With the 2022 Qatar World Cup kicking off in November, the organizers have already unveiled the official theme song – Hayya Hayya (Better Together). This peppy song has attracted millions of fans since it was released in April, which has inspired us to look at other official World Cups that have been used over the years. Here’s a quick throwback of the top 10 World Cup theme songs worth listening to as you await the opportunity to wager on the game in a casino from https://casinonutansvensklicens.net/ this year.
1. Hayya Hayya (Better Together): 2022 Qatar World Cup
FIFA released the first theme song for the Qatar 2022 World cup earlier in April. “Hayya Hayya” (Better Together) was unveiled as the first selection of singles that will be used for the multi-song work cup this year. The song features Arizona-based pop singer Davido, Trinidad Cardona and Qatari singer Aisha.
Since its release, “Hayya Hayya” has had over 17 million hits on YouTube, which shows it might be a song for the charts. The artists featured in the song bring together voices from Africa, the Americas and the Middle East. David is a Nigerian star singer who blends English with local languages, while Trinidad Cardon brings an African-American R&B style. Aisha has Arabic roots.
According to FIFA’s Chief Commercial Officer, the song symbolized how football and music could bring the world together. The lyrics have a bright look for the future, remaining cheerful and hopeful. It also grabs the attention of different audiences across the globe.
2. Live It Up: 2018 Russia World Cup
A song by Will Smith, Era Istrefi and Nicky Jam, Live It Up was the official theme song for the Russia World Cup in 2018. Free School, The Picard Brothers and Diplo produced the song, which dominated the top 10 charts in Hungary, Argentina, Bolivia, Poland and Panama.
Following its release in May 2018, the song was met with negative reviews as many criticized its detachment between its genre and the host country, Russia. Many also criticized its synthetic sound. However, the song boasts over 233 million views on YouTube.
3. Ole Ola (We are One): 2014 Brazil World Cup
Recorded by Cuban American star rapper Pitbull with guest vocals from Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte and American singer Jennifer Lopez, this 2014 Brazil world official song has over 810 million views on YouTube. While the song has positive reviews, it originally got some negative reactions from Brazilians due to the lack of the country’s spirit.
To change that, the organizers commissioned the release of a new version of the song to suit the style of drumming by the Afro-Brazilian group Olodum. After the new version, “We Are One” experienced huge commercial success reaching the top 20 charts in countries like France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain and Brazil.
4. This Time For Africa (Waka Waka): 2010 South Africa
For their African debut, FIFA decided their theme song for the year needed to appeal to a wide range of audiences beyond South Africa. The choice of the artist and song was controversial as many felt that Shakira didn’t fully represent the South African audience, prompting a local act to be incorporated in the song’s final version.
The track’s title was a rendition of a popular Cameroonian group golden song known as Zamina Mina Zangalewa. The original song was a major hit in 1986, released by former army men who needed ways to add fun to their careers.
Shakira’s version received critical acclaim, charting in the top 50 on Billboard’s Charts. It also got a high number of viewers online, with over 3.2 billion views on Shakira’s YouTube channel today.
5. The Time of Our Lives: 2006 Germany
Recorded by American Singer Toni Braxton and a Multinational Opera pop quartet called II Divo, the 2006 Germany World Cup official song is a fan favorite and a major success. The day the song was released in Europe, it dominated the top 10 music charts in Switzerland, the top 20 in Norway and Germany and the top 30 in Austria and Italy. Today, this 2006 world cup song has over 8.9 million views on YouTube, making it a must-listen.
6. Let’s Get Together Now: 2002 Japan & South Korea World Cup
In 2002, Japan and South Korea collaborated to host the FIFA World Cup, with “Let’s Get Together Now” used as the official local song. The song was done by the supergroup voice of Japan/Korea, featuring South Korea’s Brown Eyes and Lena Park and Japan’s Chemistry and Sowelu. As such, the song was done in three separate versions – a full Korean version, a full Japanese version and a merged version combining lyrics from both versions.
“Let’s Get Together Now” was written by Kiyoshi Matsuo, Yoshimitsu Sawamoto, Kim and Park and composed by Kim Hyung-Suk and Daisuke Kawaguchi. Its lyrics speak about the spirit of coming together, in line with the theme of the two countries collaborating to co-host the event. The song proved popular in Asia soon after its release, although “Boom” by Anastacia was used as the official theme song.
7. The Cup of Life (La Copa De La Vida): 1998 France World Cup
Recorded by Puerto Rican artist Ricky Martin, “The Cup of Life” was written as FIFA’s 1998 World Cup Anthem in France. The track was written by Desmond Child, Draco Rosa and Luiz Gomez Escobar, with Columbia Records releasing it in March 1998.
A Spanish language pop song with strong Samba roots, “The Cup of Life” features a soccer-heavy message packed with positive lyrics. Fortunately, the track received many positive reviews from the critics, complementing its lyrics and energy. Today, the song ranks as the best FIFA World Cup anthem in history. It’s also among Ricky Martin’s most commercially successful songs, ranking in music charts in over 60 countries.
8. Gloryland: 1994 United States World Cup
America hosted the 1994 World Cup, with “Gloryland” as an official song. The song was sung by musician Daryl Hall and an instrumental ensemble known as the Sounds of Darkness. Consider giving it a listen!