The Top TV Theme Songs Of All Time: 1980s Edition

TVLine's ongoing review of TV's all-time greatest theme songs is about to get totally tubular, with a deep dive into the 1980s.

Based on U.S. series' premiere dates, we're continuing our series with a look at the '80s — which is far and away our biggest round-up yet. Of note here is that whereas CBS dominated the '60s and ABC really began to boogie in the '70s, NBC became a theme song beast in the '80s, bringing us such iconic intros as Cheers, Family Ties, Gimme a Break! and Miami Vice, to name just a few.

TVLine's remaining TV theme song reviews will similarly tackle a decade at a time, hearing all about how the Fresh Prince's life got flipped-turned upside-down, waking up this morning with The Sopranos, and learning that the Friends will always be there for us. We'll also harmonize with the Two and a Half Mennnnnn, geek out over the song that each Big Bang started with, and serve up TV's second take on One Day at a Time.

And for you fans of animated fare, there will be a special "best of" list that is bound to please your brain (brain, brain, brain).

Review our selection of U.S. TV themes from the '80s and vote for the very best/most effective ones in the Comments. (Or, click this link and vote!)

Replacing a starkly different tune that was used for the original CBS series' first 10 episodes (listen here, if you choose to), "Theme From Magnum, P.I." was composed by The Rockford Files' Mike Post and Pete Carpenter, with Larry Carlton ("Hill Street Blues") on guitar. CBS' 2018 reboot "refreshed" the theme while echoing some of the original intro's visuals (including opening with T.C.'s sharply descending helicopter).

Bill Conti had previously scored Rocky and its first two sequels (earning an Academy Award nod for "Gonna Fly Now") as well as the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only when he was tapped to compose the triumphant, horns-a-blaring theme for ABC's soapy shot across the bow aimed at CBS' Dallas. The single would spend a total of nine weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 52.

Not long after Bill Conti gave us the Dynasty theme, he did same for this rival CBS sudser. Conti went on to also pen the themes for TV's The Colbys and Cagney & Lacey, as well as score more Rocky sequels, The Karate Kid and its three follow-ups, and The Right Stuff (which netted him his first Oscar win).

Playing over scenes from films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Stunt Man (as well as stunt sequences from the The Fall Guy itself), "Unknown Stuntman" was co-written by series creator Glen A. Larson and sung by series star Lee Majors. The wink-wink-filled lyrics name-checked numerous real-life movie stars and celebrities, including Majors' ex-wife and Charlie's Angels superstar "I've been seen with Farrah" Fawcett.

Although the series used two different theme songs over the course of its six seasons, Gimme a Break! star (and Tony Award winner) Nell Carter provided the vocals on both. The first, composed by Bob Christianson, included lyrics by Bob Garrett and Marley Sims. It was used for Season 1, and polished up for Season 2. In the show's third year, the new track included music by Jay Graydon and lyrics by Richard Page. Though similarities can be drawn between the two, Graydon's version has a slightly more positive slant to it. (Hear them both in the clip above.)

"Believe It or Not" was composed by Mike Post (of The Rockford Files fame) with lyrics by Stephen Geyer, and sung by Joey Scarbury. Though the super-catchy tune landed as high as No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 1981, Scarbury would barely be heard from again — though he did lend his pipes to one of Post and Geyer's Hardcastle and McCormick theme songs. Oh, and George Costanza once covered a variation on the theme song, for his answering machine! "Wheeeeere could he beeeee...?"

Instantly evoking the image of three police cruisers speeding out of a station to respond to a call on a rainy morning, the "Hill Street Blues" instrumental was penned by the prolific Mike Post (The Rockford Files, Greatest American Hero), whose name you've seen often during these reviews. As a single, the song peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, while landing at No. 4 on the Easy Listening chart.

Songwriters Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo suffered two rejections before nailing what would become Cheers' famous theme song. First, the duo submitted a track from an unsuccessful Broadway musical. Later, they tested their luck with a song called, "My Kind of People," which was originally a satire of rich folks, tweaking the lyrics to suit the series' likable Boston schlubs, to no avail. The third time was certainly the charm, and "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" (performed by Portnoy) went on to become one of the most famous TV theme songs of all time.

For the series' first 10 episodes, "Without Us" was performed by Dennis Rufano and Mindy Sterling. Midway through its first season, Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams' version took over and remained on the air for the rest of its run. Writing credits go to Jeff Barry and Tom Scott, the latter of whom was a founding member of the Blues Brothers Band (though he didn't appear in the films). Barry, on the other hand, wrote swarms of pop and Motown hits including The Crystals' "Then He Kissed Me," The Ronettes' "Be My Baby" and Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)."

Something about "Together" — which was written by Rik Howard and Bob Wirth and sung by Ron Dante — really and sweetly spoke to the sitcom's premise, about a young-at-heart father getting to know the stuffy son he never knew he had. ("Hopin' to find/we're two of a kind..." and all that.) Not nearly as sweet, alas, was the "rock" version of the song introduced late in Season 4, which we thankfully had long forgotten about (until now).

Mike Post and Pete Carpenter, who had previously collaborated on The Rockford Files, composed this theme, with producer/character actor John Ashley serving as the narrator of the opening title sequence. Fun fact: There apparently is a version with lyrics... in French — where the translated refrain goes, "The All Risks Agency/It's really the last chance of the moment") — over on YouTube.

Although the same song was used for the show's entire 23-year run, it underwent three different variations. Written by Steve Horelick (the series' music director and composer), Dennis Neil Kleinman and Janet Weir, the original version was performed by Tina Fabrique and used from 1983-98. The opening sequence featured an animated butterfly that transformed the surroundings of young kids who were reading books. Version No. 1 was performed by Johnny Kemp, and mixed live-action with CGI outer space elements. Then in 2000, R&B sensation Chaka Khan (...Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan) took over vocal duties.

Serbian-born Sylvester Levay — whose previous credits included co-writing the Grammy-winning "Fly, Robin, Fly" (sung by the German disco group Silver Convention) — penned this theme for CBS' action-drama about the titular high-technology military helicopter. More than a decade later, Levay collaborated with Northern Ireland-based fan/graphic designer Mark J. Cairns on Airwolf Themes, a two-CD soundtrack album.

"Charles in Charge" was written by David Kurtz, Al Burton and Michael Jacobs, and performed by Shandi Sinnamon. Sinnamon wrote and performed songs for films like Bloodsport and The Karate Kid. She also served as a background singer for Todd Rundgren and Bernadette Peters, among others.

One of the most 1980s things that ever 1980'd, "Miami Vice Theme" was composed and performed by Jan Hammer — and instantly became an iconic part of the stylized, game-changing crime drama. A two-and-a-half minute version released as a single in 1985 hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, a feat no instrumental would repeat for the next 28 years. The tune garnered Grammys for Best Instrumental Composition and Best Pop Instrumental Performance, and (with Glenn Frey's "You Belong to the City") helped land the Miami Vice soundtrack on top of the U.S. album chart for 11 weeks.

This bass-heavy jazz piece was composed by Jack Elliot, who previously co-wrote the themes for Barney Miller and Charlie's Angels. Ernie Watts, who for 20 years was a part of Doc Severinsen's Tonight Show orchestra, and who solo'd on many of Marvin Gay's Motown albums, served up the sax.

With lyrics by series creators/EPs Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, and music by Larry Carlton and Robert Kraft, "Brand New Life" took on three distinct versions over the series' eight-season run. Larry Weiss performed the song for the first two seasons, before singing duties were taken over by Steve Wariner (Seasons 3-5) and Jonathan Wolff (Seasons 6-8). Wolff is perhaps best known for creating the theme for Seinfeld, but he also wrote songs for Will & Grace, Married... With Children, Reba and many more.

"Thank You for Being a Friend," the now-iconic theme song of The Golden Girls, was written by Andrew Gold and covered by Cynthia Fee for the series. Gold's original cut can be found on his third album, All This and Heaven Too; the artist once said it was "just this little throwaway thing" that took him "about an hour to write." As for Fee, she's also known for her duet with Kenny Rogers called "I Don't Want to Know Why," off his 1984 album, What About Me?

"There's No Place Like Home" was written by Ray Colcord and performed by 227's own Marla Gibbs. A multi-hyphenate with a career in music and TV that spans five decades, Gibbs is well known for playing George Jefferson's maid, Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons. In addition to singing the 227 theme, she also co-produced the series and played the lead role of Mary Jenkins.

Written and composed by John Bettis and Steve Dorff, "As Long As We Got Each Other" saw many variations over the course of the series' seven seasons. B.J. Thomas sang it solo for the inaugural season, but the track really slapped with the addition of Jennifer Warnes; that version was used for Seasons 2, 3, 5 and 7, while Dusty Springfield subbed in for Season 4. The series shook things up yet again in Season 6 with a beautiful a capella version sang by Joe Chemay, Jim Haas, Jon Joyce and George Merrill, which was also used for part of the final season in addition to the series finale.

"Moonlighting," written by Al Jarreau and Lee Holdrdge and crooned by the former, set a perfect mood for the mystery-solving romantic dramedy. In fact, the tune would earn two Grammy nominations (including for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture or Television), while as an R&B single it hit No. 1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart — marking one of Jarreau's last big hits, following "We're in This Love Together" and "After All."

Written by Judy Hart-Angelo and Gary Portnoy (who also collaborated on the theme songs for Cheers and Punky Brewster), "According to Our New Arrival" was originally earmarked for Help, a rejected TV pilot that eventually morphed into the syndicated comedy Marblehead Manor. Ragtime singer Leon Redbone performed the vocals.

Andraé Crouch, a gospel singer, songwriter, pastor and founder of the gospel group The Disciples, composed the NBC comedy's theme song, "Shine On Me," which was performed by seven-time Grammy nominee Vanessa Bell Armstrong. (The Jeffersons alum Sherman Hemsley thus starred in two sitcoms with very memorable theme songs.)

Composed by Joey Carbone, the series' music director, "This Is the Theme to Garry's Show" was sung by Los Angeles musician Bill Lynch. It's memorable for its self-referential lyrics ("Garry called me up and asked if I would write his theme song"), and for asking its listeners what they think of it. And who can forget that stellar whistling? A classic, indeed.

"Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now" was written by Jesse Frederick and Bennett Salvay, who would go on to pen themes for Full House, Step by Step and the Perfect Strangers spin-off Family Matters. The original version ran a full 90 seconds and "recapped" Larry and Balki's respective journeys, from Wisconsin and Mypos, to becoming roommates in Chicago. A few seasons in, the theme was cut to run shorter, playing over new vignettes of Larry and Balki exploring Windy City landmarks such as Wrigley Field and Lincoln Park.

A Different World's theme song was written by Stu Gardner, Bill Cosby and cast member Dawnn Lewis. While its original Season 1 rendition was performed by Phoebe Snow, it was the Queen of Soul who really made it pop. Aretha Franklin's version was used for Seasons 2-5, until Boyz II Men and Terrence Forsythe took over for the show's final bow in Season 6. All three versions can be viewed above.

"Everywhere You Look" was performed by the ABC's staple composer, Jesse Frederick, who co-wrote the song with writing partner Bennett Salvay and series creator Jeff Franklin. Many different cuts of the track exist, various instrumentals were used for the end credits, and the full version of the tune was truncated here and there by syndicates. As the show continued airing in syndication, versions with slightly altered lyrics popped up as well. When the sequel series Fuller House hit Netflix in 2016, Canadian pop star Carly Rae Jepsen took over singing duties.

Roseanne's iconic saxophone-driven instrumental was written by Dan Foliart, Howard Pearl and W. G. Snuffy Walden. Walden also scored series like My So-Called Life, Felicity, Sports Night, Friday Night Lights, George Lopez and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, among others. He won an Emmy in 2000 for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music for his work on The West Wing theme. By Season 9, however, Roseanne was looking for a change. The theme song was re-recorded and performed by Blues Traveler, with a distorted harmonica pinch-hitting for the sax. Lyrics were added for the first time in the show's history, and sung by the band's lead vocalist, John Popper.

Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" was the original theme used for this Chicago-set family sitcom, but by Episode 6, the classic ballad was scrapped. The second track, "As Days Go By," (above) is the song most commonly associated with the series. It was written by Jesse Frederick, Bennett Salvay and Scott Roeme, and performed by Frederick, who went on to become one of ABC's go-to guys, having written songs for other TGIF series like Perfect Strangers, Full House and Step by Step.

When series creator Peter Engel lost the battle for naming the series (he originally hated the title Saved by the Bell, but then-NBC president Brandon Tartikoff loved it), he was determined to prevent the phrase from being heard in the theme song. After receiving specific orders not to use it, composer Scott Gayle incorporated it anyway. After reviewing five submissions from all different composers, Engel admitted Gayle's was the best, after all. Sometimes it pays to break the rules.