One of the best aspects of playoff hockey is that you're gonna get the wildest crowds possible at games.
Now that we're in the Stanley Cup final, the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers have hosted excellent audiences that have nearly blown the roofs off their respective buildings when their teams have won.
Part of these great crowds is music.
Many fan bases have adopted particular songs during the post-season, and in Edmonton's case, they currently have two: La Bamba from Los Lobos and a new addition this season, Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan (the players won't say why they were bumping the tune after wins, only conspiratorially nodding to goalie Calvin Pickard for the unspoken answer).
With that in mind, I'd like to look at the new hockey music canon here.
Things change over time, and you're not going to hear Rock and Roll Part 2 by Gary Glitter anymore (for obvious criminal reasons). You might hear Queen's We Are The Champions after a victory, but these days you're more likely to hear DJ Khaled's All We Do Is Win instead. In fact, that just happened in Florida, with the man himself in attendance.
Meanwhile, Metallica's Enter Sandman has become a great intro song in several hockey markets (like Edmonton), not to mention all over the greater sporting landscape. Here are my top songs of the new hockey music canon, all of which have inspired crowd sing-alongs that continue even when the DJ has cut off the original audio:
All the Small Things by Blink-182: This one became massive during Colorado's run to the Cup in 2022. Avs fans sing it full-throat when it comes on during the third period, and singer Mark Hoppus has even popped up in Denver to show his support for their embrace of the hit.
Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver: First made popular by the St. Louis Blues when they were en route to the 2019 Cup, this is actually a very old song, but it has found a new life in a number of arenas lately. Still, it's a St. Louis Blues thing, ultimately.
My Own Worst Enemy by Lit: You can thank Detroit Red Wings fans for this one – they were first to sing along to this pop-punk anthem. They were still at Joe Louis Arena when I first heard them jump in, and now, a number of fan bases do it, including in Florida right now. Lit isn't even from Detroit, so I don't know why this resonated, but the organic ones are always the best.
Mr. Brightside by The Killers: The only song on the list that I wouldn't prescribe to one particular fan base. Everybody knows this song, and everyone knows enough of the lyrics to sing along. Heck, even Toronto fans were getting into it during the playoffs.
What's your favorite sing-along song? Let us know in the comments.
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