[Sports Day Cheer Songs] A roundup of classic cheer songs and recommended tracks for parody versions
Cheer songs and background music are essential for sports days and athletic festivals! Classic staples that make you want to start running the moment you hear them are a given, but it’s also long been common to rewrite the lyrics of popular J-pop songs and sing them as parodies.
In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of Japanese songs that are perfect for cheering at school sports events! Of course, we’ve also picked out songs that will hype up the crowd even if you sing them as-is.
Be sure to read through to the end!
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- [Youth Songs] Songs that liven up sports days and athletic festivals. Music that adds color to the event.
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[Sports Day Cheering Songs] A roundup of classic cheer songs and recommended tracks for parody versions (71–80)
RISING SUNEXILE
The perfect cheer song for a school sports day—the students’ big moment—is “Rising Sun.” Released in 2011 by EXILE, a dance and vocal group known for their acrobatic moves, it was also used as a charity song to support recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
It’s a dazzling electro-pop track that conveys a sense of “hope.” Their emotional yet refreshing vocals will blow away the heat.
If you’re good at dancing, cheering while dancing is highly recommended!
oneselfTani Yuuki
The sports day, one of the biggest events in school life, makes everyone nervous, doesn’t it? The perfect song to cheer on those butterflies-in-the-stomach athletes is “Jibun Jishin.” Singer-songwriter Tani Yuuki, whose signature song “Myra” went viral on TikTok and gained popularity, released it in 2022.
The piano sound marked at a slow tempo is striking.
You can’t help but swoon at the way he sings so emotionally about the worries of teens.
How about listening to a song that cheers on students who’ve been practicing so hard?
ultra soulB’z
The song that turns a high-spirited sports day into something like a live concert is “ultra soul.” Released in 2001 by the music duo B’z, who have been active since the late 1980s, it was selected as the official theme song for the Fukuoka 2001 World Aquatics Championships.
Its Latin-tinged, energetic band sound rings out, and Koshi Inaba’s powerful vocals—holding their own against the rock-driven arrangement—are sure to inspire courage.
It’s an up-tempo tune that will fire up not only the students but the teachers as well.
If everyone sings the phrase at the end of the chorus together, it’s guaranteed to bring the excitement to a peak!
A Tiny Bit of CourageFUNKY MONKEY BABYS
It was released in 2007 as FUNKY MONKEY BABYS’ fifth single.
It was used as the May opening theme for Nippon TV’s “Music Fighter” and as an insert song in the film “The 700 Days’ War with the Police Officer.” It reached No.
8 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart, and it’s a song that teaches the importance of mustering just a little bit of courage.
YOUNG MAN (Y.M.C.A.)Saijō Hideki
It was released in 1979 as Hideki Saijo’s 28th single.
It became his biggest hit, and as a piece of disco music, it’s a song that arranges the Village People’s then-hit “Y.M.C.A.” into a youth-oriented kayō-pop style.
Even today, it remains popular as a song for sports days, athletic festivals, and cheering at high school baseball games.
New EraAdo
Ado’s song “New Genesis,” the theme song for the animated film ONE PIECE FILM RED, is a lively, high-energy number full of speed.
It’s perfect both as a dance track for sports days or school performances and as a cheer song with rewritten lyrics.
With an 80s techno-pop vibe, it’s a refreshing, driving, and powerful track.
Its brisk, run-inducing tempo matches dance routines and is sure to shine at events like sports festivals.
Take center stage at your sports day with choreography that’s easy to dance to yet irresistibly cool.
YELL ~Yell~Kobukuro
Kobukuro, the folk duo known for soothing listeners with their grand, atmospheric ballads, included the song “YELL ~Eiru~” on their 2001 album Roadmade.
It’s a track that gently cheers on students giving their all at sports festivals.
Warm, acoustic-driven melodies resonate throughout, and their signature twin-vocal harmonies are sure to lift your spirits.
The sound carries a touch of nostalgia that will delight fans of classic tunes.
It’s the perfect anthem to support students facing anxiety or nerves.