TL;DR
- Simon Rosenfeld released ‘Heroes,’ a commissioned but unused 2021 Worlds anthem
- Riot Games replaced his track with PVRIS’s ‘Burn It Down’ for broader appeal
- The artist breached contract despite payment, citing the song’s quality as justification
- Ownership complexities emerged through WLTD Entertainment, Rosenfeld’s own company
- The incident reveals behind-the-scenes music production practices in esports
British musician Simon Rosenfeld has exposed the typically secretive music development process for Riot Games’ prestigious World Championships by publicly releasing a track that was originally intended for the 2021 tournament but ultimately rejected.
A UK-based musical creator has unveiled what he asserts was the designated anthem for the 2021 League of Legends World Championship, before the gaming giant opted for higher-profile musical acts PVRIS in 2021 and subsequently Lil Nas X in 2022. The artist, Simon Rosenfeld, confirms that Riot Games initially contracted him to compose the official 2021 Worlds theme before pivoting to PVRIS’s submission titled “Burn It Down.”
Simon Rosenfeld drops unreleased Worlds song “Heroes”
Rosenfeld provided exclusive details to PCGamesN explaining the circumstances that led to him publishing a discarded Worlds anthem nearly two years after its intended debut. According to his account, Riot Games commissioned him to create the 2021 World Championship theme but retained contractual flexibility to abandon the track if circumstances shifted. Rosenfeld delivered an emotionally powerful anthem called “Heroes,” which Riot ultimately decided not to use. The League of Legends developer instead chose to launch PVRIS’s Worlds anthem, “Burn It Down,” for the 2021 season, followed by Lil Nas X’s “Star Walkin'” the subsequent year. To experience the unreleased composition yourself, explore Rosenfeld’s publicly available version.
Following the publication of Burn It Down in 2021 and Star Walkin’ in 2022, Rosenfeld concluded that Heroes had no future through official channels and proceeded with an independent release. However, when he initially attempted to upload the track to Soundcloud, he encountered a notification indicating the composition was technically owned by WLTD Entertainment, an entity Rosenfeld had established and remained the exclusive proprietor of.
Rosenfeld openly admits receiving full compensation for his creative work and acknowledges that self-publishing the track constitutes a definite contract violation. This ethical breach doesn’t appear to concern the artist, who informed PCGamesN that he released the composition regardless because he considered it “an exceptional musical piece.”
Riot Games’ potential response to this contractual infringement remains uncertain, though industry analysts speculate the prominent developer likely disapproves of Rosenfeld’s decision. This situation highlights the complex relationship between corporate music licensing and individual artistic expression in the rapidly growing esports entertainment sector.
The incident provides rare insight into the competitive selection process for major esports events, where musical quality often competes with marketing considerations and brand alignment. For gamers interested in understanding how game developers approach content creation decisions, our Complete Guide explores similar strategic considerations in game development.
Action Checklist
- Review contract termination clauses before creating commissioned work
- Document all creative contributions and ownership structures thoroughly
- Understand platform copyright verification systems before publishing
- Evaluate contractual obligations against artistic preservation goals
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Artist drops unreleased Worlds song in contract breach British artist reveals shelved 2021 League of Worlds anthem and contract breach details