Today, WWE theme songs are often hit or miss with its audience, asDef Rebel has consistently disappointed fans with its bland attempts to create engaging entrance tracks over the last decade,despite a few outliers like Rhea Ripley's "Demon In Your Dreams" being widely adored. Although several performers today can execute moves or deliver matches that many 20 years ago could never dream of doing, some of WWE's theme songs from the Attitude Era or the Ruthless Aggression Era were so defining that it was sometimes more memorable or impactful than the in-ring product.
With fans often reminiscing about the quality of theme songs that used to be heard on a weekly basis, Wrestling Inc. has decided to officially release its picks for WWE's top 5most iconic theme songs. Despite Chris Jericho's "Break The Walls Down" or John Cena's "The Time Is Now" being treasured by wrestling fans, we believe there's certain entrance tracks that stand above the rest when determining some of the company's best work.
Some of the best WWE theme songs in history begin with an iconic opening, and there's no better intro than the glass shattering at the start of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's "I Won't Do What You Tell Me." It's one of the only entrance tracks that guaranteed the loudest fan reaction on any given night, while keeping the audience engaged throughout the rest of the show.
Former WWE music composer Jim Johnston was behind some of the greatest themes in company history, some of which are still used today, but"I Won't Do What You Tell Me" has often been discussed as his best work. The main guitar riff following the hook perfectly accompanied Austin's confident strut to the ring encapsulates the hell-raising attitude that "The Rattlesnake" showcased on a weekly basis.
As Austin continued to occasionally return for one-off WWE appearances over the years, his theme music still proved to garner the same blood-pumping response that it did 25 years ago, and is undoubtedly one of the promotion's most recognizable entrance songs.
Similarly to Austin, the gong that plays at the beginning of The Undertaker's "Rest In Peace" is one of the most memorable intros of all time, but "The Deadman's" theme song stands alone compared to many other legendary tracks. Where Austin and D-Generation-X had Attitude Era themes that were upbeat, hard rock anthems, The Undertaker built his career off of the loud church organs and piano that accompanied his eerie walk to the ring.The mournful sound to "Rest In Peace" only added to The Undertaker's character over time, with each instrument in the song becoming stronger and darker as "The Phenom" continued to cement his legacy.
Throughout his 33-year career, The Undertaker also used famous songs such as "Ain't No Grave" by Johnny Cash and "Rollin'" by Limp Bizkit for his entrance, but none of them were as universally loved as"Rest In Peace," which is considered one of Johnston's greatest creations to date.
Over the last three years, the wrestling world has witnessed the importance of Edge's theme, "Metalingus," during his AEW run as Adam Copeland, where fans sing the chorus of the song at the top of their lungs as he walks to the ring. Alter Bridge released "Metalingus" in late 2004 when Edge was starting to become one of WWE's top heels, and there was no better song that fit the entrance of an egotistical champion with an explosive attitude.
The heavy metal sound to "Metalingus" along with the iconic "You Think You Know Me" at the start of the track made Edge's arrival recognizable from the hook, but the song truly elevated the production value of the "Rated-R Superstar's" entrance. Whether it was WrestleMania, SummerSlam, or a standard episode of "WWE Raw," Edge was undoubtedly viewed as the biggest star on the show after a massive display of pyrotechnics erupted as "Metalingus" played in the background. Two years ago, the 52-year-old claimed that he has the best wrestling theme song of all-time, explaining that music was often a tool that helped build the many characters he portrayed over his lengthy career.
When Batista was transitioning from being a member of Evolution to carving out his own path as a singles competitor, Saliva's "I Walk Alone" quickly helped "The Animal" feel like a megastar. After defeating Triple H at WrestleMania 21 to capture his first World Heavyweight Championship,"I Walk Alone" along with Batista's signature machine gun gesture and explosive pyro made him and the title feel like the most important act in WWE.
Much like Austin, Batista's entrance song felt like an adrenaline shot that was heard throughout the speakers of every arena across North America. The distinctive guitar riff that kicks off"I Walk Alone" rivaled Triple H's "The Game" as the best hard rock song on the roster, but most importantly, the theme struck fear into Batista's opponents, allowing WWE to capitalize on its goal for the character, which was an intimidating powerhouse. Although WWE created the initial origins of"I Walk Alone,"Batista credits Saliva for taking WWE's idea and adding the right lyrics to make it an entrance theme he believed was appropriate for his persona.
It wouldn't be a complete list of WWE's most iconic themes without including "The Great One," with "Electrifying" being an entrance track that continued to evolve as The Rock became the company's biggest star. Throughout the Attitude Era, the 10-time world champion's patented "If You Smell What The Rock Is Cooking" was arguably the most recognizable intro to any theme song, alongside Austin. However, The Rock's entrance music slightly changed from year-to-year, with more drums, horns and electric guitar sounds being added as his career grew larger. Johnston explained in WWE's "Behind The Theme" that the key to making The Rock's entrance music memorable was to continue adding to it instrumentally as he was transitioning into a main event star.
Despite Johnston no longer being WWE's music composer, the company continued to elevate The Rock's entrance upon his return to the company in 2024 as "The Final Boss," with the track consisting of elements from both his Attitude Era and current theme, both of which never failed to make fans jolt out of their seats.
