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Chris Stapleton and Cindy Blackman Santana joined forces for their fourth consecutive season of Monday Night Football. This year, the pair teamed up with Grammy-winning artist Ludacris for the first time to deliver their rendition of Phill Collins’ iconic anthem, “In the Air Tonight.”
The newest rendition of “In the Air Tonight” made its debut ahead of Monday Night Football Week 1 on Monday (September 14), kicking off Super Bowl LXI season, according to an ESPN press release issued September 10. Stapleton and Blackman Santana first teamed up in 2023, and now, the opening with Ludacris blends “music, culture and football in a way only Monday Night Football can.” ESPN credits “Stapleton’s powerful vocals and Blackman Santana’s signature drum change” with transforming the classic anthem into the Monday Night Football staple, and credits Ludacris with bringing “a fresh take” to the opening.
“Chris and Cindy have helped make ‘In the Air Tonight’ an integral part of the Monday Night Football experience over the last three seasons,” ESPN VP, Production, and Executive Producer of the In the Air Tonight project, Julie McGlone, said in the press release. “Adding Ludacris to the legacy MNF anthem brings a new dimension to the creative and continues our tradition of celebrating the intensity, anticipation and shared emotion of American sports culture, where music, competition and spectacle come together to make each game feel like a cultural event.
“The success of this open is also a testament to the incredible creative vision of Rico Labbe, who has served as creative director since its debut in 2023, and Amanda Paschal, whose work as producer has helped bring the project to life season after season,” she added.
ESPN, Stapleton, Blackman Santana and Ludacris shared the opening on Instagram. Watch it here: