Varsity Tunesday: Pump-up playlist

Mens soccer captain, Harry Swartz, AMD’18, and field hockey captain, June Curry-Lindahl, DMSB’20, pose for an upcoming Tunesday playlist story on Oct. 2, 2017. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

That crisp autumn air means one thing: Northeastern’s fall sports are in full swing. How do your Huskies get amped up before a game or match? They listen to the songs that get their blood flowing. We asked some of the team captains—from field hockey, soccer, volleyball, and track and field—to share their go-to pump-up jams, and explain why they like them.

  1. “Dog Days are Over,” by Florence + The Machine
    June Curry-Lindahl, captain of the field hockey team, explained: “Whenever we play a tough game, we always move on the next day and leave the dog days behind us.”
  2. “Somethin’ I’m Good At,” by Brett Eldredge
    Brooke Wojeski, track and field captain, said, “This one’s super upbeat and happy and it really just makes me want to run.”
  3. “Hall of Fame,” by The Script
    Wojeski picked this one for its motivational lyrics.
  4. “I Like It Like That,” by Hot Chelle Rae feat. New Boyz
    Wojeski: “It’s also really upbeat and good for running.”
  5. “Chloe (You’re the One I Want),” by Emblem3
    Wojeski: “It’s upbeat.”
  6. “Peanut Butter Jelly,” by Galantis
    Kayla Cappuzzo, women’s soccer captain, said, “This song has a great beat that helps keep the mood fun and relaxed before games.”
    Carmen Costa, women’s volleyball captain, also picked it. “We always throw down when this song comes on; we drop everything, huddle together in a group before matches, and then go crazy when the beat drops,” she said.
  7. “24K Magic,” by Bruno Mars
    Costa: “This is a great jam to dance out to, and it takes us back to Cuba when our entire team sang it out loud on the streets of Old Havana.”
  8. “This Girl (Kungs Vs. Cookin’ On 3 Burners),” by Kungs and Cookin’ On 3 Burners
    Costa described it as “an upbeat, groovy song that’s perfect for warmups and serve and pass before game time.”
  9. “Move Your Feet,” by Junior Senior
    This one’s “a throwback that’s great for busting silly, embarrassing dance moves; perfect for getting the nerves out,” Costa said.
  10. “Waves,” by Mr. Probz and Robin Schulz
    Cappuzzo said, “This is another light-hearted song that we all like to sing, and occasionally we listen to some awesome remixes of it to switch it up.”
  11. “Crazy Train,” by Ozzy Osbourne
    “This song is a great song to get us jumping around and amped up. It helps give us a lot of energy,” Cappuzzo said.
    Harrison Swartz, men’s soccer captain, also picked it. “Ever since I was young I’ve been listening to this song before every game,” he said. “I started listening to it because I’m a huge Patriots fan and this is the song they come out to.”
  12. “Don’t Let Me Down,” by The Chainsmokers feat. Daya, remixed by Illenium
    Swartz: “There’s no true meaning as to why I listen to this before games, it really just gets my blood flowing.”
  13. “iSpy,” by KYLE, feat. Lil Yachty
    Curry-Lindahl says this is a favorite among the captains.
  14. “Stronger,” by Kanye West
    Wojeski: “This is an easy one, for its beat and motivation.”
  15. “Swagga Like Us,” by T.I., feat. Kanye West and Lil Wayne
    “This song is a classic pump-up song that reminds us of our swagger,” Cappuzzo said.
  16. “Big Rings,” by Drake and Future
    Cappuzzo: “The title says it all. This song reminds us of our past success and future goals this season.”