One of my favorite parts of going to a sporting event is the music. Obviously I love watching my team, but a huge part of watching sports live is the overall experience. And that is practically built by the aux cord.
As a lifelong Colts fan and season ticket holder (well, my dad is), I’ve missed going to Lucas Oil Stadium and listening to the team run out to “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who. To help cure some of that sadness, I found a playlist with all of the bangers they play at Lucas Oil Stadium.
So when I couldn’t find one for Assembly Hall, I thought, “Why can’t I do the same thing?” As an IU men’s basketball reporter for the Indiana Daily Student this year, I’m one of the few people who gets to attend the games in person.
Now, I have taken that privilege of watching the Hoosiers in Assembly Hall and transformed it into a playlist, so you can feel like you’re there, too.
While the playlist has 37 amazing songs, here’s a look at some of my favorites:
“Make Way For The King” by Ohana Bam
This is the song for IU’s hype video this season, and it makes me want to run through a brick wall. The beat accompanied by the dope footage of the team and its highlights makes for the perfect hype video.
I think it’s the lyric, “They all want the name, but they ain't got what's running through these veins,” that really gets you amped. But the best part has to be the ending of the video when the song fades out and we’re just left with sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis screaming.
"Split (Only U)" by Tiesto and The Chainsmokers
After the national anthem and team introductions, this song is cranked all of the way up before the opening tipoff. The beat drop goes absolutely crazy and it’s the perfect way to get the players (and the friends and family in attendance) pumped up for the game.
My favorite part about this song at Assembly Hall is how they immediately cut it off once the ball is tipped. It’s abrupt, yet beautiful.
“Turn My Swag On” by Soulja Boy
There is no way I can ever hear this song and not start dancing, and I shamelessly do so in the press row. But seriously, there is no better way to hype the Hoosiers than with the lyric, “Hopped up off tha bed, turn ma swag on.”
In fact, this song was played during a timeout in overtime when IU played Penn State. And then the Hoosiers most definitely turned their swag on to win 87-85. I’m not saying the song was the reason they won, but it couldn’t have been a coincidence.
“Swag Surfin’” by Fast Life Yungstaz
This song is an IU men’s basketball staple — I would argue it’s up there with the Indiana Fight Song. As you might’ve noticed, swag is a huge theme here because without swag, what even is the point of balling?
There is nothing better than watching IU “surf” to a win while having this banger reverberate through the walls of Assembly Hall. If there’s any lyric this team should live by, it’s definitely, “I'm swaggin', I'm surfin,' I'm clean like dish detergent.”
“Burnin’ Up” by the Jonas Brothers
As every other girl that grew up in the 2000s, I was wildly obsessed with the Jonas Brothers and still love to listen to these throwbacks. So, imagine my excitement when I hear this 2008 classic come on during an IU basketball game.
There’s a whole lot of rap and hip-hop that plays during games, and I love those songs, but this one is always a nice change of pace. I mean, who doesn’t love the Jonas Brothers?
“Welcome to the Party” by Diplo, Lil Pump and French Montana
This used to be the IU men’s basketball team’s old hype song, but it truly is still a hype song for the Hoosiers. The collaboration between Diplo and then Lil Pump and French Montana on vocals makes for one of the most interesting yet hype songs on the Assembly Hall aux cord.
When IU is winning, it really can feel like a party in Assembly Hall. The lyrics, “We on fire, step up in the party,” and “Welcome to the party, aye,” really match the mood in the Carnegie Hall of college basketball.
