Importance of Theme songs in Pro-Wrestling

I always wanted to walk down the entrance aisle hearing the positive/negative reaction from the crowd that I evoke from them. Sadly, that’s all in my dreams because I’m not in the business. I always wanted to have an entrance theme for myself wherever I go because it is one way of making my presence felt. Ah! the utopian imaginations never stop.

What is it that makes us get excited during the wait for a wrestler’s match to come? A number of things. For most of you, I’m sure it would just be seeing your favourite superstar in action. For me, it is the entrance theme that gets me out of my seat, jumping and screaming in pure ecstasy. I remember screaming Y2J time and again when Chris Jericho made his return to the WWE at the organization’s annual Royal Rumble event.

Not many realize the value addition a wrestler’s entrance theme song carries. There is so much that is impacted by the music that is chosen for the superstar. Yet, that is the primary way of recalling a superstar instantly. When any normal person, who has basic knowledge of WWE or the wrestling industry for that matter, hears the noise of a glass shatter, they know that it can only mean one thing: ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin has arrived.

Stone Cold Steve Austin

And as seen in the past, the whole arena which is witness to that event comes unglued. Similar is the case with the guitar riff for Triple H‘s entrance theme, The People’s Champion’s standard ending dialogue at the end of each of his promos which ironically is the beginning of his theme song. Many more examples can be quoted, but the general idea has been conveyed.

A wrestler is affected by the duration with which he has been coming out to his entrance music. At the moment, Triple H’s theme song, ‘The Game’ by Motorhead is the longest used theme by a wrestler till date without any change or modification (since 2001), and because of that, a niche has been carved just for him. Similarly, other long used themes include John Cena‘s and The Undertaker‘s which are being used since 2005 and 2004, respectively.

However, there have been cases where the entrance theme wasn’t helping the superstar and his then ongoing gimmick. The best case I can think of is Randy Orton. He was slowly phasing out ‘Legend Killer’ gimmick and was ushering the ‘The Viper/WWE’s Apex Predator” and ‘Burn in my Light’ just didn’t work anymore with him nor did it get any worthy reaction from the crowd. Though I find his current theme, Voices, a little monotonous and lacking that spark, it still has won millions over and is currently among the top favourite themes. Similarly, Jeff Hardy’s theme transition, from Modest to Another Me 3 years back, worked. It was time for a change and the change worked!

Entrance themes work brilliantly as a surprise element as well, and the WWE Hall-of-Famer, Edge, is the perfect justification for this. His returns on multiple occasions back in 2008 and 2010 got the crowd to give him the ovation that he earned though he was a heel at those points of time. Even in TNA, Jeff Jarrett is the ideal example. Brock Lesnar’s return last year on April 2nd is also worth mentioning as the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida was raucous and couldn’t stop cheering till the show ended.

As mentioned before, the gimmick requires the suited entrance theme. And there have been times where it wasn’t as such. Kane, back in 2007, had started coming out to ‘Man on Fire’ after WWE started going PG. And it didn’t scream monster or anything I recall Kane as (forget the fact that they’ve ruined his credibility as The Big Red Machine with his current ‘Team Hell No! tag team’). And it was more boring and dull to see Kane come out to that theme. Whereas The Shield’s theme works really well as it has that sound as if a mercenary is arriving to clean house and leave their mark, or in the Trio’s case: Justice!

The Shield

Just as Entrance Themes play an important role in a wrestler’s profile and impact, the same can also be told as regards an event’s theme. You can’t expect something like’ Baby’ by Justin Beiber to be used for Wrestlemania! (that was just for a little bit of humour) But seriously, for an event which carries a fixed tagline such as SummerSlam: The Biggest Event (Previously Party) of the Summer, you can’t have a theme that doesn’t showcase the stature of such an event. I always prefer a rock/metal song as an event’s theme but if any other song works, then all’s well that ends well. You just can’t choose the wrong song! It is a slap in the face for the event’s name and fame. I for one feel that Flo Rida’s hit single ‘Good Feeling’ didn’t deserve to one of Wrestlemania XXVIII’s official theme songs.

Entrance themes do matter and they affect a superstar’s popularity and credibility and their impact has been over sighted for far too long. I just hope that the WWE’s and TNA’s creative teams takes note of a person’s current status and gimmick while selecting a theme for them.

This has been a thorough brazen analysis. Until next time, stay safe and don’t be too brazen. Cheers!