[Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect for relay race BGM!
Speaking of relays, they’re the event that gets the crowd most excited at a sports day! The music that adds flair to the race is also one of the key elements.
I’m sure you, too, have a song that comes to mind as relay BGM.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of tracks—from classic relay staples everyone’s heard to J-pop numbers perfect for a heated competition.
They’re all songs that will make you want to start running, so use them as a guide when choosing your playlist.
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[Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect for relay race BGM! (11–20)
Blue and SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE
A hugely popular coming-of-age anthem, “Ao to Natsu” is a single released by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE in 2018, written as the theme song for the film “Ao-Natsu: Kimi ni Koi Shita 30-Nichi” (Blue Summer: The 30 Days I Fell in Love with You).
This refreshing, fast-paced rock number inspires motivation—many listeners say it makes them feel ready to give their best.
Play it during a relay at a school sports day and both runners and spectators are sure to get fired up! If you’re looking to use J-pop as background music, this is a must.
Csikos PostHermann Necke
This is a piece by Hermann Necke, a composer from the German Confederation.
The title “Csikos Post” can be loosely interpreted as “postal coach.” The music conveys a sense of busyness, as if the mail must be delivered in a hurry—to this town and that town alike.
Just listening to it makes you want to start running, making it a perfect BGM for a relay race.
Galop of the ClownsDmitri Kabalevsky
Speaking of relay races at school sports festivals, regardless of generation, it’s definitely this piece.
Among the works composed by the Russian composer Kabalevsky, it’s the second movement of his most famous suite.
The title “Gallop” refers to “full speed” in equestrian terms, and by extension came to mean a “brisk dance with a fast tempo.” It’s truly the perfect piece to hype up a relay.
Runnerbakufū suranpu
It’s the signature song of Bakufu Slump, familiar to anyone around their forties or older, and arguably their most famous track.
As the title suggests, the word “run” appears frequently throughout the song, making it a perfect fit for the relay, the marquee event of a school sports day.
It’s a song that gets both the runners and the cheering crowd fired up together.
Current destructionNEW!SPYAIR
A SPYAIR track with a striking melody that fuels momentum and fighting spirit.
Released as a single in July 2013, it was chosen as the theme song for the film Gintama: The Movie: The Final Chapter: Be Forever Yorozuya.
Its loud sound, driven by a forward-leaning beat and razor-sharp guitar, overflows with speed and is perfect for heated competitions like relay races at school sports festivals.
The lyrics, infused with a strong will to break through a stifling reality and push forward, will powerfully spur on the runners.
Also included on the album MILLION, released in August of the same year, this track captures the band’s surging energy and is a recommended rock number for when you want to crank up the tension.
Headlong MarchNEW!SUPER EIGHT
Here’s an energetic number that gives a powerful push to anyone listening.
It’s a single released by SUPER EIGHT in December 2014, chosen as the theme song for the Saturday drama “Hell Teacher Nūbē” on Nippon TV, starring Ryuhei Maruyama.
Combining a driving band sound with vibrant brass tones, it delivers a sense of forward momentum.
The song carries a message about keeping up the challenge even if you’re awkward at it, stoking the fighting spirit of runners passing the relay baton.
It’s perfect as BGM for heated competitions when you want to hype up the entire venue!
[Sports Day] A roundup of exhilarating, fast-paced tracks perfect for relay race BGM! (21–30)
I’ve gotta do the thing that seems impossible.NEW!Sambomasutā
This is a gem of a cheer song performed by Sambomaster, a rock band that sets listeners’ hearts ablaze.
Its powerful message transforms feelings of near-giving-up into forward-looking energy, and Takashi Yamaguchi’s earnest vocals strongly push the runners from behind.
Released in February 2010 as the CM song for Nissan’s Serena, this single has remained beloved, later being chosen as the image song for the drama Cheer☆Dan.
It’s the perfect number to heat up the venue as BGM that supports the tense moment of passing the baton and the anchor’s all-out final sprint.