Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge got emotional watching hometown Padres fans sing ‘All the Small Things’ during MLB Playoffs

Tom DeLonge had no idea he was writing a generational smash hit when his band blink-182 released “All the Small Things” as the second single off their breakout third album “Enema of the State” in 1999. Legend has it that the album was mostly complete when DeLonge headed to the studio to track one more song meant to be a radio-friendly single, complete with a “na-na, na-na, na-na” chorus as a subtle nod to punk heroes The Ramones. Now 27 years later, it feels like blink-182 is perhaps more popular than they’ve ever been. The San Diego band isn’t just for the slackers and skaters anymore. The kids who grew up listening to them now have real careers and the type of spending power that comes with approaching your 40s. A younger generation has also learned to appreciate their music, and it’s led to sold out stadiums and headlining gigs at festivals across the world. “All the Small Things” isn’t the best blink song — I’m partial to anything off their untitled 2003 album — but it’s somehow pushing 1.7 billion streams on Spotify alone. The San Diego Padres made “All the Small Things” their unofficial anthem earlier this decade. DeLonge has been in the building to witness Petco Park sing his song in unison before, but it felt special on Tuesday night as the Padres were fighting for their playoff lives in the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers. When “All the Small Things” blared through the speakers in the middle of the eighth inning, Del=Longe looked emotional and may or may not have had a tear in his eye before composing himself to yell the “work sucks!” line with the cameras on him. What a moment. Watch it here: 🎸 @blink182's @tomdelonge in attendance tonight as Petco Park sings "All The Small Things" during Game 3 🎶 pic.twitter.com/d5sOPKJVws — FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 7, 2026 The Padres lived to see another day, beating the Brewers 4-3 to force Game 4 on Wednesday night. The Padres aren’t the only team that has used “All the Small Things” as a simple singalong anthem — the Colorado Avalanche did it too on their way to the 2022 Stanley Cup — but it means more coming from the hometown team. DeLonge gave an interview about his lifelong Padres fandom back in 2016. The Padres were generally a pathetic franchise, Tony Gwynn aside, when DeLonge was growing up in San Diego. The franchise has had a bit of a rebirth recently as they nabbed a star in Fernando Tatis Jr. and started spending real money around him. The Padres haven’t won a World Series in franchise history, but they have made the playoffs in five of the last seven years. If a crappy pop-punk band like blink-182 can gain new relevance 30 years after they started playing music, then maybe the Padres can eventually have their crowning moment, too. If it happens, you know the entire stadium will be singing “All the Small Things.”

Read it at SB Nation ↗

← Front page