Carefully selected J-pop to liven up sports days and athletic festivals! Also great as entrance songs.
Music is essential for staging a successful sports day or school athletics festival.
You might find yourself thinking, “I want to pick songs that will hype up this once-a-year sports celebration!” or “What tracks will boost participants’ motivation and get the audience excited too?”
In this article, we’ve gathered the perfect songs for background music and entrance scenes at sports days and athletics festivals.
From tracks that fire you up to songs that gently encourage, you’ll find plenty of pieces that work in all kinds of moments.
Let moving music set the stage for an unforgettable event.
- Top Songs to Hype Up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals [2026]
- 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!
- Songs that hype up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals: Japanese Music / J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026]
- [March] Carefully selected popular songs recommended for entrance and exit at sports days and athletic festivals!
- [Sports Day] Songs for footraces: tracks that make kids want to run [classics & J-pop]
- [Dance Songs] Recommended for school sports days and athletic festivals! A curated selection of popular tracks that are fun to dance to
- Coloring the drama of youth! Heartwarming songs perfect for school sports days and athletic festivals
- [Youth Songs] Songs that liven up sports days and athletic festivals. Music that adds color to the event.
- Cheer songs to hype up the sports day! A collection of motivational tracks recommended for kids
- From classics to fan favorites! A catalog of music and BGM to liven up your sports day
- Perfect for sports day parachute routines! Recommended J-pop songs
- Elementary schoolers can dance to it! Recommended dance songs and choreography for sports day
Carefully selected J-pop to liven up sports days and athletic festivals! Also great as entrance songs (71–80)
Teenager ForeverKing Gnu
For students, one of the most important events in school life is surely the sports day or athletic festival.
In other words, it’s a precious page of youth.
To add color to those memories, why not play “Teenager Forever”? It’s a song by the popular mixture band King Gnu, included on their third album “CEREMONY,” released in 2020.
Many of you may know it as it was used in a SONY commercial.
The lyrics convey a powerful message—a burning desire to keep on running forever—that’s absolutely top-notch.
Biting the second handzutto mayonaka de ii no ni.
The first digital-download-only single by Zutto Mayonaka de Iinoni., led by ACA-ne, is Byoushin wo Kamu (Chewing the Second Hand).
It was released for streaming in 2018, and the music video was posted on YouTube.
In 2021, the music video surpassed 100 million views.
The striking piano phrases and driving beat are really cool.
It’s a highly popular track that resonated with the younger generation, so it’s also a great pick for sports day background music!
TokimekiVaundy
Let me introduce the bright and uplifting “Tokimeki.” This song was created by Vaundy as a tie-in for Docomo’s Seishun Discount.
It portrays someone wrapped in sorrow who then becomes positive and goes on to grasp a happy life.
The music video, themed after The Wizard of Oz, has also been a hot topic.
It could be fun to incorporate elements like cute costumes inspired by that theme.
Another highlight is the call-and-response chorus that everyone can join in on.
Carefully selected J-pop to hype up your sports day/field day! Also great as entrance songs (81–90)
Joyfulikimonogakari
Ikimono-gakari’s song “Joyful” is energetic and exciting, making it a perfect track for sports days! It’s also often used in high school baseball, so some of you may have heard brass bands playing it at the stadium.
In addition, the dance shown in the music video is sometimes used for sports day routines.
The chorus lyrics have a catchy rhythm, so you can even swap in your school or class name and it still works well.
Definitely try using it for cheer battles or dance performances!
WanteD! WanteD!Mrs. GREEN APPLE
A song by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE that pairs an energetic pop-rock sound with a powerful message.
Since its release in 2017, its fresh melodies and lyrics have resonated with many listeners.
It’s said to be a fan favorite at live shows.
The vivid portrayal of youthful joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness is striking—especially the image of moving forward while confronting one’s own weaknesses.
It’s a track that offers a warm boost, standing by the worries of youth.
You can’t help but feel excited if it plays during an entrance scene! This song also conjures images of growth through a sports day—so let’s give it our all and enjoy it to the fullest!
winding roadNovelbright
An uplifting coming-of-age anthem that depicts the journey from boyhood to adulthood along the winding road of life, set to a sweeping melody.
The track brings out Novelbright’s appeal to the fullest, portraying the anxieties and inner conflicts of everyday life, as well as the strength to overcome them.
Yudai Takenaka’s expansive vocals and the invigorating sound unique to a rock band resonate deeply.
Released for streaming in January 2025, the song was chosen as the theme for the TV Tokyo drama “Courtroom Dragon,” and its music video—directed by Hiroshi Tamaki—also became a hot topic.
It’s the perfect song for those moments when you strive to achieve something together with friends, like in club activities, cultural festivals, or school festivals.
OH!SHISHAMO
Since performing on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen, SHISHAMO have broadened their activities in many areas.
While it may feel curious how vocalist Miyazaki’s cute singing voice blends so seamlessly with their rock sound, many people are undoubtedly captivated by that very charm.
Rather than offering gentle encouragement, “OH!” is a song that pushes you forward with confidence and strength.
It really fires you up.
Bring that same motivation to your sports day or athletic festival, and tackle each event with full spirit.
