- Heat Waves by Glass Animals is the most streamed FIFA song, with a staggering 1.9 billion streams on Spotify.
- Blur’s Song 2 is the oldest song in the ranking, placing seventh overall, with more than 560 million streams.
- The 2010s dominate the ranking, with 14 entries in the top 20.
A new study has revealed the most popular FIFA songs, with Glass Animal’s Heat Waves taking the top spot.
The research, conducted by online gaming site Solitaired.com, analysed Spotify data to discover the number of streams every song featured on a FIFA soundtrack has ever received, from FIFA: World Cup ‘98 to the most recent FIFA 22 game, launched last year.
A spokesperson for Solitaired.com commented on the findings: “Since 1998, the music that accompanies FIFA game menus has slowly but surely blossomed into one of the game’s main selling points and with every new game comes a new, almost equally anticipated, soundtrack.
With the FIFA 23 release date on September 27th, it will be interesting to see how the current ranking of the most streamed FIFA songs changes as the new soundtrack is revealed, which will sadly be the last game, and soundtrack, of the games’ series.”
The most streamed FIFA songs
The study revealed that Heat Waves by Glass Animals is the most streamed song featured on a FIFA soundtrack, with a staggering 1.9 billion streams on Spotify. Heat Waves featured on FIFA 2021, which appeared on the British group Glass Animals’ third studio album, Dreamland. The song reached number five on the UK Singles Chart and number one in countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States, where it also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Ranking second is The Nights by the late Swedish DJ AVICII, with more than 1.1 billion streams. The song appeared on the FIFA 15 soundtrack after being released in late 2014. Billie Eilish’s hit single you should see me in a crown is next on the list, with more than 692 million streams, closely followed by Imagine Dragon’s On Top of the World, with 683 million Spotify streams.
Interestingly, the songs from the 2010s dominate the top 20, with 14 entries overall, including fan-favourite Love Me Again by John Newman which featured on FIFA 14, ranking eighth overall, with 494 million streams.
Additionally, only one song from the 1990s made the top 20 – Song 2 by Blur, making it the oldest song in the ranking. With more than 560 million streams to date, Song 2 featured on the soundtrack for FIFA: Road to World Cup ‘98, which was the first game in the series to feature a soundtrack.
| The Top 20 Most Streamed FIFA Songs | |||
| Artist: | Song: | Year: | Total Spotify Streams: |
| 1. Glass Animals | Heat Waves | 2021 | 1,946,964,717 |
| 2. AVICII | The Nights | 2015 | 1,163,964,283 |
| 3. Billie Eilish | you should see me in a crown | 2019 | 692,812,784 |
| 4. Imagine Dragons | On Top of the World | 2013 | 683,964,847 |
| 5. Kaleo | Way Down We Go | 2016 | 643,561,438 |
| 6. MGMT | Kids | 2009 | 599,007,927 |
| 7. Blur | Song 2 | 1998 | 560,576,371 |
| 8. John Newman | Love Me Again | 2014 | 494,064,676 |
| 9. Rosalia & Ozuna | Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi | 2020 | 465,460,354 |
| 10. Vance Joy | Mess Is Mine | 2015 | 395,291,133 |
| 11. LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo | Genius | 2019 | 382,638,591 |
| 12. Muse | Supermassive Black Hole | 2007 | 370,594,842 |
| 13. Major Lazer | Que Calor | 2020 | 347,958,743 |
| 14. Peter Bjorn and John | Young Folks | 2008 | 338,367,458 |
| 15. New Order | Blue Monday | 2005 | 285,463,188 |
| 16. Kygo ft. Kodaline | Raging | 2017 | 270,224,195 |
| 17. Gorillaz | Rhinestone Eyes | 2011 | 264,349,990 |
| 18. Saint Motel | My Type | 2015 | 253,134,043 |
| 19. Childish Gambino | Feels Like Summer | 2019 | 245,942,140 |
| 20. Disclosure ft. Sam Smith | Omen | 2016 | 238,175,156 |
The most streamed FIFA songs of the 2000s
FIFA soundtracks are reflective of the year they are released, so they often provide a source of nostalgia for many long-time players. Unsurprisingly, Kids by MGMT ranks as the most streamed FIFA song from the 2000s, from 2009 specifically, with 599 million streams on Spotify. Supermassive Black Hole by Muse ranks next from 2007, with 370 million total streams, closely followed by Young Folks by Peter Bjorn and John from 2008, with more than 338 million streams.
Also, the research revealed that FIFA 2009 is a popular soundtrack with fans, with five entries from 2009 in the top 15 songs from the 2000s. These songs include: Kids by MGMT, Mercy by Duffy, Untouched by The Veronicas, Always Where I Need to Be by The Kooks and Ready For the Floor (Soulwax Remix) by Hot Chip.
| The Top 15 Most Streamed FIFA Songs of the 2000s | |||
| Artist: | Song: | Year: | Total Spotify Streams: |
| 1. MGMT | Kids | 2009 | 599,007,927 |
| 2. Muse | Supermassive Black Hole | 2007 | 370,594,842 |
| 3. Peter Bjorn and John | Young Folks | 2008 | 338,367,458 |
| 4. New Order | Blue Monday | 2005 | 285,463,188 |
| 5. Duffy | Mercy | 2009 | 232,202,405 |
| 6. Caesars | Jerk It Out | 2004 | 193,467,887 |
| 7. The Jam | Town Called Malice | 2004 | 147,686,251 |
| 8. The Veronicas | Untouched | 2009 | 133,517,836 |
| 9. Bloc Party | Helicopter | 2006 | 103,448,991 |
| 10. Scissor Sisters | Take Your Mama | 2005 | 92,965,463 |
| 11. Safri Duo | Played A-Live (The Bongo Song) | 2003 | 73,877,764 |
| 12. The Kooks | Always Where I Need to Be | 2009 | 63,288,599 |
| 13. Hot Chip | Ready For the Floor (Soulwax Remix) | 2009 | 62,539,194 |
| 14. Tribalistas | Ja Sei Namorar | 2004 | 58,835,591 |
| 15. Gorillaz | 19-2000 (Soulchild Remix) | 2002 | 57,139,760 |
The ultimate FIFA playlist
Within the FIFA community, many fans often discuss and debate the most iconic songs ever featured on the game, as well as their favourite soundtracks by year. The below table lists the most streamed song on each FIFA soundtrack since 1998, including some classic fan-favourites and a few surprises.
Interestingly, English band Gorillaz are the only artist to feature twice, both in 2002 with 19-2000 (Soulchild Remix), which has received 57 million Spotify streams and in 2011 with Rhinestone Eyes, which has 264 million streams.
| The Most Streamed FIFA Songs from Every Year | |||
| Year: | Artist: | Song: | Total Spotify Streams: |
| 1998 | Blur | Song 2 | 560,576,371 |
| 1999 | Fatboy Slim | The Rockafeller Skank | 86,888,733 |
| 2000 | Reel Big Fish | Sell Out | 47,532,833 |
| 2001 | Moby | Bodyrock | 17,895,220 |
| 2002 | Gorillaz | 19-2000 (Soulchild Remix) | 57,139,760 |
| 2003 | Safri Duo | Played-A-Live (The Bongo Song) | 73,877,764 |
| 2004 | Caesars | Jerk It Out | 193,467,887 |
| 2005 | New Order | Blue Monday | 285,463,188 |
| 2006 | Bloc Party | Helicopter | 103,448,991 |
| 2007 | Muse | Supermassive Black Hole | 370,594,842 |
| 2008 | Peter Bjorn and John | Young Folks | 338,367,458 |
| 2009 | MGMT | Kids | 599,007,927 |
| 2010 | Matt & Kim | Daylight | 167,592,928 |
| 2011 | Gorillaz | Rhinestone Eyes | 264,349,990 |
| 2012 | Foster the People | Call It What You Want | 106,199,550 |
| 2013 | Imagine Dragons | On Top of the World | 683,964,847 |
| 2014 | John Newman | Love Me Again | 494,064,676 |
| 2015 | AVICII | The Nights | 1,163,964,283 |
| 2016 | Kaleo | Way Down We Go | 643,561,438 |
| 2017 | Kygo ft. Kodaline | Raging | 270,224,195 |
| 2018 | Tash Sultana | Jungle | 194,454,302 |
| 2019 | Billie Eilish | you should see me in a crown | 692,812,784 |
| 2020 | Rosalia & Ozuna | Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi | 465,460,354 |
| 2021 | Glass Animals | Heat Waves | 1,946,964,717 |
| 2022 | Seb | Seaside_Demo | 117,223,691 |
The research was conducted by Solitaired.com, a free, browser-based card game platform with more than 500 games available to play.
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