12 TV Theme Songs So Good They Deserved Grammys

Are there certain television theme songs that simply never leave your head? Can you hear that song even now?

While they don't give a Grammy to just anyone, some songs from your favorite television shows deserve to be contenders. Arguably, a television theme song requires more magic than any old hit single. It must capture the show's energy, present itself in a catchy, memorable way, and, if possible, speak to the show's story through its lyrics.

For some reason, television theme songs are often treated like lesser art by musical tastemakers. But plenty of them transcend the shows they introduce, striking a perfect balance between setting the scene and getting stuck in your head. With that in mind, let's explore 12 TV theme songs that are so good they deserved Grammy recognition.

Arguably one of the most recognizable television themes ever written, "The Simpsons" theme came together remarkably quickly. Composer Danny Elfman has said he essentially wrote the piece in his head while driving home from a meeting with series creator Matt Groening, then rushed into his home studio and recorded a demo within hours. Elfman wanted something crazy and retro rather than a conventional contemporary TV theme, and the result became one of his best-known pieces of music. For all its fame, though, "The Simpsons" theme itself is not among Elfman's Grammy-nominated works.

"Family Matters" initially used Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" as its opening theme, but by Episode 6 it had been replaced by the song most viewers associate with the series. "As Days Go By" was written by Jesse Frederick, Bennett Salvay, and Scott Roeme and performed by Frederick. Its warm, upbeat lyrics about home, love, and family fit the Winslows so naturally that it's difficult to imagine the show opening any other way.

Another show with an unforgettable theme was "The Golden Girls." Andrew Gold wrote and originally recorded "Thank You for Being a Friend" years before the sitcom existed, and he later said it took him about an hour to compose it. Gold's original recording became a Top 25 hit, but it was Cynthia Fee's abbreviated cover that became the television theme generations of viewers know. The song's celebration of friendship could hardly have been a better fit for a show built around Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia's lives together.

"Adventure Time" creator Pendleton Ward didn't just create the series. He also co-composed its main title song with Casey James Basichis and sang the theme himself. Ward explained in an interview that the same song had been used for the original pilot, where he recorded it on guitar. For the series, he re-recorded it using a ukulele. The result is brief, loose, and instantly recognizable, capturing the strange and cheerful personality of the Land of Ooo in just a few moments.

Waylon Jennings did double duty on "The Dukes of Hazzard," serving as the show's narrator while also writing and performing its theme, "Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)." The commercially released version became a genuine crossover hit, reaching No. 1 on Billboard's country chart and No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite that success, the song was not among Jennings' Grammy-nominated recordings. It remains one of those themes that can instantly bring an entire television show to mind within a few notes.

Alabama 3's "Woke Up This Morning (Chosen One Mix)" became inseparable from "The Sopranos." Series creator David Chase has said he first heard the song on KCRW while living in Santa Monica and kept it in the back of his mind before eventually using it for the show. Its mixture of blues, country, rock, and electronic influences creates an appropriately uneasy soundtrack as Tony Soprano drives through New Jersey during the opening credits. The song's connection to the series became so strong that its backstory continues to attract attention decades later.

Composer Fred Steiner was assigned by CBS music director Lud Gluskin to create the theme for "Perry Mason." Steiner called his composition "Park Avenue Beat" and built it around two sides of the famous lawyer: the sophisticated man who moved comfortably in high society and the attorney constantly dealing with murder, criminals, and police. Steiner described the resulting sound as a kind of symphonic rhythm and blues. It became the piece of music most closely associated with his long career.

"Laverne & Shirley's" classic theme song, "Making Our Dreams Come True," was performed by newcomer Cyndi Grecco and written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel. Released in 1976, the song became much more than television background music, climbing all the way to No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its relentless optimism was a natural match for Laverne and Shirley, turning a sitcom opening into a bona fide Top 40 pop hit.

The music most people immediately associate with "The Twilight Zone" was not actually the theme used when the series began. Bernard Herrmann composed the first season's theme. Beginning with Season 2, it was replaced by the eerie music of Romanian-born French composer Marius Constant. The familiar theme was assembled from pieces of Constant's music and became far more recognizable than its predecessor. Few television themes have done a better job of making listeners feel uneasy before the story has even started.

Before "Friends" had its famous theme, R.E.M.'s "Shiny Happy People" was used as temporary music over the fountain sequence in the pilot. Executive producer Kevin Bright was a fan of the Rembrandts, who were brought in to perform the original song that became "I'll Be There for You." Michael Skloff and Allee Willis were central to writing the television theme, while Rembrandts members Phil Solem and Danny Wilde helped expand the short theme into a full-length recording. The song reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a massive radio hit. It wasn't overlooked by the Grammys, either: the Rembrandts were nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1996, although Hootie & the Blowfish won the category.

"The O.C." was full of memorable music, but its theme, "California" by Phantom Planet, became the song most closely tied to the series. The track appeared on the band's 2002 album "The Guest" before finding an even larger audience when "The O.C." arrived on Fox in 2003. Bright and restless at the same time, "California" fits the show's sunny setting without pretending everything beneath the surface is perfect. Years later, hearing its opening notes can still transport fans straight back to Orange County.

With its opening line, "Movin' on up, to the East Side," "The Jeffersons" theme announces the premise before the show has even begun. "Movin' On Up" was co-written by Ja'Net DuBois and songwriter Jeff Barry, with DuBois also singing the lead vocal. The lyrics captured George and Louise Jefferson's move into a more affluent life in Manhattan while fitting the show's comedy about race, money, and social status. The inspiration was personal for DuBois, who said the song grew out of a promise to improve her own mother's life and give her a comfortable retirement. That personal connection helped turn a sitcom theme into something much bigger.