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JAY-Z performs on stage during the "On the Run II" tour opener at Principality Stadium on June 6, 2018.
Flau'jae Johnson performs during "Nostalgia Tour" at State Farm Arena on December 13, 2023.
Malice and Pusha T of Clipse perform onstage during the 2025 ESPY Awards.
Key Takeaways
- Roc Nation and the NFL released the 2025 Songs of the Season playlist, featuring 9 tracks available on Apple Music.
- Flau’jae Johnson returns with “Courtside,” marking her second consecutive year on the playlist.
- Clipse contributes “Ace Trumpets,” a track from their first album in about 15 years, adding veteran presence to the lineup.
JAY-Z’s entertainment company, Roc Nation, is continuing to shape the sound of the NFL with the release of the 2025 Songs of the Season. The 9-track collection was released on Thursday (Aug. 28) with its official playlist made available on Apple Music.
Leading the pack is Hip Hop’s premier duo Clipse with “Ace Trumpets.” The song is a fan favorite from Let God Sort Em Out, their first album in about 15 years. Also making the list is Louisiana State University basketball star Flau’jae Johnson featuring Waka Flocka Flame on “Courtside.”
This year’s compilation of hits marks the 2023 NCAA Championship winner’s second appearance on the playlist, further cementing her dual career as a standout athlete and rising rapper. Her Dollababy-produced “Came Out A Beast” featuring Lil Wayne leads the 13-track playlist for the 2024 season. She tweeted, “Man, what a 24 hours it has been! Thank you, NFL, for making my brand-new song ‘Courtside’ the song of the SEASON.”
The full 9-track playlist also includes music from Bootsy Collins, Dorothy, DJ Snake & J Balvin, HDBeenDope, Clark D, Hardrock, and Nicotheowl with Rhyan Besco. Roc Nation has been influencing performances and music since 2019, when it first inked a deal to serve as the NFL’s live music entertainment strategist and a collaborator through their Inspire Change initiative. JAY-Z called the long-term relationship “an opportunity to strengthen the fabric of communities across America.”
Speaking about this season’s tracklist, Vice President of Original Content & Entertainment Angela Ellis said, “Music is central to the way fans experience the NFL, and Songs of the Season is one way we bring that connection to life. Together with Roc Nation, we’re celebrating artists who shape culture, giving players and fans a soundtrack that reflects the energy of the game.”
Roc Nation elevates the Super Bowl halftime show
A major milestone in the partnership came in 2022 when its Hip Hop tribute starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar won the Outstanding Variety Special Emmy.
Under their agreement, Roc Nation has also reportedly produced some of the most-watched and talked-about halftime shows in Super Bowl history, starting with Rihanna in 2023. According to Billboard, the singer pulled in an impressive 121 million views, a feat that was surpassed with Usher’s 123.4 million in 2024 and then Kendrick Lamar’s 133.5 million in 2025.
With the company’s influence in entertainment and sports locked in for more years to come, spectators can expect another season of football backed by endzone-worthy hits.