Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest TV Theme Songs

[Scout]

All these other songs are nice, but…

 

[swingline]

Clickbait listicle clickbait, listicle.

Oprah, Uma. Uma, Oprah.

 

[outofplace]

I apologize if I overlooked these and they're actually on there, but two humongous omissions seem to be "Barney Miller" and "The Munsters."

Also, "The Greatest American Hero" is way too low. Under-rated show and outstanding theme song.

That theme song was just perfect for the show.

Munsters was mentioned in the blurb about The Addams Family, but yeah, it probably belonged somewhere on the list.

 

[outofplace]

This list includes Lost, which doesn't even have a theme song, but doesn't have Black Sails, which in my opinion, has the best theme song of all time. It's brilliant, catchy, and just all-around awesome.

I never watched the show, but that is cool. Though they are very different, it made me think of the theme from Cold Case, which I always enjoyed, but that one has been used for other things, too.

 

[outofplace]

It's a good list -- not a great one, but a good one. And I'm with MisterCreosote in wondering how "Cheers," if not No. 1, is No. 13? No. 13?!

There were many in there that I wouldn't have included, not based on the songs and the recognizability or quality of them, anyway.

And there were several I was actually surprised were there at all. Like, "Star Trek"? I might be among the biggest Trek fans on this site, and the Star Trek Original Series theme song isn't even the best one in the franchise. That honor actually goes to "Star Trek: Enterprise."

Star Trek Enterprise Intro - YouTube

Love it!

Another candidate for the list that, in my opinion, was glaringly missing would have been from "St. Elsewhere."

I liked the opening to Enterprise at the time, but I don't think it holds up as well as the others. It was a departure in that it actually had lyrics. I prefer Deep Space Nine, but that may be because the show was so much better. The theme from Picard is cool, too.

 

[justgladtobehere]

I couldn't see the top fifty for some reason. Did the Banana Splits make it?

 

[hondo]

It's a good list -- not a great one, but a good one. And I'm with MisterCreosote in wondering how "Cheers," if not No. 1, is No. 13? No. 13?!

There were many in there that I wouldn't have included, not based on the songs and the recognizability or quality of them, anyway.

And there were several I was actually surprised were there at all. Like, "Star Trek"? I might be among the biggest Trek fans on this site, and the Star Trek Original Series theme song isn't even the best one in the franchise. That honor actually goes to "Star Trek: Enterprise."

Star Trek Enterprise Intro - YouTube

Love it!

Another candidate for the list that, in my opinion, was glaringly missing would have been from "St. Elsewhere."

St. Elsewhere's theme sounded like every 70s and 80s TV drama and movie theme. Practically screamed: "Yuppies having watching parties."

 

[Jake from State Farm]

No Barney Miller? This list is a fraud.

 

[da man]

I couldn't see the top fifty for some reason. Did the Banana Splits make it?

Flippin' like a pancake, poppin' like a cork
Fleegle... Bingo... Drooper and Snork

 

[Jake from State Farm]

This didn't make it either

 

[DanOregon]

Always liked this theme from the BBC's Musketeers - (good show if you haven't seen it) only 30 or so eps.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

A couple more great ones from the '50s that didn't make the cut: