Randy Orton Nearly Ditched Rock Theme
WWE's Randy Orton revealed he nearly abandoned his iconic rock entrance theme because he hated rock music and preferred hip-hop. Lyon, France fans singing "Voices" during a show convinced him to keep it, with the clip garnering over 11,000 likes.
The iconic opening guitar riff of "Voices" has been synonymous with Randy Orton since 2008, a theme crafted specifically to match his "Apex Predator" persona. The song was written and performed by the American rock band Rev Theory, who have contributed other tracks for WWE events like WrestleMania XXIV and Extreme Rules 2011. Rev Theory's lead singer, Rich Luzzi, reportedly traveled with Orton for a week to get into the mindset of his character before writing the song's lyrics. The goal was to capture the perspective of a "killer who had no control over his actions," perfectly aligning with Orton's calculating and unpredictable on-screen demeanor. The band even performed "Voices" live at WrestleMania 30 for Orton's entrance. The pivotal moment in Lyon, France, occurred during the 2024 Backlash premium live event. The passionate French audience singing "Voices" in unison was a powerful experience for Orton, who described it as "mind-blowing." He noted that in his nearly 16 years of using the song, no American crowd had ever sung along with it in that manner. The powerful fan reception in France had a ripple effect, with U.S. audiences beginning to sing along as well, a phenomenon Orton called "contagious." This surge in audience participation directly influenced his decision to keep the theme he had grown tired of. Before this, there had been considerations as recently as December 2023 to change his entrance music.
