Western pop/rock cheer songs recommended for sports days and athletic festivals. Cheer songs from around the world.
Sports days and cultural festivals bring together all grades, so they’re some of the most anticipated school events.
At these events, music is also a key element for energizing the venue!
Of course, Japanese songs are classics, but many people probably want to pick some stylish Western tracks too.
So in this article, we’ll introduce plenty of Western pump-up songs that are perfect for sports days and athletic festivals!
From timeless tracks that make you want to start running the moment you hear them, to the latest hits hugely popular with younger generations, we’ve got a full lineup—use it as a reference for your playlist.
Cheer songs in Western music recommended for sports days and athletic festivals. World cheer songs (1–10)
High HopesPanic! At The Disco
Panic! At The Disco’s songs are known for live performances full of entertainment that captivate audiences.
This track, included on their sixth album, “Pray for the Wicked,” has racked up over 600 million views on YouTube and was also featured in Japan as the theme song for Honda’s ACCORD commercial, so many people have likely heard it.
With lyrics that convey the message “hold high hopes,” it gives you a boost to feel like you can win any challenge.
Its handclap-inducing beat lifts your spirits—an upbeat tune that’s perfect as BGM for school sports days and athletic festivals.
We Will Rock YouQueen
This is the 13th single by Queen, the British rock band whose members each have global smash hits and who continue to influence countless musicians today.
Released as a double A-side with “We Are the Champions,” the song is also known in Japan as a soccer cheer anthem.
The arrangement features a beat of stomping and handclaps—designed to invite audience participation—that instantly lifts the energy as soon as the track begins.
Its simplicity makes it all the more powerful, a rock tune that gives you a push on the back and is perfect as a cheer song for school sports days and athletic festivals.
It’s My LifeBon Jovi
Bon Jovi is a rock band that captivates not only hard rock fans but music listeners of all kinds.
Their 2000 release “It’s My Life” is the perfect song to fire up a sports day or school festival.
It’s widely known in Japan as well, with athletes using it as their walk-on music and more.
The pop-leaning melody set against a powerful band sound really hits home.
It’s a rock track I’d recommend even to students who don’t usually listen to Western music.
Put it on when you want to raise the voltage at your sports or cultural festival.
StrongerKanye West
This ambitious work, themed around the courage to face adversity and personal growth, was released in July 2007 by American artist Kanye West.
Its innovative sound, which brilliantly fuses electronica and hip-hop, samples a track by the French house duo Daft Punk and was completed by layering over 50 versions.
The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best Rap Solo Performance at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
The music video, inspired by the Japanese animated film AKIRA, was filmed in Tokyo and drew attention for its futuristic visual style.
It’s an energetic track that will powerfully push anyone striving for victory at school sports days and athletic festivals.
99 ProblemsJay Z
Jay-Z’s soulful rap, marked by powerful guitar riffs and drum beats, is a track that stirs listeners’ spirits at school sports days and athletic meets.
Released in 2003 by the New York–born artist, the song portrays a stance of confronting various challenges, including pressures from the music industry and the police, as well as complicated relationships on the streets.
Featured on The Black Album, it won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance.
The music video was shot in black and white, impressively capturing the streets of Brooklyn.
Brimming with forward-driving power and energy, this track serves as a pump-up anthem that heightens competitive tension and ignites participants’ fighting spirit.