By Mitch Rice
The right song can be used to add immensely to the atmosphere in a football stadium. It’s therefore no surprise to see that the top teams in the Premier League all have great songs that help to crank up the excitement before their games begin.
Liverpool – ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’
Arguably the most famous example of a song being used in football, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, was written for the 1945 Rogers and Hammerstein musical Carousel. It became a massive hit when Liverpool’s Gerry and the Pacemakers released a pop version in 1963, and its lyrics about overcoming hardship and keeping hope in your heart immediately made it a favourite among the passionate fans in the Kop at Anfield.
While it’s now part of the proud history of Liverpool, it’s also sung by Celtic fans in Scotland, Borussia Dortmund supporters in Germany, and fans of various other clubs. As to the question of which is the best version, some fans point to the emotional singing after the 2019 Champions League final, while others mention the 2025 Premier League title party or the many other famous, emotion-filled versions.
West Ham United – ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’
This unlikely story began in 1919 when ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’ was released in the US, becoming a major hit for Ben Selvin’s Novelty Orchestra. Fast forward a few years and we find a young West Ham player called William ‘Bubbles’ Murray. Although he never played a single minute of first-team football, Murray’s time at the club led to fans singing the song to encourage the players.
It quickly cemented a place as the classic West Ham song, with a house band sometimes leading the fans into the tune. One of the most surreal moments in the league’s history came before a game against Middlesbrough in 1999, when 23,680 Hammers fans set the world record for the most people blowing bubbles at the same time.
Manchester City – ‘Blue Moon’
This song by Rodgers and Hart was written in the 1930s and has been covered by artists from Elvis Presley to Rod Stewart and Bob Dylan. Yet we need to jump forward to 1989 to find out when it was adopted by Manchester City fans as their anthem.
The first time it was sung by the fans may have been in a game against Liverpool at the start of the 1989-90 season, though other sources suggest that it may have made its debut in an uncharacteristic away win against Aston Villa a few seasons earlier. With lyrics about feeling sad and lonely, it soon became a way of showing frustration at the team’s poor form at the time, while pointing out the hope that things would soon get better.
Manchester United – ‘This Is the One’
Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has said that he helped choose this Stone Roses track as the song that players walk out to at Old Trafford. This is from the band’s 1989 self-titled debut album. Neville has explained in interviews that he wanted a new song for the team when he was made captain, and that it still gives him goosebumps when he hears it before a game.
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Arsenal – ‘The Angel (North London Forever)’
This is a more recent song than the others, released by Louis Dunford in 2022. The song is dedicated to his love for Arsenal and the borough of Islington, where they’re based. It wasn’t an official Arsenal song, but enough fans noticed it on social media to grab the attention of manager Mikel Arteta and earn Dunford an invitation to meet the players.
Arteta said that the lyrics provoked an emotional reaction from the players the first time they heard it sung in the stadium. This led to it becoming the official Arsenal song that is played before the players take the field at the Emirates Stadium for each home game. The former stadium at Highbury and other iconic local spots are mentioned in the lyrics, making it a song that hits home each time it’s sung.
These examples show how Premier League anthems can come from a variety of backgrounds. The important thing is that they inspire the fans and players to feel part of something special.
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