As Premier League players line up in the tunnel waiting to enter the pitch, a familiar song signals that it's game time. The electrifying atmosphere created by an infamous beat or inspiring lyrics is essential for hyping a team and its fans for a match.
While some clubs choose an already-famous song to excite the crowd, others bring a lesser-known tune into the spotlight, and a few even create their own. The reasons behind choosing these songs vary from a romantic gesture to a rock star supporter and a boy nicknamed Bubbles!
But which club has the most popular entrance music? In new research conducted by Ticket Compare, the search volume, YouTube views, and Spotify listens for the current walkout songs of each Premier League team are revealed. Read on to discover which is the number one track!
20) Brighton & Hove Albion — Sussex by the Sea by The Band Of The Princess Of Wales's Royal Regiment
The Brighton players walk out to a classic marching song written by William Ward-Higgs in 1907! According to the Athletic: “He was from Lancashire and only lived on the south coast for a few years, but was moved to write an anthem celebrating his adopted home.”
‘Sussex by the Sea’ has since become the county’s unofficial anthem and several local organisations have also adopted the track. Brighton & Hove Albion play the tune at the Amex, but with the following adapted lyrics:
Good old Sussex by the sea, Good old Sussex by the sea.
And we're going up to win the cup
For Sussex by the sea.
19) Leicester City — Post Horn Galop by the Royal Marines Band Service
The Royal Marines Band Service plays the ‘Post-Horn Galop’ to welcome the players to the pitch! The song has been a pillar of the Leicester City experience since 1941 — creating a sense of occasion with the grand melody.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the song was used by coachmen on horse-drawn mail coaches to signal the arrival of mail. German cornet player Hermann Koenig then composed it as a solo with orchestral accompaniment in 1844. The song later became popular among brass brands in the 20th Century.
The club must dig deep to avoid relegation this season, and this song definitely sets the right tone as it mirrors the team's spirit of defying the odds and achieving greatness.
18) Manchester City — Blue Moon by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
The six-time Premier League winners walk out to a classic song associated with the club for a long time. The dreamy melody and wistful lyrics of ‘Blue Moon’ create a sense of nostalgia and anticipation at Etihad Stadium, perfectly capturing the emotion and passion of the team's supporters.
According to the City historical expert, Gary James, this track was first sung by fans at the opening game of the 1989-90 season at Liverpool. He told the club: “At Anfield, City fans were kept behind for a while after the match and a few lads started singing it as we started to make our way out. They sang a sort of melancholic version, but it caught on.”
17) Aston Villa — Escape by Craig Armstrong from the Plunkett & Macleane soundtrack
Aston Villa’s intense walkout song, ‘Escape’, is a strong way to start a match at Villa Park. While the track may exemplify Aston Villa’s bumpy season, it also fuels the club’s gradual climb up the Premier League Table.
The operatic masterpiece by the multi-award-winning composer Craig Armstrong OBE is from the 1999 British film, Plunkett & Macleane. It’s also previously been used to build tension and raise the stakes in film trailers, TV shows and of course football matches.
16) Everton — Z Cars by Johnny Keating
Nothing exemplifies Everton’s long history like their entrance music. The Toffees use the title track from the famous 1960s and 1970s British TV show Z Cars, primarily filmed in Kirkby — a short distance from Everton’s home ground, Goodison Park.
Following Everton’s epic 1963 league win, fans adopted the theme tune in memory of the club’s famous supporter and Z Cars cast member Leonard Williams who sadly passed away in 1962. The club has since slightly adapted the song with prominent siren sounds to intimidate opponents.
15) Tottenham Hotspur — Glory, Glory, Tottenham Hotspur by Tottenham Hotspur
‘Glory Glory’ is a classic terrace chant sung by UK football fans for decades — adapted from the patriotic song, ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’ — but it’s believed that Tottenham was the first club to sing the chant in 1960.
For the 1981 FA Cup Final, the squad teamed up with the British pop-rock duo, Chas & Dave, to record the song and claim it as the Tottenham anthem! The song's powerful chorus and upbeat melody create a sense of pride and excitement, capturing the team's fighting spirit and determination to succeed.
14) Fulham — Bolero by Steve Sharples from the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack
Although Bolero closed out the tragic Baz Luhrmann film, Moulin Rouge!, the dynamic track now marks the beginning of an exciting Fulham match. This powerful instrumental song — from the prolific composer, Steve Sharples — is exhilarating enough that it could help the side secure a spot back in a European competition.
The Fulham players have also previously walked out to a version of the classical song, 'Palladio' by Britain’s Got Talent finalists, Escala.
13) Southampton — The Saints Are Coming by Skids
Southampton uses several walkout songs, including ‘Insomnia’ by Faithless and ‘Legend’ by The Score. However, their current entrance music is the 1979 track, ‘The Saints Are Coming’ by the Scottish punk band, Skids. This song is a fitting choice for a club nicknamed ‘The Saints’ — which they earned from their beginnings as a church football team at St Mary's Church.
The club is also associated with the hymn ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’, and of course, the song written by members of the squad, ‘We Are Southampton’.
12) Leeds United — Marching On Together by Leeds United
Why find a song that fits your team when you can create your own? ‘Marching On Together’ (also known as ‘Leeds! Leeds! Leeds!’) is the walkout song of choice for the team at Elland Road. There’s nothing better than fans cheering the team name as the players go through the tunnel, and ‘Marching On Together’ takes that to the max.
The song, an original composition by songwriters Les Reed and Barry Mason, was released in 1972 to celebrate the club reaching that year’s FA Cup Final. The Leeds United team members and their supporters performed the original recording. After Leeds was promoted back to the Championship in May 2010, the song was re-released and peaked at number 10.
11) West Ham United — I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles by West Ham
One of the most iconic walkout songs is West Ham’s ‘I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles’. This tune — which debuted in the 1918 Broadway Musical The Passing Show — accompanies the team alongside a bubble machine!
This song was apparently first linked with the club because of a local school’s headmaster, Cornelius Beal. He would sing the song when Park School’s football team excelled because of a player who resembled a soap advert character and was therefore nicknamed Bubbles. As Beal was friends with the West Ham trainer at the time, Charlie Paynter, and several West Ham players, fans adopted the song that remains today.
10) Crystal Palace — Glad All Over by The Dave Clark Five
Crystal Palace might have changed manager this season, but the iconic music at their home games has stayed the same. The players proudly walk out to ‘Glad All Over’ alongside support from the cheerleading squad, The Crystals.
The Dave Clark Five first performed the chart-topping song ‘Glad All Over’ at the team’s ground, Selhurst Park, in February 1968. The track has since been adopted as the club’s anthem, becoming a part of its identity. In 1990, the Palace squad celebrated reaching the FA Cup final by releasing a cover version of the tune.
9) Wolverhampton Wanderers — Hi Ho Silver Lining by Jeff Beck
The Wolves' walkout music is ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’ by Jeff Beck – a classic rock song that infuses the team with energy as they enter the pitch.
This track was originally released by the English band, The Attack in 1967, but it didn’t reach the charts until Jeff Beck covered it for his debut single later that year. Although British rock star Beck wasn’t a fan of the song — comparing it to “having a pink toilet seat hanging around my neck” — it had longevity among football fans.
As well as the Wolverhampton Wanderers, supporters of Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa adopted the song. At the Molineux Stadium, fans of the Wolves passionately sing ‘Hi Ho Wolverhampton’ — altering the original lyrics.
8) Chelsea — Liquidator by Harry J. Allstars
Although many football teams have played ‘Liquidator’ over history, Chelsea is the only club to keep the entrance song for years and is therefore famous for the tune.
The reggae track became an official Chelsea song in 1970 — when the club gave away copies of the song in matchday programmes to a selection of lucky fans! However, the club claims they were first to play it in 1969, which the album note from Liquidator – The Best of the Harry J All Stars supports.
More than 50 years later, the song is still used to announce the Blues’ arrival at Stamford Bridge alongside clapping and loud chants of the team name.
7) Nottingham Forest — Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney and Wings
‘Mull of Kintyre’ by Paul McCartney and Wings is a pre-match staple for Nottingham Forest. The club first played the song before their victorious match against Yeovil Town in 2008, which promoted them back into the Championship. However, Forest fans first adopted the 1977 song as a terrace chant when the Reds won the First Division in 1978.
Fans have even called for Sir Paul McCartney to play the anthem at City Ground! Previously, when XFM asked The Beatles legend if he would perform the song when the club returned to the Premier League, he said: “Yeah, when's that going to happen? Imminent? Good luck Nottingham.” You never know!
6) Manchester United — This Is the One by The Stone Roses
The Red Devils enter Old Trafford to the classic rock song ‘This is the One’ by the legendary Mancunian band, The Stone Roses. In the early 2000s, Gary Neville requested the tune because it’s one of his favourite songs, and it stuck!
Ian Brown, the lead singer of The Stone Roses, is a lifelong Man Utd fan, despite his family supporting City! In 2009, he told The Guardian: “I wrote that tune in 1986 when I was on the dole, and there was no way I could have known that 20 years later United would be coming on to the pitch to it. It still gets me every time. It's an amazing feeling.”
5) Newcastle United — O Fortuna from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff
‘O Fortuna’ was originally a 13th-century Latin poem from the collection known as Carmina Burana, as a complaint against the goddess of fortune. In 1935–36, the German composer Carl Orff set ‘O Fortuna’ to music, which has since become well-known in pop culture.
The tune has been used across TV programmes, films and adverts — with the BBC citing it as one of the most widely heard classical tracks in 2009. ‘O Fortuna’ is likely best known as the dramatic melody that introduced the judges on The X Factor. It’s also currently Newcastle United’s entrance song of choice!
After The Magpies’ takeover last season and their massive climb to the premier league table, this theatrical song summarises the club’s journey as they aim for a top-four position.
4) Liverpool — You'll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers
Arguably one of the most iconic songs in football, ‘You'll Never Walk Alone’ was originally a Broadway ballad in 1945 and was later covered by several artists, including the Liverpudlian group Gerry and the Pacemakers. Fans quickly assumed the chart-topping 1963 version when the ground’s PA system played it regularly.
The song has become a message of hope for the players and fans through difficult moments on and off the grounds – developing a deeper meaning after the tragic 1989 Hillsborough disaster.
3) Brentford — Hey Jude by The Beatles
Despite only being in the Premier League for two seasons, Brentford has been slowly climbing up the table and might even debut in a European competition next season.
With the best side the club has arguably ever seen, it’s appropriate that the players walk out to a song from one of the all-time greatest rock bands, The Beatles. The club's tradition of playing ‘Hey Jude’ was accidentally started in the 1970s when the former stadium announcer Peter Gilham often played the song for a girl called Judy.
2) Arsenal — Lose Yourself Instrumental by Eminem
Arsenal walkout to an instrumental version of the movie 8 Mile’s instantly recognisable and arguably one of Eminem’s most famous songs, ‘Lose Yourself’. Like the film’s struggling rapper Jimmy, Arsenal is on its way to potentially shocking the world with the youngest-ever squad and manager to win the Premier League.
Since debuting in 2002, the Academy Award-winning track has become an iconic hype song — putting Arsenal in great company! In the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final, the England national rugby union team listened to ‘Lose Yourself’ in the changing rooms as inspiration. President Joe Biden also used the Eminem song in his successful 2020 presidential campaign.
1) AFC Bournemouth — Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes
The top spot for the most popular entrance track goes to Bournemouth with an instrumental version of the iconic ‘Seven Nation Army’! Before the Cherries adopted this track, it was already a shared stadium classic for various football teams due to the famous seven-note intro.
After Ye (formerly Kanye West) made antisemitic comments, the club could no longer proudly play his song ‘Power’ and had to make a change. Although The White Stripes’ much-loved song is extremely popular, this hasn't helped the team's performance as they struggle to avoid relegation.
Premier League entrance songs are more than just music; they represent the club, the supporters, and the surrounding community. From the iconic ‘You'll Never Walk Alone’ to the original anthem ‘Marching On Together’, these songs can unite fans and ignite the player’s passion.
Methodology:
We asked every Premier League club for their most up-to-date entrance song.
The songs are ranked based on their Youtube views, Spotify listens and number of monthly searches according to Ahrefs.
