Former much-loved player turned current much-loved commentator Wayne Mardle is widely credited with beginning the horizon-expanding phenomenon that is the darts walk-on.
The sight of Mardle with his Hawaiian shirt and flower garland, high-fiving anything that moved along to the "Hawaii Five-O" theme, was to darts what the longboat was to the Vikings.
Before Mardle, walk-ons were something for players to get out the way before the real business began. Now they are an inextricable part of a player's personal brand and seem to have a genuine impact on their career. Mess up the walk-on song choice -- I'm looking at you Daryl Gurney -- and your chances of a Premier League spot are greatly diminished.
So, with the World Darts Championship under way, what are the sport's top 10 walk-ons and what is it about them that makes them so moreish?
10. Gerywn Price: "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice
'The Iceman' has to walk out to "Ice Ice Baby" doesn't he, really?
That said, Price's frequent emotional outbursts on stage perhaps mean the nickname and accompanying walk-on song aren't a totally seamless fit.
Now, if he were to lean in to his trademark celebration and go by Gerwyn 'Booyah!' Price, introduced by Showtek's 2013 hit of the same name (Google it -- you will know it and agree) then he would be in contention for the top spot in these rankings. I'm not saying that he will definitely take my advice but remember where you read this.
Price has been experimenting with different walk-on tunes this year but the crowd reactions to Myles Smith's "Nice to Meet You" and Gerry Cinnamon's "Discoland" were lacklustre, to say the least.
However, the fact "Ice Ice Baby" is preceded by the jangling intro from "Baba O'Riley" means the Welshman is worthy of a spot on our list.
9. Luke Littler: "Greenlight" by Pitbull ft. Flo Rida and LunchMoney Lewis
He may be the most prodigiously talented player the sport has ever seen, but Luke Littler's choice of walk-on song is, regretfully, a bit of a letdown.
When tasked with picking his signature tune, you sense a teenage Littler was dead set on Pitbull, regardless of the consequences. And, if we're honest, that is somewhat understandable. On the face of it, Pitbull is a perfect vibe for a night out at the darts, but unfortunately there's nothing in his back catalogue that quite fits with a sense of looming sporting theatre.
"Timber?" Too country. "Hotel Room Service"? Too risqué. "I know you want me"? Too Pitbull. In the end, via the input of Flo Rida and LunchMoney Lewis, we are left with "Greenlight." After the crowd's collective mumbling during the first verse, everyone certainly knows the chorus' "oh-wee oh-wee oh-wee oh-wee oh oh oh" but it just doesn't have the payoff befitting the entrance of a genius. Did Littler pick "Greenlight" partly because Mr. Worldwide mentions that his success with the opposite sex has him "feeling like Luke in this thing?" ... very possibly.
Will Littler adopt a new anthem as he matures into his role as darts' all-conquering kingpin in the years to come? It's possible to conjure a vision of Littler making his way to the stage in search of a 19th world title in 2053, by now grizzled and world-weary after fame has beaten him into a modern reimagining of Las Vegas residency era Elvis. But instead of Pitbull's fist pumping "oh-wee oh-wee ohh"-s, the hopeful lyrics of John Lennon's "Imagine" gently lilt around an awe-struck Alexandra Palace as 'The Nuke' finally comes full circle.
8. Luke Humphries: "I Predict a Riot" by Kaiser Chiefs
Such was the party-pooping ability of his previous walk-on tune, DNCE's "Cake by the Ocean", Luke Humphries actually felt the need to switch to a Leeds United football song in a bid to increase his popularity.
In fairness, Kaiser Chiefs' early releases made them a staple of the mid 00's indie scene and "I Predict a Riot" has a terrace-y chorus that has branded itself into the wider public's consciousness. Mind you, the less said of their career post-"Yours Truly Angry Mob," the better.
But I digress. Humphries is a diehard Leeds fan (his father supposedly pushed for the name Luke because it stands for Leeds United Kings of Europe) and so the decision to take on a part of the club's celebratory ritual for big wins was an obvious one, and it works.
The former world champion dropped "Cake by the Ocean" (Humphries himself has called it "not the best song in the world") for the indie classic on Night 15 of the Premier League in Leeds in 2024 and has stuck with it ever since.
7. Dirk van Duijvenbode: "Just Like You" by Radical Redemption
You can keep your Sweet Carolines and your Don't Look Back in Angers -- they might be instantly familiar but, really, they're just another boozy singalong on the long list of boozy singalongs that ring around Alexandra Palace again and again over the festive period.
Sometimes, what we need is something so visceral that it brands itself onto the hippocampus for life.
With Radical Redemption's "Just Like You", Dirk van Duijvenbode serves a timely absinthe chaser among the pints of gassy lager. It might not be pleasant, but you can't deny it's effective.
Music moguls have worked out that hit tunes are made even more infectious by a corresponding dance move. Like them or loath them I guarantee you will have tried the Locomotion, Thriller and even a bit of Gangnam Style.
So, when your nearest and dearest are gathered in your front room for a bit of the darts this holiday season, expect to see your Gran fist-pumping along to a bit of hardcore techno with the giant Dutchman.
6. Michael van Gerwen: "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes
It's said it was Leonardo da Vinci who penned the phrase "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." It's a theory that three-time world champion Michael Van Gerwen clearly subscribed to when plumping for The White Stripes' testosterone-filled beat.
Has everyone heard it before? Tick.
Does it get a reaction from a crowd? Tick.
Can people chant my name in time with the beat? Tick.
White Stripes frontman Jack White is a man probably more interested in birdsongs than bullseyes, but it's hard to think of a more fitting tune for a player known as "The Green Machine."
P.S. The excerpt from Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" as an intro to the intro is also deliciously foreboding.
5. James Wade -- "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John
Amid the mirth and the mayhem, it's important to note that walk-ons can also represent a personal journey for some of darts' biggest stars. James Wade's openness about navigating life on the darts circuit with bipolar disorder and ADHD has been admirable. Two years ago, he opted to change his walk-on song from Think Lizzy's "The Boys are Back in Town" to Elton John's 1983 hit.
Writing in a column in the Daily Star, Wade said the switch was a nod to the mental health charities that he supports such as Bipolar UK.
"I want people to see my walk-ons as a triumph in survival and a rallying cry to challenge yourself and persuade yourself that you can do things that make you uncomfortable," he wrote.
"The lyrics are scarily pertinent to me. I think I need to have a bit of a darts 'mask' in order to survive being on stage under that spotlight [some would say it's a slightly miserable mask sometimes, but I do try as it can definitely feel like a lonely place when things are going against you.
"I'm also hoping this 'look at me, I'm coming back' approach is going to be reflected in my 2023 PDC season and the start of phase two of my darting career."
Wade's resurgence sees him head to the world championship No. 7 in the Order of Merit.
4. Nathan Aspinall: "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers
"It's amazing. But with the greatest of respect, I absolutely f---ing hate that song"... it's fair to say that Nathan Aspinall has a complicated relationship with his walk-on tune.
Released in September 2003, The Killers' anthemic lament at the thought of a lover being intimate with another man has become a playlist staple at karaoke bars, nightclubs and wedding receptions. It's the longest-running Top 100 hit in UK history but incredibly never charted higher than 10th -- upon release, it was no match for Rachel Stevens ("Sweet Dreams My LA Ex") Jamelia ("Superstar") and... Elvis Presley? (Rubberneckin').
Anyway, the darts.
In an interview with Planet Sport, Aspinall revealed that he opted to switch to "Mr. Brightside" after noticing the reaction it received from revellers on a New Year's Eve night out in 2019, shortly after he had been beaten in the 2019 world championship semifinal by Michael Smith.
Despite his reservations, Aspinall admitted the song has "worked wonders for me." Indeed, some of his rivals on the circuit felt his inclusion in this year's Premier League was partly down to the organisers not wanting to miss out on an Asp-induced singalong every week.
3. William O'Connor: "Zombie" by The Cranberries
"WHAT'S IN YOUR HEEEEEEEAD? IN YOUR HEEEEEEAD, ZOMBIE, ZOMBIE, ZOMBIE-IE-IE, OH, OH, OH, OH, OH, OH, OH, EH, OH, AH."
2. Peter Wright: "Don't Stop the Party" by Pitbull ft. TJR
Forget what I said earlier about Pitbull. Here the dulcet tones of Mr. Worldwide dovetail perfectly with a darting legend. Is it because that darting legend sports a multicoloured mohawk and trousers that would make MC Hammer blush? Very much so.
Yes, Peter Wright is in the middle of a slump in form from which he may never really return. Yes, he has been trying out a new walk-on song in recent weeks. But the hair, the beard, the outfits, the dance moves make Wright worthy of a spot in the top two.
Googling what Wright looked like before taking on his colourful persona is as unnerving as what it would be like seeing Prince wear a high-vis vest. Some people are just made for excess.
Wright's hairdos are the work of his wife, Jo, who spends hours getting her husband ready to face the crowd. The two-time champion has even had Christmas trees dyed into his beard and a striking cobra painted on the side of his head.
Peter Wright and Pitbull -- some people are just made for each other.
1. Stephen Bunting: "Titanium" by David Guetta ft. Sia
Chicken Shop Date, Paul Mescal's chain, and a 40-year-old Liverpudlian appealing to a delirious crowd for more noise while half-heartedly miming the words to a David Guetta song -- like it or not, these are the cultural touchstones of modern society.
Stephen Bunting is a man who has captured hearts and minds through a pursuit of darting perfection and a genuine, natural human touch. Like so many of us, Bunting has struggled with his own self-confidence and his openness about his vulnerabilities have only increased the love he receives from his public.
Bunting may have so far struggled to consistently trouble the sport's true elites at the oche, but when it comes to walk-ons, he is king. From the moment the first chords ring out and his close-up begins, Bunting is note-perfect. He. Does. Not. Miss. A. Beat.
As the camera zooms in, we catch our first glimpse: Bunting, flanked by two PDC henchmen, has his hands behind his ears, beckoning for more noise from the masses. Setting off, he begins with the routine high fives, but already there is an awareness this is different. Now for the first time you hear the crowd in rapture ("fire away, fire away"). He signs autographs while pints fly overhead.
Before turning for the stairs, he halts for a pre-match embrace with his son who is endearingly dressed exactly like him. Now up on stage, Bunting performs the familiar "nothing to lose" finger wag and then stands, arms outstretched, miming the words being screamed up at him from the carnage unfolding below ("You shoot me down, but I won't fall... I am Ti-tani-um"). Bunting follows an uppercut fist pump with polite applause. He is ready.
Anyone who can inspire a moment of transcendence from 90 seconds of one of Guetta's identikit club bangers is deserving of a place at the top of this list. That Bunting does so moments before testing his nerve in one of the most psychologically taxing sporting contests imaginable is a testament to his rare skillset.
ESPN's darts page will have all the latest breaking news, features and reaction to the big moments during this year's PDC World Darts Championship.