

1988 was one of those rare moments when the stars aligned and produced, arguably, the most memorable Olympics anthem to date: Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time,” used by NBC in its coverage for the Seoul Olympics. It takes a special kind of song, a special kind of artist, and even a little bit of luck, to be able to step out of the shadow of the Olympic torch. Many artists from around the world have lent their vocals to Olympics songs over the years-the latest is Katy Perry with “Rise”-but capturing the emotion and spirit of the world’s most prestigious sporting event within a four-minute track is easier said than done. How many people, for example, still remember Muse’s official anthem for the London 2012 Games? (It was called “Survival” and they performed it at the closing ceremony.) Few Olympic songs permeate the cultural barrier beyond their brief moment in the spotlight.
