A Phillies walk-up song playlist for Red October
A 26-song streaming playlist, including Bryson Stott's walk-up song, featuring Lil Uzi Vert, Drake, Frank Sinatra, Tyler Childers, El Alfa, Moneybagg Yo, Tim McGraw, and more.
Phillies postseason baseball is again upon us, and as long as Red October lasts — ideally, into November and a repeat run to the World Series — Citizens Bank Park will be filled with music.
During the game, fans hear a steady stream of the players’ go-to jams. Walk-up music plays as Bryce Harper and his teammates approach the plate, and warm-up music is heard as pitchers get ready to throw.
Yes, “Dancing On My Own” is back, but Calum Scott’s cover of Swedish pop singer Robyn’s 2010 hit is reserved for post-victory celebrations.
The Phillies have a wide range of taste that reflects their varied backgrounds, and everyone has personal preferences except reliever Dylan Covey, says Mark DiNardo, the team’s director of broadcasting and video services. He calls working with players on music picks “one of my favorite parts of the job.”
Baseball players are famously superstitious, so some — like Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos — shuffled their music this year when slumping, then locked in on a track when they got their groove back.
A few Phils have more than one song; Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper have four each which are listed below. Harper’s picks of Moby’s “Flower” and Nelly’s “Ride wit Me” are big hits, says DiNardo, as are all of Schwarber’s, Garrett Stubbs’, and Craig Kimbrel’s.
And what’s the walk-up song fans are most likely to still hear in their heads as they leave the park? Undoubtedly Bryson Stott’s choice of Tai Verdes’ earworm “A-O-K.”
So here then is a curated 26-song Phillies walk-up music playlist. Stream it in Red October, and beyond.
The Phillies’ walk-up music
1. Wacka Flocka Flame, feat. Kebo Gatti, “Grove Street Party.” Schwarber’s leadoff banger. A song that has preceded many a Schwarbomb.
2. Future, “Look Ahead.” Trea Turner looks forward to his first Phils postseason with the Atlanta rapper’s 2014 song that samples Nigerian couple Amadou & Mariam’s “Dougou Badia,” featuring Philadelphia’s Santigold.
3. Moby, “Flower.” Cool choice by Harper, from Moby’s 2002 B-Sides album. It samples an Alan Lomax field recording of “Green Sally Down” by Mattie Garder, Mary Gardner, and Jesse Lee Pratcher.
4. Drake, “Over My Dead Body.” Nick Castellanos digs in as Drake considers the pitfalls of money and fame, from his 2011 Take Care album.
5. NeedToBreathe, “Money & Fame.” Since 2019, J.T. Realmuto has walked out to this rumbling song by the South Carolina rock band who play Met Philly on Nov. 13.
6. Alice in Chains, “Rooster.” Phillies ace Zack Wheeler gets grungy with this slow burner from the 1990s Seattle band.
7. Kanye West, “Famous.” The snippet fans hear of this The Life of Pablo track when Alec Bohm steps up is a confidence booster: “We young and we alive! We never gonna die!”
8. Tai Verdes, “A-O-K.” Are some walk-up songs played at higher volume than others? Bryson Stott’s music fills the stadium, reassurance fans everything will be A-OK.
9. Lil Uzi Vert, “Pluto to Mars.” Brandon Marsh is wild about Lil Uzi Vert, alternating this with “444 + 222,” also by the Philly rapper who plays Nov. 22 at Wells Fargo Center.
10. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, “Thuggish Ruggish Bone.” Home state pride from Ohio native Schwarber, with haunting 1994 single from the Cleveland hip-hop group, featuring Shatasha Williams.
11. Frank Sinatra, “That’s Life.” Stubbs is the Phils clubhouse music programmer. Check out his 100-song playlist of contemporary bangers, called Phils Win on Spotify. But the backup catcher walks up to Sinatra’s 1966 song about refusing to quit.
12. Tim McGraw, “How Bad Do You Want It?” Motivation music from relief pitcher Matt Strahm with a Phillies connection: Tim McGraw’s father, Tug, was on the mound for the team’s first World Series in 1980.
13. Tyler Childers, “Way of the Truine God.” Phillies starter and now reliever Michael Lorenzen serves up gospel-bluegrass testimony from Kentucky singer-bandleader Childers.
14. Morgan Wallen, “I Wrote The Book.” Morgan Wallen’s summer Citizens Bank Park show didn’t happen due to illness. (He’s rescheduled for next May.) But this One Thing at a Time country cut gets a nightly hearing thanks to Harper.
15. Kid Cudi, “Mr. Rager.” Ranger Suarez has a calm demeanor on the mound, but his hip-hop warm-up music is about getting in touch with inner rage.
16. Chief Keef, “Love Sosa.” How could Edmundo Sosa resist? Chicago rapper Chief Keef calls out the Panamanian utility player’s name in a song inspired by Brian DePalma’s Scarface.
17. Moneybagg Yo, “Me Vs Me.” Pitcher Taijuan Walker’s selection highlights the mental battles athletes fight with in pressure situations.
18. Rochy RD, “Coronoa.” The Dominican rapper’s summer single is about overcoming struggle and strife, appropriate for Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez, who had a breakout year in 2023.
19. Lakeside, “Fantastic Voyage.” A funky choice from Schwarber. The original 1981 workout from Dayton band Lakeside, rather than the later Coolio hit.
20. Bazzi, “Paradise.” The romantic Bryce Harper: A dreamy 2019 pop hit from singer-producer Andrew Bazzi.
21. El Alfa, “El Dueno de la Croky.” Center fielder Johan Rojas favors sounds from his native Dominican Republic with this 2023 burner from El Alfa and Yaisel LM.
22. Living Colour, “Cult of Personality.” Schwarber shows good taste with this 1988 politically astute hit from the band at the forefront of the Black Rock Coalition.
23. Nelly, “Ride wit Me.” Harper goes back to Nelly’s 2001 debut for this invitation to carry the team on his back.
24. The Seige, “Arise.” Orion Kerkering, the Phillies new flame-throwing relief pitcher, likes a hard-hitting banger from the Los Angeles hip-hop duo the Seige that was featured in the Marvel teen superhero drama Cloak & Dagger.
25. Rema, “Calm Down (Violin Cover).” Seranthony Dominguez enters with Nigerian singer Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down”'s most peaceful version.
26. Guns N’ Roses, “Welcome to the Jungle.” Reliever Kimbrel makes his entrance as stadium lights flash while fans hold their breath, hoping his fastball is as fierce as Axl Rose.