and falling in love during a football game.

4. “Cotton Eye Joe” by Rednex

Alright, I knew this would be a controversial entry. This list is about country stadium anthems, after all. Rednex is a Swedish electronic outfit, aren’t they? That is true, but the country elements (both parody and legitimate) of their music just can’t be ignored. And one can’t ignore the pop culture influence of “Cotton Eye Joe”, both in the world of Eurodance and at sports events around the world.

Photo by Amy Harris/Shutterstock

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