Why Entrance Music Matters Submitted by Miguel Meza on 08/28/2020 at 09:16 PM
The recent hullabaloo on social media over Keith Lee's main roster debut has mainly been centered around his new attire and theme song, the latter specifically.
"Limitless” by CFO$ was a bombastic track that had the right gravitas to really get fans pumped up to see Lee and it encapsulates his character as a whole.
That sound would resonate in arenas and be a constant reminder of how awesome Lee is, and it is just another example of how the perfect theme music can really help make a star.
The apparent reason behind changing the music was due to the recent departure of the in-house music duo CFO$ this month after almost a year-long legal battle with the WWE but it is almost indicative of WWE's lack of care towards the importance of entrance music.
From Stone Cold's glass shattering to The Rock's catchphrase, Hulk Hogan's iconic American heavy lyrics to Ric Flair's 2001: A Space Odyssey music all the way down to the most recent tracks like Daniel Bryan's Flight of The Valkyries remix to John Cena's “Time is Now” it really seems like entrance music is a great way to sell the character and give the audience something to get hyped about before big matches.
The practice of using music to help make a character more unique started in the 1950s when the likes of Mildred Burke and Gorgeous George would use classical music to sell their pomp and lavish in-ring personalities before becoming a normality in the WWF during the 1980s.
Since then, entrance music is almost a necessity for every single performer as it helps shine a light of individuality and creativity upon said wrestler and it can even help solidify their legacies.
That is why there were so many people up in arms about the Lee's theme song being changed, as it was an integral part of his character's aesthetic and presentation.
The power and importance that an entrance theme can hold is vastly understated and a big reason why many fans want to see the longtime iconic in-house WWE music producer Jim Johnston get inducted into the Hall of Fame after his unceremonious departure in 2017 following his over 30-year stint with the company.
He produced and composed iconic tracks like the aforementioned Rock, Stone Cold, and Hulk Hogan themes along with other amazing themes including Edge, Undertaker, Big Show, Kane, Mr. McMahon, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H among many more.
And for a lot of die-hard fans deem these songs as both irreplaceable and as part of the spectacle and furthermore it does not end with just Johnston, as the newest WWE composers CFO$ were also given the less-than-desirable treatment and insignificant money to do their work.
So while we might not hear Keith Lee's old music again, we can at least appreciate the impact that it once had to help make him one of the hottest stars in the WWE today and cherish all of the unforgettable hits from the retro days.
