March 13, 2025
by Alex Licea
For many of us who grew up in the 1990s, walk-up music was often associated with pro wrestling. This was especially true during the so-called “Attitude Era” when legend Stone Cold Steve Austin was wreaking havoc. Austin’s entrance to the sounds of shredded glass followed by an abrasive rock guitar riff established the Texas Rattlesnake and his hard-nosed, brash personality.
Entrance music was and still is instrumental with a wrestler’s character, and it was the audience’s introduction to their persona.
Have you ever played a song in your head when your boss, your commander, or someone with authority walked in? The theory is that every leader is tied to an entrance song that other people hear. This is the general idea behind the Walk-Up Music Concept.
At a recent military course I was attending, we were challenged to select our walk-up music to describe what our leadership style says about us when we enter a room.
The institutional structure of these military leadership courses often gives students the ability to go into thoughtful discussions about leadership doctrine, philosophy, and visions. This exercise was a fun way to explore that.
The concept was simple: pick any song you associate with your leadership approach or style. It was a lighthearted and entertaining topic of discussion that carried throughout the course.
Let’s have some fun and explore some walk-up music and genres that could be linked to leadership styles:
The Raw Energy & Charismatic Leader: Ultimate Warrior Theme Song “Unstable”
Young, energetic leaders with an overabundance of energy are ready to take on the world! Fresh-faced Lieutenants or newly pinned Non-Commissioned Officers with excitement and charisma need a theme song to fire others up.
Let’s stick with the pro wrestling world and talk about the best walk-up/entrance song, in my opinion, of all time. WWE Hall of Famer The Ultimate Warrior’s theme song was titled “Unstable.” The instrumental track is 100 seconds of pure raw energy matching the Warrior’s electric entrance into the ring. With the guitar, drums, and cymbals, it’s the perfect song to get our people motivated!
The Autocratic Leader: The John Williams Collection
Autocratic leaders are ones with individual control over all decisions. They expect strict obedience and often evoke fear in their followers. The acclaimed composer and conductor John Williams produced legendary autocratic film scores. From Jaws to the Star Wars saga, the Academy Award winner’s music is synonymous over the last half century with raising the level of anxiety when a boss walks in the room.
Whether it’s the strong instrumental tones where Jaws is slinking towards an unsuspecting victim or Darth Vader’s Imperial March from the Empire Strikes Back as he enters looking to choke someone, these songs induce followers to cower and obey.
This music plays as the figure walks in and establishes their presence in the room. There is one clear boss and no questions asked! They might not be popular, but they do make decisions and get results (or not), albeit with the full dedication or disdain of their team. Not many people want this music to play when they walk in the room, but we’ve all heard it in some of our bosses.
The Transformational Leader: The Outkast Collection
A transformational leader is a person who inspires positive changes convincing others to follow. Transformational leaders are generally energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate and are the ones who want their teams to succeed.
I can’t think of a more transformational musical catalog than Atlanta-based rap duo Outkast. The hip-hop act is considered one of the best in the business. Their style elevated Southern Hip Hop in the 90’s dominated by West Coast Rap Commercial hits like “Hey Ya!”, “B.O.B.”, “ATLiens”, and “The Way You Move” as just a small sample of their eclectic catalog. Their unique way of mixing thoughtful and complex topics with upbeat, dynamic and charged sounds is the ideal soundtrack for a transformational leader.
Other Leadership Styles and Associated Walk-Up Music
The Cheerful or Happy Leader. It’s a no-brainer, and you gotta go with “Happy” by Pharrell Williams where the entrance is fun and shows their mood. This type of leader is always positive, inspiring, and doesn’t let bad news get them down no matter what!
The Disorganized Leader. We’ve all had that leader who is just a “walking mess” from organizational skills to holding a meeting and everything in between. For this, just some good old “Circus Music” or the theme song to the “The Three Stooges” TV show suits the individual perfectly.
The AC-DC Leader. For obvious reasons, legendary rock band AC/DC and its songs are a favorite go-to for military leaders and other hard-chargers across many industries. While AC/DC is not a leadership approach, it is common to hear “Hells Bells,” “Back in Black,” and “Thunderstruck,” among others at events to get people fired up! If you’re a leader looking for your walk-up music, you can’t go wrong with AC/DC.
The Reality of “Walk-Up Music”
Here’s the deal. We get to determine what other people think our walk-up music is by how we act every day. The way we carry ourselves, our energy, and how we treat, lead, and inspire others will undoubtably leave a mark on those around us. This concept represents how we are perceived in other people’s minds which evoke lasting memories of a time, place, and events creating the soundtrack of a person’s life.
Try it out!
If this concept is new, ask your colleagues what song they would associate with you. Their answers might be surprising. Use it as a fun team building event or part of your next leader professional development session. And then consider how your actions have led to other people hearing that song in you. Music changes and so can leadership styles. Use this as self-reflection, constructive feedback, and lifelong learning. No one song should define our lives because, just like musicians, we all have a lifelong work and music catalogs evolving over time!
Share what is your “Walk-Up Song” in the comments section below.
About the Author:
Alex Licea is a senior enlisted military leader with over 22 years of military service. He has served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He earned his Masters Degree from Georgetown University and is an avid fan of the Miami Dolphins, WWE, the Yellowstone series, chicken wings and Ranch dressing.
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All songs were used under fair use.
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