Some of the best TV theme songs were already hits or great songs that were adapted as a theme song. These are songs that were written for the show, like the retro ones that still slap, but these are all great songs.
Like The Who contributing to the CSI franchise, or Jane’s Addiction lending one of its songs to Entourage. For this list, we’re going to avoid covers or reworked versions of the songs that were already famous, like the cover of The Beatles’ “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” which was used for the show Life Goes On. This is our list of existing songs that became awesome TV theme songs.
“Who Are You” – CSI
All of the CSI franchise shows have used songs by The Who as their theme song, creating a nice symmetry between the shows. The original show, CSI, or later CSI: Las Vegas used “Who Are You,” and it turned out so great, that when CSI:Miami became the first spinoff, the producers chose
“California” – The O.C.
The band Phantom Planet released their second album, The Guest, in 2002, which included the earworm “California.” It was a natural choice for The O.C. which has to be one of the most “California” shows ever. A fun fact about the song is that Phantom Planet’s drummer at the time, and on the track, was actor Jason Schwartzman.
“I Don’t Want To Wait” – Dawson’s Creek
“I Don’t Want to Wait” was first recorded and released on Paula Cole’s second album, titled This Fire, in 1996. A couple of years later the song was chosen to be the theme song for the WB’s first mega-hit Dawson’s Creek. The song likewise became a hit, rocketing to #11 on the Billboard charts.
“Bad Reputation” – Freaks And Geeks
19 years after Joan Jett told the world she didn’t care about her “Bad Reputation,” the cult classic show Freak And Geeks used it as its theme song for its one and only season. The song has had a life far beyond the show, just as the show has had a long life beyond it’s only season.
“With A Little Help From My Friends” – The Wonder Years
If you’re going to set a TV show in the ’60s, it’s a good idea to dig deep into that well of amazing rock and soul music of the era. The Wonder Years smartly used tons of great music from the era, including a theme song by a famous musician who first had a hit with it in 1968. Joe Cocker’s version of The Beatles song “With a Little Help from My Friends” was a bigger hit than The Beatles’ version, and this was the song that led off The Wonder Years.
“We Used To Be Friends” – Veronica Mars
The Dandy Warhols are one of the great cult bands from the late ’90s/early ’00s. It was one of their songs, “We Used To Be Friends,” that was chosen to be the theme of Veronica Mars and it’s frankly the perfect choice for the show. The band, like the show, has a strong fanbase that won’t let the song, or the show, be forgotten.
“Way Down In A Hole” – The Wire
This one is a little tricky because technically it breaks our rule about having cover versions of the original song (or the original hit, at least). The first season of The Wire featured a version of the Tom Waits song “Way Down In The Hole” by the Blind Boys Of Alabama. But we’re in luck because the second season of the HBO classic features Tom Waits’ original version. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th seasons would also feature cover versions of the song.
“C’mon, C’mon” – Rescue Me
The Von Bondies were a good band that really only gained the attention they deserved when their song “C’Mon, C’Mon” was chosen to be the theme song of Rescue Me, starring Denis Leary. For seven seasons, the song ran over the opening titles and as a result, became a big hit for the group.
“Teardrop” – House
Massive Attack has never been a…massive band in the United States. In Britain, however, they are huge. The trip-hop electronic act has released a slew of fantastic records, though their third album, Mezzanine, remains probably the most popular. One of the best songs on that album, “Teardrop” became the theme song for House, though a different, more generic song has been used on streaming and in syndication.
“Reflections” – China Beach
There aren’t a lot of shows about Vietnam, but there are a lot of movies about the war. All those movies feature great songs from the era and thankfully the one hit show about the Vietnam War followed suit. China Beach chose the fantastic song “Reflections” by Diana Ross & the Supremes. Solid choice, for sure.
“Save Me” – Smallville
“Save Me” was the lead single on the album The Golden Hum, by the band Remy Zero. It was dubiously released on September 10th, 2001. A week later the WB hit Smallville debuted, using “Save Me” as its theme song. The song became a minor hit for the band, but sadly, Remy Zero broke up before recording a follow-up album.
“Woke Up This Morning” – The Sopranos
“Woke Up This Morning” by the British band Alabama 3 was a minor hit in the U.K. in 1997, when it was released, but didn’t gain any traction in the U.S. That changed in a huge way when it was picked to be the theme song of The Sopranos. The song became one of those spine-tingling moments whenever viewers would here that famous HBO audio mark right before the beat of the song would hit as Tony drove from New York City to his house in New Jersey each week.
“Love And Marriage” – Married… With Children
For a show that took pride in just how crude it can be, it’s kinda awesome that the theme song was by one of the classiest singers of all time. Married… With Children used the Frank Sinatra song “Love And Marriage” as its theme song and it worked amazing for that intro with the shot of a fountain in Chicago.
“Little Boxes” – Weeds
Malvina Reynolds wrote “Little Boxes” in 1962 and gave it to her friend, legendary folk singer Pete Seeger, who had a minor hit with it in 1964. It was Reynolds’ version that would become the biggest hit when it was used as the theme for Showtime’s Weeds.
“Superhero” – Entourage
Jane’s Addiction had their biggest hits in the early ’90s before they broke up (for the first time) in 1994. When they reconvened in 2001, they finally recorded their third “proper” album, Strays (JA fans will tell you it was their fourth album, including their debut live album commonly called XXX). The song “Superhero” from Strays became the best-known song from the album when it was used for the theme of HBO’s Entourage.
“Stand” – Get A Life
Highlighting just how offbeat Get A Life, starring Chris Eliot, was, the show managed to score an REM hit for its theme song. “Stand” from the REM album Orange was a huge hit and the band was notorious for protecting their songs from too much commercialization. In short, they were the last band you’d expect to allow one of its songs to be used on TV. But the show was so unique, that it made perfect sense.
“Rock Around The Clock” – Happy Days
We know what you’re thinking, “Wait a minute, Happy Days had its own song. You’re right, but that famous theme song wasn’t used until the show’s second season. The theme in the first season was the Bill Haley and the Comets hit “Rock Around The Clock.”
“Jessica” – Top Gear
“Hold on! Top Gear used a cover version of The Allman Brothers Band’s song “Jessica”” is what you’re thinking here. Well, you’re right. But the old Top Gear, the original version that ran from the ’70s until the late ’90s, used the original version by The Allmans.
“Wanted Dead Or Alive” – Deadliest Catch
Even reality shows like to use big hits. Take, for example, The Deadliest Catch, which used a perfect song, Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead Or Alive.” There’s no way you can find a more perfect theme, nor could anyone write a more perfect one.
“Straight Up And Down” – Boardwalk Empire
One of the coolest ideas the showrunners of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire had was to use a very modern song by The Brian Jonestown Massacre. For a show set in the 1920s, you wouldn’t expect a song like “Straight Up and Down” and yet it works perfectly.
“Low Rider” – The George Lopez Show
It might be a little on the nose, but somehow it still works. The George Lopez Show uses the band War’s hit “Low Rider” which is one of the best songs Chicano rock songs of all time.
“What A Wonderful World” – Family Matters
This is another one where you might be thinking that the show had its own, unique theme song and you’re right. For most of its run Full House used its own song, but for the first five episodes of Season 1, the show used the classic “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong.
“Carry On My Wayward Son” – Supernatural
If we’re being honest, “Carry On My Wayward Son” by Kansas doesn’t jump out as the perfect theme song for a fantasy show like Supernatural, but today, it’s impossible to think the theme song to the show could be anything other than the 1970’s hit.
“Tea For The Tillerman” by Cat Stevens is the perfect choice for the Ricky Gervais show Extras. The song wasn’t a huge hit, it was more of a coda on Cat Stevens’ album by the same, which was a huge hit when it was released in 1970.
“Bad Boys” – COPS
COPS is one of the longest-running TV shows of all time, as it’s basically been on the air in one form or another since 1989. In total, there have been well over 1000 episodes of the groundbreaking reality show and all of those episodes have started with the song “Bad Boys” by reggae legends Inner Circle.
“Closer To Free” – Party Of Five
Wisconsin band BoDeans landed their biggest hit when their song “Closer To Free” from their fifth album became the theme song to Party Of Five. The song charted as high as #16 once the show took off.
“Bad Things” – True Blood
Singer-songwriter Jace Everett released “Bad Things” in 2005, but it failed to make a big impression on the public. It was a great song though, and when it was picked as the theme to the HBO hit True Blood, the song, like the show, took off and became a hit among fans of the show.
“Livin’ On The Edge” – Ice Road Truckers
Following in the footsteps of his cousin, Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers picked another song from a hair metal band. The theme for the first four seasons of the nail-biting show was “Livin’ On The Edge” by Aerosmith, a perfect choice.
“Next Year” – Ed
NBC’s Ed found a cult following during its four seasons on the air, but the band whose song was the theme, The Foo Fighters, is anything but a cult band. They were then and are still one of the biggest bands in the world and their song “Next Year” is one of their many hits.
“Flagpole Sitta” – Peep Show
it’s sad to say that Harvey Danger, who released “Flagpole Sitta” in 1997, is a one-hit wonder. They deserve so much better. But alas, “Flagpole Sitta” was their lone hit, but what a hit it’s been. It’s seemingly everywhere, even more than two decades since its release. That includes as the theme for the British show Peep Show for the show’s final eight seasons.
“Where You Lead” – The Gilmore Girls
The Gilmore Girls has been a surprisingly enduring show over the years. Though it ended almost two decades ago, the show remains beloved by its fans. It’s fitting that the show’s theme song is an enduring hit too. “Where You Lead,” by Carole King, was first released in 1970. it’s worth noting that the theme song is slightly reworked by King and recorded for the show by King and Louise Goffin.
“Forever Young” – Parenthood
Parenthood pulled off quite the coup when they landed the Bob Dylan song “Forever Young” as its theme song. Dylan is famously protective of this music.
