CFO$
{{Tone|date=August 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{short description|American musical duo}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| background = group_or_band
| name = CFO$
| image =
| image_size =
| image_upright =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption =
| alias = Arcadia
Kromestatik
| origin = Long Island, New York, U.S.
| genre =
| discography =
| occupation = Producers, songwriters, composers, mix engineers
| instrument = Vocals, guitar, drums, piano, production
| years_active = {{Start date|2012}}–{{End date|2020}}
| label = WWE Music Group, Arcade Songs
| spinoffs =
| spinoff_of =
| current_members =
| past_members = John Paul Alicastro
Michael Conrad "Mike" Lauri
| website =
| module =
| module2 =
| module3 =
}}
CFO$ ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|s|iː|ɛ|f|ˈ|oʊ|s}}) were 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.{{cite magazine |last1=Hyman |first1=Dan |title=When WWE Wrestlers Need Music, They Call This Industry Insider (And No. 1 Hitmaker) |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/television/7965820/wwe-wrestler-music-gregg-wattenberg-interview |access-date=December 26, 2020 |magazine=Billboard |date=September 15, 2017 |language=en}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Melok |first1=Bobby |title=Meet CFO$, the musical masterminds behind your favorite Superstar's entrance music |url=https://www.wwe.com/inside/wwemusic/article/cfos-wwe-entrance-music |access-date=August 19, 2024 |work=WWE |date=August 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818165009/https://www.wwe.com/inside/wwemusic/article/cfos-wwe-entrance-music |archive-date=August 18, 2016}} Shortly after, they began contributing themes for main roster WWE talent.{{cite news |last1=Pasbani |first1=Robert |title=WWE Music Composers CFO$ Talk Favorite Metal Bands, How They Created Some Of Your Favorite Entrance Themes |url=https://metalinjection.net/wrestlemetal/wwe-music-composers-cfo-talk-favorite-metal-bands-how-they-created-some-of-your-favorite-entrance-themes |access-date=August 19, 2024 |work=Metal Injection |date=August 18, 2017 |archive-url=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 |archive-date=August 20, 2017}}
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{{cite news |author1=WWE.com Staff |title=Nakamura's entrance theme is the No .1 iTunes soundtrack song |url=https://www.wwe.com/inside/wwemusic/article/nakamuras-entrance-theme-hits-no-1-itunes |access-date=August 19, 2024 |work=WWE |date=April 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410033930/https://www.wwe.com/inside/wwemusic/article/nakamuras-entrance-theme-hits-no-1-itunes |archive-date=April 10, 2016}} and "Glorious Domination" for Bobby Roode.{{cite news |author1=Peterborough Examiner |title=Bobby Roode's music No. 1 on iTunes chart |url=https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/sports/bobby-roodes-music-no-1-on-itunes-chart/article_33e52a30-a85e-5c49-8c6b-389d619a99c2.html |access-date=August 19, 2024 |work=Peterborough Examiner |url-access=limited |date=August 23, 2016 |archive-url=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 |archive-date=August 19, 2024}} They further contributed theme songs and original scores to shows and programming which aired on the WWE Network.{{cite news |last1=Lambert |first1=Jeremy |title=CFO$ Discuss Their Process In Creating Music For WWE |url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/cfo-discuss-their-process-creating-music-wwe |access-date=August 19, 2024 |work=Fightful |url-access=limited |date=October 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511155643/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/cfo-discuss-their-process-creating-music-wwe |archive-date=May 11, 2021}}
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.{{cite news |last1=Sapp |first1=Sean Ross |title=Exclusive: Why CFO$ Isn't Working With WWE |url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/exclusives/exclusive-why-cfo-isn-t-working-wwe |access-date=August 19, 2024 |work=Fightful |url-access=limited |date=February 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929212914/https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/exclusives/exclusive-why-cfo-isn-t-working-wwe |archive-date=September 29, 2023}}
Television appearances
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"|Notes |
| 2015
| Themselves; Alicastro and Lauri | Episode: "It's a Beautiful Life?" |
= Web =
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"|Notes |
| 2018
| Themselves; Alicastro and Lauri | Episode: "Ballad of Elias and Balor Club" |
| 2018
| Walk with Elias: The Documentary | Themselves; Alicastro and Lauri |
WWE discography
{{Main|WWE Music Group discography#Themes by CFO$}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{twitter}}
- {{instagram}}
- {{itunes|gb/artist/cfo$/id631705338}}
{{WWE Albums}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:CFO}}