Instant nostalgia: The 20 best theme songs in TV history
What's more comforting than the theme song from your favorite television show?
While we may be -- as they say -- in the second golden age of television, the golden age of TV theme songs is behind us. In honor of the fresh fall TV season, let's look back at the most iconic title music in small screen history, with a little background info on each song:
20. "Mission Impossible" (1966-1973)
The "Mission Impossible" song has come to symbolize all things spy-related, and is in the very uncommon 5/4 time (which you may also know from Dave Brubeck's "Take Five"):
19. "Malcolm in the Middle" (2000-2006)
"Boss of Me" was written by alternative rock band They Might Be Giants and it actually scored them a Grammy for best song for a motion picture, television or other visual media:
18. "Twin Peaks" (1990-1991)
The theme from David Lynch's two-season cult classic is as eerie and wonderful as the show. Yet, it's still not as eerie as the theme from "Mr. Ed":
17. "Beverly Hillbillies" (1962-1971)
"The Ballad of Jed Clampett" is one of those handy theme songs that provides a back-story for the show before each episode:
16. "The Brady Bunch" (1969-1974)
In the same vein, here's "the story of a lovely lady..."
15. "Laverne and Shirley" (1976-1983)
This classic theme song is parodied by "Wayne's World" when Wayne and Garth visit Milwaukee:
14. "Pokemon" (1998-)
Grab your binder of trading cards and Gameboy color...
13. "The Jeffersons" (1975-1985)
"Movin' On Up," the classic gospel-infused title song from "The Jeffersons" was covered by Beyonce on her Mr. and Mrs. Carter tour in 2013, so you know it's important:
12. "All in the Family" (1971-1979)
The theme for one of the leading sitcoms of the '70s was written by the same songwriting team behind "Bye Bye Birdie." It's also the source material for the "Family Guy" opening:
11. "Peter Gunn" (1958-1961)
Prolific songwriter Henry Mancini -- the man behind such classics as "The Pink Panther Theme," "The Charlie's Angels Theme" and "Moon River" -- penned this no-nonsense action tune:
10. "Hawaii Five-O" (1968-1980)
The "Hawaii Five-O" theme is also the unofficial fight song of Hawaii University:
9. "Happy Days" (1974-1984)
The "Happy Days" theme hit No. 5 on the Billboard charts in 1976, and it's also Weird Al's favorite theme song according to his track"White & Nerdy":
8. "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (1970-1977)
The final shot in this title sequence, in which Mary throws her hat into the air, was ranked as the second greatest moment in 1970s television by Entertainment Weekly:
7. "The Addams Family" (1964-1966)
The highest-ranking song on our list that involves snapping, "The Addams Family" theme is instantly recognizable, even if you don't know all the words:
6. "Full House" (1987-1995)
Nothing says sitcom like the theme from "Full House":
5. "The Simpsons" (1989-)
"The Simpsons" theme, written by one of Hollywood's finest film scorers Danny Elfman, gets bonus points on our list because as most Americans know, no Simpsons intro is the same:
4. "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air "(1990-1996)
"You know you're a '90s kid when..." But really, if you don't know every word to rap written by Will Smith himself, you're either older than 40 or missed out on a childhood:
3. "Friends" (1994-2004)
"I'll Be There For You" hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts in the '90s and will certainly be played at Bat-mitzvah candle-lighting ceremonies for years to come. But beware: If this song plays in public, whoever you're with may launch into a painful tirade on their favorite "Friends" episodes:
2. "Gilligan's Island" (1964-1967)
"The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle" is the ultimate "'this is how the characters got here"' ballad. Baby boomers know this one by heart:
1. "Cheers" (1982-1993)
When "Cheers" began gaining popularity in the '80s, requests starting pouring in for the sheet music for its theme song. Decades later, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" is still the gold-standard for TV themes, and the most reassuring, nostalgic song on our list: