Top 10 WWE Pay Per View Themes

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Wrestling is STILL Fun blog. Today we will start with the first edition of the top 10 list. This top 10 is based around the top 10 songs done by actual bands that have been used as Pay-Per View themes for WWE events. My criteria is by how the song fits the event as well as how much I enjoy the song. I hope you enjoy this.

10) “Big Time” by Peter Gabriel from WWE WrestleMania XXII in 2006.

This WrestleMania was nicknamed as “Big Time.” When the subtitle for the event is Big Time, it pays off to have the theme for said event share the title. WWE went back 20 years to find this Peter Gabriel song. Unlike the other songs on this it would not chart on the rock charts but that does not mean it is a good song. I personally enjoy the song. The song talks about hitting the big time and leaving the small town that the person singing is leaving. Sounds like the perfect explanation of a guy who left the independent scene at the end of the summer for a WWE deal dressed up as a gangster for John Cena’s entrance at the event. I hear he is considered to be The Best In The World...

09) “Dark Horses” by Switchfoot from WWE Royal Rumble 2012.

The Royal Rumble, a perfect fit for dark horses. When you have 30 wrestlers (women have been in the ring with the men a few times in this event) you will have a dark horse or two. Hell the first Royal Rumble winner was a dark horse in “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan as well as several other winners over the years such as Yokozuna in 1993 despite a late draw was a relatively new wrestler having only squashing guys like Virgil, Bret Hart and Lex Luger in 1994 as Bret had his leg injured in a previous match and Luger was attacked by Japanese wrestlers Tenryu and Kabuki aligning with Yokozuna, Shawn Michaels twice in 1995 when he drew number 1 and again in 1996 returning from a pair of concussions, Steve Austin in 1997 when he drew number 5, Vince McMahon in 1999 when drew number 2, Chris Benoit in 2004 when he drew number 1, and Rey Mysterio who drew number 2 in 2006.  Besides being a fitting song, the song is good. The only reason it is lower is because I got into the song, not by WWE but at the Monster Jam World Finals as they played it for their Young Guns Shoot Out and that is what got me into it and not it being on a WWE pay per view.

08) “Step Up” by Drowning Pool from WWE WrestleMania XX in 2004.

WrestleMania XX the forgotten WrestleMania (Thanks a lot Chris Benoit.) While this WrestleMania is forgotten, don’t let this song be. The first single after the untimely death of front man Dave Williams and it was amazing. Too bad a Drowning Pool line-up never lasted more than two albums. The problem is, it was not that good of a fit for a WrestleMania if you ask me. Great song, bad fit for a WrestleMania if you as me.

07) “I Don’t Wanna Stop” by Ozzy Osbourne from WWE Judgment Day 2007.

SHARON! This Osbourne-Wylde instant classic from 2007 was used for a pay-per view centered around the clash of the titan. John Cena and Great KhalI. Wait, that is more like a flash in the pants. The only thing great about the show was the theme. Oh and the pay per view of the dreaded Punt Kick by Randy Orton. The song is flat out awesome.

06) “Light It Up” by Rev Theory from WWE WrestleMania XXIV in 2008.

This was a kick ass rock song. Sadly it was upstaged by another song that was also done by this band for a different pay per view. Personally this song was better and a better fit for pay-per view. WrestleMania is the Grand Daddy of them All and this was the kick ass rock anthem for the 23^rd annual event held in Orlando, FL. Yes WWE, WrestleMania XXV was NOT the 25^th anniversary WrestleMania, that would have been WrestleMania XXVI the NEXT year.

Sorry for the off-topic rant about the WWE chronologically. It just annoys me. This song really gave the right image for an event of extra ordinary magnitude that WrestleMania. For this, you have my gratitude WWE.

05) “Nothing Left To Lose” by Puddle of Mudd from WWE Royal Rumble 2004.

The forgotten Royal Rumble, the night Chris Benoit won the Royal Rumble from number 1, Shawn Michaels faced Triple H in a Last Man Standing match for the World title and the night Hardcore Holly faced BROCK LESNAR for the WWE Title. I do not kid about that second part. This song worked with all of the matches. Shawn got a second match with Triple H after the Duel in the Desert on Raw went to a draw, Chris Benoit was going for his quest for the WWE title and Hardcore Holly wanted vengeance on BROCK LESNAR for breaking his (freakin’) neck. For each of those men they proved they should have the chance and they had nothing left to lose.

04) “Monster” by Skillet from WWE Hell in a Cell 2009.

In 2009, Undertaker was feuding with CM Punk and so were Randy Orton and John Cena. Their feuds converged into a Hell in a Cell and in that match you do become a monster. Not that CM Punk was not becoming a monster, a monster who wanted to purge the WWE of anyone who wasn’t straight edge. He succeed in August by removing Jeff Hardy from the WWE. WWE matched the pay per view with a song by Skillet that was fittingly called Monster. The song is amazing and made Skillet known among rock fans.

03) “Bodies” by Drowning Pool from WWF SummerSlam 2001, ECW One Night Stand 2005, ECW One Night Stand 2006 & ECW December 2 Dismember.

The main knock against this now classic song is it was used several times over and over again. However, Bodies is quintessential hard rocking song. It was used originally for WWF SummerSlam in 2001, the second pay per view during the WCW Invasion Storyline. It was used again for the three WWE pay per views branded under the ECW name. The song is amazing and you can easily see why it was big. Too bad it had to be released around the time Clear Channel banned over 100 songs including songs that don’t make sense like Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York,” Limp Bizkit’s “Break Stuff,” Van Halen’s “Jump,” Barenaked Ladies “Falling for the First Time,” and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge.” The song should be a sports anthem and can be heard at some arenas and stadiums.

02) “My Way” by Limp Bizkit from WWF WrestleMania XVII in 2001.

This was the second use of a song for a WWF pay-per view and if you ask me, the best use of a song for a video package ever. The video package that WWF put to this song was amazing. It was for the Steve Austin and The Rock who faced off in the main event for the show for the WWF World title. At the time Limp Bizkit was one of the biggest bands in the world and WWF was at the pinnacle of their Attitude era. That WrestleMania was one of the best ever when you look at the build up to them and the card action. And the theme helped make the show important. Important enough that most pay per views ever since have had a song used for it. I am not knocking the old themes that the WWF used for pay per views before this, but once they did I think there was no going back. WWE’s Capital Punishment theme is a PERFECT example of this.

0           01) “Always” by Saliva from WWE Survivor Series 2002

My Way started the fire but this was the best video package I have ever seen for a match. Eric Bischoff was the General Manager of the Raw brand and wanted to one up the use of the Hell in a Cell for the title fight between The Undertakah and BROCK LESNAR at No Mercy by SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon. So Eric Bischoff made the Elimination Chamber featuring World Heavyweight champion Triple H, Booker T, Kane, Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam and Shawn Michaels. The match was enhanced by the music video set to an amazing song that made Saliva from just another nu-metal band from the early 2000’s into a great band. Too bad Josey Scott left them just this year…

I hope you enjoyed my first top 10 list. If you want, feel free to post your opinions then do so. If you have suggestions for Top 10's in the future, please e-mail me at kingmichael87@gmail.com. Also don't forget to check out the friends of the show Twister Rat and Dan's Video Den.