For the Mariners, the most impactful walk-out song in recent memory was Jered Kelenic walking out to John Denver's "Country Roads." The crowd would sing along. That was happening when there was still optimism about Kelenic's career.
This is such a fun deep dive! I just got into baseball during the postseason last year and it has been such a fun addition to my typical routine. So excited to enjoy a season from the very beginning. I love asking people what their walk-out song would be, it’s a great convo to get wrapped up in! I still haven’t settled on mine, but I think M.E. by Gary Numan would be a really fun one
Credit where credit is due: Ryan Pressly's warmup/walk out song was "God's Gonna Cut You Down," for years, though in fairness to your post, he is now retired, so Emmet Sheehan carries the torch of good taste. The Astros would kill the lights in the stadium when they played it. Made for a super cool effect. Another walkup song fact that I think is under appreciated is how much leeway Major League Baseball, clubs, and broadcasters give the players in terms of lyrical content. I forget which reliever it was, but during the 2025 World Series one of the relievers walked out/warmed up to Seether's Gasoline, which is lyrically pretty obviously in part about having sex with a woman when she's on her period. God bless the MLBPA, I guess. Great post, by the way! A friend sent this to me. You have a new reader.
I am also weirdly obsessed with music! But I also think people who care about baseball inherently have better taste, so that leads me to want to read more. LOL.
Two former Oakland Athletics players had incomparable walk-up songs: Josh Reddick used 'Careless Whisper' by Wham! and Mark Canha opted for 'Gimme Shelter' by The Strolling Bones. The only drawback to this was that the song only really started going as it faded out once he stepped into the batter's box, so we never got to hear the best parts.
Back in the day, the Giants' Rich Aurilia, a Brooklyn native, would walk out to the Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" - that was pretty electric, especially since my mom's family was also from Brooklyn.
Whenever I hear "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" I think of the version that my high school choir sang: "Me Out to the Ball Game Take." It's the same melody, but starts with the second word of the song. But because everyone already knows the song, it's incredibly difficult to sing with the lyrics shifted by one word. (Seriously. It was probably the hardest song for us to get right out of any we learned.)
Or it least it was difficult in the 1980's. Is the song still almost universally known like it used to be? I wonder these days how many songs are that widely known.
I wonder why players with the surname Young would like Young Forever by Jay-Z? The phenomenon of walk up music was started in the 90's. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera coming out to Metallica's Enter Sandman and Chipper Jones walking up to the blare of Crazy Train by Ozzy. Unless we're calling The Killers indie rock that seems like the genre most neglected. The first time I hear a player walking up to Sobic Youth, Built To Spill, or Yo La Tengo will automatically become my favorite player(unless they play for the Phillies or Mets).
I feel like there's a statistical grey area in regards to Jay Z's "Young Forever", since it's very healthy based in an eighties sample familiar to many 80's pop enthusiasts. I have a feeling a lot of players don't choose their own walk-out music, and that results in people thinking they're picking an original song as opposed to something that is a soundalike/sample. I imagine the person loading these walk-out songs up are like karaoke bars, where the selection might be limited and someone ends up with their seventh or eighth choice because they don't have music of a certain era or from a certain artist.
Speaking of not choosing, I remember Mariano Rivera was reversed for coming out of the bullpen to Metallica's "Enter Sandman" to the point where it became Yankee lore. But whenever he was asked about it, he just shrugged and said someone picked it for him, he knew nothing about the song itself. Also for the Yankees, I do recall reserve outfielder Tony Tarasco giving the sound guy a CD of the soundtrack to "Belly", and he was requesting the "radio edit" to "Tommy's Theme" by Made Men and The LOX. They played the unedited version, and supposedly the sound guy was reprimanded for a notably filthy track, and Tarasco was off the team within a couple of games.
Mike Yazstremski, Atlanta Braves platooner and grandson of hall of famer Carl Yazstremski, is walking out to Led Zeppelin’s When the Levee Breaks. It was a nice surprise to hear.
Lindor walking out to My Girl is electric
Ok Mr Met
For the Mariners, the most impactful walk-out song in recent memory was Jered Kelenic walking out to John Denver's "Country Roads." The crowd would sing along. That was happening when there was still optimism about Kelenic's career.
Wow nice work. “Put me in, coach…”
This is such a fun deep dive! I just got into baseball during the postseason last year and it has been such a fun addition to my typical routine. So excited to enjoy a season from the very beginning. I love asking people what their walk-out song would be, it’s a great convo to get wrapped up in! I still haven’t settled on mine, but I think M.E. by Gary Numan would be a really fun one
Credit where credit is due: Ryan Pressly's warmup/walk out song was "God's Gonna Cut You Down," for years, though in fairness to your post, he is now retired, so Emmet Sheehan carries the torch of good taste. The Astros would kill the lights in the stadium when they played it. Made for a super cool effect. Another walkup song fact that I think is under appreciated is how much leeway Major League Baseball, clubs, and broadcasters give the players in terms of lyrical content. I forget which reliever it was, but during the 2025 World Series one of the relievers walked out/warmed up to Seether's Gasoline, which is lyrically pretty obviously in part about having sex with a woman when she's on her period. God bless the MLBPA, I guess. Great post, by the way! A friend sent this to me. You have a new reader.
Thank you! I’ll warn this isn’t much sports content here but I was glad to work this in
I am also weirdly obsessed with music! But I also think people who care about baseball inherently have better taste, so that leads me to want to read more. LOL.
Thanks for the fun post. Play ball!
Two former Oakland Athletics players had incomparable walk-up songs: Josh Reddick used 'Careless Whisper' by Wham! and Mark Canha opted for 'Gimme Shelter' by The Strolling Bones. The only drawback to this was that the song only really started going as it faded out once he stepped into the batter's box, so we never got to hear the best parts.
Back in the day, the Giants' Rich Aurilia, a Brooklyn native, would walk out to the Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" - that was pretty electric, especially since my mom's family was also from Brooklyn.
A lot of people don't know "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is about a girl baseball fan. On that note: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRq8AWn3oGE
Whenever I hear "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" I think of the version that my high school choir sang: "Me Out to the Ball Game Take." It's the same melody, but starts with the second word of the song. But because everyone already knows the song, it's incredibly difficult to sing with the lyrics shifted by one word. (Seriously. It was probably the hardest song for us to get right out of any we learned.)
Or it least it was difficult in the 1980's. Is the song still almost universally known like it used to be? I wonder these days how many songs are that widely known.
I wonder why players with the surname Young would like Young Forever by Jay-Z? The phenomenon of walk up music was started in the 90's. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera coming out to Metallica's Enter Sandman and Chipper Jones walking up to the blare of Crazy Train by Ozzy. Unless we're calling The Killers indie rock that seems like the genre most neglected. The first time I hear a player walking up to Sobic Youth, Built To Spill, or Yo La Tengo will automatically become my favorite player(unless they play for the Phillies or Mets).
Insane I didn’t notice their last names were young
I feel like there's a statistical grey area in regards to Jay Z's "Young Forever", since it's very healthy based in an eighties sample familiar to many 80's pop enthusiasts. I have a feeling a lot of players don't choose their own walk-out music, and that results in people thinking they're picking an original song as opposed to something that is a soundalike/sample. I imagine the person loading these walk-out songs up are like karaoke bars, where the selection might be limited and someone ends up with their seventh or eighth choice because they don't have music of a certain era or from a certain artist.
Speaking of not choosing, I remember Mariano Rivera was reversed for coming out of the bullpen to Metallica's "Enter Sandman" to the point where it became Yankee lore. But whenever he was asked about it, he just shrugged and said someone picked it for him, he knew nothing about the song itself. Also for the Yankees, I do recall reserve outfielder Tony Tarasco giving the sound guy a CD of the soundtrack to "Belly", and he was requesting the "radio edit" to "Tommy's Theme" by Made Men and The LOX. They played the unedited version, and supposedly the sound guy was reprimanded for a notably filthy track, and Tarasco was off the team within a couple of games.
despite what the Dodgers' website says, Shohei Ohtani has been using Buble's Feeling Good - first used in 2025 and is using again this year.
Mike Yazstremski, Atlanta Braves platooner and grandson of hall of famer Carl Yazstremski, is walking out to Led Zeppelin’s When the Levee Breaks. It was a nice surprise to hear.