While you might not always remember all of them, some TV theme songs get stuck in your head in the best way. Telling a story and bringing you back into the world of the show, these theme songs stand out not just for their chords but because they enhance every episode, too. Keep reading to explore these six best TV theme songs and what makes them so unforgettable.
6. The Twilight Zone
Starting our list of best TV theme songs is The Twilight Zone. Blending science fiction, drama, and horror into each episode, the series is also remembered for its narrations by creator Rod Serling. However, you can’t forget about the theme song. The first season’s theme was composed by Bernard Herrmann, with the remaining four composed by Marius Constant. The electric guitar brings the signature spooky feeling to the show, plunging you back into another peculiar tale.
5. That 70s Show
Fifth on our list of best TV theme songs is That 70s Show. Featuring the song “In the Street” by Chris Bell and Alex Chilton, it plays over the opening credits. The show centers around a group of friends living in the suburbs of Wisconsin. While season one’s song was a cover by Todd Griffin, the band Cheap Trick recorded a new version in the second season, which stuck until the end of the series. One of the most iconic lines is, “Hangin’ out…down the street. The same old thing…we did last week.”
4. The Walking Dead
Next on our list of best TV theme songs is The Walking Dead. With just 34 seconds to the theme, Bear McCreary created a masterpiece that makes you feel as if a zombie is chasing you, and slowly getting closer and closer, until your life and the song come to an abrupt stop. The most interesting part? It’s essentially the same symphonic riff played over and over, with some modulation to bring in the sci-fi and horror aspects.
3. Stranger Things
Rounding out the top three best TV theme songs is Stranger Things. One of the newer theme songs on the list is an homage to Eighties pop culture. Created by electronic musicians Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, the song follows along with the neon-lit title coming into focus. Each new piece adds in wave after wave of dread for the viewer, waiting for the horror to begin, just like a Stephen King novel.
2. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Second on our list of best TV theme songs is The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Everyone knows the song that starts, “Now this is a story all about how. My life got flipped turned upside down.” Sung by Will Smith under his stage name The Fresh Prince in “Yo Home to Bel-Air,” the series chronicles his journey from living in Philly to living in the rich neighborhood of Bel-Air in Los Angeles. Originally, series composer Quincy Jones created a different version, but Smith and Jeff reworked the song into the version we all know and love today.
1. Friends
Last but not least on our list of the best TV theme songs is Friends. No matter if you’re watching alone or with others, it’s hard not to sing along to “I’ll Be There for You,” performed by the Rembrandts and written by David Crane, Marta Kauffman, and Allee Willis. While not all of the cast members have loved the theme song over the years, it has become synonymous with the series, which still has plenty of fans watching reruns.