Three Lions LEAST catchy football anthem according to science

To see the full comprehensive dataset with all figures analysed, please see here.

Shakira tops the table

Science has spoken, and SeatPick can officially reveal that the catchiest World Cup song is Shakira’s Waka Waka (It’s Time for Africa) earning a total catchiness score of 8.4/10 based on factors such as its popularity, danceability, and energy. This iconic track by the Colombian songstress draws inspiration from African music and was released in unison with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

It received a 79/100 popularity score, which seems fitting as the music video has been viewed over 3.3 million times on YouTube and is on multiple Spotify playlists. To this day the track has received over 15 million downloads and was the seventh most popular song of 2010.

Professor Jake Cohen, Professor of Music Appreciation from Baruch College, New York comments on why the track is catchy:
“The main phrase “Waka Waka” has been repeated a significant number of times to emphasize its importance (Waka Waka means “do it” in Cameroonian). There is a major change at 1:04, as a cymbal-like instrument is introduced to add more variation to the melody. Furthermore, the new vocalist at 2:12 generates a unique kind of exotic sensation to its listeners.”

It’s fair to say that the combination of repeated lyrics and a musical homage to the host country are reasons why the track is so popular with listeners.

Hayya Hayya is in close second

Ranking second place is Trinidad Cardona’s Hayya Hayya (Better Together) which scored 6.9/10. Released as the first single from this year’s official World Cup soundtrack, Hayya Hayya is an upbeat track with an infectious R&B groove, earning it its high danceability and energy scores. Despite only being released in April, this track’s high placement in the results suggests it may become a World Cup classic in years to come.

Ricky Martin ranks third

Ricky Martin’s La Copa de la Vida takes the third spot with a catchiness score of 6.5/10. The Samba-tinged anthem released for the 1998 World Cup was rated high for its danceability and energy and the music video has since seen 77,000 views on YouTube.  The song also topped the charts in 14 countries including host country France, where it sold over 500,000 copies and has been considered one of the best World Cup anthems by multiple publications, including Billboard.

Pitbull is at #4

In fourth place is Pitbull’s We Are One (Ole Ola) featuring Jennifer Lopez and Brazilian pop star Claudia Leitte, earning a total catchiness score of 6.5/10. Released in tandem with the 2014 World Cup hosted by Brazil, who can forget this catchy anthem laced with a Latin beat?

The song’s catchiness has earned it over 862,000 YouTube views, and it ranks slightly higher than Waka Waka for its energy, which is down to its rhythm and fast-paced sound.  We Are One peaked at #1 in Belgium, Hungary, and Switzerland, and has been certified Gold and Platinum in countries including the US, Belgium, Spain, and Mexico.

Wavin’ Flag vs We Are The People

Fighting for fifth place with a score of 5.9/10 are KNAAN’s Wavin’ Flag and Martin Garrix’s We Are the People, and both tracks are equally symbolic of the World Cup.

Wavin’ Flag was released for South Africa’s 2010 World Cup, originally a Canadian #1 hit, it was since re-written into the Celebration Mix that we all know today. The track scores high on its danceability and has over 408,000 YouTube views, charted in the top ten in over twenty charts across the globe, and is a dominant part of our playlists in every FIFA tournament.  

We Are the People, performed by Martin Garrix, U2 frontman Bono and The Edge was released for the Euro 2020 Championship. An uplifting anthem with a high-energy final chorus, it earnt its high popularity, danceability, and energy scores. The song has been certified Gold and Platinum in four countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, and Italy.

Three Lions are at the bottom

Trailing at the bottom of the top 15 tracks is Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds’ Three Lions. Often considered a staple of British football culture, this track was released in time for the Euro 1996 Championship. Although it may lack in its danceability, Three Lions makes up for it with its energy, a staple of many radio station playlists.

The track has since been re-recorded for this year’s World Cup, so although it may not be very catchy statistically, its status as a cult classic means it is a well-known song.

Other tracks in the results include New Order’s World in Motion, Nelly Furtado’s Força, and E-Type’s Campione 2000.

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A series of graphics for editorial use can be found in this OneDrive folder.

Credit to https://seatpick.com/ who commissioned the data.