The Locker Room Songs and Pregame Warmup Tracks Top Players Listen To

by Richard Janvrin, January 29, 2026

It may be somewhat hard to wrap your mind around, but music may very well impact online sports betting.

How, you might ask? As you may know, music is unique in that it can totally change or alter your mood, and the same goes for locker room songs with professional sports teams, or during pregame warmups with headphones on.

Below, we’ll take a look at their responses to songs to listen to before a game that help them get ready to compete. Perhaps you’ll have some new songs to add to your playlist.

• Josh Allen: Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and Other Classics
• San Antonio Spurs: Vanessa Carlton and Miley Cyrus
• Saquon Barkley: Rod Wave
• Luka Doncic: Music Native to His Country

Josh Allen: Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and Other Classics

It may not be on the list of locker room songs for the Buffalo Bills, but their quarterback, Josh Allen, turns to some classic tunes on the field in pregame warmups.

It may come as a surprise, but Allen, though he didn’t list specific songs, listed artists who have helped shape music into what it is today and the pioneers of certain genres.

“I just try to listen to very slow old-school stuff to try to keep the heart rate down,” Allen told PEOPLE in June.

“A lot of Elvis, a lot of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., Billy Joel. So it’s a lot of songs that are just very slow tempo, and I try to relax, try to find myself in a good spot and think of good things that are about to happen,” Allen added.

While this may be an unexpected playlist of songs, it obviously seems to work.

The Bills have finished with double-digit wins each year since 2019 and have made the playoffs in each of those seasons.

While Allen has yet to win a Super Bowl, he’s gotten close to the big game a number of times and doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon.

Who would’ve thought that “My Way” by Frank Sinatra would be one of the best songs to lock in before a game?

San Antonio Spurs: Vanessa Carlton and Miley Cyrus

If you were to ask me to make a list of best locker room songs, I’m not sure I’d pick what the Spurs did, but hey, if it works for them.

Their top locker room songs include “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus, “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton, and “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit.

The best part? This “sports music playlist” is played by the Spurs’ seventh-year player, Keldon Johnson. He acts as the unofficial DJ.

“His play list is very interesting, I can say that,” forward Devin Vassell said.

“Just seeing how everybody reacts to a certain thing throughout the day,” said Johnson, regarding Wemby’s music choice. “And those songs kind of stuck with everybody, especially ‘A Thousand Miles.’”

“Pretty much everybody knows it word for word,” Johnson stated, “so it gives us a chance to really get hyped and be together and bring some team chemistry right before the game.”

“It shows how comfortable we all are with each other and just our connection,” said rookie guard Dylan Harper, 19, on the song selection.

The good news is that, while these may not be songs to listen to before a game for them personally, they know Johnson is just trying to keep the team connected:

“He tries to make sure the vibe’s right for everybody on the team, keep us all connected, so it’s been working for us,” guard Stephon Castle, 21, said.

Saquon Barkley: Rod Wave

Before Super Bowl 59, when the Philadelphia Eagles and Barkley won the game, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, he appeared at a press conference and was asked about what music pumped him up.

This was an especially intriguing answer because that season, Barkley ran 345 times for 2,005 yards, 13 touchdowns, and caught 33 passes for 278 yards and two more touchdowns. He sat out Week 18, but could’ve very well broken the single-season rushing record.

So, his list of songs to listen to before a game could maybe unlock something in all of us if it’s helping him run for over 2,000 yards.

“My favorite hype song before a game? This might sound weird…I listen to Rod Wave, so yeah it’s not really hype music,” said Barkley. “Some people call it sad music, but it gets me in my bag. Yeah, for my mental.”

Rod Wave has over 7.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify and is considered the pioneer of the “trap-soul” genre. Barkley also posted about him on X in 2020, saying, “Put rod wave in ya top five right now if not… your missing it,” the running back said.

Luka Doncic: Music Native to His Country

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Donic, a star for the Los Angeles Lakers, sat down with Snoop Dogg, and the topic of music came up.

“Normally when basketball players come out, with earphones on and what not, they have some sort of a musical ritual.” Snoop Dogg started, then asked, “Is there anything that you listen to before the game?”

Doncic didn’t try to say anything as he listened to rap, or even Snoop’s music. Instead, he had an answer that anyone should be able to respect.

“I mostly listen to music from my country,” Doncic said, who’s from Slovenia. Snoop Dogg loved the answer, saying, “I love that!” to which Doncic jokingly replied, “You love that music?”

“No, I love the fact that you are culturally into your music. Like you are not trying to like listen to rap or listen to this. You listen to what makes you.” Snoop Dogg said, to which Luka interrupted and said, “I listen to everything.”

Doncic then mentioned how he plays the music through the speakers at the arena, so while these aren’t exactly locker room songs, his list of songs to listen to before a game is heard by anyone in the arena.

“I need you to make me a playlist. Make me a playlist of some of your favorite songs. So that I know what’s in your head before you are out there playing.” Snoop Dogg asked of Doncic.

Now, I can’t get it out of my head, imagining Snoop Dogg listening to music from Slovenia, which Doncic says features a lot of accordion. Who knows, it could be one of the best locker room songs, too, if Doncic plays it there.