Ranking The 10 Best NXT Entrance Themes
In this week's edition of "Let's Rank" we'll focus on NXT entrance music, the first few seconds give fans instant awareness of who is coming out and at times, it can be a factor in making or breaking a wrestler's career. Whether it's the cracking of glass, sirens blaring, or the horn of an 18-wheeler, the right beginning and overall vibe of the song can help identity who the wrestler is and (if done properly) what they are all about. The "Gong" will forever be in fans' minds as the calling card for The Undertaker, while the music itself has varied over the years, it still has the same haunting theme for The Deadman. Music may be a minor detail, but it's the foundation for a successful career, without it, fans don't get that extra surge of energy, just ask The Vaudevillians.
Today, we will check out the ten best entrance themes in NXT, thanks to WWE's in-house production company, CFO$, the music for WWE's up-and-coming stars has been steadily consistent, making this a bit of challenge to pick out the best. Musical choices is about as subjective as it gets, so for criteria I will consider the initial sound used, the first minute or so (basically what it takes for the wrestler to get to the ring), and how well the theme fits with the wrestler. I will be sticking to only wrestlers who are currently on the NXT roster and who have been on TV at least a couple times.
#10) DIY
Just beating out Hideo Itami's entrance (the first few seconds of his theme are so cool sounding, tough choice), DIY has a hard charging, spunky underdog vibe that just fits their team so well. What really gets me is the guitar riff that kicks off at the 30 second mark, that makes the whole song for me. If they ever split up, I wouldn't mind Garagano keeping this with him in singles' competition.
#9) No Way Jose
Okay, this one I know people either really love or really hate, but again for the gimmick it fits perfectly. The horns let fans know right off the bat (baseball reference) who's coming out, and if it wasn't obvious, they say his name about fifty times throughout the song. As it's been shown time after time it works on every live crowd, getting them up and clapping, which is what WWE wants, right? At non-televised live events, No Way Jose typically gets a conga line going before his matches, it's fun, joyful, kind of annoying, and super catchy.
#8) Authors of Pain
A menacing theme that paints a picture of the destruction that is about to take over the ring, The AoP's theme is both quality in its overall vibe and the details in the background. I enjoy the stuttering sound in the beginning, the dead stops, and the cool little ambient noises that are sprinkled throughout, which makes for a different sounding monster heel theme.
#7) Billie Kay
She's gone through a couple themes, but it seems like WWE is satisfied with the "Femme Fatale" version that is an appropriate song for Billie's current gimmick. I dig that they stayed away from actual lyrics as it seems like a lot of the women superstars get songs with them and the lyrics tend to not be so great, instead, Billie received a chorus of "Ahh" to set the tone. It's not really a song I could listen to over and over, but it works with her gimmick and the long flowing cape that she drapes over the ring ropes as she slinks towards the middle of the ring.
#6) Wesley Blake
I'll wait until you're done laughing. Blake hasn't exactly been on TV lately, but there was a point when he split off from his tag partner and started up that "Beautiful Blake" gimmick. He got his own music to go along with the new character and it's actually pretty cool. A different vibe with the piano and techno style, too bad it couldn't have been used on someone who was around more often, would have made for a pretty dramatic entrance.
#5) Asuka
Some have compared this to Wolfmother's "Joke and the Thief" and King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man" a quirky vibe that just seems to fit Asuka and her eclectic style of dress. With mask in hand and up on the big screen, the initial notes get fans attention right away. The guitar work the song is fantastic, getting fans pumped for WWE's most dominate champion.
#4) Tye Dillinger
When "Ten" hits, fans go bonkers, I mean the whole gimmick is based around ten, so how else would WWE introduce Dillinger? Aside from "Glorious," I'm not sure there a word that gets people more excited for a wrestler in NXT. With Tye's infectious energy, it's a solid combination as he taunts in the middle of the ring, throwing tens to the sky with that amazing glowing collar.
#3) Bobby Rhoode
This song is so over the top, but that's pro wrestling right? The drama that comes along with "Glorious" is so much fun to watch and Bobby Roode plays off the arrogance in such a calm, cocky way. On TV, it's not always noticed, but the first few seconds are a piano, prepping us for the onslaught of glorious lyrics. Fans can sing along, Bobby uses it in his gimmick, and it allows for so many cool entrances for the current NXT Champion, could see a lot of people wanting this one ranked even higher.
#2) Sanity
When listening to the song, it takes about fifteen seconds for thing to get going, but we know watching it on TV that WWE tends to do the helicopter style lighting all around the arena as we get to that point. Clearly a tribute to Primus' "My Name is Mud," this theme perfectly portrays the weirdness of this group. With that creepy laugh and a scattered feel, Sanity's persona should be felt before they have to do much talking or wrestling. With two brutes, Eric Young's crazy voice, and Nikki Cross clawing at everything, this song accurately depicts the group's mentality.
#1) Shinsuke Nakamura
Most people probably could have guessed number one without even reading the article (much like AJ Styles on SmackDown) this is a no brainer pick. The song is a quirky, yet highly dramatic mix, with a violin as the lead instrument, not something we often hear. We patiently wait to see what WWE can do with his entrance at a future WrestleMania.