It started with a creative conversation about the Philadelphia Eagles, as many great ideas in this town do. The organization was looking for a way to amplify the local music scene and create an unmistakable soundtrack for gamedays at Lincoln Financial Field. Not another tired playlist stuck on repeat but one that defined the city, one that was unapologetically Philly.
The first step was to find the right partner, preferably a songwriter and producer who doubled as an ambassador for that gritty 215 sound. The Eagles found their guy in West Philadelphia's own Chill Moody and they wasted no time in giving him access to the stadium's loudspeakers.
This is the Eagles Gameday Poster Playlist presented by Pepsi: a vibrant, loud love letter to Philly's thriving music and arts scene. The Eagles teamed up with a different visual and musical artist for every home game this season and challenged them to create a poster and music track that encapsulated that week's matchup. Chill Moody – Philadelphia's Music Ambassador, bestowed on him by City Council decree in 2016 – served as the executive producer on an immersive undertaking, full of collaboration from the jump.
"I wanted to show my chops as a producer, make something special for the City of Philadelphia," Chill Moody said. "This is my first time producing something on this level, of this magnitude. Now it's time to show 'em what I got."
What they got is a wide swath of musical genres, ranging from hip-hop to country to soul to punk rock and everything in between. Most importantly, all of the artists are Eagles fans. "Put my team on my back, put my city all over the map," raps NxG in the title track for the home opener in Week 2, "Made A Way."
"Philly loves Philly, right? One of our major goals was to give these artists a platform," said Matthew Schwenk, Senior Graphic Designer for the Eagles. "We hope we can share our spotlight with them and introduce their work to new audiences, mainly football fans. Give them some love."
Music is only one wrinkle of the Pepsi project, which took root in 2019 when the Eagles started partnering with illustrators to create special gameday posters. The idea was inspired by gig posters plastered on walls at 1990s rock concerts; each one designed by a local artist, comic book style. Fans loved it. Yet something was missing.
Chill Moody's title track will be available for download on the Philadelphia Eagles app on Saturday, September 17 for Eagles vs. Vikings – all music will be released two days prior to kickoff, and it is meant to set the tone and put the weekend in motion. The gameday poster for Week 2 will feature a QR code and all nine tracks will eventually be added to the app by season's end, one per week.
Featured recording artists include Chill Moody, Brianna Castro, Jimmie Allen, The Menzingers, Suzanne Sheer, Lester London & Dot Cromwell, Breland, JustMadNice, and Reef the Lost Cause. One of the goals of the project was to promote musical diversity.
Chill Moody preached unity when asked what he wants people to take away from the project.
"I want people to see how the city comes together, how we bond over music … that creative economy where everybody unites for the betterment of the city and works in tandem to express pride in our city," he said.
