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When the entrance music starts, you know you're in for a show. It would take one note from certain entrance tunes to send the crowd crazy. Whether it be the glass breaking from Stone Cold Steve Austin or a church bell to let everyone know The Undertaker was about to bring his unique style to the ring. For these athletes, they weren't just songs; they defined the wrestlers. The role of entrance music cannot be understated in building a character and creating a bridge between performers and audience members.
The entrances we see these days are a full production. They include graphics, different angles, and also crowd work, making sure the audience feel involved. However, it's the music that plays a central role, something we see used across the entertainment sector. For example, users of the online live casino at Betfair will notice the use of music while playing slot games. Depending on the genre, users can expect a different tune as they game. They can interact with real dealers, dynamic sets and games in real time. In the wrestling world, we see the same as the music sets the tone for what's ahead, whether it be the macabre tones that accompany The Undertaker or the playful, fun music that plays while Shawn Michaels walks towards the ring.
Wrestlers will use other tactics to get the crowd involved too. For example, Triple H used to stand outside the ropes and spray water in the air, while others have gone to each buckle to climb to the top to salute their fans. In the music industry, we see artists like Beyoncé who use cinematic staging or audience cues to heighten impact. The idea is the same, to allow the audience to feed off their interactions and energy.
Of course, wrestling wasn't always like this. The sport began to shift in the 1970s as it became more of a spectacle outside the ring. Promotions had always experimented with songs to attach to characters, but a decade later this was fully integrated into the promotion and marketing of wrestlers in companies like WWE, as each wrestler had their own specific song. This song not only had to be catchy but also had to encapsulate the person, so composers were hired to make the songs. The first few notes of a wrestler's song began to tell a story before the audience could even see them.
The entrance themes are meticulously created to shape a wrestler's persona. A heel may have harsher tones in their song, while high-fliers will have energetic music accompanying them to the ring. Wrestlers like Kane or The Undertaker are prime examples of those who had darker keys to create unease in the arena. While a wrestler that makes a change or develops may even get new music to signal this.
In the era where wrestlers move between promotions, a piece of music can be integral to their legacy. They can transform a character into the audience's consciousness and help retain their popularity. As the industry continues to evolve, the soundtracks that accompany these athletes will continue to shape their future and the future of sports entertainment.
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