After debuting to a massive audience last week, ESPN wasn’t done with their unveiling process for the 2023 Monday Night Football season. The Worldwide Leader delivered a new intro and anthem for its weekly NFL telecasts.
Awful Announcing wrote earlier Monday on the new anthem:
From the Miami Heat to Baker Mayfield – and many others in between – Phil Collins’ 1981 hit song “In the Air Tonight” has been a staple of the sports scene for decades.
On Monday, the song and its signature drum solo will receive an update of sorts. ESPN is set to unveil a “reimagining” featuring country star Chris Stapleton, rapper Snoop Dogg, and drummer Cindy Blackman Santana ahead of its Monday Night Football doubleheader.
Typically, most new things aren’t met with immediate love and adoration. But there was a sense of positivity in the air Monday night. Fitting, perhaps, given the situation.
.@ChrisStapleton ❌ @SnoopDogg ❌ @CindyBlackmanS3
New Monday Night Football Anthem is coming … tonight 📺🍿 pic.twitter.com/u4JKycDxJf
— ESPN (@espn) September 18, 2023
The anthem debuted to favorable reviews from ESPN viewers, a good look for all involved.
Perfect modern reimagining of a classic.👍
— los_tapas (@los_tapas) September 18, 2023
Banger!!!
— James (@jc_knox80) September 18, 2023
Chris Stapleton was so serious about that new MNF anthem.
— Myron Medcalf (@MedcalfByESPN) September 18, 2023
MNF Anthem >>>>>>>> SNF Anthem
No contest. Not remotely close.
You cover 'In the Air Tonight' with Stapleton and Snoop, W!
— Brad Evans (@NoisyHuevos) September 18, 2023
"oh I love his voice so much" words I did not expect to come out of my hyper conservative Christian mother's mouth after hearing Snoop Dogg rapping for the MNF anthem https://t.co/1rbijGGJHF
— Allen (@lil_canadian) September 18, 2023
Now, not everyone was obviously on the same train. But it is noteworthy that there were pretty favorable reviews around for it. As said, new things aren’t always met with love immediately. There’s always an adjustment period. For Monday Night Football, there’s still an era of people who grew up on Hank Williams Jr. welcoming his “rowdy friends” to Monday night on ABC. To this day, there are still probably people who want him back on the air despite bold-facing reasons why he won’t be.
So, in other words, people will typically latch onto their old things. But what’s also true is that the anthem for Monday Night Football has often been tweaked through its ESPN run. There wasn’t always a plethora of change on the original ABC broadcast beyond the graphics update and the Hank Williams Jr. song.
But we live in a reactionary world. That the anthem received praise right away is telling of a good thing.
