Since 2019, every League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational has had its own anthem. This year was supposed to be the fifth song released specifically for the event, but fans will instead have to wait until this year’s World Championship to add something to their playlists.
T1 just set a new record at MSI 2024 #shorts
With less than two days to go before the first international event of League 2024's competitive season kicks off, fans can stop looking for signs of the event's anthem — it won't be happening. In a statement to Dot Esports today, Riot Games confirmed that a custom anthem will not be released for MSI this year. Instead, Riot will focus on delivering an "exciting broadcast experience" for fans worldwide.
Previous MSI anthems have averaged around two million views on YouTube and around 14 million listens on Spotify. But those numbers are paltry compared to the 70 million views the past four Worlds anthems have averaged on YouTube alone. While MSI anthems aren’t typically as popular as their World Championship counterparts, the songs have become an integral part of the event’s identity, especially since its neon-colored rebrand in 2020.
In addition to an exciting broadcast experience and over 19 languages highlighted by co-streams, MSI fans can also expect an opening ceremony that will “shine a spotlight” on League pros, according to Riot. The opening ceremony for last year’s Grand Finals intertwined a live performance of the national anthem with a dance routine that brought the Inkshadow skin line to the stage, created specifically for MSI 2023.