Do you think baseball is too slow?

If you said yes, you wouldn't be alone. Major League Baseball, which celebrated the opening of the 2017 season this week, has weathered its share of ridicule in the smartphone age. With games averaging more than three hours, many critics accuse baseball of not being as fast-paced as major sports such as football and basketball.

As baseball executives attempt to solve this quagmire, one thing is certain: Music isn't an issue. In fact, it may be part of the solution. Here are four ways music enlivens America's (former) favorite pastime and makes the ballpark experience more animated.

"The Star-Spangled Banner"

The deep roots of baseball and "The Star-Spangled Banner" extend all the way back to the 19th century, before it was the national anthem. In 1942 it became an official tradition as musical the lead-off hitter before every game, 11 years after it became the national anthem via congressional resolution.

Today, the national anthem presents a momentous opportunity for musicians of all stripes, from GRAMMY winners to local community figures, to honor our country. On April 3 Marlana VanHoose, a Contemporary Christian music singing sensation who suffers from cerebral palsy and blindness, performed a pitch-perfect rendition of the national anthem for the Cincinnati Reds' opener for the third consecutive year. The San Francisco Giants will continue their trend of welcoming special guests when cast members from the GRAMMY-winning musical "Hamilton" do the honors at their home opener on April 10. In 2013 GRAMMY winners Metallica turned in a feedback-drenched instrumental version led by guitarists James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett.

Walk-Up Songs

Walk-up songs have emerged as a refreshing new tradition in recent years. Every MLB player — including reigning 2016 MVPs Mike Trout and Kris Bryant — chooses a song to play before they step in the batter's box, which energizes not only the players but the crowd. While some players are more casual about their picks, the more superstitiously inclined are known to switch up their walk-up song to get out of a dreaded batting slump. In 2015 the New York Mets' Travis d'Arnaud was in the midst of an April slump and cycled through five songs before ending up with Busta Rhymes' "Break Ya Neck." "I started feeling good again," said d'Arnaud.

For those who want to know what music gets their favorite players in the zone, Mlbplatemusic.com is dedicated to tracking walk-up songs for the entire league. What is the most popular walk-up song in baseball? According to the site, that'd be Desiigner's GRAMMY-nominated "Panda," which is used by seven players.

"Take Me Out To The Ball Game"

There isn't a song more intertwined to a sport than "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" is to baseball. This traditional stadium sing-along, which is played during the 7th-inning stretch, is the subject of a new Library of Congress exhibit, tracing its origins back to when it was written in 1908.

Fittingly, the song's lyricist, Jack Norworth, couldn't care less about baseball and didn't bother attending a major league game for more than 30 years after writing the tune. Always on the lookout for commercial ideas, Norworth scribbled down the song's lyrics after seeing a subway sign advertising a New York Giants game. He took the lyrics to his composer collaborator, Albert Von Tilzer, who also lacked a penchant for the sport, and an instant hit — and beloved baseball tradition — was born.

The Chicago Cubs, the reigning World Series champions, have long since transformed the 7th-inning stretch into a North Side institution. The late Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray began the tradition by singing the song to fans at Wrigley Field in 1982. When Caray passed in 1998, the tradition was rebooted to featured celebrities to lead the crowd. Notables who have grabbed the microphone to lead the song include Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, Hillary Clinton, Huey Lewis, Kid Rock, Ozzy Osbourne, and Bill Murray.

Postgame Concerts

Who doesn't love a free concert? With that thought in mind, more Major League Baseball teams are employing postgame concerts as a promotional tool to give fans more bang for their buck. The Atlanta Braves' 2017 postgame concert schedule includes Jake Owen (June 10), M.C. Hammer (Aug. 19) and Fitz And The Tantrums (Sept. 23). The Reds will welcome Flo Rida (Aug. 4) and the Avett Brothers (Aug. 26). Flo Rida (May 26) and Chicago (Aug. 4) are among the artists scheduled to perform during postgame concerts for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"Musicality has always been part of the sport," Adam Zimmerman, vice president of marketing for the Braves, told GRAMMY magazine. "And we're constantly looking for how we can add more to fans' experience when they come to the ballpark."

The best thing about a concert after the game? There is something to look forward to after the final out. See you at the ballpark!

Want more baseball? Chance The Rapper talks America's favorite pastime