Basketball is an intense game that can get you hyped up with excitement.
Having powerful music at the games plays a big role in energizing the crowd.
We’ve compiled a list of the best basketball songs to get you ready for the next NBA season.
1. “He Got Game” by Public Enemy ft. Stephen Stills
“He Got Game” by Public Enemy ft. Stephen Stills was released in 1998 as a part of the band’s album of the same name.
The song is about basketball and how the game can tempt young adults to leave their homes for a shot at the sport.
2. “Basketball” by Kurtis Blow
Kurtis Blow released the song “Basketball” in 1998 to honor the sport.
Blow shouted out to many NBA stars in the song, including Bill Russell, Rick Barry, Larry Bird, and Moses Malone.
The song was adapted as the intro track for the basketball video game NBA 2K12.
3. “Forever” by Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne & Eminem
“Forever” by Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem gained popularity for being the title track to LeBron James’s “More than a Game” documentary.
The film covers the high-school basketball years of LeBron and his teammates.
The song ranked no.1 on the US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard) music chart.
4. “Remember The Name” by Fort Minor
“Remember The Name” by Fort Minor has been played at many sports events for its upbeat tempo.
It was played during the 2006 and 2007 NBA playoff games and the 2008 NBA Draft.
The song is four times platinum certified in the United States (RIAA).
5. “Basketball Jones” by Barry White & Chris Rock
“Basketball Jones” by Barry White & Chris Rock was featured in the movie “Space Jam” and is one of the best basketball songs ever.
The song highlights the dedication and passion basketball players have for the sport.
6. “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” by Pete Rock & CL Smooth
The saxophone sample at the beginning of “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” by Pete Rock & CL Smooth is famous for being used in the NBA Street Volume 2 video game.
CL Smooth sings of his life without a father figure and how that affected him in the future.
He also mentions his mother, uncle, friend, and sister’s role in his life.
7. “Hit ‘Em High (The Monstars Anthem)” by Busta Rhymes, Coolio, LL Cool J & Method Man B Real
“Hit ‘Em High (The Monstars Anthem)” by Busta Rhymes, Coolio, LL Cool J & Method Man B Real is a famous Space Jam soundtrack used as the antagonist theme’s anthem.
The song’s powerful and haunting music set the perfect vibe for the movie and ranked no.1 on Norway’s (VG-lista) music chart.
8. “(I Know I Got) Skillz” by Shaquille O’Neal
In “(I Know I Got) Skillz” by Shaquille O’Neal, the NBA legend raps about how he overcame the struggles in his life through basketball.
He reminds listeners never to give up and encourages them to commit full dedication to the goal they want to achieve in life.
9. “The Heat Is On” by Glenn Frey
“The Heat Is On” by Glenn Frey was primarily written for the 1984 movie “Beverly Hills Cop.”
The energizing music makes the song perfect for basketball.
The song has been played in many basketball arenas and other sports events like the 1985 World Series.
10. “Jump Around” by House of Pain
“Jump Around” by House of Pain is among the popular basketball songs played to hype up the audience for game time.
The song was also featured in the basketball movie, “Rebound” starring Martin Lawrence.
It ranked no.1 on the UK Dance (Music Week) chart.
11. “Space Jam” by Quad City DJs
The song “Space Jam” by Quad City DJs, was probably the band’s one-hit-wonder that became famous only because of the Loony Toons and Michael Jordan starring movie.
The music perfectly captured the lightheartedness of the movie and the hype of basketball.
12. “March Madness” by Future
“March Madness” by Future is the lead single of the rapper’s mixtape, 56 Nights.
The song has sold over a million digital copies in the U.S. and has an enormous cultural influence.
The song was also included in Billboard’s list of 100 songs that shaped the 2010s decade.
13. “Wing$” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
“Wing$” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis is about how consumerism has affected the American youth.
The song tells the story of a boy infatuated with basketball and obsessed with athletic shoes.
It was played at the 2013 NBA All-Star Game.
14. “We Will Rock You” by Queen
“We Will Rock You” by Queen has been the ultimate sports anthem for a while now.
So, it’s no surprise that the song is also used to hype basketball games.
The song ranked no.1 in France (IFOP) and peaked at no. 6 on the US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) chart.
15. “Fly Like An Eagle” by Steve Miller Band
“Fly Like An Eagle” by Steve Miller Band is from the band’s album of the same name.
Its catchy and energizing music is played to hype fans and basketball players at games.
The song peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 at no. 2 and on the US Cash Box Top 100 chart at no.3.
16. “Champions” by Ron Artest
“Champions” hits home for basketball fans because it has been sung by Ron Artes, one of the many star basketball players who also made a name in music.
The song lyrics are about basketball, and the song is one of the best basketball songs on the 2K11 playlist.
17. “Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor
No sports songs list is complete without including “Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor.
It’s one of the most motivational sports songs and became famous for being featured in the film “Rocky III.”
The song topped music charts all over the world, including Ireland, Japan, South Africa, Australia, and the United States.
18. “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us” by McFadden & Whitehead
“Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us” by McFadden & Whitehead was released during the disco era in 1979.
The song was widely used at sports events to hype the crowds.
It topped the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B music chart and is certified double platinum in the U.K.
19. “White Iverson” by Post Malone
In “White Iverson”, Post Malone compares himself to basketball stars like Allen Iverson, James Harden, and Kevin Durant.
The song topped the US Rhythmic (Billboard) chart and is 5 times platinum certified in the US (RIAA).
20. “Take The Shot” by Ruben Studdard
“In Take The Shot” by Ruben Studdard, the singer uses many basketball metaphors to explain a relationship.
The song is from the Grammy-nominated singer’s 2003 album Soulful.
It’s a mix of R&B, gospel, and G-rated hip-hop.
21. “Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project
“Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project is an upbeat and spirited song.
It’s the Chicago Bulls’ theme song and among the best basketball songs of all time.
The song has also been used by NBA teams like Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks to introduce their lineups for home games.
22. “Blow The Whistle” by Too Short
“Blow The Whistle” by Too Short is among the basketball songs played in 2008 for the NBA playoffs between the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The song ranked no.1 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard) chart and is considered Short’s signature song.
23. “Playin’ The Game” by Lil Bow Wow
“Playin’ The Game” by Lil Bow Wow became famous after it was played in the film “Like Mike.”
The film starred many star basketball players, including Allen Iverson, Dir Nowitski, and Steve Nash.
24. “Basketball Dreams” by Sleepy Hallow
“Basketball Dreams” by Sleepy Hallow is about a boy trying to find himself in this complex world.
He finds refuge and peace in the game of basketball.
The song reminds us of the importance of dreams and the need for hope to survive in this world.
25. “Sweet Georgia Brown” by Brother Bones & His Shadows
“Sweet Georgia Brown” by Brother Bones & His Shadows may be one of the oldest basketball songs.
The catchy song has been covered by many jazz artists and was adopted as the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters.
26. “23” by Mike WiLL Made-It ft. Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa & Juicy J
“23” by Mike WiLL Made-It ft. Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa & Juicy J is about how basketball is very similar to life.
Its Air Jordan references make this one of this list’s most well-recognized basketball songs.
27. “Heart Of A Champion” by Nelly
“Heart Of A Champion” by Nelly is about an impressionable young boy trying to make the basketball team.
The basketball team represents the dreams that people have for themselves.
The song is uplifting and shows how people have to go through many struggles to achieve their dreams.
28. “My Main Aim” by MC Lyte
“My Main Aim” by MC Lyte was all the rage when it was played in the video game NBA Live 2005.
To people who are familiar with the game, the song brings a sense of nostalgia and drives them to rap along.
29. “All Of The Lights” by Kanye West ft. Rihanna, Kid Cudi
“All Of The Lights” by Kanye West ft. Rihanna, Kid Cudi isn’t purely a basketball song but is about stepping up when the spotlight is on you.
It has been played during basketball games like the NBA 2K14 and in many playoff promo packages.
30. “Ridiculous” by Kyrie Irving
“Ridiculous” is kind of an autobiographical song by runaway basketball star Kyrie Irving.
It tells his story of how he was the underdog that was always chosen last and how he achieved success through consistent dedication.
31. “Lose Yourself” by Eminem
“Lose Yourself” by Eminem is about a man’s struggle in basketball.
Eminem sings of the sacrifices one has to make to achieve success as a professional athlete.
The song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song and two Grammy’s for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Performance.
32. “Power” by Kanye West
“Power” by Kanye West isn’t about basketball but has been sung during its events on multiple occasions.
This includes when Miami Heat’s fans sang the song at game 5 of the NBA finals.
The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance and is 4 times platinum certified in the United States (RIAA).
33. “Basketball Shoes” by Black Country, New Road
The music of “Basketball Shoes” by Black Country, New Road mimics the intensity of an actual basketball game.
The song was the closing track to the band’s album, Ants From Up There.
It’s about how basketball can be an inherently frustrating game for players.
34. “Michael Jordan” by Five For Fighting
This list of basketball songs would be incomplete without “Michael Jordan” by Five For Fighting.
In the song, the singer, John Ondrasik, offers to give up all his possessions to be Michael Jordan.
He makes fun of the sports fans that have no boundaries when it comes to worshipping their favorite basketball stars.
35. “Swish Swish” by Katy Perry ft. Nicki Minaj
“Swish Swish” by Katy Perry ft. Nicki Minaj is about never giving up, even if it seems that you’ve lost the fight.
The video shows a basketball game between two teams, one with an unconquerable lead.
The song ranked no.1 on the US Dance Club Songs (Billboard) music chart.
Best Basketball Songs – Final Thoughts
That’s a wrap on our list of the best basketball songs of all time.
Hearing these songs play before a basketball game adds to the experience by energizing the crowd and getting them ready to have fun watching their favorite teams play.
The songs on this list are perfect for getting you in the zone for the NBA season.
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