Songs that hype up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals: Japanese Music / J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026]
Sports days and athletic festivals are some of the most festive school events where all grades come together, so you really want to get the crowd excited.
Music, in particular, is a key factor in boosting the energy!
I’ve put together a ranked list of recommended hype songs for sports day—hope you find it helpful!
- Top Songs to Hype Up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals [2026]
- [Dance Songs] Recommended for school sports days and athletic festivals! A curated selection of popular tracks that are fun to dance to
- Carefully selected J-pop to liven up sports days and athletic festivals! Also great as entrance songs.
- Songs that hype up the athlete entrance at school sports festivals
- [Sports Day] Songs for footraces: tracks that make kids want to run [classics & J-pop]
- Cheer songs to hype up the sports day! A collection of motivational tracks recommended for kids
- [Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect for relay race BGM!
- [Elementary School Students] Popular Song Rankings by Generation [2026]
- Elementary schoolers can dance to it! Recommended dance songs and choreography for sports day
- Coloring the drama of youth! Heartwarming songs perfect for school sports days and athletic festivals
- Perfect for sports day parachute routines! Recommended J-pop songs
- From classics to fan favorites! A catalog of music and BGM to liven up your sports day
- Songs I want to use for a flag dance at a sports day. Recommended songs for a flag dance.
Songs that get the crowd pumped at sports days and athletic festivals: Japanese music/J-Pop artist rankings [2026] (21–30)
OH!SHISHAMO29rank/position
“OH!” perfectly matches the image of students dashing across the stage of a fresh, youthful school life.
Released in 2019 by the three-piece rock band SHISHAMO, the song portrays the importance of striving within limited time.
Its lyrics, which encourage not worrying about others’ eyes and diving into sweaty, all-out effort—like running at a sports day—fit the event perfectly.
The passionate vocals of Asako Miyazaki, carried by the band’s exhilarating performance, convey fiery emotion.
Be sure to include this indispensable rock number as a cheer song to hype up your school sports festival!
horizonback number30rank/position
Back number is a rock band famed for poignant love songs that depict the complexities of relationships.
Their 2021 release “Suiheisen” (Horizon) is a song that honors those who worked hard for the day of their sports festival.
It was written for high school students who had aimed for the 2020 Inter-High, which was canceled.
The lyrics, brimming with realism around themes of “dreams” and “goals,” are deeply moving.
With a warm, mid-tempo band sound, it resonates across generations.
It’s the perfect song to applaud not only the athletes who took first place, but everyone who took part.
Songs that hype up Sports Day and Athletic Festivals: Japanese Music / J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026] (31–40)
My Past Life, Many Lifetimes AgoRADWIMPS31rank/position
“Zenzenzense,” written as an insert song for the film Your Name.
and a massive hit, was released by the rock band RADWIMPS in 2016.
The track unfolds a story that matches the film’s worldview.
Its sound, which opens with a passionate guitar riff, will energize various scenes at a sports day.
Along with its exhilarating sense of speed, it’s also recommended for cheering on teammates taking on relays or group jump rope.
It’s a rock number that refreshingly colors a stage set ablaze with excitement.
Don’t give upZARD32rank/position
ZARD’s “Makenaide,” released in 1993, is a classic beloved by a wide range of generations and has been featured in numerous forms of media.
When taking on events at a sports day, there are moments when anyone might feel like giving up or losing heart.
This song is filled with a warm message that gives strength in those moments.
Its lively, energetic band sound and Izumi Sakai’s clear, crystalline vocals inspire courage and hope.
Why not include it in scenes where you’re cheering your teammates on with all your might?
As many times as you likeDREAMS COME TRUE33rank/position
“Nando Demo,” which matches the stage of a sports day where it’s important to persevere to the very end, was released in 2005 by the nationally renowned music duo DREAMS COME TRUE and has become a staple at their live shows.
Its lyrics, portraying the noble figure of someone who keeps facing challenges no matter the hardships, are particularly striking.
It’s a perfect number to cheer on various sports day events—like tamaire, where you keep trying within a time limit, or relays that test running speed.
Why not cheer on your precious teammates with its heartwarming phrases?
Perfect-Sense DreamerONE OK ROCK34rank/position
Starting with a scene of heading out to face a challenge, ONE OK ROCK’s “Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer” is a perfect song for a sports day.
It’s a track that frequently grabs attention: it was used as the ending theme for the TBS variety show “Arabikidan,” and during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a parody video titled “Kanzen Zaitaku Dreamer” was released.
With its unconditional hype and driving sense of speed, it’s highly recommended as BGM for relays or sprints.
It’s a cheering song that makes you want to shout your support at the top of your lungs!
Precious thingsroodo obu mejyaa35rank/position
Released in 2002, Road of Major’s indie debut single is a quintessential youth punk anthem themed around friendship and bonds.
It delivers universal themes—meeting and parting with friends, supporting one another—through an energetic sound.
Remarkably, as an indie release, the song spent 19 consecutive weeks in the Oricon Top 10 and sold over 900,000 copies in total.
It’s also included on the album “ROAD OF MAJOR” and the best-of compilation “GOLDEN ROAD ～BEST～.” This track is perfect for anyone who has dear friends they’re connected to at heart, even when apart.
Listen to it during graduation season or at the start of a new chapter in life, and you’ll be reminded of the irreplaceable value of those connections.