Homecoming is a time-honored tradition that welcomes the return of students and alumni alike to colleges and high schools across the country, celebrating the start of a new season. Dating back to the early 1900s, homecoming usually centers around the start of the school year, along with the first football game of the season. There’s tailgating, pep rallies, parades, and most importantly, the homecoming dance. Here are 15 homecoming songs to help get your party started.
Think we’ve missed some classics? Let us know in the comments section, below.
15: KWS: Please Don’t Go
A throwback 90s jam that dominates any homecoming event. The UK dance outfit KWS turned KC & The Sunshine Band’s 70s symphonic ballad into a club classic and somehow got it into the hands of every school-dance circuit DJ across the pond.
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14: Dexys Midnight Runners: Come On Eileen
For anyone who came of age during the 80s, your homecoming soundtrack probably sounded a lot like a John Hughes’ movie, with plenty of OMD, a-ha, and Madonna. There’s one song that’s quintessentially 80s but sounded like nothing else on the chart: “Come On Eileen.” Without a synth in sight, nothing revs up a dancefloor or tailgate then a couple of banjos, accordions, and fiddles.
13: Cupid: Cupid Shuffle
You have to love songs that give exact choreography instructions, especially for those of us not blessed with natural dance skills. Each generation gets its own dance-craze hits, from the “Electric Slide” to the “Percolator”; the mid-00s had the “Cupid Shuffle,” an infectiously catchy dance-pop hit that’s beloved by all ages.
12: The Black Eyed Peas: Gotta Feeling
There was a period when The Black Eyed Peas’ electro-rap anthem “Gotta Feeling,” from their 2009 album, The END, dominated pop culture: from commercials to sports stadiums, weddings to homecomings, their irrepressible hit was a sure-fire way to fire people up. Over a decade after its release, we gotta feeling this song still gets the job done.
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11: Styx: Come Sail Away
Prog rockmay not seem like standard school dance and pep rally fare, but Styx’s bombastic 1977 hit “Come Sail Away” was a favorite among the adolescent set. It’s one of those songs that starts out almost like a slow dance, then starts to pick up speed; by the 2.20 mark, all hell breaks loose and the auditorium is going wild. It also features prominently during a school dance scene in the beloved coming-of-age-TV series Freaks And Geeks.
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10: Normani: Motivation
The former Fifth Harmony singer is no newbie, but her hit “Motivation” is a recent addition to our list of the best homecoming songs. Part early 00s hip-hop, part drumline, and all charm, Normani could easily lead any cheer squad – and she has the moves to match.
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9: Taylor Swift: Love Story
Homecoming is celebrated all over the US, but it’s in suburban America where the tradition truly thrives. If anybody knows how to capture the specific feeling of small-town living, it’s early-era Taylor Swift, whose country-pop ballad ‘Love Story’, from her 2008 album, Fearless album, evokes the sensation of being young, when every relationship feels like it contains stakes of Shakespearean proportions.
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8: Ginuwine: Pony
For every jock jam at the school dance, there also has to be a solid slow jam – a conduit for adolescents to awkwardly grind on the dancefloor. Thanks to Timbaland’s slick, vocoder-driven production, Ginuwine’s 1996 hit remains the thirstiest slow jam of all time.
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7: Avicii: Wake Me Up
Swedish producer Tim Bergling (aka Avicii) was a pioneer when it came to blending unexpected genres into electronic music, and the dance-country crossover hit “Wake Me Up,” featuring Aloe Blacc, was one of his first big commercial hits. Appealing to both country fans and EDM heads, it’s perhaps the only song the two rival schools can agree on.
6: LMFAO: Party Rock Anthem
As one of the most infectious earworms of all time, electro-hip-hop duo LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” was a global sensation. With its shuffling beat and EDM sound, it’s inspired countless memes and impromptu dance parties at every homecoming event. Now certified diamond, you can’t stop the shuffle.
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5: AC/DC: Thunderstruck
This one’s definitely for the tailgaters and loyal alumni who like to slam on the bleachers and yell “Thunder!” along with the Young brothers at every home game. With another epic guitar intro, “Thunderstruck” builds up tension before exploding into a full singalong.
4: Beyoncé: Crazy In Love – Homecoming Live
Declared “the best pop single of the 21st Century” by NME in 2013, Beyoncé’s “Crazy In Love” has been a ubiquitous presence at every homecoming event (any event, really) since its release in 2003, and is still a go-to hit to get people’s pulses pumping. With its blast of horns, it also evoked the school spirit, but when Beyoncé performed it live with a full marching band at Coachella for her Homecoming: The Live Album, it became a stadium anthem.
3: Katy Perry: Roar
Some of the best homecoming songs are empowering, something you can really rally around, and Katy Perry’s “Roar” is just that. She even references the ultimate warm-up song, Survivor’s “Eye Of The Tiger,” when she sings “I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter/Dancing through the fire/’Cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar.” It’s perfect pep rally material.
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2: Thin Lizzy: The Boys Are Back In Town
As upperclassmen and alumni stream back into town for homecoming, they’ll need a declarative anthem to herald their arrival. Thin Lizzy’s 70s classic will always be the go-to. From tailgates to community cookouts, it’s not the start of the fall season until you hear the iconic intro guitar lick.
1: Queen: We Are The Champions
No list of homecoming songs is complete without Queen’s immortal anthem, ”We Are The Champions.” Whether it’s the first victory of the season or a trip down memory lane with your college crew, the group’s 1977 hit will make you feel like champions of the world.
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Honorable Mentions
Justin Bieber: Holy
J Balvin: Mi Gente
Lady A: Downtown
Lady Gaga feat. Ariana Grande: Rain on Me
The Weeknd: Blinding Lights
Maroon 5: Memories
Rihanna: Only Girl (In The World)
Nicki Minaj: The Night Is Still Young
DJ Casper: Cha Cha Slide
A Waffle House server is checking on a couple when she calls the husband “baby.” The girlfriend wasn’t having it, and now she’s hearing from the internet a lesson on good old Southern hospitality.
TikTok user Max (@texasbaz) posted a video of the interaction on Sep. 26. The video shows couple Max and Maoly sitting at a Waffle House table eating breakfast. Shortly after the video starts, the couple is approached by their server, who is off-camera.
“Do you need anything else, baby?” the server asks. It’s immediately clear from Maoly’s side-eye that she isn’t a fan of women calling her boyfriend anything other than his Christian name.
Maoly is polite when she tells the woman that his name is Max. But the server, who is on TikTok as That One Waitress, isn’t deterred. “I’m sorry, it’s just a Southern hospitality thing if I call somebody baby,” the woman replies. “I do not want your man.”
Waffle House Server Calls Boyfriend ‘Baby’
In the caption, Max makes it clear by thanking the server for “being such a great sport” that the video was in jest. To make things even clearer, the couple and That One Waitress filmed a follow-up video that shows the roles reversed, with Maoly taking over server duties for the gag. In the second video, That One Waitress is cutting up Max’s waffles when Maoly approaches the table. This time, That One Waitress corrects Maoly when she calls Max by a pet name. “Oh, it’s just Latina hospitality; it doesn’t mean I want your man,” Maoly jokes.
At the end of the video, each of the three asks for people to take the original video as it was meant: A joke. Each video has 7 million views.
Viewers React to the Waffle House Skit
That didn’t stop people in the comments section from jumping to That One Waitress’s defense. One person said, “I heard her accent and immediately knew she meant nothing by it. Poor lady.”
A second person derided Maoly for her behavior. “When Southern hospitality meets ‘insecure in my relationship,’” the person wrote. “The embarrassment.”
“Girl, she doesn’t want your man,” wrote a third person.
It is indeed a common feature of Southern etiquette to call strangers by pet names like “baby.” It’s almost never a romantic advance, but of course it can sound like one to someone from another culture. The skit also plays into the “Toxic Latina” stereotype that some argue reduces an entire demographic into a controlling trope.
Some viewers didn’t buy the couple’s apology. “Had to return to the restaurant for damage control,” one person said. A second agreed, “Blink if you need help, Miss Waitress.”
All Hip Hop contacted Max and Maoly via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We also reached out to That One Waitress via TikTok direct message for comment.
Bad Bunny remained seated during “God Bless America” at Yankee Stadium and the move has sparked more political debate just months ahead of his scheduled Super Bowl halftime performance.
The Puerto Rican rapper and global music star was spotted by baseball personality Laurence Leavy, better known as “Marlins Man,” who sat two seats away during the playoff matchup between the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. Leavy later confirmed the moment on social media.
“Yes, Bad Bunny was sitting and did not stand during God Bless America,” Leavy wrote. “I don’t agree but it’s his right AS AN AMERICAN to so choose.”
Yes, Bad Bunny was sitting in 2nd row with me. That is him. He is super nice and humble. Wish him the best. First met him at mlb celebrity starvsoftball game. pic.twitter.com/IIYEGKNtVo
Leavy also shared that when he asked the artist’s manager to encourage him to stand, the request was declined. He said the refusal was politically motivated.
“Mad at Trump for saying he’s is Latin and not an American. He thinks Trump doesn’t know Puerto Rico is in USA,” Leavy wrote, describing the conversation.
Despite the disagreement, Leavy complimented the reggaeton star’s attitude. “He is super nice and humble,” Leavy posted. “Wish him the best.”
So i wanted to add that i asked his manager yo get him up and he said no. Mad at Trump fot saying he’s is Latin and not an American. He thinks Trump doesn’t know Puerto Rico is in USA
Bad Bunny’s political views have influenced his recent decisions, including skipping U.S. stops on his world tour. In an interview with i-D magazine, he cited fears over immigration enforcement.
He added that fans could travel to Puerto Rico or other countries to see him live.
The Super Bowl controversy has also prompted a response from conservative group Turning Point USA.
The organization, founded by the late Charlie Kirk, announced it will host an “All American Halftime Show” during the game. The event will highlight “faith, family and freedom” as a counter to the NFL’s official performance.
Bad Bunny addressed the backlash during his recent Saturday Night Live appearance, saying he was “very excited” about the Super Bowl show.
His decision not to stand at Yankee Stadium adds to his history of using his platform to spotlight Puerto Rican identity and Latino issues.
I hope no one watches the Super Bowl after seeing Bad Bunny sit for God Bless America at Yankee Stadium.
Aquí está el vídeo de ese cabrón de Bad Bunny sentado durante el canto de God Bless America en el juego de los Yankees de esta semana. Elige a un verdadero ganador Roger Goodell https://t.co/SNp75jLZES
Temple University educator Dr. Lesly Robinson to Deion Sanders: “You’ve Got Me Worried — Please Take a Rest”
Dr. Lesly Robinson, a noted podiatrist, health advocate and educator, has written an emotional open letter to Colorado football coach Deion Sanders, urging the Hall of Famer to slow down and focus on recovery as he faces yet another health scare.
The letter presented to AllHipHop, titled “Deion, You’ve Got Me Worried – Please Take a Rest,” acknowledges Sanders’ unmatched toughness and perseverance, but warns that continued overexertion could put his life at risk.
“Deion, you’ve already proven your resilience and determination to the world,” Robinson wrote. “You’ve inspired millions with your faith and your fight. But now, it’s time to rest. Healing is not weakness. It is wisdom. The world needs your leadership, but it needs you healthy and whole even more.”
Robinson’s message comes just as Sanders, 58, revealed he was scheduled for a medical procedure Tuesday to address new complications from blood clotsin his leg. After Saturday’s 35-21 loss to TCU, the Colorado coach told reporters he believed more clots had formed, saying, “I’m hurting like crazy.”
At his weekly news conference, Sanders confirmed the upcoming procedure, but remained optimistic:
“I cannot wait to get past this hurdle,” he said. “It’s hereditary and has nothing to do with me working at the level I’m trying to compete at. Prayerfully, I’ll be right back tomorrow because I don’t miss practice. I don’t plan on doing such.”
Sanders, who alternated between limping and sitting during Saturday’s game, removed his left shoe in the second half and later admitted his leg was “throbbing.” His Buffaloes (2-4, 0-3 Big 12) are preparing to host No. 22 Iowa State (5-1, 2-1) this weekend.
Longtime friend and former NFL cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones attended Tuesday’s session to show support, joining a chorus of well-wishers encouraging Sanders to rest. But the coach brushed aside suggestions that he slow down.
“There’s nothing I could’ve done to stop what’s transpiring,” he said. “It is what it is.”
Sanders’ circulation problems first made headlines in 2021 when, while coaching at Jackson State, he was hospitalized for 23 days and underwent multiple surgeries that led to the amputation of two toes and removal of part of his left calf. He later had additional surgeries to remove clots and straighten toes before joining Colorado in 2023.
Earlier this year, Sanders was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer, requiring the removal and reconstruction of his bladder using a section of his intestine. He has spoken openly about his recovery, even sharing that he uses adult diapers during games and that Colorado provides a portable sideline restroom for him.
Through it all, Sanders has continued to coach, often citing his faith as his source of strength.
“I trust God with all my heart and all my soul and all my mind,” he said Tuesday. “I’m going to go in there and get some of the best sleep in the world for, I think, four hours — the surgery is going to be. I’ve never been high a day in my life. I’ve never drank, smoked, or anything. But when I get those surgeries, I am there on time.”
A Doctor’s Perspective
In her letter, Dr. Robinson highlighted the risks of Sanders’ ongoing conditions, Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), both of which affect blood circulation but in different and potentially deadly ways.
“Walking or remaining highly active while at risk for blood clots can be dangerous,” Robinson cautioned. “Prompt medical attention and rest are essential.”
She noted that PAD, a chronic arterial disease, can cause slow-healing wounds and, if untreated, lead to amputation. DVT, a sudden venous blockage, can send clots to the lungs, triggering a fatal pulmonary embolism. Embolism is a condition where a foreign object travels through the bloodstream and blocks a blood vessel.
She said the legendary coach and former player should serve as both inspiration and warning, proof of resilience, but also a reminder of the limits.
“Deion’s courage is extraordinary,” Robinson wrote. “But the body still needs time to heal.”
Below is the exclusive letter in full:
Deion, You’ve Got Me Worried- Please Take a Rest
A heartfelt reflection on health, strength, and the importance of recovery
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and blood clots, or Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), both affect circulation, but in very different ways. PAD occurs when the arteries carrying blood away from the heart become narrowed by plaque buildup, gradually reducing blood flow to the legs. This can cause leg pain or cramping when walking (claudication), cool or pale skin, and slow-healing wounds.
DVT, in contrast, involves a blood clot forming suddenly in a deep vein (most often in the leg ) blocking blood from returning to the heart. It typically causes swelling, warmth, redness, and tenderness in one leg. While PAD is a chronic arterial disease often linked to diabetes, smoking, and high cholesterol, DVT is an acute venous condition usually triggered by immobility, surgery, or clotting disorders.
Both conditions necessitate prompt medical attention. In PAD is crucial to prevent tissue loss and amputation, while diagnosinf DVT is essential to prevent a potentially life-threatening pulmonary embolism if the clot travels to the lungs.
Deion Sanders has faced both conditions, along with multiple surgeries, amputations, and even a history of cancer. His story is one of incredible strength, courage, and perseverance, but also a reminder of how serious vascular disease can be. Walking or remaining active while at risk for blood clots can be life-threatening, making medical evaluation and rest essential.
Deion, you’ve already proven your resilience and determination to the world. You’ve inspired millions with your faith and your fight. But now, it’s time to rest. Healing is not weakness, it’s wisdom. The world needs your leadership, but it needs you healthy and whole even more. Take the time your body deserves.
Donald Trump threw Hip-Hop and politics in a blender this week and served up a viral cocktail on Truth Social that left everyone talking.
The ex-president posted a remix video where he’s yelling about border laws in Congress while the beat from Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” bangs in the background.
The clip kicks off with Trump ranting, “The media and our friends in the Democrat Party kept saying we needed new legislation… we must have legislation to secure the border. But it turned out that all we really needed was a new president.”
Cue Republicans standing and clapping like it’s a rap show and not Capitol Hill. Then the bass drops.
The mashup had people online either cracking up or shaking their heads. Some folks thought it was hilarious. Others were confused. A few said it was “kinda genius.”
Either way, it did what it was supposed to—get clicks.
This isn’t Trump’s first time playing the social media game like a pro. His team’s been pushing these viral-style clips since 2023 to sidestep old-school press and hit timelines directly.
According to a report by Bloomberg, these short-form videos are a major piece of his campaign puzzle.
He’s also been trying to tap into younger crowds and the Hip-Hop scene. Earlier this year, he even rolled out rappers at his rallies to hype the crowd.
Nelly scored a legal victory in Missouri federal court after a judge tossed out a lawsuit from Ali of the St. Lunatics and sanctioned his attorneys for filing what the court deemed a meritless case.
Ali Jones, who performed alongside Nelly in the Hip-Hop group, accused the rapper of copyright infringement and unjust enrichment, claiming he was denied credit and compensation for contributions to songs on Nelly’s 2000 debut album Country Grammar.
But U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig dismissed the claims, ruling they were either legally invalid, filed too late or both.
The court found that Ali had received a letter from Nelly’s legal team in June 2021 rejecting his authorship and payment claims.
That letter, the judge said, started the clock on the three-year deadline to file a copyright claim. Ali didn’t file until after that window had closed.
Ali’s legal team attempted to circumvent the timing issue by modifying the complaint and omitting key dates. The court found that strategy to be in bad faith.
“The Court finds that Plaintiffs’ counsel acted unreasonably and vexatiously in continuing to pursue claims that were clearly time-barred and preempted,” the order stated.
The judge also rejected Ali’s unjust enrichment argument, stating it was essentially a repackaged copyright claim. Under federal law, such claims are not allowed when they duplicate copyright issues.
Because of the baseless nature of the case, the court ordered Ali’s attorneys to pay a $1,000 fine and reimburse Nelly for legal fees incurred after the first complaint.
The judge did not penalize Ali personally, but instead criticized him and his legal team for proceeding without valid grounds.
The ruling emphasized that Nelly’s legal response in 2021 was clear and final, leaving no ambiguity about Ali’s lack of rights to the songs in question.
The decision closes the door on Ali’s attempt to claim authorship more than two decades after the release of “Country Grammar.”
Mississippi State Senator Derrick Simmons confirmed four people were fatally shot and several others were wounded early Saturday morning (October 11) in downtown Leland, Mississippi following a high school homecoming game.
The Mississippi state senator said the gunfire erupted as dozens gathered to celebrate in the small Delta town of fewer than 4,000 people.
“People were just congregating and having a good time in the downtown of Leland,” Simmons told The Associated Press. “It’s just senseless gun violence. What we are experiencing now is just a proliferation of guns just being in circulation.”
According to Simmons, at least 20 people were injured in the incident. Four of them were transported to a hospital in Greenville before being airlifted to a medical center in Jackson, where they remained in critical condition as of Saturday morning.
The shooting unfolded in the heart of Leland’s downtown, where crowds had gathered after the local high school’s homecoming game. The aftermath, Simmons said, was “very chaotic,” as emergency responders from multiple agencies rushed to the scene. “Police, sheriff’s deputies and ambulances responded from all over,” he said.
Simmons said he received direct updates from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies investigating the case. As of Saturday, no arrests had been made and no suspects had been publicly identified. “They are on the ground working and I have all the faith in the world that they will get to the bottom of this,” he said.
He urged anyone with knowledge of the shooting to come forward.
Simmons add, “As the state senator for the area, we are asking any and all individuals who might have any information regarding the horrific shooting last night to come forward and provide whatever information they have.”
(thank you @That_one_waitress for being such a great sport) #louisiana #couplecomedy #latina #couplegoals #español ♬ original sound – LifeWithBaz
(@Snipr_fire) October 11, 2025
(@CryptidPolitics) October 11, 2025
