OT: The Top 10 Sports Theme Songs
“Music can evoke lots of emotions. It can bring back old memories, make you instantly happy, pumped up, or wistful. And if you are a sports fan, part of the soundtrack of your life must come from the sports world…
“As a sports fan, some of the music that will forever be in your head are the themes to your favorite televised sporting events. All you need is a few notes of your favorite sports TV themes and instantly memories begin to flow… The Top 10 Sports Theme Songs are:
10. The Wimbledon Theme. There are actually two – an American and a British one, both immediately recognizable by their respective audiences.
9. NFL on FOX. The background music for the dance moves of Cleatus, FOX’s robot.
8. Champions League Anthem. Adapted from Handel’s Zadok the Priest.
7. The Masters Theme Song. Appropriately, the slowest theme song on the list.
6. Hockey Night in Canada. Canada’s second national anthem and referred to by Wayne Gretzky as “the greatest song in Canada.”
5. ESPN SportsCenter Theme. Nearly 20 years old. (Worth watching the clip just to see Olberman’s 80s-look.)
4. CBS College Basketball Theme. March Madness anyone?
3. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
1. __________________________________
Before looking, what are your guesses as to what numbers 3, 2, and 1 are?
Need a hint? One was composed by then-conductor of the Boston Pops, John Williams. One was composed by John Tesh. The other was composed in 1971 for the BBC.
February 17th, 2010 at 1:45 PM ^
NBA on NBC had a great theme song. I'd also be surprised if NBC's Olympic theme didn't make the list either.
February 17th, 2010 at 1:45 PM ^
The Victors!
February 17th, 2010 at 1:47 PM ^
Raback'd
February 17th, 2010 at 2:02 PM ^
theme on ABC?
February 17th, 2010 at 4:27 PM ^
I love that one. They don't always play it though. Only for epic games.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:10 PM ^
The Wide World of Sports theme I'm guessing is the John Williams bit. Edit -- Nope
Hockey Night in Canada should be number one. That theme is fucking awesome.
It's a shame that themes are being replaced with AC/DC, Dave Matthews, and Randy Travis.
The ABC College Football theme from '97 through '05 was great.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:09 PM ^
Olympics gotta be on there and is the John WIlliams one I would guess.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:17 PM ^
First used by ABC for 1968 Winter Olympics:
February 17th, 2010 at 2:15 PM ^
Hockey Night in Canada theme should be ranked higher. The NHL on ESPN theme should be on this list for sure. I think the NFL on CBS theme (no singing, just the music) is alot better than the NFL on Fox's Theme. The College Football on ABC from the late 90's was also epic.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:17 PM ^
I had forgotten about the ESPN NHL theme music. That was pretty awesome too. About the only good thing ESPN ever did for the sport.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:25 PM ^
I like the NBA on NBC theme, but it was composed by John Tesh which surely knocks it down a few spots right? In the following video Tesh talks about how he composed it, including a voice message he sent to himself when he had the initial idea.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:33 PM ^
I apparently like John Tesh more than I ever thought I would. This is causing much introspection....
February 17th, 2010 at 4:55 PM ^
John Tesh, while super cheesy, is kind of cool in that despite being super cheesy, he is very genuine in his cheesiness.
He also did a very minor guest spot in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He got really into it when he was on the set for Entertainment Tonight, and asked to be part of it.
February 17th, 2010 at 3:04 PM ^
That theme song was epic, especially during a game 7 playoff or final game. I swear the tanking of the NBA and them discontinuing this theme song is no coincidence.
February 17th, 2010 at 4:18 PM ^
Who'da thunk it?
This must be the exception that proves the rule.
February 17th, 2010 at 5:21 PM ^
I like the NBA on NBC theme, but I always like the NBA on CBS theme song better, although it might be because it was on CBS that the Pistons were winning championships, and the Bulls won all their rings on NBC:
February 17th, 2010 at 2:17 PM ^
I've always liked it.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:20 PM ^
This should have been on here. Best intro ever. Especially that infamous skier.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:22 PM ^
and because you can't have one without the other...
The Bugler's Dream followed by John Williams' Olympic Theme
February 17th, 2010 at 3:59 PM ^
This is the one thing I like about NBC's Olympic coverage.
February 17th, 2010 at 4:19 PM ^
Two hundred years from now people will be listening to Williams' music with the same awe and reverence that many of us experience when we listen to Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi, et. al.
Actually, I already listen to Williams with the same awe as those brilliant masters because of such classics as:
Jaws
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Jurassic Park
Schindler's List
etc., etc.
One word....Genius!
February 17th, 2010 at 8:21 PM ^
We're so smart, even though willy posted it already we will again just to be cool. +1
February 17th, 2010 at 8:57 PM ^
I really like where you're going with this. You should steal his avatar too though.
February 17th, 2010 at 9:04 PM ^
I had to steal it.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:43 PM ^
I'd rate the Hockey Night in Canada theme higher just based on its massive cultural impact. There seemed to be real anger in Canada when CBC declined to pay more for it.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:54 PM ^
#1 should be the Hartford Whalers theme song, brass bonanza:
February 17th, 2010 at 4:15 PM ^
"Lost in Space" theme show...
February 17th, 2010 at 3:43 PM ^
I was just about to say that the NBA on NBC should have been #1, even though MNF theme is epic, but I completely forgot about that ABC CFB theme...man that takes me back. Now the battle is between my memories of awesome NBA playoffs games with Jordan vs. awesome Michigan football games. Dammit, that is tough. If Tesh didn't drag the NBA down a hair this would be a Ditka v. Ditka tie situation.
February 17th, 2010 at 5:21 PM ^
Michigan Replay, Across 110th Street!
February 17th, 2010 at 6:38 PM ^
The old NBC World Series theme would give me chills. And it hasn't been around in 21 years.
But the following year came...Baseball Tonight, which is still one of my faves.
(Damn either time flies, I'm old, or both..)
February 17th, 2010 at 6:54 PM ^
CBS college football (probably b/c I grew up in the South watching SEC), ABC college football like 10 years ago, and College Gameday (not the intro song, but the regular one)
February 17th, 2010 at 8:44 PM ^
1. Bugler's Dream- it means the Olympics. Got callouses playing Decathalon on the Atari to the strains of that. 1980 Hockey on ABC (Jim McKay had it all over NBC). And really, John Williams, as great as he is, shouldn't be getting credit for it. His original contribution was that lame theme NBC used (and still uses some) when they didn't have the rights to the one true Olympic theme.
2. MNF. And not the weak shit they play now. Old school, when you really got the base in the Ba Da Da, DA DUMP!
3. I was swayed by this thread...Wide World of Sports brought music and phrases into our lexicon. Agony of Defeat indeed.
February 17th, 2010 at 8:45 PM ^
NOT KENNY CHESNEY
February 17th, 2010 at 9:58 PM ^
is called "Heavy Action" (love that title!).