This is kind of a broad, rhetorical question because how many of you have tallied how many times you have heard a song?

If you have, kudos, you’re crazy, but kudos.

Yes, we have streaming services which count for us now, but hopefully you listen to music outside of Spotify, Amazon, Apple, YouTube, and all of the other services. And there are millions of us who had plenty of listening years before streaming was even a thing.

You can call us old; I call us genuine.

Genuine in terms of we have vinyl collections, we used 8-tracks (before my time, but as this column shows, I understand and appreciate), we rolled tape back into cassettes, and we lugged around briefcases full of CDs. We paid our dues.

Plus, the older generations who did all these things are paying for your devices or streaming services. We’re connected to everything.

Anyway, anyway, back to the question…What song have you heard the most?

When someone asked me this a month ago, I smiled, and immediately said, ‘The National Anthem.’

I didn’t take a break. I didn’t think. I answered without hesitation.

Thinking of topped listened to songs, we don’t think of those we don’t usually push play for in our car or whatever is connected to our headphones. But those are the ones we have probably listened to the most.

Other songs which could compete are “Happy Birthday,” “Hokie Poky,” “I’ll Be There for You” the Friends theme song by The Rembrandts, “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr. or songs others play on a jukebox all the time that when you’re at home, you’re sick of listening to, such as “Don’t Stop Believin” by Journey, “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond, or if you’re a wrestling fan, the John Cena anthem, “The Time is Now,” the NWO (New World Order) Theme Song, or the tunes we heard before we saw Hulk Hogan, Macho Man, Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Kurt Angle, and the list could go on and on and on.

We don’t think about how many times we heard the songs that we’re not physically pushing the button.

“The Star-Spangled Banner,” otherwise known as the National Anthem of the United States of America is played before every big event, sports or non-sports, in every village, town, city in each of the 50 states.

NFL Super Bowl, you’ll hear the National Anthem, and you’ll probably place jellybeans on a prop bet.

MLB World Series, NBA Finals, NHL Stanley Cup, you’ll hear “Bombs bursting in air” before each game, no matter how many contests are in a series.

You have kids in junior high or high school sports, almost every game does not start without the song, unless you’re in a tournament or have bad audio equipment.

It’s also played before government meetings and military parades.

If you think about it, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” may be the song you’ve listened to the most.

It’s easy to determine it’s mine.

I played sports from the time I was eight to 18. Then I began a sports writing career at 19 and haven’t stopped 20 years later. Then I was a coach for a couple programs, including an assistant for the Illinois Valley Community College women’s basketball team.  Then I began broadcasting games on radio and for my podcast, Edge of Your Seat Podcast. Four years ago, I began officiating and now wear an IHSA patch for five different sports.

I am in a gymnasium, a school, somewhere in Illinois 4-6 days a week during the fall for football, soccer, volleyball, and swimming. Although not played before every event, I have heard the anthem at cross country and golf competitions.

In the winter, basketball, bowling, and wrestling bellow the anthem before at least 95 percent of the games or competitions. As a ref, during both seasons, each middle school game plays the song also, as well as, travel league tournaments held in schools and recreation centers.

In the spring, my right hand is to my heart or both arms behind my back before baseball and softball games whether I’m behind the plate, at the bases, or in the bleachers.

Think I’m taking a break from enjoying the song during the summer?

Ha, fat chance.

I’m refereeing summer ball where the National Anthem is played before a long day of competition, whether it’s baseball, softball, volleyball, or basketball.

About four or five years ago, I became an all-around journalist and now add news events to my schedule along sports. This includes multiple Veterans Day and Memorial Day presentations every year; plus city council, Lions Club, and VFW events.

I’m not listing all of this to be narcissistic or ‘Hey, look at me,’ but just to share where my brain went when I was asked what song I’ve heard the most. All of this hit me at once, which made it easy for me to say, ‘The National Anthem.’

Looking back, I don’t remember ever pushing play to “The Star-Spangled Banner” on my phone, iPad, iPod, CD player, cassette player, or dropping the needle on a record player.

But without a shadow of a doubt, if I was tallying, the national anthem would have the most.