Jim Johnston's Firing Killed The Golden Era Of WWE Entrances

For 32 years, American music composer Jim Johnston was behind some of the most iconic theme songs in WWE history, such as The Rock's "Electrifying" and The Undertaker's "Rest in Peace." However, in 2017, WWE decided to part ways with Johnston, leading the promotion to hire CFO$ to create their entrance music going forward. Although CFO$ did contribute to the creation of some admired theme songs, much of their work was criticized by fans, and when WWE chose to replace them with Def Rebel, the backlash towards firing Johnston only grew louder. 

The lack of creativity from CFO$ and Def Rebel has led fans to believe that the golden age of wrestling theme songs ended with the firing of Johnston, as many current songs fail to match the same level of intrigue and feeling. Following his release from the company, Johnston revealed that he was let go because former WWE CEO Vince McMahon wasn't interested in renewing his contract, but admitted that he was growing tired of his role in the promotion anyway. "It was time for me to go for me, so honestly, to some degree, he did me a favor. But still, that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. It doesn't mean you're not disappointed," Johnston told the "RRGB podcast."

Johnston has also shared his opinion on today's wrestling themes, stating that most of the music doesn't resonate with each individual character, fails to make the audience feel anything, and has become pure "noise." Many wrestling fans also seem to agree with this sentiment, as viewers have begged Johnston to return to WWE for years, especially when Def Rebel appeared on the scene. Earlier this year, it was reported that WWE is "Very aware" of the criticism directed at Def Rebel, and is now looking to hire mainstream artists to create themes or produce the entrance music themselves. Today, Johnston is nowhere to be seen in the wrestling business, despite approaching AEW about working on a lighter schedule a few years ago.