Think about all the iconic TV theme songs you can sing by heart...The Jeffersons, Cheers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air...the list is endless.
But for all the earworms and memorable melodies, you’d be surprised how few of them ever actually made it to the top of the music charts. In the entire history of the Billboard Hot 100, only five TV theme songs have ever claimed the number one spot.
It’s one of the rarest feats in pop culture, and the list is a fantastic trip down memory lane.
The first three songs to accomplish this are pure 70s and 80s gold. It started in 1976 with John Sebastian’s “Welcome Back,” the folksy theme from Welcome Back, Kotter.
That same year, the funky instrumental “Theme from S.W.A.T.” by Rhythm Heritage also hit number one.
Nearly a decade later, in 1985, Jan Hammer’s synth-heavy “Miami Vice Theme” captured the slick, cool vibe of the show and also topped the charts.
Three number ones, and two of them didn’t even have lyrics.
The last two songs on this exclusive list came from the 90s. In 1992, “How Do You Talk to an Angel” by The Heights reached number one. What’s wild about this one is that The Heights was a fictional band from a show of the same name that was canceled after only one season. The song literally outlasted the show it was made for.
The final song to achieve this feat was “I’ll Be There for You” by The Rembrandts, the inescapable theme from Friends.
It’s a small club, but it’s a fascinating slice of music and TV history.