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Is entrance music getting good again?


HarmonicGenerator

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Inspired by the fact I can't get Shinsuke Nakamura's music out of my head, which admittedly is partly because I got it off iTunes earlier and can't stop playing it.

 

 

Thing of utter beauty.

 

 

Anyway, my thought is, might we be heading towards a new golden age of entrance music? Time was when every wrestler's theme was recognisable almost immediately, and I'd know them all, but there was a span of a fair few years from the mid-2000s where - with a few exceptions - it all just blended into one genero-rock mishmash for me and nothing stood out. It could have just been because I wasn't watch nearly as much but I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks that. I couldn't for the life of me recall the music for, say, Drew McIntyre, or John Morrison or any of the females, or to be honest, the likes of Luke Harper or Sheamus or even Dolph Ziggler (I know it goes "I'm here to show the world" a few times and then… not a clue, despite the fact I know I've heard it loads).

 

But recently, things seem to be picking up. Not just Nakamura, but people like Asuka, Samoa Joe, Finn Balor, Sami Zayn, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Bayley …  that's all good stuff, and even if it's not maybe the music you'd personally listen to, it's identifiable, it's catchy, you know who it is straight away without that little pause of "I know this music… this is …. erm … oh, it's him, oh yeah, that's right…" that I'd certainly get for most of the mid card for the past 10 years.

 

Again, it might just be because I'm watching more due to the Network, but do I think entrance music's stepped up a notch in the past year or two. 

 

So I guess the question I'm asking is, whose music are you enjoying at the moment? Who's got the best? Who needs new stuff? And do you agree with me in my hope that it might be getting 'good' again, or at least to a point where you could hear a few seconds of a tune and know whose theme it is?

 

 

That's all, really, I'm off to listen to the Nakamura song again.

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CFO$ or whatever they're called are on fire right now, so many brilliant entrance themes and only the odd pony one. Nakamura's is superb, but so many others are brilliant.

 

I think Samoa Joe has the best theme he's ever had right now. I really liked his TNA theme, much better than his RoH one, but after an initial shit theme in NXT this one is perfect. Basically, the idea is to get it as close to Pharoe Monch's 'Simon Says' as possible without getting a cease and desist- and I think they've nailed it here.

 

As pointed out numerous times here lately, Sami Zayn's theme is boss (or even Bosstones. Right? RIGHT??). Just a wonderful, upbeat theme that you can't help but feel happy about. Enzo & Big Cass, heel Emma, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Asuka also have brilliant themes right now. Balor's Muse effort just works perfectly for him and his entrance.

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I like the CFO$ songs but some of them sound a bit too similar. They tend to be a bit simplistic at times. I don't think they could ever come out with anything as iconic as Austin, Rock or Undertaker's theme for example. Also Jim Johnston would sometimes do this thing where over the years a basic tune he probably threw together in 5 minutes would evolve and get bigger with the character. Johnston will always be THE master of wrestling music, too many classics to even mention but CFO$ are doing pretty good.

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There was definitely a time that I thought we were in the midst of a dark age for entrance music, probably the nadir of which was after The Shield split up and Ambrose and Rollins both got given such terrible generic dirges, it was hard to imagine what they were thinking. Today, there are quite a few themes that are not only very different sounding to each other but also feel a little bit like they have captured something of the essence of the character they're meant to be, just like Snake Bit and the other 80s-90s classic cuts did. We're getting back towards someone's music coming on and I instantly recognize who's coming out, and the music suits them. I'm thinking of Becky, Bayley and Sami, as others have mentioned. Even though I personally don't like A.J.'s music, it also stands out as quite a bit different from most of the rest of the upper midcard and is instantly recognizable as his. Best of all, for me, is Sasha's. Distinctive intro you can pop for, and it just fits for her in a way I can't really describe in words. They're definitely picking up their game, it's true.

 

As for Nakamura's.... I can't really say anything because nothing was ever going to live up to Subconscious, which had an intro that sent a shiver up my spine, is embellished by memories of seeing him come out live to it for some huge matches, and I often catch myself humming all day. One of my top 5 favourites ever was that, and it was impossible for WWE to satisfy me with something worthy of Shinsuke in comparison..... unless they had done to Subconscious what WCW did to Smells Like Teen Spirit for Dallas Page, of course.

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Its a bit of a golden period for entrance music right now. As much as I loved Jim Johnston, some fresh blood is never a bad thing. And Double J is still doing a lot of work on the main roster songs, so a nice balance isnt the worst thing. In fact Jimmy Hart and Jim Johnston chipping in seperate material was a perfect mix in the 80s. At NXT the top 3 matches had 6 quality tunes. Each song just fits the character so perfectly. They're all just so perfect. Samoa Joe's song makes him seem fucking frightening. I swear, if he still had that shitty song he had when he first debuted, I dont know if he'd be as over as he is. The entrance music just gets you up for the match.

 

On a seperate note, I still reckon Adam Rose's losing his original theme murdered him. He'd have turned shit eventually, but he didnt even get off the ground after that cracking NXT debut.

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I agree there are loads of great theme tunes in NXT at the moment, I like all of those mentioned so far, plus Baron Corbin's for that revving intro. Really liking the work of CFO$.

 

What bothers me is that established main roster guys hardly ever seem to get new music any more, which really adds to the staleness of a lot of their characters. Through the nineties and early 2000s, it seemed like they were far more experimental with theme tunes - even the biggest stars (Rock, Austin, HHH) had their music changed up every couple of years, even if it was just a little remix. Sometimes the changes were a bit shit, but it kept things interesting and it helps to identify wrestlers with different times of their careers.

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On a seperate note, I still reckon Adam Rose's losing his original theme murdered him. He'd have turned shit eventually, but he didnt even get off the ground after that cracking NXT debut.

A million times this. It's funny how a slightly different song can just completely ruin the dynamic of someone's entrance.

 

His first NXT debut blew me (and everyone on here) away. His next appearance, with new music, was shit. The hook wasn't as good and timing didn't go with his entrance spots.

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