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The 2026 Fanatics Fest is set to go down this week at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in New York City and while thousands of sports enthusiasts and, well, fanatics will be in attendance to see their favorite athletes and celebrities in person, they’ll also be treated to some pretty good tunes in the process.
According to Billboard, Audiomack has unveiled the official music playlist for the event, and luckily for us older heads, it will feature more grown-man music from yesteryear than whatever the heck the kids are listening to nowadays. Coming in at 50 cuts deep, fans in the building will be listening to the likes of Drake (“Shabang”), JAŸ-Z (“Empire State Of Mind”), and Justin Bieber (“Yukon”), among other music icons, as they make their way from booth to booth hoping to get some exclusive merchandise or that coveted John Hancock from their favorite sports superstar.
While us older heads can appreciate some of the classic hits from the past, Audiomack intends on incorporating some new voices in its track listing to balance out the vibes and have a little something for everyone.
Per Billboard:
“At Audiomack, we believe that discovering new artists is one of the most exciting parts of being a music fan. Fanatics Fest brings together sports, music, and entertainment in a way that feels incredibly authentic, so becoming the official streaming partner was a perfect fit. We’re excited to help soundtrack the weekend while introducing fans to the next generation of artists,” said Audiomack’s co-founder and chief marketing officer, David Ponte.
While some of music’s titans carry the playlist, Audiomack also made sure to spotlight emerging acts like Lane Gang Wells, Bashfortheworld and Iman Nunez, whose track “Rotten Apple” features fellow New York natives Niko Brim and Kai Ca$h.
At the end of the day, we knew it couldn’t be a mostly 2000s playlist, but we’ll take it as the good folks over at Audiomack hope to capture the vibe and essence of the environment that will be present in the city that never sleeps.
“‘Rotten Apple’ is New York personified. It’s about the grit, resilience, and mentality that defines this city. Having to do whatever it takes to push through obstacles and keep moving forward,” Nunez said in a statement. “That same mindset is what makes great athletes, so having the record featured on this year’s playlist feels like the perfect fit. We’re excited for it to help set the tone.”
We respect the direction Audiomack is going in for Fanatics Fest 2026.
Will you be heading out to Fanatics Fest 2026? Who are you looking forward to seeing? Sound off in the comments section below.