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Get ready to hum along! Join us as we count down our picks for the catchiest and most enduring theme songs to ever hit the small screen! From iconic instrumentals to unforgettable sing-alongs, these tunes defined generations of television. Which melody lives rent-free in your head?
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00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the
00:09catchiest and most enduring theme songs to hit the small screen.
00:21We'll be including both instrumental themes as well as songs with lyrics, but saving
00:24animated programs for another day.
00:33If a show's goal is to boldly go where no man has gone before, it needs a theme that
00:37encapsulates that intention to a tee.
00:39Luckily, Alexander Courage's primary theme for Star Trek The Original Series shoots for
00:43the stars.
00:54Played over the monologue that opens each episode of this game-changing series, the Star Trek
00:58theme worked equally as an introduction to the entire franchise's sweeping sense of
01:02adventure.
01:03In addition to the orchestral arrangement, the theme is also memorable for the whoosh sound
01:07effect that punctuates the Enterprise as it moves through the credits.
01:13Capped off by the vocals of soprano Luli Jean Norman, this theme speaks to the wonder that
01:18drives us deeper into the mysteries of the universe.
01:24Number 29.
01:26The Mary Tyler Moore Show
01:34This preeminent 70s sitcom was groundbreaking in its portrayal of a single woman making
01:39a life for herself in Minneapolis.
01:40The Mary Tyler Moore Show explored this new take on womanhood with confidence and hope,
01:44as evidenced by its use of Love Is All Around during the opening credits.
01:53The Sonny Curtis track functions as a pep talk for the central character and is an undeniable
01:58mood booster for anyone who listens to it.
02:00In many ways, this theme song laid the foundation for other big city sitcoms to capture that same
02:05sense of cheeriness.
02:06Love Is All Around, No Need To Waste It
02:09You Can Have a Time, Why Don't You Take It
02:13However, whereas the immortal theme to friends is an ode to kinship, the Mary Tyler Moore Show
02:17reminds us that trusting ourselves is how we make it after all.
02:21You're gonna make it after all
02:27Number 28.
02:28Gilmore Girls
02:37In addition to her recurring role as music store owner Sophie, Carole King also provided
02:41the theme song for this beloved CW show.
02:44Originally featured on her iconic album Tapestry, King re-recorded Where You Lead with her daughter
02:49Louise Goffin, a fitting choice given Gilmore Girls heavy emphasis on mother-daughter relationships.
02:53Where You Lead, I Will Follow Anywhere
02:59And it was a truly family endeavor as their duet was produced by Goffin's then-husband Greg Wells.
03:04It's a wholesome slice of musical pie and the song's easy-going, optimistic vibe makes it the perfect anthem
03:10for the town of Stars Hollow.
03:11Where You Lead, I Will Follow Anywhere, Anywhere, That You Tell Me
03:19King's foundation is folk and soft rock is well suited to a show that epitomizes all the comforts and simple
03:25pleasures of small town America.
03:26You need me to be with you, I will follow where you lead
03:33Number 27.
03:35All In The Family
03:35By the way Glenn Miller played
03:39Songs that made the hit parade
03:42Norman Lear's legendary sitcom boldly confronted controversial issues through the differing perspectives of the Bunker family.
03:49So it makes sense that the show would open with a charming duet between the out-of-touch Archie and
03:53his good-natured wife Eden.
03:55Sitting at the piano, the two reminisce on fond memories with aptly named Those Were The Days.
03:59Guys like us, we had it made
04:02Those were the days
04:06The song is something akin to a pre-World War II standard, and the delivery of actors Carol O'Connor
04:11and Gene Stapleton is arguably everything you need to know about who Archie and Edith are.
04:15While neither are particularly good singers, their authenticity makes it a delightful representation of their contrasting worldviews.
04:22Not to mention it reaffirms the absolutely adorable love they have for each other.
04:26Those were the days
04:35Number 26.
04:37Malcolm In The Middle
04:37Yes, no, maybe
04:40I don't know
04:42Can you repeat the question?
04:46Life is unfair.
04:47That simple declaration not only concludes the rocking theme song of this suburban sitcom, but also reaffirms its surprisingly deep
04:53themes.
04:54Boss of Me by They Might Be Giants plays off the many thoughts that pervade the title character's mind as
04:59he navigates the middle class with his dysfunctional family.
05:02You're not the boss of me now
05:04You're not the boss of me now
05:06And you're not so big
05:08Much like Malcolm's fourth wall breaks, the song is a commentary on the character's inability to fit in with the
05:14world, while also reminding us that it's not entirely their fault.
05:16Charting in the US, UK, and Australia, Boss of Me also earned They Might Be Giants a Grammy.
05:21If you ask us, that's a testament to how well its propulsive ska sound embodies the changing norms of the
05:26early 2000s.
05:27Life is unfair.
05:31Number 25. Mission Impossible
05:38Although Tom Cruise-led movies have given this franchise a new identity, the original series arrived in the prime of
05:44the James Bond heyday.
05:45With Secret Agents All the Rage, composer Lalo Schifrin met the moment with a surprisingly textured theme for Mission Impossible.
06:00Written in the 5-4 time signature, that extra beat makes the music an appropriate exercise in tension.
06:05Almost like we're preparing for an impending explosion.
06:16What's more is that Schifrin, like any master of espionage, reportedly hid some secrets in the stage.
06:21As the tune's main rhythm has been interpreted as Morse code for the initials MI.
06:25That ingenious act of composition has made this a defining piece of music, not just for TV, but the entire
06:30action genre.
06:37Number 24. Succession
06:47Composer Nicholas Bertel has provided this HBO masterpiece with some standout musical moments, and that includes Kendall's flavorful tribute to
06:54his father, L to the OG.
06:55Fifty years strong, now he's rolling in a sick rod, handmade suits, raking in loot, five star general, y'all
07:02best salute.
07:03But it's the main theme of succession that's perhaps most worthy of the high and mighty Roy family.
07:07Drawing from both classical and hip-hop influences, Bertel gives the satirical dramedy a modern touch while imbuing it with
07:13the haughty entitlement that the Roy's wear right on their sleeves.
07:25Making this theme even better is its signature piano motif, an unnerving warning to viewers that things are about to
07:30go haywire.
07:31It's the kind of music designed to draw you in, making you curious about what it's like to be a
07:35Roy, while also making you glad you're not one.
07:45Number 23. The Greatest American Hero
07:55When discussing the greatest superhero shows of all time, The Greatest American Hero is unlikely to pop up.
07:59In fact, it's fair to say its legacy has been completely defined by its theme song.
08:03But what an irresistible earworm it is.
08:13Alternatively titled Believe It or Not, the track made a one-hit wonder out of singer Joey Scarberry,
08:17staying on Billboard's Top 40 for a whopping 18 weeks and peaking at number two.
08:21Sure, it doesn't do a whole lot to make the show itself one for the books,
08:24but Believe It or Not is still an effortlessly fun power ballad about the exhilaration of newfound power.
08:30The Greatest American Hero may not have gotten far off the ground, but this song definitely soars.
08:39Number 22. The Twilight Zone
08:46Rod Serling's eerie anthology series is renowned for telling stories that go to strange and unusual places.
08:52You could say the same thing about how The Twilight Zone found its spine-tingling theme.
08:56While Bernard Herrmann's work introduced the show's first run of episodes,
08:59producers eventually decided that Marius Constance's four-note guitar motif was a more suitable choice.
09:05By the start of the second season, The Twilight Zone gave us the theme we all know and fear.
09:08A dimension of sound. A dimension of sight. A dimension of mind.
09:14And that switch has arguably helped the show reach a level of significance that's all its own.
09:19Constance's theme plays like a siren urging us not to press ahead, but once we cross into the fifth dimension,
09:23we're helpless to stop the show from delivering on its sinister promises.
09:26You've just crossed over into The Twilight Zone.
09:33Number 21. Hawaii Five-0
09:35As far as the most instantly recognizable TV themes go, few do it better than this long-running police procedural.
09:49Morton Stevens' energetic surf rock arrangement is the rollicking platform Hawaii Five-0 needs to showcase its exciting action
09:55and the authentic beauty of the Hawaiian islands.
09:58Originally performed by the CBS Orchestra, the tune has undoubtedly gained an extra life
10:02thanks to the 1969 cover by The Ventures, which reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
10:15It's since been featured in numerous films and TV series and is a perennial favorite amongst marching bands.
10:21It's such an enduring track that test audiences for the 2010 reboot of Hawaii Five-0 rejected the updated synth
10:27theme,
10:27causing the producers to opt for Steven's version once more.
10:35Number 20. The Addams Family
10:37What makes a great classic TV theme song?
10:40Well, memorability for one.
10:42A certain level of catchiness that makes it an earworm, certainly,
10:45but not necessarily to the point where we want to run in the opposite direction.
10:52Composer Vic Mizzi seemed to know that less is more when writing the opening to The Addams Family,
10:57since it hinges on only a couple of instruments, a harpsichord and bass clarinet,
11:01and some iconic finger snaps to make its mark on television history.
11:05So get a witch's shawl on, a broomstick you can crawl on,
11:09we're gonna pay a call on, The Addams Family.
11:14The lyrics describing The Addams overall, well, ookiness, doesn't hurt things either.
11:19And we feel like the song definitely helped push The Addams Family from being a short-lived sitcom
11:23into the enduring brand it is today.
11:26Number 19. Miami Vice
11:28Can you remember the last time when a TV theme song actually entered the Billboard Hot 100?
11:33Never mind climbing all the way to number one.
11:35Well, that's exactly what happened to musician and composer Jan Hammer,
11:39when his hit theme to Miami Vice became nothing short of a worldwide phenomenon.
11:50The primetime cop show was massively influential in terms of visual style,
11:54not to mention the inclusion of major 1980s pop hits on its soundtrack.
11:58It was Hammer's instrumental score that helped carry the show, however,
12:01taking the Czech-American musician's jazz fusion background
12:04and blending it with high-energy rhythms and the futuristic synthesizer sound of the day.
12:19And you know what? It still kicks major ass.
12:22Number 18. Sanford and Son
12:24Music industry icon Quincy Jones has composed some truly incredible music for the world of cinema.
12:30One particular tune stands out for the small screen, however, and it's his song The Street Beater,
12:35perhaps better known as the main theme to the classic 70s sitcom Sanford and Son.
12:48The song has been featured on Jones' solo albums, his greatest hits collection,
12:53and it was even released as a single to help promote the show.
12:56The Street Beater is very much indicative of not only Jones' natural ability to get funky,
13:01but the overall grooving jazziness that permeated blaxploitation hits like Shaft.
13:09The Sanford and Son theme is a feel-good, foot-stomping anthem that never fails to get us moving.
13:15Number 17. Three's Company
13:16Sometimes TV shows feel the need to slightly alter their theme music from season to season,
13:21depending on the length of their intro.
13:22Come a knock on our door
13:24Come a knock on our door
13:25Come a knock on our door
13:26We've been waiting for you
13:27We've been waiting for you
13:29We've been waiting for you
13:29With the kisses are hers and hers and his
13:32Three's Company, too
13:34Three's Company actually did this a lot,
13:37with composer Joe Raposo's swinging semi-disco theme tune
13:40either being edited down or extended, depending on which season you happen to be watching.
13:51The core remains generally the same, however.
13:53A jaunty, slightly funky melody and the lyrics featuring a call and response duet between singers Julia Rinker and Ray
13:59Charles.
14:00No, not that one.
14:01There's even a little bit of room for the instruments to spread out a little,
14:04before Charles and Rinker return for their vocal rendezvous.
14:07It's super fun and very much indicative of the sexy 70s.
14:11Number 16. The X-Files
14:13Chris Carter's The X-Files was a TV hit that was indebted to the monster of the week format found
14:18on such innovative 70s shows as Kolchak, The Night Stalker,
14:22but stood out on its own by bringing a fresh extraterrestrial approach to the table.
14:34This also applied to the music of composer Mark Snow,
14:37which shifted a bit from traditional orchestral themes or catchy rock tunes in favor of an evocative synthesized piece that
14:43emphasized the X-Files atmosphere and elements of mystery.
14:52The theme was all darkness, danger and this unsettling fear of the unknown.
14:57And who could forget that classic whistling noise?
14:59Honestly, it still haunts our dreams to this day.
15:02Number 15. Dallas
15:03You know it, you love it, you just gotta hum it the second it hits your ears.
15:07It's the opening theme to Dallas, that most decadent of primetime soap operas.
15:20Well, you have composer Gerald Imel to thank for that TV earworm,
15:23as the L.A. musician worked writing a lot of music for CBS over the years,
15:28including other hit shows like Knott's Landing and the small screen adaptation of Logan's Run.
15:33It's the Dallas theme for which Imel is best known, of course,
15:36thanks to its bold and brassy melody that's emphasized by just enough of a groovy disco backbeat.
15:48This theme practically screams its richness from the heavens,
15:51evoking mental images of 10-gallon hats, expensive dresses, and all sorts of juicy closed-door backstabbing.
15:58Number 14. The Brady Bunch
15:59There's just something comforting about sitcoms from the late 60s and 70s,
16:03especially those that laid out all of the important plot details for the audience right from the jump.
16:08Here's the story of a lovely lady
16:11who was bringing up three very lovely girls
16:15The Brady Bunch did this and did it with style.
16:18So much style, in fact, that the show's grid of headshots quickly became an iconic part of television history.
16:24Beyond this, that theme song does indeed tell the story of how two parents blended their families together
16:29with all of the growing pains that entails.
16:32That this group must somehow form a family
16:35That's the way we all became the Brady Bunch
16:38The first season's theme was performed by the psychedelic rock band The Peppermint Trolley Company,
16:43while subsequent seasons were recorded in-house at Paramount.
16:46While still retaining all of that warm 1960s sunshine.
16:51Number 13. Happy Days
16:53We all know how important it is for a sitcom to set the proper mood,
16:56especially when that show is set during a specific time period.
16:59Both Happy Days and its spin-off Laverne & Shirley were set during the 1950s
17:03and needed to get that point across with their respective theme songs.
17:07Happy Days was itself a spin-off from an anthology series titled Love, American Style,
17:11and actually utilized a re-recording of the classic tune Rock Around the Clock
17:15before eventually adopting the theme we all know and love.
17:25There's a sense of nostalgia and innocence to the melodies at play,
17:29and the themes to both shows retained these elements,
17:32despite the storylines eventually moving on into the 1960s.
17:36Number 12. Gilligan's Island
17:38It's perhaps one of the most infamous snubs in theme song history.
17:41The omission of the Professor and Marianne from the original Ballad of Gilligan's Isle.
17:58Yeah, both characters were referred to as The Rest in the original Season 1 version,
18:03with the pilot episode even forgetting to mention Ginger.
18:06It was actually star Bob Denver's influence that helped fix this,
18:09starting with the show's second season.
18:11It's here where the most well-known version of Gilligan's Island theme hits,
18:15with its sea shanty structure and memorable lyrics allowing for maximum sing-alongs.
18:20Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip
18:24that started from this topic port aboard this tiny ship.
18:29Number 11. MASH
18:31MASH means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.
18:34It was a hit movie before it was broadcast on television,
18:37before then becoming the most watched TV finale in history.
18:41For younger people, it may have been the show their parents or grandparents watched before bed,
18:45but we all remember its main theme.
18:53Johnny Mandel's original film version was a folk song with lyrics by Michael Altman,
18:58but the TV version wisely chose to go instrumental with outstanding results.
19:03The MASH theme is surprisingly melancholic for television,
19:06thanks to that delicate acoustic guitar intro,
19:09but the horns do temper this feeling a little bit,
19:11bringing things together for a short but sweet slice of television pop for the ages.
19:22Number 10. The Big Bang Theory
19:24Okay, so we may gently rib how sitcom themes of the 1960s were quite verbose in the lyrical department,
19:29but The Big Bang Theory one-upped all of those shows by straight up including a rap about the creation
19:35of the known universe.
19:36Our whole universe was in a hot dance state
19:39that nearly 14 billion years ago expansion started wavy.
19:44Producer Chuck Lorre and crew pitched the idea of recording the theme tune to the Barenaked Ladies,
19:48and the results, well, the results were pretty awesome.
19:52It's lovably nerdy in the best possible way,
19:54while also fast-paced, catchy, and super melodic.
20:02There's even some cool synthesizer noodling in the background to keep things interesting,
20:06while the singers keep the song fresh, loose, and fun.
20:10Number 9. The Golden Girls
20:12It's a rare occasion when the lyrics to a TV theme song become part of the cultural zeitgeist,
20:17let alone an older show that continues to inspire generation after generation.
20:29The roots of Thank You For Being A Friend are actually even older,
20:33dating back to a 1978 album by singer-songwriter Andrew Gold.
20:37It was later covered by Cynthia Fee, adapted for The Golden Girls, and voila, television history is born.
20:43The actual bones of Gold's song are fantastic,
20:46despite the songwriter's claim that Thank You For Being A Friend was a throwaway thing he wrote in about an
20:51hour.
20:51You would see the biggest gift would be from me,
20:55and the card attached would say thank you for being a friend.
21:03It feels sincere, honest, and direct.
21:05A punchy sort of theme song that's thankfully endured long after its initial shelf life.
21:10Number 8. Sesame Street
21:12Did you know that Joe Raposo, who we discussed earlier in the Three's Company entry,
21:16also wrote the all-time classic tune, Can You Tell Me How To Get To Sesame Street?
21:25Raposo actually did a lot of great work for children's television, working on music not only for Sesame Street,
21:31but also The Electric Company and Shining Time Station.
21:34Can You Tell Me How To Get To Sesame Street remains the show's central theme after debuting on the very
21:39first episode back in 1969,
21:42and it doesn't look to be going anywhere anytime soon.
21:52Raposo's sincere, wholesome sense of melody simply shines through it all,
21:56creating some sort of magic that assists in making Sesame Street continue to grow with children of every generation.
22:03Number 7. Full House
22:04You may not know the name Jesse Frederick, but you absolutely know his work.
22:08That's because this composer wrote some of the most iconic TV theme songs of the day,
22:12particularly for ABC's classic TGIF lineup.
22:15Whatever happened to predictability?
22:19The milkman, the paperboy. Evening TV.
22:22Want proof? How to step-by-step perfect strangers and family matters grab ya.
22:27Suffice it to say, Frederick knew a good melody when he heard one,
22:30but his work also delivers a lot in a short amount of time.
22:33It's an efficient way of writing that nails mood, theme, and lyrical content in just a minute or two.
22:46The theme to Full House is laid back but not lazy.
22:49A feel-good anthem that evokes an innocent nostalgia for this simple life.
22:53It hits us with all the feels.
22:55Number 6. The Jeffersons
22:56Pop songwriting can be a difficult business,
22:58but some songwriters just have the knack for writing a catchy song.
23:02They also need to find the proper singer to bring that idea to life, however,
23:06which is why we think composer Jeff Barry and actress Janae Dubois were meant to meet and collaborate.
23:21Barry's songwriting pedigree was well-known prior to The Jeffersons,
23:24writing or co-writing hits like Sugar Sugar, Be My Baby, and Leader of the Pack.
23:28However, his funk and gospel-tinged theme to The Jeffersons needed the powerful delivery of Dubois
23:34to properly carry the tune to classic status.
23:41For our money, it was a match made in heaven.
23:48Moving on up, indeed.
23:50Number 5. The Muppet Show
23:52Jim Henson co-wrote the theme to The Muppet Show with musical director Sam Pottle in 1976,
23:57and it was the latter's history with the theater which seemed to make the theme so big and bombastic sounding.
24:03It's time to play the music!
24:05It's time to light the light!
24:07It's time to meet the Muppets on The Muppet Show tonight!
24:10The Muppet Show theme just feels tailor-made for the sort of old-school vaudevillian experience the show brought to
24:16audiences.
24:17There's a chorus of voices, instrumentation that mixes big band in brass,
24:21not to mention Gonzo the Great's iconic stinger at the end of each episode.
24:24This is what we call The Muppet Show!
24:33We're not saying that The Muppet Show theme was the only reason why The Muppet Show has endured for so
24:38long,
24:38but it certainly didn't hurt.
24:40Number 4. The Sopranos
24:41The selection of songs utilized within the stretch of television's The Sopranos was schizophrenic to say the least,
24:48vacillating from classic soul and pop to jazz and hip-hop.
24:55But that's exactly why we loved it, and that wide range of musical influences also permeated the main theme tune,
25:02Woke Up This Morning.
25:03The song was written and performed by Alabama 3, and was sort of a sonic mish-mash of propulsive beats,
25:08gospel vocals, blues and rock.
25:16It's the furthest thing one might expect to hear for a show about organized crime,
25:19but it was this uniqueness that made Woke Up This Morning feel tailor-made to introduce The Sopranos every week.
25:26Number 3. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
25:28Call us crazy, but we don't think we have to tell you guys too much about The Fresh Prince of
25:32Bel-Air,
25:33or its super memorable theme song.
25:35The song and show went on to become definitive examples of 90's television culture.
25:44A perfect storm of Will Smith's unconquerable charisma,
25:47Jazzy Jeff's musical expertise, and some truly, um, colorful wardrobe choices.
25:53Speaking of musical expertise, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was produced by industry icon Quincy Jones.
25:58And the song needed final approval by him before hitting the tube.
26:02Looked at my kingdom, I was finally there.
26:04Just been on my throne after Prince of Bel-Air.
26:07It was just the story of the right song, right people, right time.
26:10And this show benefited all the way to the bank.
26:14Number 2. Friends
26:15Believe it or not, neither of the Rembrandts were involved with the writing of I'll Be There For You.
26:19The hit theme song of the 90's sitcom Smash, Friends.
26:32The song was actually composed by the show's creators and producers,
26:35alongside songwriter Ally Willis.
26:38Then again, composition is just part of the songwriting process,
26:41with the Rembrandts putting their own slick pop rock stamp on Willis' hard work.
26:45I'll Be There For You is super upbeat and positive,
26:47a jangle pop tune that almost sounds like a bizarro version of Gin Blossoms.
27:00It's a breezy and lightweight listen that celebrates life, love, and friendship,
27:04over a beat that's been stuck in audiences' heads for years.
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27:23Number 1. Cheers
27:25No disrespect intended to the very fun and funny theme song to Frasier,
27:30but there's nothing quite like the OG.
27:37It took three tries before songwriter Gary Portnoy and his co-writer Judy Hart Angelo
27:42had their song, Where Everybody Knows Your Name,
27:45picked to be the theme for the TV sitcom Cornerstone Cheers.
27:48Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.
27:53Thankfully, Portnoy's earnest, quirky, and slightly bittersweet anthem made the cut.
27:57After a little bit of retooling, of course, lyrics were slightly altered
28:00and Portnoy himself was called in to sing on the track,
28:03which continues to live on in commercials to this day.
28:06Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name
28:13And they're always glad you came
28:16For us, though, this theme to Cheers will always evoke the comradery and friendship
28:21we've felt following Sam, Diane, and the gang for so many years.
28:25What's your favorite TV theme song? Is there a good one we forgot to mention?
28:28Be sure to sing your tune down in the comments.
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