The 15 Best TV Theme Songs of All Time

When watching TV shows, I always pay attention to their theme song. I think the theme song is important for a TV show. A good theme song can make a TV show while a bad theme song may break the show. Good theme songs are those catchy for you to sing along with, like "I'll be there for you".

Some are earworm, and some are magnificent, as the main title theme of Westworld. When a TV show opens with a good theme song, it attracts your attention and makes you curious. Here is a list about the 15 Best TV theme songs of all time.

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No. 15 The Muppet Show Theme

TV Show: The Muppet Show
Original release: September 13, 1976 – March 15, 1981 (ABC)
Genre: Sketch comedy | Variety
Composer: Jim Henson, Sam Pottle
Every series, the theme song of The Muppet Show was presented with re-worked lyrics. But if you are a fan of The Muppet Show, I believe no matter how the opening theme has evolved over the course of the show, you certainly can recognize this unforgettable melody.

No. 14 Batman Theme

TV Show: Batman
Original release:  January 12, 1966 - March 14, 1968 (ABC)
Genre: Action | adventure | Comedy | Superhero fiction
Composer: Neal Hefti
While the Joker gets his theme song on Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, the classic Batman theme song shall not be forgotten. Once you hearing "Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah Dah BATMAN!" you'll never get the jingle out of your head.

No. 13 Doctor Who theme music

No. 12 Game of Thrones "Main Title"

TV Show: Game of Thrones
Original release: April 17, 2011 –present (HBO)
Genre: Fantasy | Serial Drama
Composer: Ramin Djawadi
This iconic anthem can be neatly summarized with a single word: epic. When hearing the theme song, it just instantly takes you to the journey of Westeros. And just in the impressive 1 minute and 40 seconds, the theme is able to capture the scale, scope, and complexity of the entire show.

No. 11 Movin' On Up

TV Show: The Jeffersons
Original release: January 18, 1975 – July 2, 1985 (CBS)
Genre: Sitcom
Composer: Jeff Barry | Ja'net Dubois
"Movin' On Up," is a catchy, hand-clapping theme song to The Jeffersons. The song has stayed remarkably relevant. And it remains one of the few TV themes that almost every American can sing along to.

No. 10 Suicide Is Painless

TV Show: M*A*S*H
Original release: September 17, 1972 – February 28, 1983 (CBS)
Genre: War | Comedy Drama | Dark Comedy
Composer: Johnny Mandel
The drama M*A*S*H was unique in that it was a tragedy with a laugh track. It was a black comedy pointing to the absurdity and horror of war. The theme song "Suicide Is Painless" signaled bravery in the face of sadness. The haunting melody of the song definitely leaves a great impression on you.

No. 9 The Simpsons Theme

TV Show: The Simpsons
Original release: December 17, 1989 – present (FOX)
Genre: Animated Sitcom
Composer: Danny Elfman
The Simpsons has been on so long—now in its 28th season—Elfman's orchestral theme with the brief saxophone solo has probably been heard by more television watchers than any in history. This theme song is probably the one that you can't help to sing along with.

No. 8 Hawaii Five-O

TV Show: Hawaii Five-O
Original release: September 20, 1968 – April 5, 1980 (CBS)
Genre: Police procedural
Composer: Morton Stevens
Of all the songs on this list, this is the one that you'll have stuck in your head for the rest of the day. And the theme was later recorded by the Ventures, whose version climbed to No. 4 on the Billboard pop charts.

No. 6 The Peter Gunn Theme

TV Show: Peter Gunn
Original release: September 22, 1958 – September 18, 1961 (NBC/ABC)
Genre: Action | Crime Drama
Composer: Henry Mancini
Perhaps this cold-blooded theme for Peter Gunn is the most covered television theme of all time. It is really an addictive song. The theme song should be regarded as the best jazz composition which people can remember the song more than the show itself.

No. 5 Mission: Impossible Theme

TV Show: Mission: Impossible
Original release: September 17, 1966 – March 30, 1973 (CBS)
Genre: Action | Spy fiction
Composer: Lalo Schifrin
You may think it is the power of Tom Cruise and his series of Mission: Impossible films that make the theme song live on. However, the truth is the original single reached at No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and quickly became popular among people. And almost every kid playing a spy game in the yard may think this song as their inner monologue.

No. 4 I'll Be There for You

No. 3 The Addams Family Theme

TV Show: The Addams Family
Original release: September 18, 1964 – April 8, 1966 (ABC)
Genre: Comedy | Family | Horror
Composer: Vic Mizzy
Although the lyrics of The Addams Family are admittedly a little bit nonsensical, the iconic snaps and a real earworm quality surely make this theme song become outstanding and recognizable.

No. 2 Yo Home To Bel-Air

TV Show: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Original release: September 10, 1990 - May 20, 1996 (NBC)
Genre: Sitcom
Composer: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
"Yo Home to Bel-Air", informally known as "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme", it is the theme song to the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. What needs to be mentioned is that the well-received theme song's popularity continues to this day in the form of various Internet memes.

No. 1 Where Everybody Knows Your Name

You must have experience of watching shows on TV. Are these classic TV theme songs make you retrospect those innocent days when you were sitting in front of the TV, waiting for your favorite shows? Is there any unforgettable theme song lingering in your mind? Please share this post with your friends, and maybe you can have a small talk about your favorite theme song.