The List

4 Country Songs That Surprisingly Became Stadium Anthems

Historically, rock music has dominated sports via stadium anthems. โ€œWe Will Rock Youโ€ by Queen and โ€œSeven Nation Armyโ€ 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. Letโ€™s take a look!

1. โ€œFriends In Low Placesโ€ by Garth Brooks

A karaoke classic in addition to being a sports event favorite, โ€œFriends In Low Placesโ€ 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 youโ€™re as drunk as a skunk. Youโ€™ve probably heard this country tune blasted from the parking lot ahead of a football game on a Sunday afternoon once or twice.

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2. โ€œThe Boys Of Fallโ€ by Kenny Chesney

This entry on our list of country stadium anthems actually involves football in some capacity. โ€œThe Boys Of Fallโ€ 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. โ€œHad Me By Halftimeโ€ by Morgan Wallen

Another song that directly references football, Morgan Wallenโ€™s โ€œHad Me By Halftimeโ€ has become a bit of a fan favorite in recent years. This track was released in 2018 as part of Wallenโ€™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. โ€œCotton Eye Joeโ€ 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, arenโ€™t they? That is true, but the country elements (both parody and legitimate) of their music just canโ€™t be ignored. And one canโ€™t ignore the pop culture influence of โ€œCotton Eye Joeโ€, both in the world of Eurodance and at sports events around the world.

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