Former WWE Name Warns About Wrestlers Using Licensed Music

A former WWE name has warned against the “emotional association” of using licensed music as wrestler’s entrance music.

From the mid-1980s until his release in 2017, Jim Johnston crafted some of the most iconic entrance themes in wrestling history.

Speaking on Conversation with Conrad, Johnston addressed the use of licensed music instead of custom-made themes for shows and wrestlers, saying:

“For show themes, I think it’s great. Or it can be great. But you really have to pick very carefully.

“The difficulty with outside music is people already have association, emotional associations with it.

“So if you hear a song and it takes you back to, ‘Oh, that’s when I first kissed my wife in the car that night after dinner.’ That’s great, but that’s not what you want people in an arena to be thinking about, when you’re most important guy is coming out.”

When it comes to wrestlers, Johnston would use the defining Undertaker theme as an example of what people should be hearing, adding:

“You want them thinking about your most important guy. When Undertaker’s music plays, you only were thinking about Undertaker. You weren’t thinking about when you kissed your wife for the first time.”

Johnston spoke about the creation of The Undertaker’s theme in a video that can be seen below this news story.

He would conclude by musing on who the licensed music is really appealing to, stating:

“Using outside music as an entrance theme I think can make the wrestler feel good about himself maybe, but that’s the end of positives in my opinion. Now it’s misleading.”

Johnston would also discuss the importance of music being unique to the character, comparing it to a music score in movies.

Licensed music has accompanied a number of AEW stars to the ring over the years, including Jungle Boy and Orange Cassidy, among others.

Transcript from Wrestling Inc.

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