Baseball might be America’s favorite past-time, but the baseball walk-up songs add modern flair to the game. Even though walk-up songs began in the early 1970s, fans and players didn’t pay much attention to them until the 1990s.
Walk-up songs show a player’s personality and style. Fans pay attention to their favorite players’ music choices, and many look forward to singing along with the short music clips. The best baseball walk-up songs showcase the player, and these 27 do it better than any others.
1) The Outfield, “Your Love” (Charlie Blackmon)
Any fans that have been to Coors Field know what to do when Charlie Blackmon is up to bat. The Outfield (which is a perfect name for a band with a top baseball walk-up song) created the perfect song to sing along with.
When the entire stadium shouts, “TONIGHT,” in the middle of the song, you know Blackmon is not only a favorite player, but his song does its job of pumping up the fans and the bearded outfielder.
2) Metallica, “Enter Sandman” (Mariano Rivera)
Mariano Rivera is a class act, and his walk-up song defined his role with the New York Yankees. Just like the Sandman, Rivera put the opposing batters to bed. The Yankees marketing team knew what it was doing when they chose this iconic rock song for the best closer in the history of the game.
Rivera knew how to milk each entrance as he slowly walked to the field from the Yankees bullpen. He created the moment with the help of this great walk up song.
Next: The greatest songs about New York ever
3) The Notorious B.I.G., “Big Poppa” (David Ortiz)
![The Notorious B.I.G. - Big Poppa (Official Music Video) [HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/phaJXp_zMYM/0.jpg)
Good beat. Memorable. Perfect name. “Big Poppa” by The Notorious B.I.G. was the ideal walk-up song for the Red Sox bopper, Big Papi. The song got heads bouncing in the stadium, and it seemed to work for Big Papi, who finished his 20-year career with 541 home runs.
4) Guns N’ Roses, “Welcome to the Jungle” (Randy Johnson)
Randy Johnson was a frightening pitcher for opposing hitters, so welcoming them to his jungle was appropriate. It was tough to escape the jungle or the diamond when Johnson was on the mound. He certainly brought several batters to their knees.
5) Moby, “Flower” (Bryce Harper)
When Bryce Harper showed off his physique on the 2015 ESPN Magazine cover, it was clear that he was an expert in the Bring Sally Up fitness challenges that rely on “Flower” for their beats and instructions. The song has an unusual sound, which is appropriate for any Harper at-bat, as balls fly differently off the left-hander’s unique swing.
6) Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE” (Manny Machado)
Sometimes, a good walk-up song makes the fans chuckle. Especially when the song has a bit of irony, like Manny Machado choosing a song titled “HUMBLE.” Machado is hardly humble, but he does know how to get his enemies to stop talking about him. He continues to prove his strength in the field and his prowess with a bat.
7) Kris Kross, “Warm It Up” (Kris Bryant)
When your name is Kris, why not use a song that tells you to warm it up? Because Kris Bryant always has a bat that’s warmed up and ready to do damage. Kris Kross gets the crowd bouncing, even if they only get to hear a few measures of the iconic tune.
8) DJ Snake/Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What” (Justin Upton)
It’s no secret that stadiums are not only perfect for ball games but concerts, too. Listening to the voices of DJ Snake and Lil Jon in an MLB stadium shows why performing in one is reserved for the best of the best. It’s easy to see why this song pumps up everyone in the stands, especially the big hitters like Yasiel Puig, Justin Upton, and Justin Turner.
9) Ozzy Osbourne, “Crazy Train” (Chipper Jones)
Some walk-up songs should be retired, like Rivera’s “Enter Sandman,” as they are historically tied to Hall-of-Fame players. “Crazy Train” belongs to Chipper Jones and no one else. The Atlanta Braves even made a Crazy Train bobblehead of Jones walking out with his bat on his shoulder to commemorate the song and the Hall of Famer.
10) AC/DC, “Thunderstruck” (Noah Syndergaard)
Several ballplayers have used this rocking tune for their walk-up song, but none more perfectly than Noah Syndergaard. Fans lovingly refer to Syndergaard as “Thor” because of his golden locks and how he pitches like the Norse god throws his hammer. As Thor was the god of thunder, he certainly would have used the AC/DC song if he played ball, too.
11) Eminem, “‘Til I Collapse” (Justin Verlander)
Anyone who has watched Justin Verlander pitch knows that he won’t stop until he collapses. But, what makes his walk-up song even better is that the former Detroit Tiger chose a walk-up song by one of Detroit’s favorite sons. There’s even a perfect spot for Verlander to clap his hand into his glove each time he made his first inning entrance.
12) Rick Ross “Hustlin’” (J.D. Martinez)
When Rick Ross declares that “every day I’m hustlin’,” everyone in the stadium hears it, as the booming voice echoes through the speakers. While Martinez might be one of the most humble men in the game, there’s no doubt when he comes to bat, he proves he hustles harder than most other players.
13) AC/DC “Hells Bells” (Trevor Hoffman)
Closers come in when their teams are winning. So, AC/DC’s “Hells Bells” came on, the losing away team knew that they would be facing one hellacious pitcher. The tolling bells came as a clear warning that Hoffman was on his way. This is another walk-up song that should be retired, just like Hoffman’s number was.
14) DMX, “Party Up (Up in Here)” (Joe Kelly)
Joe Kelly brings the party everywhere he goes, so this party anthem is a great walk up song for him. Opposing batters just don’t know when he’s “gon lose his mind” or when he’s going to throw a pitch “up in here.” Interestingly, Kelly, who isn’t one to hide his emotions, used his walk-up song to inspire some chin music “up in here” when he faced the Astros in 2020.
15) Led Zeppelin, “Kashmir” (Chase Utley and Scott Kazmir)
It’s all about the riff with this song, bringing a warning that something big is coming. And, like Kris Bryant and Big Papi, it’s only appropriate that Scott Kazmir chose a song that gets mightily close to his last name.
16) Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Can’t Stop” (Anthony Rizzo)
![Red Hot Chili Peppers - Can't Stop [Official Music Video]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8DyziWtkfBw/0.jpg)
Whether the song is about hitting or smiling, Rizzo can’t stop doing either one. As one of the faces of the Chicago Cubs, it’s a great song about the player and his team that just can’t stop winning.
17) Rick Ross, “Luxury Tax” (Torii Hunter)
Torii Hunter’s style and attitude needed no walk-up song, but the meticulous way he chose “Luxury Tax” exemplifies how he approached his game. Hunter chose the lyrics, “They say I couldn’t play baseball at all/And now every day of my life I ball.” It’s a great lyric with a perfect walk-up song beat.
18) Ram Jam, “Black Betty” (Ian Kinsler)
Ian Kinsler has three walk-up songs on the list, showing how in tune with music the retired second baseman is. It might not have much connection to him, but the guitar riff and speedy beat could pump up anyone.
19) Naughty by Nature, “Hip Hop Hooray” (Ken Griffey, Jr.)
The Kid had a perfect song for the 1990s. He was THE player of the 1990s, and his walk-up song helped move them into the mainstream. Fans could sing along, which of course, pumped up Griffey even more. Like Rivera, Hoffman, and Jones, this is another song that should be permanently enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
20) Don Omar and Lucenzo, “Danza Kuduro” (Jeurys Familia)
Starting pitchers and closers get a bit more walk-up than batters. When Danza Kuduro and the deep, penetrating voice of Don Omar came on, fans knew that Familia was approaching the mound ready to close the game. The dance beat certainly pumped up the pitcher, who was dominating in his day.
Don Omar’s memorable voice was a popular choice for players in 2018. Familia wasn’t the only player who chose his songs, as Mike Trout, Anibal Sanchez, and Marwin Gonzalez were fans of Mr. Omar, too.
21) X, “Wild Thing” (Ricky Vaughn)
He might be a fictional ballplayer, but when “Wild Thing” came on the stadium speakers in Cleveland, the fictional fans got wild along with Ricky Vaughn. This song is forever tied to Major League and Charlie Sheen.
22) Stevie Wonder, “Superstition” (Ian Kinsler)
Kinsler’s second appearance on this chart comes from his perfect walk-up song choice for his time in Detroit. Like Verlander, Kinsler chose a song by another one of Detroit’s favorite sons, and it just so happens that baseball players are incredibly superstitious.
23) Frank Sinatra, “Fly Me to the Moon” (Todd Frazier)
Baseball players usually pick rap, hip hop, or rock songs as their walk-up songs, so when the iconic crooner booms over the loudspeaker, fans notice. Todd Frazier, affectionately known as the Toddfather by his fans, chose the Chairman of the Board to help him relax at the plate. The song also helped inspire him to hit home runs to the moon.
24) Bad Bunny, “La Romana” (Ronald Acuña, Jr.)
Bad Bunny brings a fresh music style to the ballpark, just like the new crop of young ballplayers have done with their games. With its gentle opening, then powerful beat, it’s easy to see why La Romana is Acuña’s choice. Bad Bunny has become a popular artist for several All-Star ballplayers, including Miguel Cabrera, Rafael Devers, Javier Baez, and Gary Sanchez.
25) Nelly, “Here Comes the Boom” (Randal Grichuk)
This song should belong to Nelson (Nelly) Cruz – also known as “Boomstick” – but it’s not his. Instead, it belongs to Randal Grichuk of the Toronto Blue Jays – and was once a Cardinal. Nelly is a St. Louis native, so it’s fitting that Grichuk kept the tune to showcase his early career. Grichuk can hit the long ball, announcing to fans that the “boom” is coming fits him.
26) Pinkfong, “Baby Shark” (Gerardo Parra)
The iconic and somewhat annoying “Baby Shark” song will always be connected to one man and one season. Gerardo Parra may not have led the Washington Nationals to the 2019 World Series title, but he certainly pumped up the fans. When his song came on, the crowd went crazy, singing along and clapping like their hands were shark teeth.
The Parra and Baby Shark phenomenon became so entrenched in the 2019 season that the Nationals had a video to go along with the song. They also sold gear like hats and tees emblazoned with the Nationals logo, the shark, and Parra. Fans even wore shark fins on their heads to show their affinity for the team. Check out our list of the best songs with baby in the title next.
27) White Stripes, “Seven Nation Army” (Ian Kinsler, Stephen Strasburg, Jose Iglesias)
Kinsler’s final appearance on the list features another Detroit band – the White Stripes. Kinsler alternated between Wonder and the White Stripes to introduce his at-bats in Detroit. Interestingly, his former double-play partner, Jose Iglesias, adopted the song when he left Detroit.
The song is so powerful that the 2019 World Series MVP used it as his walk-up song, proving that a seven-nation army (or the Houston Astros) couldn’t hold him back. Truly, Seven Nation Army is one of the absolute greatest baseball walk up songs of all time.
Conclusion
A walk-up song can become as iconic as the player that chose it. Some walk-up songs will forever be associated with moments, locations, and players. In stadiums like Coors Field and Nationals Park, fans want to participate in the walk-up moment, joining their favorite players by singing or clapping along.
Other walk-up songs, like those belonging to Mariano Rivera, Ken Griffey Jr., and Randy Johnson, define their historic careers and everlasting memories. Today’s players put serious thought into their songs because they know fans pay attention. The players want their walk ups to become a part of the experience of going to the ballpark, and they have with their great choices for baseball walk up songs.
Read next:
Best stripper songs at the club
Best wake up songs for the morning
As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
Liam’s lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.
