A great TV theme song does a few different things at once: it sets the tone and whets your appetite for the story to follow while thematically meshing with the style and vibe of the show. It also matches the opening credits visuals to the point where it’s very hard to think of one without the other (think Tony Soprano driving through north Jersey, smoking his cigar, as we hear, “Woke up this morning…”).
And finally, it just has to kick ass on some fundamental level.
On that deliberately subjective note, here are five great television theme songs that were introduced in 2011.
5. The Chicago Code
The first of two Chicago-based shows to make this list, The Chicago Code enlisted city native Billy Corgan (of Smashing Pumpkins fame) to produce its theme song, and it’s a fine one indeed. It rocks as a standalone song for one (I can imagine hearing it on the radio in the late ‘90s and singing along), while thematically it meshes really well with highlights of the sadly short-lived show about cops and corrupt politicians in the Windy City. “Who’s gonna hear you cry / When there’s more of them than there are of you?” Corgan sings.
4. The Hour
This little gem by way of the BBC (available in the U.S. on BBC America and various on demand services) centers around a 1950s London news show amidst a climate of Cold War paranoia and intrigue. Starring Dominic West (McNulty from The Wire) Ben Whishaw, and Romola Garai, it’s an intriguing mix of Mad Men-era style, old school spy story, and workplace drama, with nice dashes of comedy and romance to lighten things up every now and again. The breezy and cool jazz theme sets the mood just so. We don’t have it available for you, but the trailer and its music gives you the idea very nicely.
3. Suits
“Ima Robot” by Greenback Boogie is the coolest song to front a show since the Von Bondies’ “Come On, Come On” introduced Rescue Me.
2. Game of Thrones
I defy you to hear the theme song for HBO’s ambitious fantasy series, based on the novels of George R. R. Martin, and not hum it at some point later that day/week/year. It’s majestic and militant and soaring at once, stampeding its way across the lands of Westeros and beyond. The visuals to match are dazzling for good measure, featuring an animated mechanical map of the world the story is set in, which both helps to frame each episode (we’ll see the Earie, for example, for episodes that have scenes in the Vale) while helping us to understand the complicated geopolitical landscape that includes King’s Landing, Winterfell, and many other locales besides.
1. Boss
An absolutely haunting and wonderful version of “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down” by Robert Plant (though I swore it was Jack White ahead of doing a bit of research) plays against a black-and-white backdrop of Chicago. Minimal graphic drawings start to play in, ending with a fist. It’s a perfect set-up for a dark and tense and occasionally riveting story about what a mayor of Chicago (played by Kelsey Grammar, in what will be one of his defining roles in an already illustrious career) will do to hold his grip on power, and his life.
Bonus Part I – best TV theme songs, super creep out edition
American Horror Story
Three words: super. freaking. creepy.
Bonus Part II – best TV themes songs, five seconds or less in duration edition
Mr. Sunshine
Also ranks in the best TV theme songs, three words or less edition.
Ringer
Best discordant three-note tone ever.
I love the Suits theme and totally agree on the Von Bondies. :)
The Terriers theme was a lot of fun:
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Absolutely -- was the best part of the show in my view. Cancelled in 2010 so didn't make the cut unfortunately