The 11 best pro wrestling entrance themes of all-time

To be a successful pro wrestler you need more than just in-ring prowess, crowd-winning microphone skills and a tight pair of spandex pants.

You also need some bad-ass, memorable entrance music that gets the crowd going and builds your persona from the very first notes.

The following list contains pro wrestling entrance themes that are every bit as magnetic as the musclebound superstars with whom they’re associated. So get ready to cheer, boo, stand up in your seat, feel all the feels, and check out MusicHyped’s list of the best pro wrestling theme songs of all-time.

Stone Cold Steve Austin, “Hell Frozen Over”

“When you hear the glass, it’s your ass!”

As one of the most culturally influential, important and popular pro wrestlers ever, it’s no surprise that Stone Cold Steve Austin’s theme song is one of the best pro wrestling theme songs of all time as well.

Although you could make a case for some of the later variations that served as Stone Cold’s theme song over the years, such as the Disturbed “Glass Shatters” version, “Hell Frozen Over” is my personal favorite because I directly affiliate it with Stone Cold’s rise to superstardom during the time period of 1996-98, linking it to such unforgettable moments such as his King of the Ring win on June 23rd, 1996 and the coining of the “Austin 3:16” phrase; his formative feud with Bret Hart through Survivor Series and the career-defining match the two had at WrestleMania 13; and the first Stone Cold Stunner he ever laid on his boss Vince McMahon, something which was unprecedented at the time and led to one of the most legendary feuds of all time.

As the face of the “Attitude Era,” once the shattering glass sounded, you knew all hell was about to break loose. Stone Cold’s original theme, which composer Jim Johnston and Stone Cold himself have said was influenced by Rage Against the Machine’s “Bulls on Parade,” was instantly recognizable, sent the crowd into a frenzy and perfectly embodied the Texas Rattlesnake’s rebellious, anti-authority persona. Gimme a hell yeah!

Hulk Hogan, “Real American”

“I am a real American…”

If you were a kid who watched pro wrestling during the 80s, “Real American,” Hulk Hogan’s ultra-patriotic anthem composed by Jim Johnston and written by Rick Derringer was likely just as – if not more so – embedded in your brain than the Pledge of Allegiance or the National Anthem.

That’s how legendary, catchy and uplifting “Real American” was, especially when those iconic guitar riffs hit right after the introductory vocals.

Edge, “Metalingus”

“On this day I see clearly, everything has come to life. Another chance to chase a dream. Another chance to feel. Chance to feel alive.”

At AEW Collision: Grand Slam Australia, nearly 11,000 fans sang in unison “Metalingus,” a song from Alter Bridge’s 2004 debut album One Day Remains, a testament to how synonymous the entrance theme has become since the R-Rated Superstar first debuted it over 20 years ago during his infamous heel turn on the November 8th, 2004 episode of Monday Night Raw.

Edge explained that “Metalingus” becoming his theme song came as a result of meeting Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti at a concert and becoming friends with him.

“When I was out with my neck injury, I met Mark Tremonti,” said in an interview with Journey of a Frontman. “I met him at a Metallica show, actually. And I went back to his place after and he played me what would end up being the first Alter Bridge album. I heard Metalingus and I was like, ‘Dude, can I use that when I come back?’ And he said, ‘Yeah! Of course!” So that ended up being the genesis of it and when I heard it, it was actually Mark singing. It hadn’t been Myles yet. So it was in its infancy, but I had heard that song. I was like, ‘Okay, that’s gonna be what I come to the ring to.’ And that’s how that all started.”

While “Metalingus” is one of the most renowned and well-known theme songs from WWE’s Ruthless Aggression era and beyond, famous for its powerful guitar riffs, and energetic Myles Kennedy vocals, it wouldn’t have been Edge’s theme song if the license hadn’t run out on his previous theme song, the next one on our list.

Edge, “Never Gonna Stop”

Two Edge theme songs on our list of best pro wrestling theme songs of all time? No, that’s not a mistake: Edge’s theme songs were just that damn good.

And although this might be an unpopular opinion, the theme song which preceded the iconic Alter Bridge’s “Metalingus,” Rob Zombie’s “Never Gonna Stop” is actually our preferred theme song for the R-Rated Superstar. Not only was the song off Zombie’s 2001 album The Sinister Urge more befitting of Edge’s grandiose, rock star persona but Zombie’s spooky, horror-tinged vox lended themselves to Edge’s sinister side, which was always lurking just beneath the surface of his demeanor, whether he was a face, heel or something in-between.

The song’s chorus also exemplified one of Edge’s defining characteristics, the fact that he could be relentless and unyielding in the squared circle, even when faced with adversity such as being outmatched, outsized or coming back from real-life injury.

“Never gonna stop me, never gonna stop.”

Undertaker, “Graveyard Symphony”

Speaking of pro wrestling theme songs such as “Never Gonna Stop” that leaned towards a horror, spooky-tinged ambiance, no pro wrestling theme song has ever been as macabre or fear-inspiring as the Undertaker’s “Graveyard Symphony.”

Composed by Jim Johnston, “Graveyard Symphony” starts out with a series of bells sounding followed by an eerie, darkly orchestral and funereal-sounding theme that perfectly fit the Undertaker’s slow, ominous march to the ring. Combined with the lights going out in the arena, the Deadman’s “Graveyard Symphony” stands the test of time as not only one of the best pro wrestling theme songs of all time, but one of the most terrifying as well.

Kane, “Slow Chemical”

If Undertaker’s “Graveyard Symphony” is one of most terrifying pro wrestling theme songs of all time, then his brother Kane’s “Slow Chemical” by Finger Eleven is right there with it, albeit with a slightly more sinister, fiery edge suited to The Big Red Machine, the more vehement and monstrous of the preternatural duo.

“Slow Chemical” features heavy, haunting guitar riffs with a slow-burning intensity and relentlessness that perfectly encapsulate Kane’s entrance, which was witnessing an inexorable Jason Voorhees movie monster stomping towards the ring and destroying everything in its path.

Triple H, “The Game” by Motorhead

“It’s time to play the game.”

Once Lemmy Kilmister, the lead singer of legendary metal band Motorhead’s gravelly, unmistakable voice growled this line you knew you were in for a whole lot of water-bottle-spittle, a 20-minute, self-aggrandizing monologue to open up Monday Night RAW or a sledgehammer being brandished.

All jokes aside, whether you were a fan of Triple H’s “Reign of Terror” or not, The Game was a dominant force from 2002 to 2005 in the WWE, where he held the title for a grand total of 616 days (280 days consecutively was his longest title reign) and was featured in 25 out of 27 World Heavyweight championship title matches. During this time period, Triple H beat such big names as Ric Flair, Rob Van Dam, Kane, Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, Booker T, Kevin Nash and Goldberg.

Aside from some truly menacing, bad-ass lyrics, such as,

”I am the game, you don’t wanna play me
I am control, no way you can change me
I am heavy debt, no way you can pay me
I am the pain and I know you can’t take me”

The theme song also provided an unparalleled aura for some of the most memorable WrestleMania entrances ever, like the one where he rises from the floor in Conan the Barbarian King attire at WrestleMania XXII [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh-kmws3Gx4], WrestleMania XXX’s golden-armored Shao Kahn entrance [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXE_AvD_b30] and his Terminator-inspired WrestleMania XXXI entrance.

Play the game, you’re gonna be the same/You’re gonna change your name/You’re gonna die in flames

Shinsuke Nakamura, “The Rising Sun”

The best pro wrestling theme songs are ones that are able to evoke emotion from the very start and of all the songs on this list, none might be better at sending goosebumps up one’s spine from the opening melody than Shinsuke Nakamura’s “The Rising Sun.”

“The Rising Sun,” composed by CFO$, references the national symbol of Japan and starts out with a progression of distinctive, melodic violin chords and then breaks out into a riveting, symphonic, folk metal fusion.

When this song hits and “The King of Strong Style” himself aberrantly and awesomely pantomimes his way down the aisle and then postures himself along the ring ropes in the extravagant, theatrical way that only he can, “The Rising Sun” emanates vibes that the final boss in some Metal Gear Solid, Chrono Cross and Final Fantasy conflation and the courageous hero in every anime that’s ever been made has been brought to life.

Minoru Suzuki, “Kaze Ni Nare”

Speaking of heroic, uplifting, anime-epic level music, look no further than New Japan Pro Wrestling legend Minoru Suzuki’s pro wrestling theme song, “Kaze Ni Nare.”

If you’re unfamiliar with NJPW, Suzuki is a wrestler who is straight up terrifying. He carries an aura of legitimacy thanks to his mixed martial arts background and shoot fighting ability but also an equal air of relentlessness, like he can take whatever punishment an opponent dishes out Terminator-style and keep on coming. And when he inflicts his own damage, he looks like he relishes in every ounce of pain he inflicts.

And he gets haircuts like this:

It’s a combination of those factors which make “Kaze Ni Nare,” which translates to “Becoming the Wind” in Japanese, such a powerful pro wrestling theme song. The song doesn’t even mesh with his villainous, wretched persona. On the contrary, it’s elevating and downright poignant – thanks largely in part to Ayumi Nakamura’s beautiful voice.

Perhaps it’s this jarring contrast of beauty and abhorrent wickedness that makes Minoru Suzuki all the more menacing. “Kazi Ni Nare” accentuates the fact that Suzuki isn’t just a combatant – he’s like the wind, a force of destructive nature that can shatter windows, uproot trees and rip people limb from limb.

The Oddities

I was never a fan of Insane Clown Posse. They admittedly have one of the most clever and successful gimmicks of all-time in hip hop, but they just weren’t for me.

Likewise, and even though they had the idiosyncratic-to-the-max Luna Vachon and John Tenta (the artist formerly known as Earthquake) holding an Eric Cartman doll, I was never a fan of The Oddities either. They were a perfectly fine mid-card act but they just weren’t for me.

“The Oddities” entrance theme that the group came down to the ring in though? It was a straight bop.

It had a plodding, zany circus beat and chorus. The intro started with a sinister laugh and a ringmaster chorus proclaiming, “Everyone come see the greatest show.” It had Violent J raspily rapping,

Ah yeah! Dum Diddy Dum
Get your ass out the way cause here we come
And we’s bringin’ this spectacle into ya town
We got creep shows, freak shows (Wicked Clowns)
Most people don’t like these Oddities
Most people would love to have a shot at these
If you think you too good for us sideshow freaks, let me know
And I’m gonna whip smack your cheeks! Come on…

It was the perfect theme song for a bunch of pro wrestlers with a circus misfit gimmick. And while it may not have transformed me into a Juggalo, you can bet your dreadlocks and your sinister clown makeup that I nodded my head along to the beat the entire time The Oddities made their way to the ring.

Hulk Hogan/nWo, “Voodoo Child” and “nWo theme”

Since we included Hulk Hogan’s “Real American” on this list of best pro wrestling theme songs, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include the theme songs which characterized the sinister resurgence of his career after he jumped ship to WCW – from when he pulled off the most infamous heel turn of all-time and revealed himself as the leader of the NWO at 1996’s Bash at the Beach and kickstarted the Monday Night Wars between WWE and WCW.

One of the most enduring memories from this epoch was Hogan swaggering down the aisle with the spraypainted WCW championship belt cradled in his hands, playing it like an air guitar to the tune of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child.”

“Voodoo Child,” a song off of the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s third album, Electric Ladyland from 1968, with its inimitable guitar licks and lyrics dealing with themes of preternatural power, such as:

Well, I stand up next to a mountain
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand
Yeah
Well, I stand up next to a mountain
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand

Was the perfect accompanying tune for the former Hulkster, who had both reinvented and newly christened himself as “Hollywood” Hogan.

Senior Vice President of WCW Eric Bischoff revealed in an interview that securing the rights for “Voodoo Child” as Hollywood Hogan’s theme song cost $100,000.

“To this day I am a huge Jimi Hendrix fan. When the opportunity came about I knew I wanted something really unique and really cool that would not sound like traditional wrestling entrance music. I wanted to brand the NWO with Hulk Hogan. I reached out to see who had the rights. I oversaw this because it was important to me. I researched who owned the rights to the Jimi Hendrix estate and after working with a few attorneys we found out that his sister, at the time, oversaw the estate and managed the rights for all things Jimi Hendrix. We negotiated with Jimi’s sister for those rights. They cost me $100,000 which at the time everyone thought, “Bischoff has lost his mind! $100,000 for Voodoo Child?!” But I had worldwide rights and I could use it multiple times in a broadcast. I can’t remember all the specific details but I remember I could only play it for like 15 or 20 seconds at a time so I couldn’t play the whole song. I played around with it so I could do a long entrance with it or an outro with it. I could use it on PPVs, I could use it on television and I could use it worldwide. For $100,000 it was the best investment I ever made. You couldn’t come close to that for less that $5 million today for the rights I had.”

The NWO theme, which was equally as important to the group’s founding members, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall (aka The Outsider), is a mashup of different Hendrix songs such as “The Stars that Play with Laughing Sam’s Dice” [https://youtu.be/tbK5vOxDXjU?si=-erILzOoYK2yrQqI&t=41] and “Highway Chile” [https://youtu.be/KR13r55Avjc?si=MZQa8hfUtl9O4fqg] and “Stone Free.”

Here’s a video with a side-by-side of the NWO theme with the Hendrix songs from which its

Do you agree with this list of the best pro wrestling theme songs of all-time? Which entrance themes do you think we forgot to add or should omit? Let us know in the comments.