2003 Rock Hit Named One of the Biggest NBA Anthems of All Time
Ahead of any major sports event, music can play a surprisingly large role in setting up the vibe for the game, helping or hindering to hype up the fans as they cheer on (or, for the opposing side, boo or jibe at) the athletes.
Some arena anthems have become a favorite among both fans and athletes, with some stadium-filling songs giving the perfect final kick of energy to set the mood. One song, while a commonly-chosen track across all major sports events, has been named as one of the greatest National Basketball Association (NBA) floor-shakers of all time by writers at sports outlet Yardbarker.
"Seven Nation Army," the alt-rock song by faux brother-and-sister duo The White Stripes, comprised of then-married couple Jack and Meg White, debuted at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in February 2003. While this doesn't exactly scream basketball championship on paper, the iconic anthem, one that eventually became the most recognizable alt song of the 00s, quickly became a favorite among NBA fans.
The song's simplistic yet catchy bassline (which, despite common belief, was played on a guitar using pitch shift), paired with a rough 120 beats per minute rhythm, makes it an easy choice for fans to stamp and clap along to - even if they don't know the words, having somehow escaped the musical fixture of countless sports games over the last 23 years.
Its lyrics, delivered with electric conviction by frontman Jack White, detail a hellbent narrator bragging about their unbridled power in the face of impossible opposition. Paired with its unmatched rhythm, expertly delivered by Meg White on drums and Jack White on guitar, was a perfect mindset for both players and fans under immense pressure - so much so, that the Miami Heat have been using the song as an intro for their starting lineup at their home games for well over a decade.
On the song's popularity at sports games across the world, Jack theorized, "You could get into music theory about it or something, but there's almost some kind of universal melodic interval of some kind that triggers to people."
For the rock legend, the song manages to penetrate the energy and emotion of sports fans, no matter where they're from or what language they speak, comparing it, strangely enough, to folk music. "What I think also is, possibly more in the realm of folk music about it," he continued, adding that "[it] might be that people are chanting melody and not singing words, which is strange."
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 3:39 PM.