Nathan Aspinall has revealed he could soon make one of the most talked-about changes in darts by eventually abandoning the walk-on song that has become a huge part of his identity in the sport.
For nearly a decade, Aspinall’s entrance to The Killers’ anthem “Mr. Brightside” has been one of the loudest and most recognisable moments at darts events around the world. The second the song begins playing, arenas instantly explode into song, with thousands of fans belting out the lyrics before the former major champion even reaches the stage.
The entrance has become such a central part of Aspinall’s image that many supporters now instantly connect him with the famous track. In some venues, the singalong is so loud it completely drowns out the announcers and creates one of the most electric atmospheres in sport.
But despite the popularity of the walk-on, Aspinall has now admitted he is growing tired of the song personally and is already planning for the day he finally replaces it.
The 34-year-old opened up about the situation during an appearance on the Double Tops Podcast, where he explained that while he appreciates the love fans have for the anthem, he sometimes feels it has become too attached to his identity.
“Everyone associates Mr. Brightside with me,” Aspinall admitted.
“I’ve kept him in the top 40 for the last 10 years. You know what I mean?”
The Stockport star laughed as he explained how supporters often refer to him by the song instead of his actual name whenever they see him away from tournaments.
“I might be called Nathan Aspinall, but I walk down the street and people go, ‘Oh, Mr. Brightside’. It grates on me.”
Although his comments surprised many fans, Aspinall also acknowledged that the song has become an enormous part of modern darts culture and understands why supporters are so attached to it.
“Everyone absolutely loves it and it’s part of the darts now,” he explained.
Walk-on songs have become one of the biggest entertainment elements in professional darts over the years. In the modern game, entrances are no longer just background music before matches begin — they are part of a player’s personality and brand.
Fans often arrive at events looking forward to the entrances as much as the matches themselves, with crowds singing and dancing from the moment the lights go down.
Some walk-ons have become iconic within the sport and are now impossible to separate from the players who use them.
Aspinall admitted there are certain songs that simply cannot be changed because of the history and atmosphere attached to them.
“I think there are certain walk-ons that are iconic,” he said.
“Obviously Michael’s, Phil’s, Barney’s, Gary Anderson… there are certain ones that you can never change.”
The players he mentioned — including Michael van Gerwen, Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld — all became closely linked with their entrance music during their careers.
Now Aspinall finds himself in that same position.
For many darts fans, hearing “Mr. Brightside” instantly brings images of Aspinall walking through roaring crowds under bright arena lights.
That is why his comments about eventually changing the song have already caused huge debate among supporters online.
Many fans simply cannot imagine him entering an arena to anything else.
Still, Aspinall insists the switch will eventually happen.
However, he explained there is one important condition attached to the decision.
“And I can’t change it until it’s my final year,” he revealed.
The reason appears to be partly because of the atmosphere the song creates and partly because of how much fans expect it at events.
The walk-on has become such a major crowd moment that removing it now would feel strange to many supporters. Aspinall even joked in the past that changing the song too early could affect his popularity at exhibition events because fans love singing along to it so much.
When he does finally decide to move on from “Mr. Brightside,” Aspinall already knows exactly what he wants to use instead.
“And I will change it to Lose Yourself [by Eminem]. Yeah, a million percent.”
The announcement immediately sparked curiosity because Eminem’s famous track offers a completely different energy from The Killers anthem.
While “Mr. Brightside” creates a huge crowd singalong and party atmosphere, “Lose Yourself” has a more focused and aggressive tone.
Interestingly, Aspinall has already experimented with the Eminem track during previous tournaments.
Earlier this year, he temporarily used “Lose Yourself” at the German Darts Grand Prix, where the change appeared to bring him luck. Aspinall went on to win the tournament after producing a string of strong performances.
He also used the song during the European Championship last year and secured a comfortable opening-round victory.
Those successful appearances seem to have convinced him that the Eminem classic could eventually become his permanent walk-on once the final phase of his career arrives.
Still, replacing “Mr. Brightside” would undoubtedly be one of the most controversial walk-on decisions darts has seen in years.
The song has become deeply connected to the modern darts experience.
As soon as the opening notes hit the speakers, entire arenas immediately come alive. Fans stand on tables, wave drinks in the air and scream every word back toward the stage.
For many supporters, Aspinall’s entrance perfectly captures the unique atmosphere that has helped darts explode in popularity across the world.
Other players have also built strong connections with their songs. Luke Humphries walks out to “I Predict A Riot,” while Stephen Bunting’s entrance to “Titanium” has become another fan favourite.
But Aspinall’s relationship with “Mr. Brightside” arguably feels even bigger because of the scale of the crowd participation it creates.
Away from the music discussion, Aspinall also spoke honestly about his motivations in darts and how his priorities have changed over the years.
The former World Matchplay champion admitted that financial security for his family now means more to him than simply chasing trophies.
“I don’t care about trophies,” Aspinall explained.
“I do this game because it’s my job and I don’t ever want my kids or me to have to ever worry about money.”
His comments highlighted the reality faced by many professional sports stars, even those competing at the very top level.
Although Aspinall still loves winning titles and competing for major honours, he admitted that building long-term stability for his family is now his biggest motivation.
“Of course, I want to win tournaments and I’ll be buzzing to add another trophy to my trophy cabinet,” he said.
“But, for me, it’s very much a case of trying to make as much money as I possibly can over the next 10 years.”
The honesty resonated strongly with darts fans, particularly given the challenges Aspinall has battled throughout his career.
The Englishman has dealt with injuries, pressure and difficult moments while continuing to remain one of the most popular players in the sport.
And even though he may one day walk onto the stage to Eminem instead of The Killers, many fans suspect one thing will never change.
No matter what song plays through the speakers in the future, Nathan Aspinall will probably always be remembered as the player who turned “Mr. Brightside” into one of darts’ greatest ever walk-ons.