Yankees Closer · 1995–2013 · Hall of Fame 2019

Mariano Rivera Entrance Song

Iconic entrance song

Enter Sandman

by Metallica

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What was Mariano Rivera's entrance song?

Mariano Rivera's entrance song was "Enter Sandman" by Metallica with the New York Yankees during his 1995–2013 career. Mariano Rivera jogged in from the Yankee Stadium bullpen to Metallica's “Enter Sandman” from 1999 on; it became the most iconic closer entrance in baseball, and Metallica played it live at his 2013 retirement ceremony.

Yankee Stadium walkup music is anchored by hip hop, classic rock, and Bob Sheppard's posthumous announcements — most famously Derek Jeter's, which played for years after Sheppard's death. For more on the Yankees' walkup tradition and current roster picks, see the New York Yankees walkup page.

Why "Enter Sandman" works as a walkup

The structure is perfect for a closer entrance — slow tense intro builds for 8 seconds, the iconic riff hits, the song grows for the full bullpen-to-mound walk. By the time the closer is on the mound, the song is at peak energy. No song has ever matched it as a closer entrance.

For the full breakdown — BPM, the trim point that hits, notable users, and pairings — see the "Enter Sandman" walkup song breakdown.

Set up a Rivera-style walkup for your team

Want a kid on your team to come to the plate (or jog in from the bullpen) like Rivera? It takes about a minute in Walkup Pro:

1. Add the player to your roster
2. Search "Enter Sandman" by Metallica and assign it
3. Set a custom trim so the best 15–20 seconds plays — for "Enter Sandman" that's usually the hook, not the intro
4. Connect a Bluetooth speaker at the field and tap to play on game day

For more, see the greatest closer entrance songs in baseball and the anatomy of the perfect walkup song.

More walkup & entrance legends

• Trevor Hoffman — "Hells Bells" by AC/DC
• Jonathan Papelbon — "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys
• Eric Gagné — "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses
• Billy Wagner — "Enter Sandman" by Metallica
• John Smoltz — "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
• Randy Johnson — "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses
• Dennis Eckersley — "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood
• Goose Gossage — "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood