No matter how long ago we watched a TV show, the theme song will stick with us, even if the plot lines become hazy.
They play at the beginning of every episode, and sometimes, we can’t get that catchy tune out of our heads.
From cartoons to sitcoms and dramas, you name it. They all carry the same tune in every episode that airs, and we get a sense of good memories when we hear them. Theme songs can carry nostalgia for our childhoods or even just good memories of our favorite shows.
LSU students were eager to share their favorite songs from when they were younger.
Noah McKinney, 22, had a hard time choosing his top tune, but he narrowed it down to the “Attack on Titan” theme song.
“The most iconic theme song for me, I think, is ‘Attack on Titan,’” McKinney said. “It became its own standing meme separate from the show and that people recognize. Oh, and it’s a banger.”
McKinney explained how when the show first came out, many noticed that the theme song could overlay perfectly over other TV shows. Some of the videos on YouTube receive views ranging from 1 million to 9 million.
“It prompted a wave of compilation videos and such joking that ‘the Attack on Titan theme goes with everything,’” McKinney said.
Jack Price, 21, thinks back to Nickelodeon shows when he thinks about iconic theme songs. Price could not decide between “Spongebob Squarepants” and “iCarly.”
“I chose ‘Spongebob Squarepants’ because you hear one part of that song, and you immediately know the words unless your parents are freaks and did not let you watch it,” Price said. “Also, the ‘iCarly’ theme song is so catchy. Even if people don’t know the words, the beat still makes you bop. They are both iconic theme songs from our childhoods. Spongebob was for our adolescence, and iCarly was for our teenage years.”
Jorja Hlifka, 21, also said “iCarly” for the most iconic theme song. She said the song is a feel-good jam whenever she hears it.
Many found comfort and nostalgia in their favorite cartoon and anime theme songs, but some found it in their favorite dramas.
Ellie Lopez, 24, finds comfort when she hears the theme song from “One Tree Hill.”
“The ‘One Tree Hill’ theme song always hits when I hear it,” Lopez said. She says that whenever she hears the first note of the song, she immediately recognizes the song and thinks of the show.
Angel Fernandez, 21, said his favorite TV show theme song was “Law and Order.”
“I just feel like everyone knows the song,” Fernandez said. “You could hear it from a room over, and you would know what show was on.”
These tunes connect us to some of our favorite shows. Theme songs are a big part of any TV show because before you could skip them on streaming services, you had no choice but to listen to the theme song of all of your favorite shows before you could get back to watching. When we hear the song, we can see the introduction credits being played out, and we are instantly hit with nostalgia and memories, often from simpler times.
