Stapleton, Snoop “In the Air Tonight” – Billboard

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ESPN Monday Night Football Put a new spin on a nostalgic song on Monday night (September 18), opening the stream with a new music video featuring Chris Stapleton, Snoop Dogg and drummer Cindy Blackman Santana reimagining Phil Collins’ classic “In the Air Tonight.”

The segment led to ESPN’s broadcast of the New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers game at 7:15 PM ET, as well as ABC’s broadcast of the Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game at 8:15 PM ET. It will now continue for everyone Monday Night Football games, as well as ESPN’s Week 18 Saturday Doubleheader, the Super Wild Card and the first divisional playoff game, according to a press release.

“It’s been cool for me to see how one song can put you in that position to kind of get going,” Steelers’ Hines Ward said in an ESPN feature about the song, before Terry McLaurin of the Washington Commanders added, “I don’t care if you Home team, away team, you hear that song no matter what [before the game]”.

“In the Air Tonight” first appeared on Collins’ debut solo album, Face valuein 1981. Released as a single, it reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. The rock song debuted under the Hot 100 for six weeks in the fall of 1984 after it was featured on NBC’s hit single Miami Vice. The song later appeared on Miami Vice The soundtrack, which topped the Billboard 200 for 11 weeks in 1985-1986.

The new twist on “In the Air Tonight” isn’t the only musical moment this chapter. As previously announced, ESPN has teamed up with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake throughout the 2023-24 NFL season to curate music for select Monday Night Football games. Curated music from the star duo will be played in Monday Night Football promotional spots, live broadcasts and pregame shows for seven weeks this season.