[March, Foot Races, Dance] Energetic songs and the latest hits to liven up a sports day
When it comes to sports day music, many people might think of classical pieces like ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’ (Infernal Galop from ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’).
However, in recent years, more schools have been using pop songs and anime tracks as background music in addition to the classic staples, making the selection more diverse.
In this article, we’ll introduce lively songs that perfectly match the sports day atmosphere—not only long-standing classics but also popular J-POP tunes among elementary and middle school students.
Use this as a reference for your playlist!
- [Sports Day] Songs for footraces: tracks that make kids want to run [classics & J-pop]
- Songs that hype up the athlete entrance at school sports festivals
- [Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect for relay race BGM!
- [Dance Songs] Recommended for school sports days and athletic festivals! A curated selection of popular tracks that are fun to dance to
- From classics to fan favorites! A catalog of music and BGM to liven up your sports day
- Top Songs to Hype Up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals [2026]
- Carefully selected J-pop to liven up sports days and athletic festivals! Also great as entrance songs.
- [March] Carefully selected popular songs recommended for entrance and exit at sports days and athletic festivals!
- Popular songs recommended for nursery school sports days! A roundup of classic crowd-pleasers and the latest hits
- Recommended exit songs for sports day: A collection of tracks that are perfect for a brisk, quick-march exit.
- Cheer songs to hype up the sports day! A collection of motivational tracks recommended for kids
- Get Fired Up! A Collection of Anime Songs to Hype Up Your Sports Day and Athletic Festival
- Perfect for sports day parachute routines! Recommended J-pop songs
[March, Sprint, Dance] Energetic songs and the latest tracks to liven up sports day (71–80)
YGXY
We’ve received a track from XY that’s brimming with drive and energy.
While it incorporates elements of pop rock, it stands out with charismatic vocals and a powerful guitar sound.
The lyrics, steeped in self-expression and protest, deliver a message that deeply resonates with young listeners.
Released in June 2024, the song has earned high acclaim, including reaching No.
1 on Japan’s iTunes Alternative chart.
Produced by YOSHIKI and performed by a 13-member group, it’s perfect for pumping up the crowd at school sports days and athletic festivals.
This is a track that fully captures the energy of youth.
absolute zeronatori
This song was selected as the opening theme for the TV anime WIND BREAKER.
Its exhilarating, fast-paced melody and Natori’s spot-on vocal delivery make it an upbeat tune that lifts your spirits! Brimming with momentum, it’s the perfect cheer song for a school sports day.
Released in April 2024, it delivers an irresistibly nonstop full-throttle feel—an especially perfect fit for running events where you sprint at full speed! Overflowing with energy and pep, it’s sure to hype up every scene at a sports festival.
Ebizo Diamond!!shiritsu ebisu chūgaku
Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku is a 10-member idol group formed mainly from talents belonging to Stardust Promotion, who made their debut as the junior group to Momoiro Clover Z.
Their indie debut single, “Ebizori Diamond!!,” was the group’s first original song and was used as the opening theme for the variety show “Shōchūkō Ikkan MomoeBi Gakuen.” With a rollercoaster-like song structure characteristic of Kenichi Maeyamada and a four-on-the-floor beat that creates a sense of speed, it feels perfectly suited as background music for a school sports day.
It’s a high-tension, up-tempo tune with comical lyrics and a catchy melody that sticks in your head.
[Marching, Races, Dance] Lively Songs and Latest Tracks to Energize Your Sports Day (81–90)
GO FOR IT!!Nishino Kana
This is a song by Kana Nishino that gently supports women who have become timid about love.
The way it starts with a cheerleading call is striking and clearly conveys that it’s a pep song.
The lyrics are written like a self-dialogue, expressing the process of carefully checking in with one’s feelings and resolving to express them.
Overall, the song has a bright atmosphere that gives a positive sense of taking a step forward.
Headlong MarchKanjani∞
This is a song by Kanjani Eight that strongly conveys forward-looking emotions and a positive sense of moving toward the future.
It was also used as the theme song for the drama Hell Teacher Nūbē, starring group member Ryuhei Maruyama.
One of the song’s appeals is how power and fun come through strongly in both the sound and the lyrics.
Even if your goals or the right path aren’t yet clear, it tells us that taking a step forward is important, and that doing so can reveal new things.
Crimson Bow and ArrowLinked Horizon
It’s recommended as background music for scoring-based competitions.
It might also be suitable for performances involving large groups moving in unison, like a mass display.
It should boost the morale of the competitors, and since the track includes several chant-like shouts, the supporters can join in at those moments to build excitement and a stronger sense of unity.
And of course, it’s the familiar opening theme song from the anime Attack on Titan!
ultra soulB’z
B’z is a rock duo that has remained at the forefront of the J-POP scene, becoming the first musicians from Asia to be inducted into the Hollywood RockWalk.
Their 31st single “ultra soul,” widely known as the theme song for the World Aquatics Championships, features an exhilarating yet fiery sound that incorporates techno and Latin elements and is sure to get you pumped.
The chorus, which makes you want to throw your fist in the air, is perfect for elevating the excitement at a sports day.
It’s a classic of Japanese rock that people of all generations have likely heard at least once.