CFO$ explained

CFO$
Alias:Arcadia
Kromestatik
Origin:Long Island, New York, U.S.
Occupation:Producers, songwriters, composers, mix engineers
Instrument:Vocals, guitar, drums, piano, production
Years Active:2012–2020
Label:WWE Music Group, Arcade Songs

CFO$ was an American songwriting and production duo consisting of John Paul Alicastro and Michael Conrad Lauri. They were primarily known for creating entrance music and program themes for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

Career

CFO$ joined forces with the WWE through Arcade Songs, a record label owned by Gregg Wattenberg, when it was named Wind-Up Records back in 2012.[1] They made their musical debut on the special 1,000th episode edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, named WWE Raw 1000, which aired on July 23, 2012, when their song "The Night" was selected as the show's official main theme.[2] Shortly after, they began contributing themes for main roster WWE talent.[3]

The duo acted as WWE Music Group's executive producers and were the driving creative force behind the WWE's music department until early 2020. During their tenure, they secured two number one singles in the iTunes Soundtrack category with "The Rising Sun" for Shinsuke Nakamura[4] and "Glorious Domination" for Bobby Roode.[5] They further contributed theme songs and original scores to shows and programming which aired on the WWE Network.[6]

In February 2020, it was publicly reported that CFO$ had been in a dispute with their publisher over the previous month, due to money CFO$ states was owed to them per their publishing deal. CFO$ attempted to have WWE buy them out of their publishing deal and have them work in-house but the publisher rejected the proposal. In August 2020, CFO$ were released from their recording contract and disbanded shortly afterwards. All of the production input has since been replaced by def rebel.[7]

Television appearances

Web

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018WWE Ride AlongThemselves; Alicastro and LauriEpisode: "Ballad of Elias and Balor Club"
2018Walk with Elias

The Documentary

Themselves; Alicastro and LauriWWE Network mockumentary

See also

Notes and References

  1. Hyman . Dan . When WWE Wrestlers Need Music, They Call This Industry Insider (And No. 1 Hitmaker) . December 26, 2020 . Billboard . September 15, 2017 . en.
  2. News: Melok . Bobby . Meet CFO$, the musical masterminds behind your favorite Superstar’s entrance music . August 19, 2024 . . August 17, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160818165009/https://www.wwe.com/inside/wwemusic/article/cfos-wwe-entrance-music . August 18, 2016.
  3. News: Pasbani . Robert . WWE Music Composers CFO$ Talk Favorite Metal Bands, How They Created Some Of Your Favorite Entrance Themes . August 19, 2024 . . August 18, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170820163638/https://metalinjection.net/wrestlemetal/wwe-music-composers-cfo-talk-favorite-metal-bands-how-they-created-some-of-your-favorite-entrance-themes . August 20, 2017.
  4. News: WWE.com Staff . Nakamura’s entrance theme is the No .1 iTunes soundtrack song . August 19, 2024 . WWE . April 7, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160410033930/https://www.wwe.com/inside/wwemusic/article/nakamuras-entrance-theme-hits-no-1-itunes . April 10, 2016.
  5. News: Peterborough Examiner . Bobby Roode’s music No. 1 on iTunes chart . August 19, 2024 . . limited . August 23, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240819230554/https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/sports/bobby-roodes-music-no-1-on-itunes-chart/article_33e52a30-a85e-5c49-8c6b-389d619a99c2.html . August 19, 2024.
  6. News: Lambert . Jeremy . CFO$ Discuss Their Process In Creating Music For WWE . August 19, 2024 . Fightful . limited . October 3, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210511155643/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/cfo-discuss-their-process-creating-music-wwe . May 11, 2021.
  7. News: Sapp . Sean Ross . Exclusive: Why CFO$ Isn't Working With WWE . August 19, 2024 . Fightful . limited . February 20, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230929212914/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/exclusives/exclusive-why-cfo-isn-t-working-wwe . September 29, 2023.