History Main / TitleThemeDrop

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'' uses this device fairly often with its title theme, "Dearly Beloved", although it generally uses alternative arrangements such as "Friends in My Heart". The only cases where the title screen's arrangement is actually used is in ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Birth By Sleep]]''[='s=] ending, and in ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts3D'' as the solution to a musical problem, which also makes it a ThemeTuneCameo.

** Most of the early ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' games used their title screen themes as their invincibility themes.

** In the actual ''VideoGame/MegaMan II'' for the GameBoy, the title song plays during the final stage too.

** ''Film/StarTrek'' ends with a remix of the original series' theme.

* The main theme from ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' is used at the end of the Season 1 finale "Prophecy Girl," when Buffy, Angel and Xander are on their way to fight the villain. Probably doesn't qualify as a a {{Leitmotif}} because the theme isn't generally used in the show to signify any particular character or anything else.
* The finale of season four of ''Series/{{House}}'' played a cover of "Teardrop" by José González

* Similarly, ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' does this quite often when the MonsterOfTheWeek is defeated, especially the [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers original series]].
* Used to great effect in ''Series/{{Rome}}'', when [[HeteroSexualLifePartners Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo]] [[spoiler: rescue Lucius' children from slavery]]. While it's a great moment in itself, the music launches it into SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome territory.
* ''Series/PrettyGuardianSailorMoon'' played an instrumental version of the theme tune during certain important battles, and the full version with vocals for ''really'' important ones (and notable transformations).
* The incidental music during SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome near the end of most ''Series/InspectorRex'' episodes (at least in the first series) incorporates the piano motive from the theme song (this is separate from the end credits, which also use the title theme).

* ''Series/BreakingBad'' does this near the end of its penultimate episode, "Granite State", with the track "Dimple Pinch Neat" which starts out as something unrelated, but eventually transitions in the series' intro theme, becoming a ThemeMusicPowerUp for Walter. Notably, this is the only time said theme is actually heard inside an episode.
* In every ''Franchise/StarTrek'' spin-off finale, a version of the show's theme plays at the end of the last episode over a shot of the show's ship (or station in the case of Deep Space Nine). The kind-of exception to this rule is Enterprise, which uses the show's ending credits theme instead of its opening, and also features Next Generation's theme. Voyager and Next Generation both feature a variation on their theme in their pilot episodes.
* The memorable incidental music over Creator/TomBaker's death and regeneration. It started out descending and began gently rising before sliding into the iconic three-note signature of the ''Series/DoctorWho'' theme tune just as Creator/PeterDavison sat up, leading into the sting and the theme proper over the closing credits. When the scene was reprised as the cold open to Davison's first story at the start of the next series, this time the title theme drop led directly into the opening titles.

[[folder:Theater]]

* ''Series/BreakingBad'' does this near the end of its penultimate episode, "Granite State", with the track "Dimple Pinch Neat" which starts out as something unrelated, but eventually transitions in the series' intro theme. Notably, this is the only time said theme is actually heard inside an episode.

* The memorable incidental music over TomBaker's death and regeneration. It started out descending and began gently rising before sliding into the iconic three-note signature of the ''Series/DoctorWho'' theme tune just as PeterDavison sat up, leading into the sting and the theme proper over the closing credits. When the scene was reprised as the cold open to Davison's first story at the start of the next series, this time the title theme drop led directly into the opening titles.

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'' uses this device fairly often with its title theme, "Dearly Beloved", although it generally uses alternative arrangements such as "Friends in My Heart". The only cases where the title screen's arrangement is actually used is in ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Birth By Sleep]]''[='s=] ending, and in KingdomHearts3D as the solution to a musical problem, which also makes it a ThemeTuneCameo.

* The unreleased arcade game ''ChimeraBeast'' had the title theme as the ''final boss'' theme. Justified, as the final boss is a larger, meaner version of your [[HordeOfAlienLocusts eater]] [[VillainProtagonist character]].

* The opening theme of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', "Innocent Starter", receives a NostalgicMusicBox remix that appears in ''TheMovie First'' remake. It serves as background music for the quiet moment after Nanoha and Fate's second battle, where Nanoha finally resolves to reach out to Fate and find out why her eyes seem so lonely while Fate prepares to meet [[AbusiveParents her mother]]. A violin cover of the ending theme, "Little Wish", also plays when Nanoha and Fate exchange their hair ribbons and say their goodbyes at the end of the movie.

* ''VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe bonus game Kirby Fighters Deluxe'' uses the title theme, a remix of Triple Deluxe's boss theme itself, during King Dedede's return to final boss glory.

* The opening theme of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', "Innocent Starter", receives a NostalgicMusicBox remix that appears in ''TheMovie First'' remake. It serves as background music for the quiet moment after Nanoha and Fate's second battle, where Nanoha finally resolves to reach out to Fate and find out why her eyes seem so lonely while Fate prepares to meet [[AbusiveParents her mother]].

This is the musical equivalent of a TitleDrop; when the Title Screen theme for a game is played in a certain context within the game itself. This tends to lend significance to these scenes in a fashion similar to that of a TitleDrop.

* ''TwistedMetal Black'' drops the first few notes of "Paint it Black" in the Prison level's ambient (non-battle) music track.

* The AceCombat games tend to play their intro theme right during the climactic battle.

* Happens a lot in the PrettyCure series.

** ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'' does a variation. During a tribute episode, whenever they transform into the focused team, said teams theme music played. There are only three times when this wasn't done, and the reasons are because TheyJustDidntCare, to avert MoodWhiplash and because of popularity over the actual opening, respectively.

* The instrumental versions of the themes from ''Film/JamesBond'' movies ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzvbpcNtbD4 From Russia With Love]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzvbpcNtbD4 Goldfinger]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qi3Xy9KAgQ&feature=related Thunderball]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tz8Y0n1jAg You Only Live Twice]], Film/DiamondsAreForever, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiI-CTFBRKQ&feature=related Live and Let Die]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39i8dqlg7Mw&feature=related The Man with the Golden Gun]], The Spy Who Loved Me, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhrA3pmx6hk Moonraker]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAjJZRUnA74 For your eyes only]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kutZEuGZSlA Octopussy]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lawgufwcNRg A View To A Kill]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br0W1GVpS4Q The Living Daylights]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFZ-356jsC0&feature=related Tomorrow Never Dies]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bowNOuzJAWg The World Is Not Enough]],[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8BAUALunT8 Casino Royale]]'' and ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4j3JYznRBI Quantum of Solace]]'' can be listened during their films (just click on the movies' names to hear samples from the soundtrack).

!!Examples:

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* An inverse example in ''DynastyWarriors'', in that every sequel between 3 and 7 uses a remix of resident MemeticBadass Lu Bu's theme over the opening movie, even if he never appears in it. Meanwhile, 7 only half breaks the combo; the opening them "Crush 'Em All" makes a cameo in the [=BGM=] of the ultimate stage.

[[AC: Miscellaneous Games]]

[[AC:PlatformGame]]
* ''VideoGame/{{La-Mulana}}'' plays its title screen theme [[spoiler: in the hub village]] when the last Guardian has been defeated and the way to the final battle is open.

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[[AC:{{Live-Action TV}}]]

* In the pilot for Series/TwinPeaks, the theme song is played by a band performing at the Road House.

[[AC:{{Pinball}}]]

[[AC:{{Theatre}}]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* The title theme from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' gets dropped during the show when something epic happens - usually Aang going into the Avatar state.

* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', the finale chapter [[ZigZaggingTrope Zig Zags]] this. The music is called Id ~Purpose~, meaning it's a variant of Robin's theme. The fact that it starts playing after [[spoiler:Naga heals and blesses the party]] means this counts as a ThemeMusicPowerUp. It counts as this trope because a variant of Id is what plays on the Main Menu, when selecting a new game and such (which can make any time Id or one of its variants appears a TitleThemeDrop, most notably with the variant exclusive to the bosses in the future past DLC). It sounds the furthest removed from Id (for reasons such as having latin lyrics), however, and you might need the name to tip you off that yes, this is Robin's theme, so it might be a [[SubvertedTrope Subversion.]] But if you let the song go on long enough, you'll begin to easily recognize the music, though not as Id, but rather the theme of the entire series that's always used on the title theme. This also counts it as a ThemeTuneCameo, especially since there's no trace of it being based on Awakening's particular version of the title theme, but rather the more common version across the series. The lyrics are also the same ones that were made up for ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrothers Super Smash Brothers Brawl]]''

* [[VideoGame/{{Klonoa}} Klonoa: Door to Phantomile]] has its world map theme dropped during the [[TearJerker final cutscene.]] [[spoiler: It's the Song Of Rebirth.]]

* In ''VisualNovel/{{Ever17}}'', "Karma" (the menu music) plays during most [[TearJerker Tear Jerking]] moments and {{Downer Ending}}s.

* This occurs many times in ''Manga/FruitsBasket'', especially during [[TearJerker sad moments.]]

* In SoraNoWoto, Rio gets absolutely plastered and sings an off-key rendition of the show's [[http://vimeo.com/40545218 theme song]].

* GarfieldAndFriends does this in every episode.