Stone Cold Steve Austin’s shattering glass, The Rock screaming “If you smell…”, and the pomp and circumstance of the late Macho Man Randy Savage’s entrance themes helped make each of those three undeniable icons of the wrestling industry and a part of pop culture in general. Those wrestling entrance themes, and dozens of others from over the years, have defined the sport of professional wrestling as we know it, and need to be celebrated.
Here are 32 of the best wrestling music intros from WWE, WCW, and beyond…
I Won't Do What You Tell Me (Stone Cold Steve Austin)
Stone Cold Steve Austin, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, also had what was the defining entrance music of the Attitude Era. When you would hear that shattered glass and Jim Johnston’s crunchy riffs, you knew that the Texas Rattlesnake was about to open up a can on someone and start stomping a mudhole in the competition.
Electrifying (The Rock)
The Rock has had multiple personas over the years, ranging from the cocky heel “Corporate Champion” to the fan-favorite “People’s Champion” to “Hollywood Rock” to the “Final Boss” years later. And while his classic “Electrifying” theme song has undergone some changes to match his various heel and face characteristics, the bones of the track have remained the same and are just as awesome.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Ric Flair)
It’s hard to imagine Ric Flair coming to the ring to anything but Richard Strauss’ “Also Spach Zarathustra” (you know the song from 2001: A Space Odyssey) because the track just suits the “Nature Boy” so well. From his days running NWA territories to his various stints in WWE, this entrance song, like the man himself, has remained timeless.
Hitman (Bret Hart)
There’s just something about Bret Hart’s “Hitman” track that never gets old. The screeching guitars at the start of the entrance theme, the killer riffs, and that awesome synth track all work together to create the musical embodiment of the WWE Hall of Famer. Close your eyes while listening to it and try not to imagine Hart walking down the ramp with that excellent leather jacket and shades.
Rest In Peace (The Undertaker)
Though The Undertaker had some other great themes over the years, the Deadman’s classic “Rest in Peace” is in a league of its own. The funeral march that accompanied the iconic wrestler’s entrance is epic, to say the very least. It’s so slow, foreboding, and chilling. Just imagine getting ready to face Taker and watching him slowly walk to the ring to bury you alive. Chills…
Break The Walls Down (Chris Jericho)
I’ll always have a soft spot for Chris Jericho’s Pearl Jam ripoff theme from his days in WCW, and watching the crowd sing “Judas” with him as he walks to the ring in AEW is great, but let’s be real for a second. There’s no topping “Break the Walls Down,” the theme Y2J first used upon his WWE debut back in 1999. The countdown timer, the screaming “Break the walls down” just as the music picks up, and the atmosphere of the song takes me back to watching Jericho trash-talking The Rock on Raw way back when.
Sexy Boy (Shawn Michaels)
There are few wrestling theme songs that fit a wrestler better than Shawn Michaels’ “Sexy Boy.” Though I will admit that watching a middle-aged HBK pose and strut to the song was a little weird during his later years, the track captured the very essence of “Mr. WrestleMania” during the peak of his career.
Four Horsemen (The Four Horsemen)
The Four Horesemen’s entrance track is not only a great wrestling theme, but a killer song in general. The horses running in the intro, that weeping guitar solo carrying on throughout the theme, and the grittiness of the accompanying bass track are all peak ‘80s. I just imagine Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, Tully Blanchard, and Ric Flair driving from town to town late at night listening to this song.
The New World Order (The NWO)
While WCW didn’t have as many iconic themes as WWF, the ones that are great are undeniable bangers. One of the best, or at least most iconic, is the New World Order theme that fans of late ‘90s wrestling remember all too well. The main theme, the voiceover work, and the groove of the track made it so hard to hate the bad guys of WCW.
Pomp And Circumstance (Macho Man Randy Savage)
During my high school graduation, I did a little Macho Man Randy Savage spin and pointed to my parents as I walked out to “Pomp and Circumstance.” If that’s not a sign of the greatness of Edward Elgar’s march, I don’t know what is. Snap into a Slim Jim in honor of the late icon.
Ride Of The Valkyries (Daniel Bryan)
Jim Johnston’s take on “Ride of the Valkyries” used for Daniel Bryan’s entrance song still gets me excited after all these years. Whenever I hear the track, which was also famously featured in Apocalypse Now, I can’t help but think back to Bryan running to the ring shouting “Yes! Yes! Yes!” with tens of thousands of rabid fans.
Subconscious (Shinsuke Nakamura)
As much as I love “The Rising Sun,” Shinsuke Nakamura’s WWE theme, I’ll always hold “Subconscious” from his NJPW days close to my heart. The track that accompanied the “King of Strong Style” on many walks down the ramp at the annual Tokyo Dome shows, Korakuen Hall, and other venues around the world captured the very essence and soul of the generational talent.
D-Generation X (D-Generation X)
There are few themes that capture the madness and extreme nature of the Attitude Era better than D-Generation X’s legendary theme song. Though a clear ripoff of Rage Against the Machine, this entrance theme for the group led by Triple H and Shawn Michaels has attitude, aggression, and everything else you’d want in a great wrestling track.
Real American (Hulk Hogan)
Though Hulk Hogan has fallen out of favor with a large portion of wrestling fans, the Hulkster’s “Real American” theme song still gets a pop in arenas around the world. It’s a callback to a simpler time when babyfaces and heels lived in a world of absolutes, even if Hogan wrestled like a heel most of his career (even before his shocking turn in 1996).
Bad Boy (Razor Ramon)
I didn’t know the late Razor Ramon (real name Scott Hall) wasn’t a Cuban-American back when I was watching him tear it up in the Intercontinental Championship scene back in the early ‘90s, and so I thought his “Bad Boy” theme was authentic. Though that wasn’t the case, this entrance theme, with its wild sound effects, is just so dang cool.
Live In Fear (Bray Wyatt)
In the years before his shocking and untimely death, Bray Wyatt was one of the most interesting wrestlers in WWE. When he first debuted, the leader of the Wyatt Family also had one of the most unique and catchy entrance themes in the company with “Live in Fear.” Dark, mysterious, and swampy (all characteristics of Wyatt’s persona at the time), the theme fit the late star better than anyone.
Sting (Sting)
Man, Sting going off the deep end and turning from a surfer into a mysterious figure similar to the Crow after the formation of NWO was one of the best long-term stories in wrestling at the time. Though WCW messed things up with a maddening Starrcade ‘97 main event, the theme song Sting used for his entrance that night was so terrifying, mysterious, and atmospheric.
Badstreet USA (Fabulous Freebirds)
I’m a sucker for wrestlers performing their own entrance themes, so there is no way I’m leaving the Fabulous Freebirds’ “Badstreet USA” off this list. Michael P.S. Hayes is on fire in this track (the music video is bonkers) and the lyrics pretty much sum up the trailblazing group’s presence at the time.
Common Man Boogie (Dusty Rhodes)
People will say that not a lot of good came from Dusty Rhodes’ run in WWE, but his arrival on the scene did give us “Common Man Boogie,” one of the most ridiculous and fun entrance themes in the company’s history. It suited the character so well and was easy to dance to, which gives it extra points in my book.
Watch Me Shine (Bianca Belair)
There’s no denying the fact that Bianca Belair is one of the best female wrestlers in modern WWE history, and there’s also no denying the greatness of her theme song “Watch Me Shine.” It’s hard to listen to the track and not picture the multi-time WWE Women’s Champion dancing to the ring with that signature ponytail swinging in the air or holding a championship high above her head after a killer victory.
Wild Thing (Atsushi Onita)
Ricky Vaughn in Major League wasn’t the only one to use X’s “Wild Thing” in a big moment, as Japanese wrestling legend Atsushi Onita used the track for his entrance at NJPW’s Strong Style Symphony back in 1999. But instead of being cheered by the Tokyo Dome crowd, Onita was pelted with trash. He didn’t seem to mind though.
Medal (Kurt Angle)
If you were a fan of wrestling in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, you probably have fond memories of yelling “You Suck” to the beat of Kurt Angle’s entrance song, “Medal.” Yelling at a heel had never felt some triumphant, and it hasn’t since.
Iron Man (The Road Warriors)
The Road Warriors, one of the top five tag teams of all time, did what a lot of wrestlers in the ‘80s would do in that they came to the ring (at least for a time) to a popular rock track. In the case of these two powerhouses, they walked out to Black Sabbath’s Iron Man. Sure, their “What A Rush” anthem from WWE was cool, but this iconic track can’t be touched.
Rap Sheet (Booker T)
Booker T’s “Rap Sheet” entrance theme is not only one of the best WCW songs but also a classic from WWE’s Ruthless Aggression era. Whenever I hear the intro of this banger, I can’t help but think of Booker yelling “5-Time, 5-Time, 5-Time, 5-Time, 5-Time WCW Champion” before pulling off a “Spinarooni” in the middle of the ring.
I Walk Alone (Batista)
There are few wrestling images cooler than Batista acting like he’s firing a cannon while pyrotechnics go off during his “I Walk Alone” entrance. Sure, the music is kind of cheesy and of a bygone era, but that entrance is just so awesome.
Viva La Raza (Eddie Guerrero)
We will never see another wrestler as charismatic, athletic, or memorable as the late great Eddie Guerrero. Before he would even step foot into the ring he’d have your attention with his great “Viva La Raza” entrance music, which often involved some kind of tricked-out car and so much attitude from “Latino Heat.”
Loaded (Hardy Boyz)
The Hardy Boyz helped change the face of professional wrestling in the early 2000s, and one of the most important components of their image was their incredible entrance song. “Loaded,” which sent the crowd into a frenzy upon their return at WrestleMania 33, is one of the best songs of the Attitude Era and beyond.
Unstable (Ultimate Warrior)
I was never the biggest Ultimate Warrior fan, but one thing I did like about the late WWE Hall of Famer was his entrance music. “Unstable,” which was fitting considering the former WWE Champion’s general demeanor, was fast, furious, catchy, and most of all, a fun listen.
High Energy (Owen Hart)
Owen Hart had several great entrance themes during his career, but the best has to be “High Energy,” which he used throughout the early ‘90s. Watching Hart walk to the ring to take on his older brother at WrestleMania X while this track plays over the speakers at Madison Square Garden never gets old.
The Game (Triple H)
Who would have thought Motorhead and wrestling would go together so well? I guess Triple H did because he’s used several of the great thrash metal pioneer’s songs for his entrances over the years. At the top of that list is “The Game,” which Triple H has used for well over a quarter-century at this point.
The Future (Asuka)
One of the biggest reasons the WWE women’s roster has improved so much over the past decade is because Asuka has done all there is to do in the squared circle. In addition to winning multiple championships, putting on unforgettable matches with a slew of competitors, and being a great ambassador for the sport, the Japanese superstar also has one of the best themes in wrestling today with “The Future.”
Catch Your Breath (Finn Balor)
Thanks to wrestlers like Finn Balor, NXT became must-see TV back in 2015 and 2016. The Bullet Club founder quickly found success after leaving NJPW, and I think a lot of that has to do with the epic sound of his “Catch Your Breath” theme. Even more so when he would be dressed as “The Demon.”
