‘Seven Nation Army’ and 8 Other Songs That Became Stadium Chants

Nobody sat down and wrote a stadium chant by committee. Most of these tunes were released for radio, a musical stage, or a dance floor, and crowds took them over later.

The nine songs below are different in age, genre and country. What they share is that supporters turned them into something shared and loud. Here is how each one got there, as far as the record shows.

Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes

The White Stripes released it in 2003 on the album Elephant. Jack White played the famous riff on a guitar run through an effects pedal, which is why it sounds like a bass.

The riff’s route to the terraces is commonly traced to fans of Belgian club Club Brugge, who sang it around 2003, and then to AC Milan supporters. Italy’s 2006 World Cup win then spread it across the world. Today a crowd can hum the riff without a single instrument in the building.

You’ll Never Walk Alone

The song began on Broadway. Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote it for the 1945 musical Carousel, where it comforts a grieving character.

Gerry and the Pacemakers recorded a version in 1963 that went to number one in the UK. Liverpool fans took it up at Anfield, and it became the club’s anthem. Borussia Dortmund and Celtic supporters also sing it, each with their own tradition around it.

Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond released the song in 1969. He has said it was inspired by a photograph of Caroline Kennedy as a child.

At Fenway Park, the Boston Red Sox play it during the middle of the eighth inning, and the crowd sings along. The tradition became a regular fixture in the early 2000s. English football fans have also sung it at international tournaments in recent years, including at Euro 2024.

We Will Rock You by Queen

Queen put it on the 1977 album News of the World. Brian May has said he wanted a song the audience could take part in, so it has stomps and claps rather than a conventional rhythm section.

That design made it easy for a stadium to copy. Anyone can join in without learning a word. It remains a staple at sports events and is often played alongside Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”

Blue Moon at Manchester City

“Blue Moon” is an older song, written by Rodgers and Hart in 1934. The Marcels turned it into a doo wop hit in 1961.

Manchester City supporters adapted it with their own words in the late 1980s, and it has been their signature since. The colour of the club’s shirts did much of the work. The title was simply a perfect fit.

I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles at West Ham

This song dates back to 1919, well before modern pop. West Ham’s connection is usually traced to a schoolboy footballer nicknamed Bubbles because he resembled a child in a famous painting.

The club’s supporters took up the song in the following years and have sung it at home matches ever since. It is slow, almost wistful, which makes it an unusual chant. Fans there treat it as part of the club’s identity.

Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver

John Denver released the song in 1971, and it became one of his best known recordings. It has a strong link to West Virginia.

West Virginia University fans sing it at home football games, and the tradition has lasted for decades. Crowds in other places have borrowed it too. It works in a stadium because the chorus is easy to remember and pleasant to shout.

Song 2 by Blur

Blur put it on their 1997 self titled album. It runs about two minutes, and its loud, wordless “woo hoo” shout is its most recognisable moment.

Sports venues, especially in North America, picked it up as a goal or scoring song. It needs no explanation and no lyrics from the crowd. A short burst of noise is all it asks.

Kernkraft 400 by Zombie Nation

The German act Zombie Nation released it in 1999. The main melody comes from the soundtrack to the 1984 Commodore 64 game Lazy Jones, composed by David Whittaker.

Its repetitive synth line has made it popular at sports events, including in Germany, where it is often played to get crowds moving. Fans tend to stomp and jump rather than sing. There are no words to forget.

Final Whistle

Each of these songs reached the stands by a different route, from a Broadway stage to a video game soundtrack. In every case it was the crowd that decided to keep it.