The Songs That Define UK Football Ranked in New Streaming Era Study

A new study conducted by BoyleSports has ranked 16 of the UK’s most iconic football songs based on YouTube views, Spotify streams and Instagram audio tags.

From Anfield’s famous Kop end to the streets of North London, football songs have long been a defining part of British sporting identity. But in the age of streaming and social media, which anthems are resonating most beyond matchday?

This cultural study by BoyleSports, who offer the latest football betting odds, has attempted to answer just that – ranking the UK’s most influential football songs based on their digital presence across YouTube, Spotify, and Instagram audio tags.

Each track was scored out of 100 based on their performance across all three platforms, revealing which clubs’ anthems have stood the test of time and which are finding new momentum with modern fans.

Unsurprisingly, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” the stirring anthem adopted by both Liverpool and Celtic, dominates the charts with perfect ratings.

The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic has racked up over 87 million YouTube views, 114 million Spotify streams, and continues to be widely used across Instagram – cementing its status as the UK’s most powerful football hymn.

But it’s Arsenal’s modern anthem, “The Angel – North London Forever,” which was released in 2022 by Louis Dunford, that has made the most dramatic entrance.

Despite being only relatively recently embraced by fans at the Emirates, it scored 71/100, placing fourth overall – ahead of traditional club songs from Manchester United and Chelsea – signalling a cultural shift in how new football songs gain traction in the digital age.

Also performing strongly is Newcastle United’s “Local Hero,” the Mark Knopfler instrumental synonymous with St James’ Park. With over 42 million Spotify streams and a strong Instagram presence, it placed second overall with 83/100, proving that even wordless tracks can strike an emotional chord with fans.

The Magpies’ Tyne-Wear rivals, Sunderland, emerged as the surprise package to round out the top three with their dramatic stadium anthem blend of “Dance of the Knights/Elevation.”

Despite lacking the global reach of other outfits within the study, the Wearside club’s soundtrack is buoyed by high YouTube interest and a surge in Instagram usage.

At the other end of the rankings, the Z-Cars theme, long associated with Everton, placed just shy of the foot of the table with a score of 21/100. Coinciding with its final Goodison Park usage for David Moyes’ side the other week, its place as one of the game’s most enduring soundtracks is undeniable, even if streaming figures don’t match its rivals’ totals in the digital landscape.

Other traditionally revered anthems, including Manchester City’s “Blue Moon” and West Ham’s “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles,” also scored lower than anticipated, being outperformed by more contemporary or regionally embedded songs like “Dance Of The Knights” (Sunderland) and “Sunshine On Leith” (Hibernian).

“Football songs aren’t just pre-match rituals anymore – they’re part of how clubs live and breathe online,” said a BoyleSports spokesperson behind the research.

“This study shows which clubs have transcended the terraces and truly embedded themselves into digital culture. Anthems like ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ or ‘Local Hero’ aren’t just nostalgic throwbacks – they’re culturally alive, constantly re-shared, remixed, and reimagined across platforms. They carry identity, emotion, and loyalty, all wrapped in a melody that still resonates with new generations of fans.”

“What’s fascinating is how certain songs, even without chart success, have become digital landmarks for football communities. It’s not just about tradition anymore; it’s about how those traditions evolve in the age of streaming, reels and viral audio.”

Here’s the full table of rankings: