Do you remember Michael Phelps having his earphones in before each race? The phones -- projecting rap music to psych the swimmer up -- were as much of Phelps' routine as his warm-ups and stretches. Rap was, as was reported, the swimming champ's soundtrack to triumph. Before the notice of Michael Phelps' earphones, music was never so noticed in the sporting events of the Olympics. Music is pretty much included everywhere else, though. Especially this year. 2012 is the first year Olympic opening and closing ceremony music will be released digitally following the conclusion of each ceremony (as reported by Music Week and Rolling Stone).

The 2012 Olympics began this past weekend, once again unifying the world for a short span of time with good-natured competition and ridiculous outfits. Together, the international community will compete and celebrate their athletes, audiences, fans, and country. I haven't been updated on the Olympic day but I'm sure "The Bugler's Dream," composed by Leo Arnaud, has been played. Never heard of it before? Sure you have.



I'm pretty sure that ever since the 1960s (when "Bugler's Dream" served as theme song for ABC coverage) this song has been a part of U.S. Olympic coverage.

The musical perfomances are also something to look forward to. These performances go down in history (i.e. Freddie Mercuries aired pre-corded Olympic performance after his passing). The 2012 Olympics will be hosted in London, rich in culture and history (music and otherwise). The Telegraph released the official Olympic "leaked playlist." Songs come from a wide array of artists including The Clash, Muse, Radiohead, The Arctic Monkeys, David Bowie, and (now for something completely different) John Phillip Sousa ("The Monty Python Theme/The Liberty Bell").



At this point, you can sit back and enjoy the splendor that only comes every four years but you're probably wondering about those aforementioned Michael Phelps earphones. Is Phelps the only Olympian to comprise a soundtrack on the way to the finish line? No, of course not!

CBS Sports published 2012 London Games Pregame Playlist. Most of the athletes listed the likes of Drake, Jay Z, Lil' Wayne, Kanye, and Beyonce. Good pumpin' up music, you know? I've listened to my fair share of Kanye, Jay Z, Beyonce, and other certified big stadium artists. However, one U.S.A. triathlon Olympian's playlist was set apart. Sarah Groff had a wide, ecclectic assortment from Yelle's "Je Veux Te Voir" and Sonic Youth's 100% to glam rock (Peaches' "Boys Wanna Be Her"). Groff's listing of Beastie Boys and Le Tigre's "Deceptacon" seemed like justification enough for her mention in The Daily Swarm. You go Sarah Groff, set that pace, be an individual!