3 Rock Songs That Gained Steam When They Became TV Theme Songs

People love TV. People also love classic rock. So, what happens when you put them together like peanut butter and jelly? Well, you get a scrumptious, sumptuous combination that is great for your eyes and ears. In fact, when the two got together, not only did the music elevate the television programming, but the reverse happened, too. Songs that were decades old suddenly had new fans, new audiences, and younger listeners. The pairing served to elevate both creative endeavors, and when that happens, you know you have a partnership worthy of your tastes. Here, we wanted to explore three such examples. These are three famous rock songs that gained steam when they became TV theme songs.

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“With A Little Help From My Friends” by Joe Cocker from ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ (1968)

This song was originally written by The Beatles and released on their seminal, influential album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, in 1967. Well, a year later, singer Joe Cocker took what was a slightly humorous song sung by Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and put so much emotion into it that it became one of his own signature tracks. But 20 years later, the track earned a whole new fan base when it was used as the opening theme song for the popular television show, The Wonder Years.

“Superhero” by Jane’s Addiction from ‘Strays’ (2003)

It’s hard to believe that Jane’s Addiction’s song “Superhero” was released more than 20 years ago, but it’s true. And the song gained a great many fans thanks to its use in the popular HBO show, Entourage, which was all about male glamour. It makes sense. All the main characters in the show thought very highly of themselves. You can picture them looking in the mirror while getting dressed and saying, “I’m a superhero.” So, the classic rock band summed up that vibe in this tune perfectly.

“Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett from ‘Bad Reputation’ (1980)

Not only does Joan Jett love rock and roll, but she is also completely fine with being known as someone with a bad reputation. Song title jokes aside, of course, Jett ironically has a sterling reputation amongst music fans. Who doesn’t love Joan Jett? The electric guitar badass is an icon. And she gave one of her hit songs, “Bad Reputation”, to the cult classic TV show, Freaks and Geeks. The show first aired in 1999 and used the tune as its theme. Today, as people continue to rediscover the program, which gave the world big names like Seth Rogen and Jason Segel, they also rediscover Jett. And thank goodness!

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns