It's been awhile but my Top 10 Theme Songs are finally here! For #50-41, click here. For #40-31, click here. For #30-21, click here. For #20-11, click here.
10 TIE. Hawaii Five-0 Theme (Hawaii Five-0, 1968-1980)
So I was worried this was going to happen and it did, I accidentally was left with 11 songs instead of 10 for the top 10. So rather than changing every single list, I'm just making two number tens! Hawaii Five-O has a great intensity to it and it not only became a theme song classic, but a marching band classic as well. Who can resist the pounding drums and thrilling theme. CBS very wisely kept the theme song for the reboot that launched in 2010. It wouldn't be Hawaii Five-0 without it.
10 TIE. St. Elsewhere Theme (St. Elsewhere, 1982-1988)
A classic theme song from the 1980s, St. Elsewhere had a charming feel with its simple theme song. As a medical drama, it didn't have the heart pounding feel of ER's theme song that came later. It was a simpler time and the music reflected the somewhat escapist feel to the medical drama genre. I haven't seen much of St. Elsewhere but I've always wanted to watch more because I love the theme song so much. And that, current broadcast networks, is the power of the theme song. It makes you want to watch a show you may not otherwise.
9. "Home to Emily" (The Bob Newhart Show, 1972-1978)
A great 1970s theme, the "Home to Emily" song depicted just that - Dr. Bob Hartley traveling through Chicago on his way back to his apartment. Unfortunately I couldn't find a video of the actual credits so you'll just have to listen to the song, but that's good enough too. With a great brassy and jazzy theme it reflects urban, sophisticated feel to the show. They don't make theme songs like this anymore.
8. "My Generation" (American Dreams, 2002-2005)
A vastly underrated drama of the 2000s had a sensational theme song as well. The song was written in 2002 by Emerson Hart but is perfect for a show set in the 1960s. From its sound to its lyrics, this song may as well have been written by a folk singer in the 60s. It captures the nostalgia that the show so perfectly captured. I'll say it once again, we need to get seasons 2 & 3 of this show on DVD!!
7. Happy Days Theme (Happy Days, 1974-1985)
Another nostalgic show, this one even started with an authentic theme song as "Rock Around the Clock" was the theme for the first two years. While that fit the show's early years, it became a broader, sillier sitcom and needed a new theme song to match the feel. It was perfectly matched with the feel-good theme that became forever associated with the show. If this song doesn't put you in a good mood, then you are empty inside.
6. Friday Night Lights Theme (Friday Night Lights, 2006-2011)
The last really great drama theme song to debut on network television, in my opinion, was this one. This is one of those songs that just fits the show perfectly. How do you create a song that captures small-town football in Texas? Well somehow it was done perfectly. The theme, just like the show, pulls at the heartstrings and just couldn't be more perfect for the fantastic show that follows. The credits rolling through Dillon, TX help immensely too but unfortunately I couldn't get a video with the credits. So just enjoy the song, it's enough.
5. Hill Street Blues Theme (Hill Street Blues, 1981-1987)
Another heart tugging drama theme song, Hill Street Blues is one of the simpler theme songs on the list, a piano driven tune that doesn't do anything too crazy. But who can listen to those first few notes as the police car rolls out of the station and not become interested in TV's greatest cop drama of all time. I don't really know what it is about this song that makes it so good, but it is widely considered to be one of the best themes of all time, and I would agree.
4. The West Wing Theme (The West Wing, 1999-2006)
W.G. Snuffy Walden is a master theme song composer having done Roseanne and Friday Night Lights from this list among many other classics including Thirtysomething and My So-Called Life. But this is his best work. There could not be a more presidential sounding theme than this one. I mean, they could have played "Hail to the Chief" or The Star Spangled Banner as a theme and I don't think it would have sounded as presidential. The regal feel to the song gave the show an air of sophistication that it already had through its writing and acting. It's a classy song for a classy show.
3. "I'll Be There for You" (Friends, 1994-2004)
Perhaps you've heard this theme song before? Arguably, the biggest hit theme song of all time, it was part of a phenomenon that Friends created in the mid 1990s. As everyone had Rachel's haircut and was tuning in to NBC Thursday nights, this was on the radio everywhere. It has held up well over time too and continues to be forever linked to the show. I mean, who wouldn't want a show about friends to have a theme song called "I'll Be There for You." I never get tired of Friends and I never get tired of this song.
2. "Love is All Around" (Mary Tyler Moore, 1970-1977)
It's no secret that Mary Tyler Moore is my all-time favorite show and I almost put the theme song at #1 too, it was very very close. Just because it's at #2 doesn't make it any less special. As I've said many times on this list, the very best theme songs are forever linked with their show. And how many times do you hear "who can turn the world on with her smile?" or "you're gonna make it after all" when Mary Tyler Moore is brought up. It is uplifting and it is classic. Add in the colorful names moving at the beginning and the hat toss at the end, and it's pretty much perfect.
1. "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" (Cheers, 1982-1993)
How could this not be #1 on the list? I've talked many times about songs that are perfectly fit to their show and this might be the best example of all. Cheers was all about a family of friends in a comfortable place, the classy bar of Cheers. When things are going bad in the rest of the world, we all want someplace we can go where "everybody knows our name" and that's what made this theme song so accessible, so identifiable, and so special. It is the best TV theme song of all time and probably always will be.
So I was worried this was going to happen and it did, I accidentally was left with 11 songs instead of 10 for the top 10. So rather than changing every single list, I'm just making two number tens! Hawaii Five-O has a great intensity to it and it not only became a theme song classic, but a marching band classic as well. Who can resist the pounding drums and thrilling theme. CBS very wisely kept the theme song for the reboot that launched in 2010. It wouldn't be Hawaii Five-0 without it.
A classic theme song from the 1980s, St. Elsewhere had a charming feel with its simple theme song. As a medical drama, it didn't have the heart pounding feel of ER's theme song that came later. It was a simpler time and the music reflected the somewhat escapist feel to the medical drama genre. I haven't seen much of St. Elsewhere but I've always wanted to watch more because I love the theme song so much. And that, current broadcast networks, is the power of the theme song. It makes you want to watch a show you may not otherwise.
A great 1970s theme, the "Home to Emily" song depicted just that - Dr. Bob Hartley traveling through Chicago on his way back to his apartment. Unfortunately I couldn't find a video of the actual credits so you'll just have to listen to the song, but that's good enough too. With a great brassy and jazzy theme it reflects urban, sophisticated feel to the show. They don't make theme songs like this anymore.
A vastly underrated drama of the 2000s had a sensational theme song as well. The song was written in 2002 by Emerson Hart but is perfect for a show set in the 1960s. From its sound to its lyrics, this song may as well have been written by a folk singer in the 60s. It captures the nostalgia that the show so perfectly captured. I'll say it once again, we need to get seasons 2 & 3 of this show on DVD!!
Another nostalgic show, this one even started with an authentic theme song as "Rock Around the Clock" was the theme for the first two years. While that fit the show's early years, it became a broader, sillier sitcom and needed a new theme song to match the feel. It was perfectly matched with the feel-good theme that became forever associated with the show. If this song doesn't put you in a good mood, then you are empty inside.
The last really great drama theme song to debut on network television, in my opinion, was this one. This is one of those songs that just fits the show perfectly. How do you create a song that captures small-town football in Texas? Well somehow it was done perfectly. The theme, just like the show, pulls at the heartstrings and just couldn't be more perfect for the fantastic show that follows. The credits rolling through Dillon, TX help immensely too but unfortunately I couldn't get a video with the credits. So just enjoy the song, it's enough.
Another heart tugging drama theme song, Hill Street Blues is one of the simpler theme songs on the list, a piano driven tune that doesn't do anything too crazy. But who can listen to those first few notes as the police car rolls out of the station and not become interested in TV's greatest cop drama of all time. I don't really know what it is about this song that makes it so good, but it is widely considered to be one of the best themes of all time, and I would agree.
W.G. Snuffy Walden is a master theme song composer having done Roseanne and Friday Night Lights from this list among many other classics including Thirtysomething and My So-Called Life. But this is his best work. There could not be a more presidential sounding theme than this one. I mean, they could have played "Hail to the Chief" or The Star Spangled Banner as a theme and I don't think it would have sounded as presidential. The regal feel to the song gave the show an air of sophistication that it already had through its writing and acting. It's a classy song for a classy show.
Perhaps you've heard this theme song before? Arguably, the biggest hit theme song of all time, it was part of a phenomenon that Friends created in the mid 1990s. As everyone had Rachel's haircut and was tuning in to NBC Thursday nights, this was on the radio everywhere. It has held up well over time too and continues to be forever linked to the show. I mean, who wouldn't want a show about friends to have a theme song called "I'll Be There for You." I never get tired of Friends and I never get tired of this song.
It's no secret that Mary Tyler Moore is my all-time favorite show and I almost put the theme song at #1 too, it was very very close. Just because it's at #2 doesn't make it any less special. As I've said many times on this list, the very best theme songs are forever linked with their show. And how many times do you hear "who can turn the world on with her smile?" or "you're gonna make it after all" when Mary Tyler Moore is brought up. It is uplifting and it is classic. Add in the colorful names moving at the beginning and the hat toss at the end, and it's pretty much perfect.
1. "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" (Cheers, 1982-1993)
How could this not be #1 on the list? I've talked many times about songs that are perfectly fit to their show and this might be the best example of all. Cheers was all about a family of friends in a comfortable place, the classy bar of Cheers. When things are going bad in the rest of the world, we all want someplace we can go where "everybody knows our name" and that's what made this theme song so accessible, so identifiable, and so special. It is the best TV theme song of all time and probably always will be.
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