Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

Dance Music in Western Pop That Fires Up Sports Days and Athletic Festivals [2025]

Active club DJKento
Active as a club DJ. Centered on dance music, they mix a wide range of genres including US hip-hop and J-rap, captivating audiences with their unique musical style.
music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and have been contributing to music magazines and web media for over 15 years. Although Western music is my main field, I always strive to stay curious with the motto, “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in a band, where I was a bassist responsible for songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve performed on include bass, guitar, and piano. I resumed piano lessons after turning 40 and have been continuing ever since!

Since dance became a compulsory subject in 2012, it has become more familiar to young people than it used to be, and there are now more opportunities to showcase the results of daily practice on big stages like sports days and school festivals.

Of course, choosing classic BGM will get the crowd going, but you’ll also want to show your taste by incorporating the latest dance music.

In this article, we’ve compiled the latest hits and popular tracks of Western dance music that will hype up sports days and school festivals.

From pop infused with funk and disco elements to melodic EDM, we’ve selected a wide range of songs, so be sure to pick tracks that match your production and scenes!

Western dance music to hype up sports days and athletic festivals [2025] (131–140)

Friday ft. Mufasa & HypemanRiton x Nightcrawlers

Riton x Nightcrawlers – Friday ft. Mufasa & Hypeman (Dopamine Re-edit) [Official Video]

Friday ft. Mufasa & HypemanRiton x Nightcrawlers

A classic collaboration between Riton, one of the UK’s leading DJs, and the house music project Nightcrawlers: “Friday ft.

Mufasa & Hypeman.” Since Nightcrawlers are involved, many people might assume it’s hardcore house music.

But surprise—this track is crafted to be very pop and easy to listen to.

The tempo is moderately fast, making it a great pick for school sports days and athletic festivals!

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Shake It OffTaylor Swift

Taylor Swift – Shake It Off

Shake It OffTaylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s hit song “Shake It Off.” Around this track, Taylor Swift began moving away from her country style and shifting toward pop, which has a larger market.

Every part of the song is wrapped in a bright, upbeat vibe.

Because the melody is simple, it might be a great match for Japanese listeners who tend to find complex melodies challenging.

In any case, it’s an exceptionally cheerful song, so it works well as entrance music or in any scene where you want to raise the energy level.

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STAYThe Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber

The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber – STAY (Official Video)

STAYThe Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber

If you want to hype up classic sports day events like class relays, I recommend the song “STAY.” It was produced in 2019 by The Kid LAROI, an Australian artist who’s also active as a rapper, and global pop icon Justin Bieber.

The track features a refreshing synth sound driven by a rhythmic tempo.

Their emotional chorus work, delivering the bittersweet lyrics, is also striking.

It’s electro-pop that fits any event, so it should go over well with both the audience and students.

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Jump (Armin van Buuren Remix)Van Halen

Van Halen – Jump (Armin van Buuren Remix) [Official Audio]

Jump (Armin van Buuren Remix)Van Halen

Van Halen’s “Jump” is a globally popular song that every generation knows.

This track boldly remixes that hit into club music.

The timing of that famous synthesizer riff is perfect and really amps you up.

It’s ideal as an entrance theme and highly recommended as background music for dancing.

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SportsYunè Pinku

yunè pinku – Sports (Official Video)

SportsYunè Pinku

Yune Pink is a musician of Irish and Malaysian heritage known for blending garage music with experimental pop.

She has released buzzworthy projects such as the Bluff EP and Babylon IX, and is a proven talent who reached No.

8 on the UK Dance Albums Chart.

Her latest single, Sports, is a collaboration with Jakewob.

Centered on the theme of alienation caused by technology dependence, it’s a sci-fi-tinged, dreamlike track sung over a 90s acid house-inspired sound.

Combining danceable beats with a distinctive sonic world, this piece is perfect as background music for lively school sports days and athletic festivals.

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Never Really OverKaty Perry

Katy Perry – Never Really Over (Official Video)

Never Really OverKaty Perry

Katy Perry is a popular singer in Japan, so I’m sure many people know her.

Her 2019 release “Never Really Over” is a dance track that’s perfect for school sports days and athletic festivals.

The rhythm is easy to follow, making it great for group dancing, and it has plenty of moments that really get everyone excited.

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In conclusion

This time, I selected Western songs to fit various situations at sports days and athletic festivals—did you find a favorite dance track? In the 2010s, dance music tended to be flashy and bright, but since the 2020s began, I think more laid-back tracks have also come to be embraced as dance music.

Even if you choose darker songs, they might surprisingly get everyone hyped!