10 of wrestling's greatest entrance themes

The roar of the crowd... dazzling pyrotechnic displays... laser lights and smoke... what could be missing? How about a great entrance theme!

Good entrance music does more than just fill the blank space while the wrestler makes their way to the squared circle. It evokes the feeling, the idiom, of the character they are trying to portray.

Here are ten of the best wrestler entrance themes.

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#10 BIll Goldberg - Invasion

Bill Goldberg prepares to spear an unlucky foe

From the opening drum beat, Bill Goldberg's Invasion theme song grabs your attention. From there it doesn't let go, building ponderously to a violent crescendo reminiscent of the massive man himself.

Fans used to go CRAZY when they heard those opening bleats. Check out Goldberg's theme below:

#9 Billy Gunn - Ass Man

Mr. Ass

How do you make a guy who drops his shorts on national TV even more compelling? You give him a hokey, yet somehow wonderful entrance song which teases his fluid sexuality while jamming out a great southern rock beat.

Take particular note of the following lyric;

So many asses,

So little time,

A really tight one

Can stop me on a dime.

I'm a lover,

Of every kind,

The best surprises always sneak up from behind...

Cuz I'm an Ass Man. Yeah!

Enjoy his theme in all its glory below:

#8 Strike Force - Girls in Cars

Tito Santana and Rick Martel - Strikeforce

During the early 80s, one tag team dominated all the others and seemed unbeatable - The Hart Foundation. With their manager Jimmy Hart, they ran roughshod on the entire WWE roster; until they ran into Strike Force, that is.

Veteran grappler Tito was paired with journeyman Martel to form one of the most dynamic teams of the decade. Their climb to fame was no doubt helped by their theme song, which they even performed background vocals for. Quintessentially 80s through and through, you can enjoy the video below -

#7 CM Punk - Cult of Personality

CM Punk

It's not often that a song nearly three decades old captivates a new generation, but that's exactly what CM Punk accomplished when he chose Living Color's top forty hit, Cult of Personality, as his new entrance theme.

From the opening guitar riff, the song gives sends chills down the listener's spine, only enhancing the effect of CM Punk's mercurial personality. Check out the classic vid right here.

#6 Stone Cold Steve Austin - Broken Glass

Steve Austin showing off his charm and savoir-faire

Stone Cold! Stone Cold! Stone Cold! Do you remember Jim Ross belting out that iconic line? If so, you probably remember the way your heart thudded in your chest when you heard that sound of breaking glass.

A hard rock tune composed by James Allen Johnson, who composed many of the Attitude era entrance themes, Broken Glass perfectly sums up Austin's violent, turbulent and NSFW persona. Take a listen and enjoy the nostalgia.

#5 Bobby Roode - Glorious Domination

Bobby Roode

A veteran performer who was often praised for his work ethic and dedication to his craft, Bobby Roode has always impressed hardcore wrestling fans. In order to get him over with the more television centric WWE audience, he needed an entrance theme that left no question he was worthy of the main event.

Enter Glorious Domination, a song written by the CFO$. Evocative of the glam rock band Queen, the opening chorus instils a sense of majesty and, yes, even divinity, upon an undersized superstar no one expected much from in the WWE.

Bobby Roode should probably thank the CFO$ for their undeniable contribution to his new marketability. Check out his theme song from NXT Takeover Brooklyn II as he literally descends from the heavens.

#4 The Midnight Express - theme from Midnight Express

The most famous, and arguably talented, variation of the team, with Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane

You're in the arena, the lights go down low, and a slow, soulful bass picks up. The Midnight Express enters view, awash in a spotlight and accompanied by smoky mist. Chills run down your spine as you see the two legends make their way to the ring to an iconic tune that has somehow become more associated with the tag team than the movie it originated from.

Mysterious, moody, and undeniably 80s, everything about their theme song adds a richness to the already illustrious tag team, called by some the greatest that ever lived.

The Midnight Express theme has several variations, but you can listen to the one most wrestling fans are familiar with below.

#3 Undertaker - Rest in Peace

The Deadman

One of the most recognisable wrestlers in the world, Mark Calloway had an illustrious career that spanned multiple federations and territories. However, he will always be remembered for his Undertaker character, an icon and mainstay in the WWE since the early 90s.

Though he seems to have retired...for now, 'Taker is still one of the most talked about wrestlers in the business.

His theme music borrows liberally from Frédéric Chopin's Piano Sonata, Op. 35, No. 2 in B-flat Minor, but jazzes it up with an ominous ringing -- a funeral bell, perhaps -- and an almost uplifting refrain. Listen to this piece of history below.

#2 Hulk Hogan - Real American

Terry Bollea, aka Hulk Hogan

The Rock N Wrestling Connection, the admittedly genius brainchild of Vince McMahon, drove the business to possibly its greatest heights ever, making wrestling 'cool' for the MTV crowd.

Composed and performed by legendary rocker Rick Derringer -- with Hogan himself on electric guitar -- Real American is as synonymous with Hogan's run in the 80s as the bandanna and ripped shirts. The song was so famous that WCW even COPIED IT for his run with their company. Check out the original, and far better, version below.

Honorable Mention - Ric Flair, Also Sprach Zarathustra

The one and only Nature Boy

Only one song could possibly live up to the majesty and prestige which Ric Flair brings to the ring, and that song is a classical 'tone poem' by artist Richard Strauss. Full of all the pomp and ceremony evocative of the kiss stealin' one himself, the tune is so associated with Flair that most people don't even realise the song has been around since the 19th century!

So why is this bit of wrestling history not on the official list? Because of the persistent urban legend that Ric Flair is the first wrestler to use entrance music. Women's wrestler Mildred Burke actually holds that honour.

And besides, Ric is at the top of enough of these lists as it is!

#1 Koko B. Ware - Piledriver

Koko and Frankie

And now for the top of the list, the best wrestler theme song in existence. When Vince acquired Koko, he knew he was getting a solid performer with high-flying ability and a kid-friendly pet parrot. What he never expected were the golden vocal chords Koko brought to bear on the Piledriver album.

Though he never broke out of the mid-card in the WWE, Koko's contribution to the music industry will never be forgotten. Check out the video, and see how many wrestlers you can name in the background.

Ten iconic athletes, and ten iconic songs. Let the hate mail from Nakamura fans begin!