Music Lists Are Us: Favorite TV Theme Songs & Composers with comments

The Bob Newhart Show ("Home to Emily") big-band instrumental written by Lorenzo & Henrietta Music (1972-1978)

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ("Love is All Around") written & sung by Sonny Curtis (1970-1977)

Mission Impossible ("Main Theme") instrumental written by Lalo Schifrin (1966-1973)

Hawaii Five-O (Theme) instrumental written by Morton Stevens (1968-1980)

Taxi ("Angela") instrumental written by Bob James (1978-1983)

Cheers ("Where Everybody Knows Your Name") written & sung by Gary Portnoy & co-written with Judy Hart Angelo  (1982-1993)

Hill Street Blues (theme) instrumental written by Mike Post (1981-1987)

The Rockford Files (The Rockford Files) rock instrumental by Mike Post & Pete Carpenter (1974-1980)

M*A*S*H ("Suicide is Painless") instrumental music composed by Johnny Mandel (1972-1983).  Though the lyrics were used in the movie, only the instrumental was used on TV.

Barney Miller (opening theme music) jazz instrumental written by Jack Elliot & Allyn Ferguson (1975-1982)

Miami Vice (Original Miami Vice Theme) rock instrumental written & performed by Jan Hammer (1984-1990)

Welcome Back, Kotter ("Welcome Back") written and sung by John Sebastian (1975-1979)

Sesame Street ("Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street") Music by Joe Raposo, with lyrics by John Stone, Bruce Hart & Joe Raposo (1969-present)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ('Yo Home to Bel-Air") written & performed by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince aka Jeffrey Townes & Will Smith (1990-1996)

The Monkees (Theme From The Monkees) by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, with lead vocal by Mickey Dolenz (1966-1968)

The Jeffersons ("Movin' On Up") written and sung by Ja'Net DuBois, co-written with Jeff Barry (1975-1985)

The Greatest American Hero ("Believe It or Not") by Mike Post & Stephen Geyer, sung by Joey Scarbury (1981-1983)

Sanford and Son ("The Streetbeater) instrumental by Quincy Jones (1972-1977)

The Andy Griffith Show ("The Fishin' Hole") written and performed (whistled) by Earle Hagen and co-written with Herbert Spencer (1960-1968)

The Simpsons (Main Title Theme) instrumental (with a short vocal intro) by Danny Elfman (1989-present)

The Courtship of Eddie's Father ("Best Friend") written and sung by Harry Nilsson (1969-1972)

Good Times with music by Dave Grusin & lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman, sung by Jim Gilstrap & Blinky Williams (1974-1979)

The Flintstones ("Meet the Flintstones") big-band with vocals, composed and conducted by Hoyt Curtin. (1960-1966, but a different opening theme was used before 1962)

Gilmore Girls ("Where You Lead") written & sung by Carole King in a duet with her daughter Louise Goffin (2000-2007 & 2016)

I Dream of Jeanie ("Jeanie") instrumental composed by Hugo Montenegro (1965-1970, though different music was used the first season)

Party of Five ("Closer to Free")  perfomed by the band BoDeans with music & lyrics by Kurt Neumann & Sam Llanas of the band BoDeans (1994-2000)

Bewitched instrumental written by Howard Greenfield & Jack Keller (1964-1972)

Game of Thrones (Main Title Theme) orchestral and choral composition written by Ramin Djawadi (2011-2019)

The Partridge Family ("C'mon Get Happy") written by Wes Farrell & Danny Janssen, with lead vocal by David Cassidy (1970-1974)

My Three Sons, instrumental written by Frank DeVol (1960-1972)

Hogan's Heros military-band-inspired instrumental theme song, written by Jerry Fielding (1965-1971)

Treme ("The Treme Song") written & sung by John Boutte. (2010-2013)