Most TV themes are written to be heard for sixty seconds and forgotten the moment the story starts. A few slipped out of the living room and onto the radio, and some climbed the Billboard Hot 100 as full singles.
The list below runs from the 1960s to the late 1990s. Each entry is a real chart hit tied to a real show, and the peak positions come from Billboard’s Hot 100 history.
Secret Agent Man by Johnny Rivers
Secret Agent Man was recorded for the American version of the British spy series Danger Man, which aired in the United States as Secret Agent. Johnny Rivers released it in 1966, and it reached number three on the Hot 100.
The twangy guitar riff did most of the work. It made the song instantly recognizable, even for people who never watched the show.
Hawaii Five O by The Ventures
Morton Stevens composed the theme for the CBS crime drama Hawaii Five O, which premiered in 1968. The Ventures, an instrumental rock group, recorded their own version in 1969.
Their take reached number four on the Hot 100. It’s a good example of how a surf rock band could turn a TV cue into a radio single.
Happy Days by Pratt and McClain
The sitcom Happy Days originally opened with a rock and roll standard, but the producers later commissioned a new theme. The duo Pratt and McClain recorded it, and the full single was released in 1976.
It peaked at number five on the Hot 100. The show’s popularity clearly helped, since the song stayed closely tied to the series.
Theme from S.W.A.T. by Rhythm Heritage
The short-lived police drama S.W.A.T. left behind a much bigger legacy in music than on television. Rhythm Heritage recorded a disco-flavored version of the theme, and it hit number one on the Hot 100 in early 1976.
That’s a notable result for an instrumental. The show itself lasted only a short time, but the song outlived it.
Welcome Back by John Sebastian
John Sebastian, formerly of The Lovin’ Spoonful, wrote Welcome Back for the sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. The song was released as a single in 1976.
It reached number one on the Hot 100 that spring. The hit came well after Sebastian’s band days, which made it something of a second act for him.
Believe It or Not by Joey Scarbury
Believe It or Not served as the theme of The Greatest American Hero, a comedy about a teacher given a superhero suit. Joey Scarbury sang it, and the single climbed to number two on the Hot 100 in 1981.
The song also earned a Grammy nomination. Its soaring chorus suited the show’s lighthearted tone.
Theme from Miami Vice by Jan Hammer
Jan Hammer, a Czech-born keyboardist, composed much of the synthesizer-driven music for Miami Vice. His Theme from Miami Vice reached number one on the Hot 100 in November 1985.
It became one of the few instrumental TV themes to top the chart. The track helped define the show’s glossy, neon look in sound as well as image.
I’ll Be There for You by The Rembrandts
The Friends theme began as a short piece for the show’s opening credits. The Rembrandts, who were already a duo, recorded it, and a longer version was later made for radio.
The single peaked at number 17 on the Hot 100 in 1995. It remains one of the best-known sitcom songs of the decade.
I Don’t Want to Wait by Paula Cole
Paula Cole released I Don’t Want to Wait on her 1996 album This Fire. It became the opening theme for the teen drama Dawson’s Creek, which debuted in 1998.
The song reached number 11 on the Hot 100 that year. Its association with the show kept it widely recognized long after the series ended.
