List of Olympic songs and anthems explained

Olympic songs and anthems are adopted officially by International Olympic Committee (or by official broadcasters and partners selected by IOC), to be used prior to the Olympic Games and to accompany the games during the event.

They are used as theme music in TV broadcast and also used in advertising campaigns for the Olympic Games. Some songs and anthems are more popular and famous than official songs and anthems.

Summer Olympics

Official theme songs and anthems

GamesHost
City
TitleLanguage(s)width=300Performer(s)width=300Writer(s) and producer(s)Audio and VideosLive Performance
Montreal"Bienvenue à Montréal"
(Welcome to Montreal)
René SimardMusic Video
Moscow"Олимпиада"
(Olympiad)
Tõnis Mägi, Mykola HnatyukDavid Tukhmanov
Robert Rozhdestvensky
Music Video
Music Video
"Стадион моей мечты"
(My Dream Stadium)
Music Video
Los Angeles"Reach Out"
(official song)
EnglishPaul EngemannGiorgio Moroder Official Music Video
"Olympic Fanfare and Theme"
(official theme)[1]
New American OrchestraJohn WilliamsOpening Ceremony
Seoul"Hand in Hand"
- English Version
EnglishKoreanaGiorgio Moroder, Tom Whitlock Official Music VideoOpening Ceremony
"손에 손 잡고"
- Korean Version
KoreanMusic Video
Barcelona"Amigos Para Siempre"
(Friends for Life)
Official Music VideoClosing Ceremony
Atlanta"Reach"
(official song)
EnglishGloria EstefanOfficial Music VideoClosing Ceremony
"Summon the Heroes"
(official theme)[2]
Atlanta SymphonyJohn WilliamsOpening Ceremony
Sydney"The Flame"EnglishTina ArenaJohn ForemanOfficial Music Video AudioOpening Ceremony
Athens"Olympic Dream"Maksim MrvicaOfficial Music Video
Beijing"You and Me"Chinese and EnglishLiu Huan, Sarah BrightmanQigang ChenOfficial Music Video
Music Video
London"Survival"[3] MuseClosing Ceremony
Rio de Janeiro"Alma e Coração"[4]
(Soul and Heart)
Thiaguinho, ProjotaMusic Video
Tokyo"Colorful"[5] JapaneseAi, Motohiro Hata, Little Glee Monster, Daichi Miura, Perfume, Taemin, Miyavi, Nasty C, Sabrina Carpenter, Ayumu Imazu, Blue Vintage, Mizki, Sanari, Chikuzen SatoRyosuke ImaiMusic Video
Paris"Parade"[6] Orchestre National de FranceVictor le MasneLive Performance

Other songs and anthems

GamesHost
City
TitleLanguage(s)width=300Performer(s)width=300Writer(s) and producer(s)Audio and VideosLive Performance
Seoul"One Moment in Time"
- NBC Sports Broadcast Theme Song
EnglishWhitney HoustonAlbert HammondOfficial Music Video
"The Olympic Spirit"
- NBC Sports Broadcast Theme Music
John Williams
"You're Not Alone"
- Australian Official Olympic Team Song
EnglishOfficial Music Video
Barcelona"Barcelona"
- Official Theme Song Candidate
- BBC Grandstand Theme Song
Atlanta"The Power of the Dream"Celine DionOpening Ceremony
"Return to Innocence"
- Promotional Video Theme Song
EnigmaMusic Video
"Javelin"
- Official Theme Candidate
Atlanta Symphony OrchestraMichael TorkeAudio
Sydney"Dare to Dream"EnglishJohn Farnham & Olivia Newton-JohnPaul Begaud, Vanessa Corish & Wayne TesterAudioOpening Ceremony
"Heroes Live Forever"EnglishVanessa AmorosiJohn Gillard & Trevor WhiteAudioOpening Ceremony
"Under Southern Skies"EnglishNikki Webster & Sing 2001 ChoirDamien Halloran & Maria Millward AudioOpening Ceremony
Athens"Oceania"EnglishBjörkOfficial Music VideoOpening Ceremony
Beijing"Forever Friends"Sun Nan, A-Mei, Coco LeeGiorgio MoroderOfficial Music Video
LondonN/A
Rio de Janeiro"Rise"
- NBC Sports Broadcast Theme Song
Katy PerryOfficial Music Video
TokyoN/A
Paris"Hello World"[7] EnglishGwen Stefani, Anderson .PaakRyan TedderMusic Video

Winter Olympics

Official theme songs and anthems

GamesHost
City
TitleLanguage(s)width=300Performer(s)width=300Writer(s) and producer(s)Audio and VideosLive Performance
Calgary"Winter Games"
- Instrumental Version
None
(Instrumental)
David FosterDavid FosterOfficial Music VideoOpening Ceremony
Closing Ceremony
"Can't You Feel It"
- Vocal Version
EnglishAudio
Albertville
Lillehammer
Nagano
Salt Lake City"Light the Fire Within"
(official song)
EnglishLeAnn RimesDavid Foster, Linda ThompsonOpening Ceremony
"Call of the Champions"
(official theme)
LatinUtah Symphony, Tabernacle ChoirJohn WilliamsOpening Ceremony
Turin"Because We Believe
(Ama Credi E Vai)
"[8]
Andrea BocelliClosing Ceremony
Vancouver"I Believe"Nikki YanofskyStephan Moccio
Alan Frew
Phil Ramone
Jesse Harris
Sochi
PyeongchangNone[9]
Beijing

Other songs and anthems

GamesHost
City
TitleLanguage(s)width=300Performer(s)width=300Writer(s) and producer(s)Audio and VideosLive Performance
Pyeongchang"Let Everyone Shine"
- Torch Relay Promotional Song
KoreanInsooniOfficial Music Video
Beijing

Albums

GamesHost
City
OfficialOthersNotes
SeoulNone
BarcelonaBarcelona Gold
Atlanta
Sydney
Anthes
BeijingThe Official Album for Beijing 2008 Olympic GamesAT&T Team USA Soundtrack
LondonIsles of Wonder
A Symphony of British Music (album)
Rio de JaneiroRio 2016 (Olympic Themes & Anthems)
Tokyo
GamesHost
City
OfficialOthersNotes
Turin
Vancouver
Sochi
PyeongchangNone
Beijing

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: IOC awards the Olympic Order to John Williams . Olympics.com . International Olympic Committee . 18 July 2024 . 30 April 2003.
  2. News: Swed . Mark . The Best Music Doesn't Get 'Official' Nod . 18 July 2024 . Los Angeles Times . 18 July 1996.
  3. News: Muse unveil official Olympic song . BBC News . 27 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230305230750/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-18607319 . 2023-03-05 . live .
  4. https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/2016-rio-olympics-official-theme-song-video-7424042/ Olympic Spirit Is Contagious in 2016 Official Theme Song Video: Watch
  5. Japan . Billboard . 2021-07-21 . J-pop Artists Join Forces on 'Colorful' Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics Theme Song . 2024-07-26 . Billboard . en-US.
  6. Web site: 18 May 2024 . Olympic Games Paris 2024: The Official Musical Theme of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, composed by Victor le Masne, for the ceremony. 18 May 2024 . Paris 2024 Olympics.
  7. Web site: Lee . Eleanor . 25 July 2024 . Olympic Games Paris 2024: Coca-Cola, Gwen Stefani, Ryan Tedder and Anderson .Paak celebrate the power of sport and music with official Olympics song 'Hello World' . 26 July 2024 . Paris 2024 Olympics.
  8. https://www.billboard.com/culture/events/best-olympic-anthems-songs-winter-games-1235026110/ 10 Best Olympic Winter Games Anthems
  9. https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/view.php?key=20170928010014202 평창동계올림픽, 공식주제가가 없다