BleedGopher
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per Dodd:
The cover of “Jock Jams, Volume 1” featured three cheerleaders — in mid stunt — splashed across a bright orange background. Above them was the following promise: “The Hottest Crowd-Pumpin’ Grooves Of All Time!” It was as if someone had condensed the mid-’90s into one piece of album art.
At ESPN and Tommy Boy Records, there remained doubts about the ultimate viability of “Jock Jams.” Those soon vanished as quickly as the cover art became ubiquitous. The album opened with the famous catchphrase from boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer (“Let’s get ready to rumble!). It was certified platinum within 14 months.
If you were a kid in 1995, you probably remember the cover art. You had the plastic CD case tucked in a rack in your bedroom. You put the CD on in the high school weight room. You listened to it during basketball warmups or elementary school gym class or — if you were a little older — during basement parties.
The “Jock Jams” sequel, released in August 1996, was even bigger, a smash that rode the wave of the Macarena dance craze (track 10!). It went platinum in less than three months. It became the only “Jock Jams” album to reach the top 10 of the Billboard albums chart. The folks at Tommy Boy had unwittingly created a ’90s touchstone.
As writer KT McBratney put it in a 2017 piece for MEL Magazine: “’Jock Jams’ continues to bring us together. You’ll hear the songs at sporting events, but it’s their inclusion in weddings, karaoke nights and workout playlists that threads this magic through our daily lives.”
From a musical standpoint, “Jock Jams” trended into more modern fare, more electronic and hip-hop. The first volume included songs from 2 Unlimited, the dutch dance group; Tag Team, the rap duo with the iconic hit “Whoomp! (There It Is)”; and C&C Music Factory, the group behind the No. 1 single “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now).”
theathletic.com
Go Gophers!!
The cover of “Jock Jams, Volume 1” featured three cheerleaders — in mid stunt — splashed across a bright orange background. Above them was the following promise: “The Hottest Crowd-Pumpin’ Grooves Of All Time!” It was as if someone had condensed the mid-’90s into one piece of album art.
At ESPN and Tommy Boy Records, there remained doubts about the ultimate viability of “Jock Jams.” Those soon vanished as quickly as the cover art became ubiquitous. The album opened with the famous catchphrase from boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer (“Let’s get ready to rumble!). It was certified platinum within 14 months.
If you were a kid in 1995, you probably remember the cover art. You had the plastic CD case tucked in a rack in your bedroom. You put the CD on in the high school weight room. You listened to it during basketball warmups or elementary school gym class or — if you were a little older — during basement parties.
The “Jock Jams” sequel, released in August 1996, was even bigger, a smash that rode the wave of the Macarena dance craze (track 10!). It went platinum in less than three months. It became the only “Jock Jams” album to reach the top 10 of the Billboard albums chart. The folks at Tommy Boy had unwittingly created a ’90s touchstone.
As writer KT McBratney put it in a 2017 piece for MEL Magazine: “’Jock Jams’ continues to bring us together. You’ll hear the songs at sporting events, but it’s their inclusion in weddings, karaoke nights and workout playlists that threads this magic through our daily lives.”
From a musical standpoint, “Jock Jams” trended into more modern fare, more electronic and hip-hop. The first volume included songs from 2 Unlimited, the dutch dance group; Tag Team, the rap duo with the iconic hit “Whoomp! (There It Is)”; and C&C Music Factory, the group behind the No. 1 single “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now).”
The history of ‘Jock Jams’: How a ’90s CD changed how we viewed sports and music
It's hard to remember a time before sports fans were asked to 'Pump Up the Jam" or if 'Y'All Ready for This?'
Go Gophers!!
