Jim Johnston, the composer behind WWE’s entrance music for over 30 years, criticized today’s wrestling themes as “pretty awful” and overly generic. He believes this lack of distinctive music contributes to the wrestling industry’s failure to create breakout stars comparable to icons like Steve Austin and The Rock.
Johnston shared his views during an appearance on Ropes & Riffs, a podcast hosted by entrance theme composer John, who acknowledged Johnston as a major influence on his career. Johnston revealed that he seldom interacted directly with wrestlers before composing their themes; instead, Vince McMahon and executive producer Kevin Dunn would provide him with wrestler descriptions and match footage to inspire his work, helping him uncover the essence of each character.
He lamented that modern wrestling themes have lost their individuality, saying, “They’re not scores to the people. The music’s not saying anything about the character. You could take this theme and give it to the next guy, and it would feel the same.” Johnston described current entrance music as filled with big sounds, drum loops, and guitar solos, yet lacking the clear identity that once allowed fans to instantly recognize who was approaching the ring. He warns this trend harms the business, as it stifles star creation and prevents new wrestlers from reaching the superstardom and crossover success of previous generations.
Fans have reached out to him, sharing similar concerns, with many noting that while earlier themes were deeply connected to the wrestlers, today’s tracks feel like generic background music. Johnston admitted he no longer follows wrestling closely, only catching brief glimpses while channel surfing, and noted that fans also criticize WWE’s storytelling for being unpredictable and rapidly changing.
When asked if wrestlers themselves are best suited to judge their own music, Johnston disagreed, comparing it to a director or composer needing perspective beyond the performer’s input. He cited DX’s entrance music as an example where the wrestler accepted a theme he might not have personally chosen because it fit the character.
Johnston recounted how he got involved with WWE after meeting Vince McMahon’s art director at a sushi restaurant, which led to him composing music for a conference video before joining the company. He pointed out that initially, only babyface (hero) wrestlers received entrance themes, with heels (villains) often getting simple sound effects like toilet flushing. He also resisted using stereotypical music for wrestlers of different ethnic backgrounds, focusing instead on the individual’s character first.
He revealed that Triple H’s iconic theme, “My Time,” was inspired by an encouraging backstage conversation with Chyna. The song’s unique warbling effect came from his experimental use of a synthesizer mod wheel, a technique he felt shy to try in front of others.
Johnston shared that the fastest he ever created a theme was roughly one hour, due to last-minute changes before live shows. He praised bands like Saliva and Downstate for their supportive roles during theme cover performances. Despite his prolific output for WWE, Johnston said he owns no copyrights on that music. He’s currently finishing two personal songs, “We Are the Lucky Ones” and “I Make You Feel Alive,” and is collaborating on new music with Joe Altier from Brand New Sin.
Watch the full interview here.
Fan Take: Johnston’s critique highlights a crucial issue for wrestling enthusiasts—distinctive entrance music helped define legends and build larger-than-life personas. If WWE aims to cultivate a new generation of megastars, revitalizing creative, character-driven themes might be a necessary step towards reigniting fans’ emotional connection to the sport.
Source: wrestlingnews.co
