There can be many great things that make a TV show epic, but if you want to land yourself a winning TV series, then you need that catchy theme song. Something people will recognize. Something easy to dance and sing along to as the show revs up. So just what are the top TV show theme songs after all these years?
Friends – I’ll Be There for You
Of course, no TV show theme song list would be complete without Friends. Singing along with I’ll Be There for You while dreaming that you are dancing away in a fountain in New York has made this theme song one of the top rated on may lists. The song was initially written by two producers of Friends and recorded by The Rembrandts. However, after it was so popular on the sitcom, it was re-recorded as a full three-minute song. Following its release, the tune dominated the top spot of the charts for eight weeks!
Scrubs – Superman
This song was first released by Lazlo Bane back in 2000, one year before Scrubs hit our screens. However, star of the show, Zach Braff, fell in love with the tune and new that it had to be used as the theme song for the series. To thank the band for their now iconic song, Zach helped to direct their music video as well as offer up behind the scenes footage from the show for the final piece. To top it off, the banjo piece has been recognized as one of the top TV show theme songs over the years from the BMI TV Music Awards. Sweet.
The Big Bang Theory – The History of Everything
Hands up who learned more about our universe from a 30-second intro to a sitcom than from years in school? Yup, not just as after all. We knew it. The History of Everything is sung by the Canadian rock group ‘Barenaked Ladies’ who had already built themselves quite the following with hits such as If I Had $1,000,000, and One Week before they featured as the artist of choice for the show. Now, anyone can enjoy that sense of achievement when you get all the lyrics right.
Malcolm in the Middle – Boss of Me
Anyone that grew up in the ‘90s should remember the wonder that was Malcolm in the Middle. The show was, and still is, a classic in its own right. However, one of the most iconic parts of this series was the incredible theme song Boss of Me. For six years our parents got to listen to us be defiant thanks to the lyrics sung by They Might Be Giants. The song was initially written for a contest for a radio show but went on to become one of the most recognized themes around.
The Simpsons – The Simpsons Theme
This theme song may only be one minute 34 seconds long, but finally, we have a tune on the list with no lyrics. This just goes to prove that you don’t need a voice to make a great theme after all. The song took precisely three days, two hours, 48 minutes, and 19 seconds until it was completed and has been used throughout all 29 seasons of the show. Who didn’t want to try playing the saxophone after watching Lisa pull off a wicked solo in the opening? We know we sure did.
There have been some incredible TV shows over the years, but sometimes it is the theme songs that have us coming back time and time again. After all, a good theme song can see a show go down in history as one of the greats.
