What's the point of PPV Theme Songs?

[klunderbunker]

What's the point of these? They do very little at all and traditionally are by bands that rarely heard from again. I'm watching the 05 Rumble and the theme song is Find the Real by Alter Bridge. Yeah they're a known band but what's the point of the song? the name makes no sense and it is there for a video package about Orton and HHH and is played in the background of the arena. Other than that there's nothing at all that it does. These have been used for many years now but I've yet to see the point of them. Does anyone like them at all, or are there more people like me that see them as pointless?

Note: this isn't about Alter Bridge or the 05 Rumble in particular, since I'm sure a lot of people will talk about it since i mentioned it anyway.

 

[JJ "the Devil's Advocate"]

I like them, but ONLY for the big 4 (or 5 if you count night of champions). Every month seems like overkill, IMO.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Yeah I agree that they are usually using bands that aren't good and that the songs serve little purpose for the PPV's themselves. However, even if these band's aren't good, it is a chance for them to get some exposure that they might not otherwise have had. They could go from a band no one has heard of, to a band that played the song used on one WWE show. Not that that's REALLY making much of a difference because we forget who most of these bands are afterwards anyway, but I was just pointing out that something little does come out of those PPV songs.

I would do away with that idea, find more established bands, and use one song over and over for that particular PPV other than for the Big 4 and Night of Champions. Those are the biggest shows of the year and I can understand them having different songs used, but for the "less important" PPV's they should just find a good theme by an established band and stick with it for that PPV series from now on because most of us fans don't care about those songs by bands no one has ever heard of.

 

[iamcountrymusic]

i totally agree. It's always the same type of band too.
i work at a hockey arena and they play the exact same music. Every night i hear at least 8 out of the past years PPV themes. They also play Shawn Michaels theme, but that's different.

 

[ascott1984]

Personally i like all the different theme songs BECAUSE they use bands that don't get that much exposure. There are four things things i love in this world soccer, UFC, wrestling and music. If wrestling opens up new avenues of music to me that i wouldn't normally get to hear i'm all for it. My favourite PPV song of the year has been Civil Twilights 'Letters from the Sky' and i personally thought it added to the climax of the Cena-Orton feud pre package video.

 

[lenguy]

Why does it matter? Its ether a chance for the band to get some much needed exposure like digger pointed out or sometimes the song might have certain lyrics that could add to a fued when they air it in the video promo. go figure you find some random aspect of the business to complain about...like ppv theme songs?really? i dont mind them sometimes its a good song that will introduce me to a new band who might no be all that great. but ever since iv started watching wrestling. iv downloaded almost all the songs they've used cuz its introduction to some new music, new music is always great sometimes the songs are good, sometimes there not and sometimes there really terrible(wm 22 big time, any of you remember that?yukk) if you wanna talk about theme songs,raw new theme..nickelback?really?..really???not like nickelback needs the exposure..makes me lose a little respect for the company and who ever thought it would be"cool"to have a nickelback song. o well...they'll change it in a year or so anyway,like they always do.

 

[thetylertank]

I don't really like them. They are just another way of WWE getting money. By making artists pay to have their song played and their album advertised (less than like 5 times might I add). IMO its just stupid, and they need to just stop it!

 

[FallenAngelV2]

I don't really like them. They are just another way of WWE getting money. By making artists pay to have their song played and their album advertised (less than like 5 times might I add). IMO its just stupid, and they need to just stop it!

You got the paying aspect backwards my friend. WWE doesn't get paid, they are doing the paying. They use lesser known artists for the most part because the fees for the right to use the songs is a lot cheaper. They also don't just have to pay for the event use but the right to use a song on the DVDs that are sold. Hence why when they were all about using well known artists in 2001-2002, frequently the DVD release had another generic song dubbed over.

Now as far as the main topic, I have always enjoyed the use of PPV theme songs. It usually adds a nice touch to video packages and for the live event feel. And to the above poster that disliked the Wrestlemania 22 theme, are you crazy? That song was freaking awesome!

 

[instantkarmaVA]

I loathe the music they pick for PPVS. It's either some 18th generation grunge crap or established white trash acts like Nickelback or Kid Rock. Can't Jim Johnston(WWE composer) make instrumentals anymore? Personally I feel a driving instumental is sufficent to add emotion to a card. I'm thinking Monday Night Football-ish theme maybe. That would get me more pumped than the latest hit by _________________.

Notice none of these bands they pick for PPV don't become house hold names 90% of the time. Also the established bands they pick don't have any relevance in todays music scene.....

 

[PEP3]

You got the paying aspect backwards my friend. WWE doesn't get paid, they are doing the paying. They use lesser known artists for the most part because the fees for the right to use the songs is a lot cheaper. They also don't just have to pay for the event use but the right to use a song on the DVDs that are sold. Hence why when they were all about using well known artists in 2001-2002, frequently the DVD release had another generic song dubbed over.

Now as far as the main topic, I have always enjoyed the use of PPV theme songs. It usually adds a nice touch to video packages and for the live event feel. And to the above poster that disliked the Wrestlemania 22 theme, are you crazy? That song was freaking awesome!

While you are most likely correct in large part, I would almost guarantee there is a dept. of WWE that negotiates such deals with bands, getting greatly reduced licensing rates and likely free appearances by celebrities of all forms, not just musicians, in exchange for the massive exposure WWE offers bands/performers. When I was in the marketing/PR industry working for a major internet company we all know, we had a person on-hand to do exactly this. It stands to reason a mulitnational, billion dollar company like WWE would have this as well.

Recently I read somewhere (I can't recall off-hand where) how WWE Monday Night Raw is now being viewed along the same lines as many major talk shows. Performers negotiate free or minimally paid appearances in lieu of the marketing opportunities WWE presents. That's how WWE is getting its seemingly never-ending string of guest hosts, most of whom have TV shows/movies/products they want to expose to the 3-4 million people who watch RAW each week.

For many lesser known bands, WWE probably has to pay only flights/lodging and a slight licensing fee to include live performances by the band on PPVs and the song on their DVDs. For bands trying to promote a new album or single, the month long lead-in to a PPV equals millions of potential audience impressions, downloads and CD sales. It really becomes a win-win.

 

[The Aussie Invasion]

Well personally, I enjoy the use of theme songs, some of them are pretty good songs, but if you showed a promo for a fued without music (most times the ppv theme is played during) it would be pretty boring IMO.

Whilst most of you say there should only be themes for the big 4 and night of champions, I disagree, Incase you didn't notice, this years NOC, theme wasn't played at all (which was loaded by shattersphere BTW) on RAW, SmackDown and ECW during promoting the matches on the card, or at the actual event itself, instead they played some royal sounding crap. So IMO you need theme songs for ppv's as pointless as they may be, they give it something extra and make it less boring IMO.

 

[JJohns]

I think that the decision is financial for WWE. One thing that people forget about with people like Jim Johnston, Jimmy Hart and Dale Oliver is that they receive royalties every time a song that they wrote is used. So at every event that you hear "Sexy Boy" at, that's money in Jimmy Hart's pocket. At every event that you hear "I Am" at, that's money in Dale Oliver's pocket. That's also part of the reason that WWE did a remix to R-Truth's entrance, to remove the elements that Dale Oliver wrote so that they didn't have to pay him any royalties for "What's Up?"

On top of that, having a different theme for each PPV also gives more of an entertainment value to the PPV. WWE doesn't pride itself on being a Wrestling Company, but an Entertainment Company.

 

[therealicon86]

well, i think that 95% of the time the themes they use for a ppv are good like wrestlemania 22 when they used bullets and octane's "save me sorrow" that was good cause it was mainly for vince vs. hbk. and it or when they used puddle of mudd's "nothing left to lose" during the royal rumble of 2004 that was made mainly for hbk vs. hhh (last man standing) because hbk had nothing to lose but trips did.

alot of these songs are really the theme for a ceartain match no doubt. its just i think you have to pay attention to which match the song relates too. i mean look at wrestlemania 24 the theme song was rev theory's "light it up" because orton, cena, and triple h sure as hell lit it up that year. or bad blood 2004 when they used seether's "sold me" that was mainly for the hell in a cell match because triple h in fact sold shawn up the river thats what lead to that rivalry. or look at wrestlmania 25 AC/DC's "shoot to thrill" was intended for hbk vs. undertaker (weren't you thrilled during that match?) they did just that

so there it goes guys some of these songs you just have to pay attention to the lyrics and then see which match it is intended for. it does not have to represent every match on the card but it does represent at least one.

 

[justinept]

You got the paying aspect backwards my friend. WWE doesn't get paid, they are doing the paying. They use lesser known artists for the most part because the fees for the right to use the songs is a lot cheaper. QUOTE]

No. Actually, you're the one who is wrong. I work in the sports and entertainmanent industry and the WWE using these songs is a form of unique advertising. The record label is the one paying the WWE to promote their song.

And God forbid Vince McMahon treats the WWE like a business and explores other avenues of revenue. I'm sorry that some people don't like the songs he chooses, but his financial decisions are hardly yours to make.

Complain about storylines, character development, etc ... Don't complain about menial parts of the business.

 

[makeitvab]

I don't mind them, sometimes they use bad songs but eh they tend to fit the packages at least sound wise.

Also I found my favorite band Rise Against due to i think the 2006 royal rumble.

 

[unique.enigma.666]

I like it, I'm a huge music fan and it introduces me to new, awesome bands. I never heard of Switchfoot or Art Of Dying before they were used for themes for Survivor Series and now TLC. I wouldn't have heard of Shinedown if it wasn't for their song Devour being used for Night Of Champions a few years ago. Its beneficial to the band greatly, they gain more fans through WWE, which is huge. I was hardly into Lynyrd Skynyrd but once I heard Still Unbroken, got into them. I mean at times there are some themes I don't like but just ignore it. Plus when it comes down to the highlight packages post-PPV then it makes for a great background.

 

[jesmcsel]

Sometimes they do manage to get a real gem. Take for example, "Your Going Down" by Sick Puppies, and "Monster" by Skillet, both are currently on Billboards Top 100 Rock Chart. "All Nightmare Long" (Used at No Mercy 2008, I believe) by Metallica was also another song that charted well, and WWE picked up on it long before it became a popular single.

But on the average, most are not big hits. As a music aficionado, I enjoy listening to the music of WWE, because it exposes me to alot of groups that are up and coming.

 

[The Doctor]

I think the purpose of the songs is to make the PPVs more special. Giving them special songs make them feel like a bigger event than just another episode of RAW, Smackdown, or ECW. It gives exposure to artists, and gives PPVs a different feel.

 

[ccotreau1]

The way I look at it, its just like the wrestlers having theme songs and the different brands having theme songs...works for the wrestlers and for the brand, why can't a PPV have its own theme song? It only makes sense to me that if they are going to do the themes for the brand, that the pay per view has a theme song too...Not only that, it exposes bands that might not have gotten exposed before, or for those bands that have exposure, helps them even more when they are trying to sell a new album.

 

[tornadof86]

the whole point of theme songs at wrestling ppvs is the same reason that advertisements are played before movies while they're playing in the theaters and why music is played at hockey games during the breaks...it's so people don't get bored and walk out before the event either starts or comes back from a break.

 

[HBK-aholic]

I am completely indifferent towards them. I couldn't name you any theme song from any given PPV because they're just not a part of my enjoyment. Mostly because the type of music is music I don't listen to, by bands I've never heard of. I don't think the WWE should stop doing this though, maybe some people get a PPV-feel out of it, especially if they're in the arena with a band playing live near them. They should only do it for the big shows though, I don't see the point in it every month.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I think it's a way for some lesser known artists to get exposure and I don't think it hinders the PPV in any way. Some of the theme songs fit the PPV and some don't. You're not going to get 100% success all the time but some theme songs do stick in your mind. My favorite one would be Evanescence's "Bring Me To Life" for No Way Out 2003. If there were more well-known artists for the theme songs, who knows if it will increase PPV buys though I wouldn't think theme songs are proportional to PPV buys.

 

[Tastycles]

I don't really know what the point in them is. The events need music to play over adverts for them, and they always have had something, even if it is in-house. I suppose they do make PPVs a little different, and I imagine advertising the songs gets them revenue from the record labels, because the songs are pretty much all on major labels, even if they are lesser known. There needs to be something there, otherwise it'd be dull, and I don't care what it is. In-house is always going to be better because it'd be relevant, but if advertising a big label's band makes money, then I don't really blame the WWE for going outside, because it doesn't really affect anyone significantly.