The New Monday Night Football Song Is A Cover Of Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight" By Chris Stapleton & Snoop Dogg, And It Is Being Unveiled Tonight

ESPNNewsRoom- ESPN’s Monday Night Football will elevate the excitement and emotions leading into each game with a new music video open that combines nostalgia with intensity as “In the Air Tonight” is reimagined by eight-time Grammy Award winner Chris Stapleton, entertainment icon Snoop Dogg, and world renowned-drummer Cindy Blackman Santana. 

Tonight’s debut of Phil Collins’ megahit ahead of Monday Night Football adds to the television franchise’s “Two Games, One Night,” special presentation (Monday, Sept. 18). The new open by Chris Stapleton, Snoop Dogg and Cindy Blackman Santana will lead into both ESPN (Saints at Panthers, 7:15 p.m. ET) and ABC (Browns at Steelers, 8:15 p.m.) games

The new Monday Night Football anthem is comprised of Chris Stapleton covering Collins’ lyrics, with Snoop Dogg, in his signature style adding football-centric verses, Cindy Blackman Santana, a powerhouse on the drums, rocking the song’s iconic drum break and brings her own style and accents to this classic song. 

I don't know how to feel about this...

On the one hand, I think Chris Stapleton pretty much walks on water. Have you a brain? If so, how can you not? The man is one of the greats we have living today.

On the other hand, I'm just not feeling this particular song choice. 

I get that ESPN is in the media business and they make their money by drawing eyeballs to their telecasts which they litter with commercials. That's how they drive revenue. Part of sucking us in is making us, the viewers, believe we're watching something more important than it actually is. Thus, a hype-song was deemed necessary years ago. 

Enter Hank Williams Jr.

Damn these intro's were really well done back then.

They effectively took a hit song of Williams Jr.'s, "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight", and reworked it on a weekly basis to fit that particular week's Monday Night matchup. And they did this for years.

And it worked. For a really long time.

Somewhere along the way Williams Jr. got cancelled, ESPN took over the reigns, and thought mixing things up with Little Richard

and then Aloe Blacc singing a cover of Lionel Richie's "All Night Long" was the way to go…

An interesting move to say the least.

Now they're pivoting again to this Stapleton, Snoop, and Cindy Blackman Santana cover. Which just feels so contrived I can't get into it. Sorry if that makes me a hater. Snoop will literally do anything and put his name on anything for the right amount, so no shocker there. But I am stunned Chris Stapleton signed on for this. They must have made him a Godfather offer. (Perhaps a Super Bowl halftime show deal was in the mix? Hmmm.)

Nonetheless, Phil Collins is in bad shape, with his body deteriorating cruelly. Now in his last days he's going to have to be subjected to hearing his classic song bastardized by ESPN (lies)? That just doesn't sit right with me.

Leave this song alone. Stop beating it into the ground. 

The only television show that should be allowed use of "In The Air Tonight" is the one on which it actually premiered like 100 years ago… and that's Miami Vice. No joke. 

p.s.- this was a nice nugget in the press release. I can never get enough timberlake.

Previously announced, Grammy-winning music producer Timbaland and global superstar Justin Timberlake’s music will run in Monday Night Football promotional spots, live telecasts and pre-game shows for seven weeks this season.