7 Most Shocking WWE Superstar Releases Of 2017

News that long-time WWE composer Jim Johnston would be released from his contract earlier this month sent shockwaves around the online wrestling community. At least, it did among those who had actually heard of him.

Because, in many ways, Johnston was the company's ultimate unsung hero, for more than three decades going about the task of creating memorable entrance themes for our favourite wrestlers with minimal fuss.

He is owed a debt of gratitude both by fans and the performers for whom he lovingly crafted an essential - and, in some cases, the essential - component of their in-ring personas. It simply can't be overstated how important a role this guy played in WWE history, particularly during the early days when he was, by all accounts, pretty much a one-man band.

Incidentally, that appears to be why WWE have suddenly decided to get rid: they now favour out-sourcing the composition of their original music to a third-party company. Entrance themes these days are designed by committee, in other words, which probably explains why many of them have the same generic sound.