The one way AEW has WWE beat by a mile

AEW still believes in music as part of a wrestler’s presentation while WWE apparently doesn't care.

I used to write about music pretty regularly on the internets. Every now and then I dip my toes back into those treacherous waters while always remembering something I learned very early: music is like religion to people, and we know how pointless it is arguing religion with anyone, especially on the internet. Therefore, thou shalt not argue about music.

And yet, here I am disregarding my own 11th commandment but only because WWE’s latest cosmetic change made it obvious for all of us in the Cageside offices that AEW’s entrance music is leaps and bounds better than whatever WWE thinks its doing at the moment.

This isn’t anything new for WWE considering their jump from CFO$ to rather generic Def Rebel-produced themes with all the character of elevator music. CFO$ followed Jim Johnston, which is one of the hardest acts to follow. But they found their groove in NXT and eventually created a new sound that felt synonymous with the wrestlers. The Mercedes Formerly Known as Sasha Banks, Robert Roode, Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles, The Street Profits, and several others got heaters. While they paled in comparison to anything Johnston did from my perspective, I appreciated that they felt of a piece.

That’s what a dope theme does; it adds to the presentation and says exactly who that person is and what they’re about before they step through the curtains. Judgment Day’s Alter Bridge track did all of that when those opening notes hit. This new one? It says they’re a disparate bunch come together over a love of generic southern hip hop, complete with NPC-level southern hip hop rhymes. As an audience member, I should believe the wrestler listens to this in their spare time every so often, even if it’s just to get them hype. There is nothing about Finn Balor, Dirty Dom, Liv Morgan, JD McDonagh, or Raquel Rodriguez that makes me think they listen to this new song just for kicks. But it all goes back to presentation.

Contrast that with AEW. The company understands how important music acts as a Pavlov’s Dog scenario for fans. It’s why Adam Copeland came to the company with the music the wrestling world associated with him since the early 2000s. CM Punk came armed with “Cult of Personality,” and Bryan Danielson got not only a version of “Flight of the Valkyries” but also “The Final Countdown” for special occasions. The same goes for how they smartly deployed “Seek and Destroy” for Sting. Most cases show that AEW sees no need to build a better mouse trap when the current one did what mouse traps do with tremendous success.

What about the new themes you ask? The ones not prepackaged in WWE or ROH? They have an answer for that too. When appropriate, the company licenses songs that fit the character. Jefferson Starship and The Pixes, or whomever owns their publishing, got handsomely paid for “Jane” and “Where is My Mind,” respectively. The former was a nice touch but I can’t hear the latter and not think about Orange Cassidy. The song’s lackadaisical vibe, along with the title, all evoke Cassidy. Where exactly is the mind of a cat who carries championships in a backpack and doesn’t always care that he’s in the middle of a fight? Jade Cargill’s AEW theme worked so well that WWE bit it just enough to evoke the familiar without getting sued.

FTR’s 1980s inspired joint echoes an era that they represent each and every time they come to the ring. As soon as that synth hits, nostalgia ensues and their purpose becomes clear. Even the way the territory evolved Hangman Adam Page’s theme when he switched his hat from white to black was genius. It not only spoke to his realignment, but referenced western film history. His original theme was all American Western while his current is littered with Ennio Morricone’s Italian Western DNA. The fact that he’s not wearing a duster to the ring still annoys me. That’s a me thing and I’ll hopefully get over that egregious oversight.

But I digress. Will Ospreay’s theme perfectly matches his energy, danger, and, well, the fact that he elevates. Add in the fact that gives the crowd moments to chant his name and that’s a home run. This is a song made for Ospreay rather than something he chose from a group of songs presented to him, which is another key difference in how songs come across.

And then there’s the Hurt Syndicate’s theme. This is the exact opposite of what WWE does these days when it comes to hip hop. Many moons ago, I wrote that WWE needs to embrace hip hop, especially since the genre thoroughly embraced them. I’m glad they got the memo. However, what I didn’t say is get generic in-house rappers to spit on whatever beats you give them that often have nothing to do with the corresponding act.

MVP connected with Westside Gunn and Smoke DZA, two rabid wrestling fans, and created a song for his group, about his group, and literally tells you everything you need to know about him, Bobby Lashley, and Shelton Benjamin. Gunn’s “we hurt people” refrain is the cherry on top of this dark sundae that’s all business and no games. “The Hurt Syndicate” is a microcosm of AEW’s intentionality with presentation while using outside resources. If your territory needs music, reach out to the pros who love your product and want to be a part of your world.

When done right, you get this. When done the other way, well, you get whatever happened to the Judgment Day.

This isn’t saying every AEW theme is a winner nor is it saying every WWE theme is more appropriate for your local H&M than an arena. It’s not even saying your tastes align with mine. What it does say is that AEW seems more dedicated to painting a full picture of its wrestlers. Even if it’s picking a theme that doesn’t work for me at all or letting them do half-cooked battle raps while walking to the ring, it all has the personal touch.

A few years ago, Johnston called AEW and WWE’s music “mediocre” and “homogenous.” While I mostly agreed with that sentiment for both houses in 2021, I don’t feel the same on this last day of 2024. AEW’s turned the corner while it seems WWE still believes the music is an afterthought for the most part.

The last time a WWE wrestler theme made me stand up and pay attention? The Rock debuting his Final Boss music. And it's telling that what makes that song so dope is the transition from Johnston’s latest iteration of Rocky’s theme to one of his most famous from more than 20 years ago. The Great One reached back to the past for something fitting rather than tapping the cats currently in charge. While one can argue that says a lot about def rebel, it’s actually an indictment of WWE’s musical philosophy. Johnston understood what AEW understands:

Music helps create the character.