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1A ThemeTune without lyrics. Often, there is some attempt to thematically match the instrumentals to the tone of the show; a noble, orchestral theme for high drama, something brassy and mysterious for SpeculativeFiction, something fast and powerful for an AdventureSeries, something quirky and odd for a comedy show. Often, such a theme tune will be adapted from an obscure old symphony piece.
2
3Far and away the most common style of ThemeTune for American drama series.
4
5Note that some Instrumental Theme Tunes actually possess ForgottenThemeTuneLyrics. Subtrope to {{Instrumentals}}.
6
7----
8!!Examples:
9
10[[foldercontrol]]
11
12[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
13%%* ''Adventures of Kotetsu''
14* The 2004 ADV distribution of ''Manga/Area88'' has ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4mBZHTck4I Mission: Fuga]]'', a remix of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddbxFi3-UO4 Bach's Little Fugue]].
15* ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'' has "Gun's & Roses" by Paradise Lunch, a jazzy instrumental track that fits with the series' Prohibition era setting.
16* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'''s theme song, "Tank", has a few spoken words in the beginning, but is mostly a Music/CharlesMingus-esque big-band jazz number.
17* ''Literature/CrestOfTheStars'' and its sequels use a brass-heavy symphonic theme, as composed by the late Katsuhisa Hattori.
18* ''Anime/DeltoraQuest'' (the American version only)
19* ''Anime/DevilMayCryTheAnimatedSeries'' has "d.m.c." by rungran for its opening song, NOT to be confused with Music/RunDMC.
20* ''Anime/DivergenceEve'' has a lyric-less metal/techno/rock opening.
21* Aside from a narration courtesy of Creator/DanGreen, the opening for the 4Kids dub of ''Anime/FZeroGPLegend'' goes like this.
22* ''Manga/EmmaAVictorianRomance'''s opening theme, "Silhouette of a Breeze", is an orchestral piece accompanied by piano. The second season's theme is "Silhouette of a Breeze: Celt version", which is a different arrangement using Celtic instruments like the flute and harp.
23* ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'' has some instrumentals itself, but in a subversion: What seems like the backing track to an ImageSong with lyrics is actually an entirely different song. (i.e. "Inoru You Ni Aishiteru"/"Romantic", "Ai To Iu Na No Tatakai Ni"/"Sassou To...", "I Wish"/"Music Box")
24* ''VideoGame/{{Gungrave}}'''s theme song, "Family".
25* Like ''Cowboy Bebop'' above, ''Manga/GunsmithCats'' also opens its episodes with a jazzy instrumental.
26* ''Anime/GunXSword'' opens with what can only be described as a spaghetti western theme played with traditional Japanese instruments.
27* ''Anime/HaibaneRenmei'''s "Free Bird", later becoming a {{Leitmotif}}.
28* The anime adaptation of ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' has an orchestral opening theme.
29* ''Anime/MarvelAnimeIronMan'' and ''Anime/MarvelAnimeWolverine'' both have instrumental rock themes as opening and ending songs.
30* There are several versions of the theme song of ''Franchise/LupinIII'', both instrumental (the majority, including the original second-series one) and vocal (the second opening of the second series, and various Lupin-related jazz albums). The original 1971 series had a completely different theme, but it's not as memorable, and hasn't been used since the new one was written in 1977.
31%%* ''Manga/{{Monster}}''
32* ''Anime/NajicaBlitzTactics'' has a jazzy/big band instrumental opening theme.
33* The {{OVA}} of ''Anime/ReadOrDie'' opens with an instrumental piece that sounds like a ''Film/JamesBond'' homage.
34* ''Anime/{{Robotech}}'' featured an instrumental theme by composer Ulpio Minucci, which helped distinguish the series from those of the decade and hinted at the show's ambitions.
35* The first opening of ''Manga/ShadowsHouse'' is a classical and somewhat jazzy instrumental piece.
36* ''Anime/SpaceDandy'', although only for the initial broadcasts in the US, before switching to the vocal version of "Viva Namida"
37* The American release of ''Anime/SpeedGrapher'' uses an instrumental opening theme ("Shutter Speed"), though the Japanese release uses Music/DuranDuran's [[RealSongThemeTune "Girls on Film"]].
38* ''Anime/StreetFighterIIV'' (the American version only)
39* ''Tamagotchi Friends'', a webtoon adaptation of ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}'' condensing the first seven episodes of the ''Yume Kira Dream'' story arc into shorts that are about four minutes long, uses an ExtremelyShortIntroSequence with a song that has no audible lyrics.
40* ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' has, essentially, a long guitar solo as a theme tune.
41* ''Anime/TweenyWitches'' opens with an orchestral instrument theme by composer Tamiya Terashima.
42* ''Manga/YonaOfTheDawn'': An orchestral instrumental piece for its first opening.
43* The English dub of ''Anime/YuGiOhSevens'' uses an upbeat synth/rock tune for both openings.
44
45[[/folder]]
46
47[[folder:Asian Animation]]
48* The theme song for ''Animation/{{Akis}}'' does not have vocals.
49* The theme song for ''Animation/AndyPirki'' does not have any vocals.
50* ''Animation/CupidsChocolates'' does not have vocals in its theme song for the first season. The second season's opening does have lyrics, however.
51* The very Turkish-sounding theme song of ''Animation/KingShakir'' has no lyrics.
52* The short nature of ''Animation/{{Lamput}}'' episodes (15 seconds in the first season, two minutes and five minutes for later seasons) doesn't leave too much time for vocals in what little it has of a theme song, as the intro was made to be [[ExtremelyShortIntroSequence about three seconds long]].
53* The classic ''Animation/MotuPatlu'' series (not the 2012 one, but the 80s/90s one that came first) has an instrumental opening made using an electronic synth.
54* The ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf: Around the World in 20 Days'' opening has no singing.
55* The theme for ''Animation/StitchAndAi'' doesn't have any vocals save for a brief moment of male singers saying "Woo!" in the background and a couple(?) female singers lightly singing "Ah!" at the very end.
56* ''Animation/TobotGalaxyDetectives'': The opening and closing theme tune for the series is played on a rock and roll guitar.
57[[/folder]]
58
59[[folder:Eastern European Animation]]
60* ''Animation/FantasyPatrol'' has this in season 1. Season 2 has a completely different tune with lyrics.
61* ''Animation/HungarianFolkTales'' has a short tune played on flute and cello accompanying its title sequence.
62[[/folder]]
63
64[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
65* Creator/JohnCarpenter's classic ''Film/{{Halloween|1978}}'' theme is a good example of a modern version of the trope: a nearly non-musical electronic sound beat designed to create tension whenever it is heard in the movie.
66* There are only three ''Film/JamesBond'' films with instrumentals over the titles: ''Film/DrNo'', ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove'' and ''Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService''. It's believed the last case was so because Music/JohnBarry couldn't figure out how to put in all nine syllables into a coherent song. However, ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove'' does have a vocal version by Matt Monro, heard on a car radio in the film itself and over the end credits.
67* ''Franchise/StarWars'', while not the only example from Music/JohnWilliams's catalogue, is undoubtedly the most famous, used in every opening crawl and appearing several times as a {{Leitmotif}} for the series.
68* The infamous "da-dada-da-dada-da-dada-DA" of ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' certainly counts, too.
69* ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther''. You could never forget the saxophone punctuated piece by Music/HenryMancini, could you?
70* ''Film/TheThreeStooges'' had a couple of different themes.
71* ''Creator/LaurelAndHardy'' had a famous short theme.
72* ''Film/LoveStory'' has an instrumental theme that was also turned into a non-instrumental sung by the legendary Music/AndyWilliams.
73* ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'' has an orchestral march theme parodying that of ''Franchise/StarWars'' as well as a disco TitleThemeTune which plays much later in the movie.
74[[/folder]]
75
76[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
77* ''The 21st Century''
78* ''Series/ThirtyRock'', though it is sung WithLyrics in both live episodes, and by ''Music/WeirdAlYankovic'' in TheStinger to "Kidnapped by Danger"
79* The theme tune for ''Series/TreintaYUnMinutos'' was initially this, [[WithLyrics but later it was added lyrics]] as a DoItYourselfThemeTune with various of the show's characters and was even titled "Yo Nunca Vi Televisión"[[labelnote:*]]Roughly meaning "I Never Saw Television".[[/labelnote]]. However, the title sequence never used said lyrics.
80* ''Series/TheATeam'''s dramatic military march.
81* ''The Abbott & Costello Show''
82* ''Series/AccordingToJim'' had a jazz piece as its opening theme.
83* ''Series/AdamRuinsEverything''
84* ''Series/{{Airwolf}}''
85* ''Series/{{Alf}}''
86* ''Series/AlfredHitchcockPresents'' and ''The Alfred Hitchcock Hour'' used several different versions of Charles Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" as their theme music, making the composition famous in the process.
87* ''Series/{{Alias}}''
88* ''Series/AlloAllo'' has little French accordion music tinged with nostalgia.
89* ''Series/AmericanGladiators''
90* ''Series/AmericasMostWanted''
91* ''Series/{{Andor}}''. Each episode also has its own special version of the opening theme to go with the mood of the episode, varying slightly in exact instrumentation and sound while still retaining the same melody.
92* ''Series/{{Andromeda}}''
93* ''Series/{{Angel}}''. The extended version has lyrics.
94* ''Anything But Love''
95* ''Series/AreYouAfraidOfTheDark''
96* ''Series/TheAvengers1960s''
97* ''Series/BabylonFive,'' a slightly different one for each season.
98* ''Series/BarneyMiller'''s jazzy theme.
99* ''The Baron''
100* ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|1978}}''
101* ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'' (''Hawaii'' season 1, though more accurately is an example of ForgottenThemeTuneLyrics, since it is an instrumental of "I'm Always Here")
102* Another instrumental that was written long before it became a theme tune: "Yakety Sax" from ''Series/TheBennyHillShow'', originally recorded by Boots Randolph.
103* ''Series/BeverlyHills90210''
104* ''Series/BizarreFoods'' has TWO separate instrumental themes, though the second is actually for the {{Spinoff}} show "Bizarre Foods America". The show has a third theme tune that's ''nearly'' instrumental (i.e. it would be were it not for the shout-sung "It's so bizarre!" exclamation toward the end of it).
105* ''Series/{{Bob}}''
106* ''The Bob Hope Show''
107* ''Series/TheBobNewhartShow''
108* ''Series/{{Bonanza}}''
109* ''Series/{{Bones}}'' had an electronic theme by Music/TheCrystalMethod.
110* ''Series/{{Bottom}}'' memorably uses two seedy pieces of blues music over its opening and closing credits: ""BB's Blues" for the opening, and the more bouncy and upbeat "Last Night" for the crazy-dancing end credits.
111* ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' had a different one each season for seasons 1-4. Seasons 5-7 had a ThematicThemeTune.
112* ''Series/BreakingBad''
113** ''Series/BetterCallSaul'', though [[https://youtu.be/5AI44gnaLxY it's actually just the intro of the full version]] and has ForgottenThemeTuneLyrics
114* ''Series/TheBrittasEmpire''
115* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''.
116* ''Series/BurkesLaw''
117* ''Series/CagneyAndLacey''
118* ''Series/CaptainKangaroo''. "Puffer Billy" was the name.
119* ''Series/TheChampions1968''
120* ''Series/{{CHIPS}}''
121* ''Series/TheCleanerUK''
122* ''Series/Combat1962'': The theme quotes from "[[PublicDomainSoundtrack When Johnny Comes Marching Home]]".
123* The numerous {{Special Edition Title}}s on ''Series/{{Community}}'' have generally been instrumental, with the exception of the Halloween ones (which used the normal theme), and [[Recap/CommunityS2E11AbedsUncontrollableChristmas the]] [[Recap/CommunityS4E01History101 two]] that [[DoItYourselfThemeTune Abed sang]].
124* ''Series/TheComicStripPresents'' had a brief, cheery organ passage, [[SoundtrackDissonance played against]] a title card depicting an atomic bomb with "Have A Nice Day" spray-painted on the side falling toward a dot on a road map marked "You Are Here".
125* ''WesternAnimation/CourageousCatAndMinuteMouse'', even though most cartoons had words in their themes.
126* ''Series/TheCosbyShow''. However, the whole "thematically match the instrumentals to the tone of the show" part doesn't exactly work, and for one season used [[SoundtrackDissonance a grand orchestral piece for the opening of a comedy show]].
127* ''Series/{{Cosmos}}''
128* ''Series/CurbYourEnthusiasm'': ''Frolic'' by Luciano Michelini.
129* ''Series/TheDailyShowWithJonStewart'' has "Dog On Fire" (by Music/BobMould, performed by Music/TheyMightBeGiants) as main theme, which manages to suit it perfectly.
130* ''Series/{{Dallas}}'' One of the best!
131* ''Series/DangerMan'', starring Creator/PatrickMcGoohan, had a weird but upbeat (for a spy series) jazz-march hybrid theme, with the lead melody played on harpsichord. Granted, a new theme (with lyrics) was commissioned for the US airings of the series (as ''Secret Agent''), but the American audiences still heard the original theme anyway -- [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wwm2_JJLYY it played over the opening scene of every episode]], and was often used to set the mood whenever secrets were being passed around.
132* ''Series/DavisRules''
133* ''The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd''
134* ''Series/{{Decoy}}''
135* ''Series/DepartmentS''
136* ''Series/DesigningWomen''
137* ''Series/{{Dexter}}'''s theme song sets the mood perfectly for a show where the protagonist is a serial killer.
138* ''Series/DiagnosisMurder''
139* ''Series/{{Dinosaurs}}''
140* ''Series/DoctorWho''. The show additionally tends to RearrangeTheSong every now and then:
141** The original 1963 arrangement was touched up in 1967, featuring a faster bassline and a new twinkling whirr, and it was further remixed for the closing titles in 1970, with these variations being used until 1980.
142** After Creator/JohnNathanTurner took over as producer in 1980, the 1967 and 1970 arrangements were replaced with a new SynthPop rendition, which was then replaced by a more ethereal version in 1986, which got used for all of one season before being swapped out for another SynthPop version from 1987 to the show's cancellation in 1989. This was followed by orchestral versions for the 1996 MadeForTVMovie and series 1-3 of the Revival Series.
143** "Voyage of the Damned" through ''The End of Time'' use a highly rocked-up version of the opening theme by Music/MurrayGold.
144** Series 5 through series 7 use a version by Murray Gold that mixes a retro-electronic baseline and a grand orchestra (and choir!) to create a haunting but upbeat version, with some modification for the final half of series 7.
145** "The Day of the Doctor", as the 50th anniversary special, has its own special version by Gold that plays up the exciting, adventurous aspects of the theme.
146** Series 8-10 use another version by Gold, this one with an electronic and futuristic feel.
147** Series 11 onwards use a version by Segun Akinola that incorporates more of the original tune and adds an underlying electronic beat to create an eerie version quite unlike any of Gold's.
148** Creator/JonPertwee, the Third Doctor, made an unofficial version of the theme with spoken word lyrics performed in-character called "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLXOO9PnnMQ Who is the Doctor?]]"
149* ''Series/DogWithABlog''
150* ''The Donna Reed Show''
151* ''Series/DoogieHowserMD''
152* ''Series/DreamOn''
153* ''Series/DrewCareysImprovAGanza''
154* ''Series/EastEnders''
155* ''Series/TheEqualizer''
156* The first two seasons of ''Series/{{Eureka}}'' used a whimsical, whistled tune. Seasons 3 and 4 used an abbreviated version.
157* ''Series/EvenStevens''
158* ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond'' (except the season 7 theme, "Jungle Love")
159* ''Series/TheFabulousShowWithFayAndFluffy''
160* ''Falcon Crest''
161* ''Series/FawltyTowers'' used a sedate string quartet piece that ironically counterpointed the show's manic events.
162* ''Fish''
163* ''Series/ForeignExchange''
164* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'': The OpeningTheme is notable as it changes frequently (a form of CouchGag). There were more permutations introduced as the show ran longer and longer, all with a light jazz feel which set the tone nicely for the content of the episode.
165* ''Series/{{Fringe}}''
166* ''FuruhataNinzaburo''
167* ''Series/GameOfThrones''
168** ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'' (same theme as above)
169* Pick a GameShow, any GameShow.
170** Notable exceptions include the 1970s version of ''Series/ToTellTheTruth'', the 1990 game show adaptation of Series/{{Monopoly}} ("M, ohh, N, ohh, P O L Y"), and ''Series/TheWizardOfOdds'' (with Creator/AlanThicke singing such lyrics as "Who's the guy with the prizes/That'll light up your eyes-es..."). ''All Star Blitz'' briefly used a SurrealThemeTune with "lyrics" that mainly consisted of the show's title and gibberish, but retired this theme after one week.
171* All seasons of ''Series/{{GARO}}'' use instrumentals (or at least operatic chanting) as the opening themes for the first halves of the series, before switching to Music/JAMProject songs.
172* ''Series/GarrisonsGorillas''
173* ''Series/GetSmart''
174* ''Series/TheGirlFromUNCLE''
175* ''Series/GhostsUK''
176* ''Series/Goosebumps1995''
177* ''Radio/TheGreenHornet'' had used Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee" for decades; the TV show brought in composer/arranger Billy May to update it, who then enlisted trumpeter Al Hirt for the distinctive solos.
178* ''Series/GroundedForLife''
179* ''Series/{{Gunsmoke}}''
180* Both the original ''Series/HawaiiFiveO'' and [[Series/HawaiiFive0 the 2010 revival]].
181* In ''Series/{{Helix}}'', a SciFi[=/=]Horror Thriller revolving around an outbreak of TheVirus, its theme is a calculatedly [[SoundtrackDissonance dissonant]] piece of Bossa Nova easy listening, that slows and [[LettingTheAirOutOfTheBand warps to a stop]] as BadBlackBarf drips off the "X" in the TitleCard. It's companion end credits theme shares its genre and instrumentation, but is instead tense with a rising background whine that evokes PsychoStrings before warping to a stop again.
182* ''Series/HighwayPatrol''
183* ''Series/HighwayToHeaven''
184* The theme from ''Series/HillStreetBlues'' was set to credits that look like a cross between a sitcom and a police procedural. However, the sad, simple piano chords tie it all into the real mood of the show: an ongoing tragedy and the people who have to cope with it, day after day.
185** And of course it's a ''blues'', punning on the title.
186* For RealSongThemeTune par excellence, see the use of Music/{{Eagles}}' "Journey Of The Sorcerer" for ''Series/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1981''. Famously chosen because Creator/DouglasAdams thought that the theme for a show about hitch-hiking should have a banjo in it somewhere.
187* ''Series/HockeyNightInCanada'' had an unforgettable instrumental theme in "The Hockey Theme", which was so ubiquitous in its home country that it was actually considered Canada's second national anthem. Unfortunately, thanks to licensing issues, that song is now the theme for ''The NHL on TSN''. HNIC's replacement song, "Canadian Gold", is mostly instrumental, but includes a few samples of crowds cheering "Hey!" during the piece.
188* ''Series/HogansHeroes''
189* ''Series/HomeImprovement''
190* Another RealSongThemeTune example: ''Series/{{House}}'' has as its theme tune an instrumental segment of a Music/MassiveAttack song.
191* ''Hunter''
192* ''Series/ILoveLucy'', which had words which were sung in the series once.
193* ''Series/ISpy''
194* ''Series/IsItLegal'': Both theme tunes are an example of this.
195* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': Daniel Hart's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7qR2NHLv48 Interview with the Orchestra]]" plays over the [[ExtremelyShortIntroSequence short title sequence]].
196* ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' (the stock music piece "Temptation Sensation")
197* ''Jackpot'' used the stock music piece "Jet Set", which would later be used by ''This Week in Baseball'' (below).
198* ''Series/{{JAG}}'', as well as its spinoffs ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' and ''Series/NCISLosAngeles''. Though, [[OddballInTheSeries weirdly]], not ''Series/NCISNewOrleans'', which has a RealSongThemeTune.
199* ''Series/JasonKing''
200* ''Series/{{Joe90}}'' (oddly enough, this theme was later recycled for the Amiga and SNES game ''Super Putty'')
201* ''Series/TheJohnLarroquetteShow''
202* ''Series/JohnsonAndFriends''
203* ''Series/KamenRiderHibiki'' was the only ''Franchise/KamenRider'' series to have one. It ended up being one of the victims of the show's tragic ExecutiveMeddling.
204* ''Series/TheKidsInTheHall'' had "Having an Average Weekend" by instrumental band Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet.
205* ''Series/KirbyBuckets''
206* ''Series/KnightRider'' (And note how radically different was the tone of its {{revival}}, ''Series/TeamKnightRider'')
207* ''Series/KnotsLanding''.
208* ''Series/KraftSuspenseTheatre''
209* ''Series/LALaw''.
210* ''Series/LandOfTheGiants''
211* Late night talk shows in general, though they all have announcers telling who the guests are:
212** ''Series/{{Conan}}''
213** ''Series/LateNight''
214** ''[[Creator/DavidLetterman Late Show With David Letterman]]''
215** ''Series/TheTonightShow''
216* All of the American shows in the ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'' franchise use the same tune, but with unique arrangements for each show. The TransatlanticEquivalent ''Series/LawAndOrderUK'' [[ThemeMusicAbandonment uses its own]] unique instrumental theme unrelated to the original.
217* ''Series/LazyTown'' in syndication and its later versions. This is because the syndicated version had a small music budget and shifted from a simple educational kid's show to an educational action series like ''Franchise/PowerRangers''. This means all songs sung by the characters are replaced with background songs from various artists, but a list would be too long to fit here.
218* ''Series/LabRats'' and its spin-off ''Series/LabRatsEliteForce''
219* ''Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous''
220* The William Tell Overture as the theme to ''Series/TheLoneRanger'', although this dates back to radio.
221* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower''
222* ''Series/LostInSpace''
223* ''Series/MacGyver1985''
224* ''The Magician'' (1973 series)
225* ''Series/MagnumPI''
226* ''Series/MaxHeadroom''
227* ''Series/ModernFamily'', minus the one background vocal saying "Hey!" throughout the whole thing.
228* ''Series/MajorDad''
229* ''Series/TheManFromUNCLE''
230* ''Man in a Suitcase''
231* ''Series/{{Mannix}}''
232* ''Series/ManSeekingWoman''
233* ''Series/{{MASH}}'' had an instrumental theme, "Suicide is Painless". The song had lyrics in the movie.
234* ''Matt Houston''
235* ''Series/MaxHeadroom''
236* ''Series/MechX4''
237* ''Series/MedicalCenter'': Lalo Schifrin composed the theme for this early 70s TV show that could have worked for an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Eb8o-sLTaA action show too!]]
238* ''Series/MelrosePlace''
239* The theme song for the Canadian series ''Mentors'' was a computerized-sounding, piano-based tune, with plenty of beeps and blips. Fitting, given that the show revolved around teenagers who could bring back historical figures with the help of a supercomputer.
240* ''Series/MiamiVice'': One of the biggest complaints about the movie adaptation was its lack of the groundbreaking rock intro and incidental music used in the series.
241* ''Series/MidnightCaller''
242* ''Series/MidsomerMurders''
243* ''Series/MissionImpossible'': Composer Lalo Schifrin actually made a short piece to go with the climactic chase scene but the producers liked it so much they decided to make it the central theme.
244* ''Series/{{Monk}}'', before they got Music/RandyNewman to do a new song for the second season. The old one still popped up in the underscore, though. Since the original theme won composer Jeff Beal an Emmy, it's strange that Universal decided to change it. Then again, Newman's theme won an Emmy as well.
245* One of the most famous: John Philip Sousa's "Liberty Bell March", better known as the opening theme to ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus''.
246* ''Series/MorkAndMindy'' had a cheery, upbeat theme tune to match the tone of the show. There was a different but equally upbeat theme in Italy.[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyImxw88vOk With lyrics]].
247* ''Series/{{Motherland}}
248* ''Series/MrShow'' has a catchy surf-rock tune as its intro and outro.
249* ''Series/MurdochMysteries''
250* ''Series/MyBrotherAndMe''
251* ''Series/MyFavoriteMartian''
252* ''Series/{{Nashville}}''
253* ''Series/{{Newsradio}}''
254* ''Series/NightCourt''
255* ''Night Stand With Dick Dietrick''
256* ''Series/NYPDBlue''
257* ''Series/TheOddCouple1970'' theme song technically has lyrics, but they don't appear in the opening and most people don't even know they exist.
258* ''Series/TheOfficeUS''
259* ''Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses'' had this in [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness its first series and 1981 Christmas special]] before the introduction of the well-remembered opening and closing themes in the second series.
260* ''Series/OurMissBrooks''
261* ''Series/ParksAndRecreation''
262* ''Series/ThePeoplesCourt''
263* ''Franchise/PerryMason'' ("Park Avenue Beat" by Fred Steiner)
264* Or speaking of Henry Mancini, how about the extremely well-known ''Series/PeterGunn'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcflCzZlLcQ theme]].
265* ''Philbert'' (live action/animated pilot)
266* ''Series/PoliceWoman''
267* ''Series/{{The Prisoner|1967}}''
268* ''Series/PushingDaisies''.
269* ''Series/QuantumLeap''
270* ''Series/RedDwarf'' originally opened with a booming, bass-heavy instrumental that was [[SoundtrackDissonance wildly out of place given the nature of the show]]. Starting with Season 2, the opening instead uses a shortened instrumental version of the rather-more-fitting closing theme.
271* ''Series/TheRedGreenShow''
272* ''Series/RemingtonSteele''
273* ''Series/TheRockfordFiles''
274* ''The Rookies''
275* ''Series/{{Room222}}''
276* ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'' (excluding the final season)
277* ''Series/RowanAndMartinsLaughIn''
278* ''Series/TheSaint''
279* Quincy Jones' emblematic funk-soul tune "The Streetbeater" from ''Series/SanfordAndSon''
280* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'': Announcer reads the list of performers and guest stars, but that's it.
281* Most of the programs on Scripps Howard-owned TV channels (e.g. the Creator/FoodNetwork and Creator/{{HGTV}}) have open domain instrumental theme tunes to save on production costs.
282* ''Series/SecretArmy''
283* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}''
284* ''Series/{{Shoestring}}''
285* ''Series/SiliconValley'' - "Stretch Your Face" by Tobacco
286* ''Series/SimonAndSimon''
287* ''The Single Guy''
288* ''Series/SiskelAndEbert'' (all incarnations of the show)
289* ''Series/{{Soap}}''
290** ''Series/{{Benson}}''
291* Nearly all American daytime soap operas, with only a handful of exceptions.
292* ''Series/SomeMothersDoAveEm'' had a cute little tune played on two flutes. It was actually a piece of concealed FridgeBrilliance by composer Ronnie Hazelhurst: the alternation of quarter-notes and eighth-notes spelled out the title of the show in [[EveryoneKnowsMorse Morse Code]].
293* ''Series/SonOfTheBeach''
294* ''Series/TheSoup'' (formerly ''Talk Soup'')
295* Most of the ''[[Franchise/StargateVerse Stargate]]'' franchise, including ''Film/{{Stargate}}'' the movie, ''Series/StargateSG1'', ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', and ''StargateTheArkOfTruth''.
296** In a commentary for an SG-1 episode, Joe Malozzi, Paul Mullie and Peter [=DeLuise=] present [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3Q-NdRtn1o lyrics]]. however these aren't official. At all.
297* ''Series/StarskyAndHutch'' had a different instrumental theme for each of its four seasons. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN1grF2rXpM Season 1]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwwhWPLYBMc Season 2]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHjq10Wgt_A Season 3]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD6R7EXpCUw Season 4]] In France, however, it had an entirely different theme. With ''lyrics.'' All together now: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY2zchQzHJ4 "Starskeeeeeeeeeee et 'utch..."]] (This happens fairly often in France, with ''Series/HartToHart'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=badRuS2emc0 Dallas]]'', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6REdHO3StZo Prison Break]]'' and even ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rnsp4eccMA Heroes]]'', among others, also getting vocal theme songs exclusive to the country.)
298* The entire ''Franchise/StarTrek'' franchise, excepting ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', which does have an instrumental EndingTheme. Gene Roddenberry receives co-writer credit (and a share of the royalties) for the original ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' theme, as he wrote the lyrics. If you just said "The theme from ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' had lyrics?", you probably know how composer Alexander Courage felt about this.
299* ''Series/StElsewhere'' has an iconic instrumental theme composed by Dave Grusin. Grusin appears to have repurposed most of that theme for the mid - late Eighties theme for the ABC daytime soap opera ''Series/{{One Life To Live}}''.
300* ''Series/StrangerThings''
301* ''Series/TheStreetsOfSanFrancisco''
302* ''Series/{{Svengoolie}}''
303** ''Series/{{Sventoonie}}''
304* ''Series/Switch1975''
305* ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt''
306* ''Series/{{Taxi}}''
307* ''Series/{{Thirtysomething}}''
308* ''This Week in Baseball'' had this for both the opening and closing — the aforementioned "Jet Set" for the opening, and an even more iconic closing theme in another stock music piece, "Gathering Crowds".
309* ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' (the first Gerry Anderson-produced {{UsefulNotes/Supermarionation}} series to have one)
310* ''Series/TheTimeTunnel''
311* ''Series/TJHooker''
312* ''Series/TooCloseForComfort''
313* ''Series/ToonInWithMe''
314* ''Series/TopGear'' uses a remake of The Allman Brothers Band's instrumental "Jessica," making this a RealSongThemeTune as well.
315* ''Series/TrapperJohnMD''
316* ''Series/TurnerAndHooch2021''
317* ''Series/TwinPeaks'' had... [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oDuGN6K3VQ The Twin Peaks Theme]], a slow synthesizer/bass piece composed by [[Creator/DavidLynch Lynch's]] long time collaborator Angelo Badalamenti.
318* ''Franchise/UltraSeries'':
319** ''Series/UltramanTowardsTheFuture'': While the Japanese version employs a theme with lyrics "Our Great", the Australian version employs an instrumental orchestra for the opening titles.
320** ''Series/UltramanPowered'': The same theme song is used for both the US and Japanese versions of the series' opening, however the US version has no lyrics in it.
321* ''Series/UnsolvedMysteries''
322* ''Series/{{Vegas}}''
323* ''Series/WagonTrain''
324* ''Series/WalkerTexasRanger'' (The first two themes only. The third theme, "The Eyes of a Ranger", has lyrics)
325* ''Series/TheWatch2021''
326* ''Series/TheWestWing''
327* ''Series/WhatsHappening''
328* ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'' (UK series; the U.S. version was also an instrumental theme tune but was narrated over by Drew Carey, and later, Aisha Tyler, telling which performers are on the show [[CouchGag in a different method each episode]])
329* ''Series/TheWildWildWest''
330* ''Series/{{Wings}}'' (actually a classical piece called "Piano Sonata No. 20 in A major, D. 959, Rondo: Allegretto" by Franz Schubert)
331* ''Series/WithoutATrace'', the only show in the Series/CSIVerse not to use a RealSongThemeTune.
332* ''World's Wildest Police Videos''
333* ''Series/TheXFiles'' theme song has whistling and several melodies (polyphony) with unsettling tones sounding as if they were coming from the background. It's really creepy.
334[[/folder]]
335
336[[folder:Music]]
337* Most orchestral pieces for operas or musicals or thematic music. And some pieces for children.
338** Peter and the Wolf
339** Beethoven's Sixth Symphony - The Pastoral
340** Grieg's Incidental music for Peer Gynt.
341** A Child's Guide to the Orchestra.
342[[/folder]]
343
344[[folder:Podcasts]]
345* Though ''Podcast/WelcomeToNightVale'' features plenty of eerie background music and a new guest song during the "weather" section, it always opens with ''The Ballad of Fiedler and Mundt'' by Disparition.
346[[/folder]]
347
348[[folder:Sports]]
349* Sport "series" on television will sometimes have short themes, usually memorable riffs from songs.
350** UsefulNotes/FormulaOne (when on the BBC) it's Music/FleetwoodMac's ''The Chain''.
351** When NBC had the rights to the [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]], the opening tune was "Roundball Rock" by John Tesh. Tesh jokes that he came up with the tune while on the road and called his answering machine to record a vocal version before he forgot.
352** ABC repurposed part of the theme from ''Film/TheDeltaForce'' for their [[UsefulNotes/IndyCar Indianapolis 500]] coverage in the 1990s through 2001..
353[[/folder]]
354
355[[folder:Theatre]]
356* Victor Herbert's ''The Red Mill'' is one of the few musicals to have an instrumental theme running through the show.
357[[/folder]]
358
359[[folder:Video Games]]
360* Most old video games did not have the power to include lyrics with their songs, so they have instrumental themes instead.
361* The intro to ''VideoGame/CortexCommand'', using mostly [[{{Retraux}} old-style sound effects]].
362* The intro to ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'' is instrumental in English due to unwillingness to dub the song. This was avoided in later ''Tales'' games (thus far ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'' and ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'') by having the artists in question speak both English and Japanese.
363* The theme from ''Battlefield'' in all its incarnations. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnlA2rCHJHY The 2142 version in particular.]]
364* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena'' through ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' have this, though the series' RecurringRiff (the "''Elder Scrolls'' theme") was only introduced in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' when Creator/{{Bethesda}} brought in Music/JeremySoule as composer.
365** Averted in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]''. The story goes that one day director Todd Howard called up Soule and said, "I hear the ''Elder Scrolls'' theme as sung by a barbarian choir." Soule basically shrugged and did what he was told; the result was [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEEI_PyqAnY "Dragonborn"]].
366* ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' and its expansions.
367* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' has Sanctuary/Passion and Simple and Clean/Hikari, but ignoring those the main theme tune of the series would be the RecurringRiff Dearly Beloved([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsrKbA2xt5M KH1]],[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yna9FIlV03Y KH2]],[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOJ6bzveAlE Birth by Sleep]],[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB0vyk1miNw re:Coded]],[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe5WV17WyLs Chain of Memories]],[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_iJ-z2zt9E 3D]],[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGqq8IAfsxA 358/2 Days]] take your pick), which is normally just piano and some strings playing a fairly simple melody during the menu screen and particularly HeartIsAnAwesomePower moments. ''[[AwesomeMusic/KingdomHearts And boy is it amazing.]]''
368* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky FC'' has an opening theme simply called "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWIo2G6M-Oo Trails in the Sky]] that acts as a medley of various themes with a heavy emphasis on the "Whereabouts of Light" and the nameless, RecurringRiff that accompanies particularly emotional or epic scenes. Later games in the series, along with the Evolution remake of FC, use lyrical themes based on tracks in their games.
369* The ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'' series is an interesting case, where many of the games' songs ''do'' have lyrics, including its BootstrappedTheme "Splattack!", but they're all sung in unintelligible ConLang. The in-universe band [=SashiMori=] (introduced in ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'') does sample human vocals for their songs, but they're chopped up beyond all recognition.
370[[/folder]]
371
372[[folder:Web Animation]]
373* ''WebAnimation/AstroLOLogy'' and its signature theme tune of whistling. The Japanese dub has its own additional opening and ending themes.
374* ''WebAnimation/BonusStage''
375* ''WebAnimation/CaptainYajima'', aside from a {{Narrator}} introducing the show's title.
376* ''WebAnimation/CartoonMania'', with creator Matthew Littlemore admitting that he just simply couldn't think up any good lyrics for the opening.
377* ''WebAnimation/GobbletyTobblety'': The opening theme is a wordless piece consisting of a few different instrument sections.
378* ''WebAnimation/OverTheHills''
379* ''Talking Tom And Friends''
380[[/folder]]
381
382[[folder:Webcomics]]
383* ''Webcomic/M9Girls'' has a main theme, which plays in pivotal pages, for example, when the M9 girls [[http://m9girls.com/webcomic/en/here-come-the-m9-girls/ done their costumes for the first time.]]
384* ''Webcomic/ZombieAndMummy'', unusually for a {{webcomic}}, has a [[http://www.zombie-and-mummy.org/theme.mid theme tune]] playing on its home page.
385[[/folder]]
386
387[[folder:Web Videos]]
388* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'' (an instrumental of "The Review Must Go On")
389* The ''WebVideo/OddityArchive'' theme song from episode 6 onwards, "Pavanned", does not contain any spoken lyrics.
390* Since''WebVideo/TheGuild'' centers on an [[MassivelyMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame MMORPG]] guild, and the opening sequence shows drawings of everyone's in-game avatars, the title theme is an instrumental modeled after video game music.
391[[/folder]]
392
393[[folder:Western Animation]]
394* ''WesternAnimation/AaahhRealMonsters'', outside of the monsters scaring the frightened victims and Gromble [[CouchGag shouting out different dialogue to the monsters after jumping out of the floor.]]
395* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfPussInBoots''
396* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' uses an instrumental opening theme that emphasizes the nonsensical comedy of the show.
397* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfTintin1991'' by Nelvana received an orchestral opening.
398* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingChanAndTheChanClan''
399* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingSpiez''
400* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball''
401* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}''
402* ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBeavers''
403* ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}''
404* ''WesternAnimation/ArchibaldTheKoala''
405* ''WesternAnimation/AtomicPuppet''
406* ''WesternAnimation/AudreyAndFriends''
407* ''Literature/{{Babar}}'' - same theme used throughout most of the series, except for the final season, which was unique in nature and used a livelier version of what had been the show's closing credits theme as the opening theme.
408* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'' season 3-5 (the first two had a TitleOnlyOpening), ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' and ''WesternAnimation/BewareTheBatman''.
409* ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead''
410* ''WesternAnimation/BeCoolScoobyDoo''
411* ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}''
412* The theme to ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'', which, for extra fun, is an orchestrated instrumental of the original theme tune.
413* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien''
414* The 2016 ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10|2016}}'' reboot also counts (unless you count the children chanting "Ben 10!")
415* ''WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens''
416* ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6TheSeries''
417* ''WesternAnimation/{{Birdman|1967}} and WesternAnimation/{{the Galaxy Trio}}''
418* ''WesternAnimation/BlessTheHarts''
419* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bluey}}'' (if the ThemeTuneRollCall doesn't count)
420* ''WesternAnimation/BobAndMargaret''
421* ''WesternAnimation/BobbysWorld''
422* ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers''
423* ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman''
424* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bordertown}}''
425* ''WesternAnimation/BooBoomTheLongWayHome''
426* ''WesternAnimation/TheBrakShow''
427* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bunnicula}}''
428* ''WesternAnimation/BuzzLightyearOfStarCommand''
429* ''WesternAnimation/{{Capelito}}''
430* ''Capertown Cops''
431* ''WesternAnimation/CartoonPlanet'' (there are two intros to this show: The first had Space Ghost singing about how the show was founded. The second merely had an actor in a Space Ghost costume dancing (or doing nothing) over a blue background; this version is the instrumental)
432* ''WesternAnimation/CartoonSushi''
433* ''Casper and Friends''
434* ''WesternAnimation/{{Chaotic}}'' is one of the only [[Creator/FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] openings with no lyrics whatsoever.
435* ''Literature/CharlieAndLola'', not counting the giggles and the little noises Charlie and Lola make throughout the title sequence.
436* ''WesternAnimation/ClerksTheAnimatedSeries''
437* ''WesternAnimation/CloseEnough''
438* ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs2017''
439* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' (though the Swedish dub does have lyrics)
440* ''WesternAnimation/CostumeQuest2019''
441* ''WesternAnimation/CounterfeitCat''
442* ''WesternAnimation/TheCrampTwins''
443* ''WesternAnimation/TheCritic''
444* ''WesternAnimation/TheCrumpets'', if excluding the voices such as the cast shouting the show's name.
445* ''WesternAnimation/{{Devlin}}''
446* ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'', using its piece to set the mood between Dexter and Dee Dee.
447* ''WesternAnimation/TheDickAndPaulaCelebritySpecial''
448* ''WesternAnimation/{{Dilbert}}''
449* ''WesternAnimation/DorothyAndTheWizardOfOz'''s opening theme is a brief instrumental of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".
450* ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'', of all the characters that appeared in the intro, Skeeter is the only one who makes a sound (he shouts out "cool" while swinging from the drawn line).
451* ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether''
452* ''WesternAnimation/DrKatzProfessionalTherapist''
453* ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}''
454* ''WesternAnimation/DugDays''
455* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' had a theme song composed entirely of a bass, whistling, and a few blats from a trumpet, plus some shouting and a brief bit of near-scat singing right at the end.
456* ''WesternAnimation/{{Edebits}}''
457* ''WesternAnimation/EekTheCat''
458** ''Klutter''
459* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' (the "Road to..." episodes, and the DTV ''Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story'')
460* ''WesternAnimation/FantasticFourWorldsGreatestHeroes''
461* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fillmore}}'': One of the very few Walt Disney TV Animation shows to have such a theme song.
462* ''WesternAnimation/FinalSpace''
463* ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'' (the first theme tune, "Rise and Shine", originally used in the first two seasons)
464* ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends''
465* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'''s theme is mostly bells and futuristic sounds.
466* ''WesternAnimation/TheGarfieldShow''
467* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''
468* ''WesternAnimation/GlitchTechs''
469* ''WesternAnimation/GodzillaTheSeries''
470* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls''
471* ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy''
472* ''WesternAnimation/HandyManny'', not counting the voice singing "Handy Manny".
473* ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBeaks'', not counting the voice saying "Harvey" throughout.
474* ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'', if Helga yelling "Arnold" repeatedly through the whole song doesn't count.
475* ''WesternAnimation/{{Hilda}}'', not counting the one moment when the titular character's name is sung in whisper-like fashion.
476* ''WesternAnimation/HomeMovies''
477* ''WesternAnimation/HotelTransylvaniaTheSeries''
478* ''Hot Streets''
479* ''WesternAnimation/HouseBroken'' (unless you count the dogs’ “Ruff Ruff Ruff” as singing).
480* ''Hoze Houndz'' (earlier seasons; later ones had lyrics)
481* ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim''
482* ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures''
483* ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'' (aside from some random spoken lines by Bravo)
484* Jonny Quest, both the [[WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest the original series]] and the [[WesternAnimation/JonnyQuestTheRealAdventures the 90s update]].
485* ''WesternAnimation/JumanjiTheAnimatedSeries''
486* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' and ''Justice League Unlimited''
487* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueAction''
488* ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'' (If the OpeningMonologue doesn't count)
489* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}''
490* ''WesternAnimation/TheKidsFromRoom402''
491* ''WesternAnimation/KidVsKat''
492* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''
493* ''WesternAnimation/KipoAndTheAgeOfWonderbeasts''
494* ''WesternAnimation/KongTheAnimatedSeries''
495* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfCalamityJane''
496* ''WesternAnimation/LegendQuest''
497* ''WesternAnimation/LEGOCityAdventures''
498* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionGuard''
499* ''WesternAnimation/LiquidTelevision''
500* ''Literature/LittleBear''
501* ''WesternAnimation/LittleBill'' (not counting the TitleDrop several times throughout the theme song)
502* ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1992'' - An instrumental medley of songs from the original film presented as follows - "Part of Your World," "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl," "Under the Sea" (again), "Part of Your World" (again), "Under the Sea" (once more for luck)
503* ''WesternAnimation/LoonaticsUnleashed''
504* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'' (more accurately, ForgottenThemeTuneLyrics, as the theme is "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down", which has lyrics but they're rarely used)
505* ''WesternAnimation/{{Lucky Luke|1983}}'' (the 1991 {{revival}}'s opening theme, not that of the 1983 one)
506* ''Lupo Alberto''
507* ''WesternAnimation/MartinMystery''
508* ''WesternAnimation/MaryKateAndAshleyInAction''
509* ''Metalheads''
510* You'd think that a series with a premise as bizarre as that of ''WesternAnimation/MightyMax'' might warrant an expository theme tune, but its rocking instrumental theme works surprisingly well.
511* ''WesternAnimation/MikeTysonMysteries''
512* ''Literature/MillyMolly''
513* ''WesternAnimation/MissionHill'''s theme is a catchy, instrumental version of the Cake song "Italian Leather Sofa", where the only spoken part is "one, two, three" at the start.
514* ''WesternAnimation/MisterT'': Aside from "Mr. T!"
515* ''WesternAnimation/{{Mixels}}''
516* ''WesternAnimation/TheMrMenShow''
517* ''WesternAnimation/MutantLeague''
518* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'' (season 8 and beyond)
519* ''WesternAnimation/TheOctonauts''
520* ''WesternAnimation/{{Oswald}}''
521* ''WesternAnimation/{{Oswaldo}}''
522* ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'': The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqE6KiijtH0 theme song]] is a haunting guitar-driven melody that lacks lyrics.
523* ''Paper Port''
524* [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Charlie Brown]] had "Linus And Lucy", a jazz piano trio number. It sets the tone perfectly for the otherwise indescribable feeling that permeates the ''Peanuts''. As a result the pair are inseparable in many minds to this very day.
525* ''WesternAnimation/{{Pelswick}}''
526* ''WesternAnimation/PikwikPack'' (not counting the ThemeTuneRollCall and TitleDrop)
527* ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar''. It's especially fun because they have two different music styles to contrast the penguins with the lemurs.
528* ''WesternAnimation/PigGoatBananaCricket''
529* The theme for ''WesternAnimation/ThePinkPanther'' is quite easy to recognize.
530* ''WesternAnimation/PipAndPosy'' has one, though the two do talk over it.
531* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'', besides the narration
532* Both the [[WesternAnimation/PoundPuppies1980s 1986]] (season 1 only) and [[WesternAnimation/PoundPuppies2010 2010]] incarnations of ''Pound Puppies''
533* ''WesternAnimation/ProblemChild''
534* ''WesternAnimation/RaymanTheAnimatedSeries''
535* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''
536* ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow''
537* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty''
538* ''WesternAnimation/RightNowKapow''
539* ''WesternAnimation/TheRippingFriends'' (aside from the spoken lines towards the beginning: "It's ripping time!", "That's the spirit!", and "Let's rip 'em apart!")
540* ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken''
541* ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' (mostly; it does have brief vocals which sing the name of the show for a few notes throughout the song, but the rest of the tune is an instrumental)
542* ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'' had the memorable cartoony march theme by Frank Comstock (or Fred Steiner, in the case of the home video versions).
543** The various segments in the show itself are also lyric-less: "Fractured Fairy Tales", "Dudley Do-Right", and "Peabody & Sherman".
544* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}''
545* Nelvana's adaption of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rupert}}'' received a delightful orchestral opening that established the series' lighthearted yet adventurous tone. Nick Jr. replaced it with an expository theme tune, but Creator/{{Qubo}} used the original version of the opening.
546* ''Sammy''
547* ''WesternAnimation/TheSecondBestHospitalInTheGalaxy''
548* ''WesternAnimation/TheShnookumsAndMeatFunnyCartoonShow'' (another rare exception of a Disney cartoon with no lyrics)
549* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecxXXvB5kUs original theme song]] to ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' was an instrumental, but was quickly replaced by the iconic one everybody knows. They wouldn't have another one for 15 years, until ''WesternAnimation/The13GhostsOfScoobyDoo'' (which features no lyrics, but some awesome OpeningNarration) and then another 25 years(!) until ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated.''
550* Besides a chant of the title at the very start, the theme to ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' contains no lyrics.
551* ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom''
552* ''WesternAnimation/SpaceGhost'' and ''WesternAnimation/SpaceGhostCoastToCoast''
553* ''WesternAnimation/SpicyCity''
554* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsYoungJediAdventures''
555* ''WesternAnimation/StaticShock'' (seasons 1 and 2)
556* ''WesternAnimation/StressedEric''
557* ''WesternAnimation/StrokerAndHoop''
558* ''Sunday Pants''
559* ''WesternAnimation/SummerMemories'': Aside from Jason's statement at the beginning, the theme song is pure synth music.
560* ''WesternAnimation/SuperMansion''
561* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''
562* ''WesternAnimation/SymBionicTitan''
563* ''WesternAnimation/TalesFromTheCryptkeeper''
564* ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'' (season 5; aside from brief spoken lines)
565* ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'' (up until season 11)
566* ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011''
567* ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'' (more or less. There are vocals, but they're just scatting to the theme music, and can't really be considered "lyrics")
568* ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad''
569* ''WesternAnimation/TitanMaximum''
570* ''WesternAnimation/ToadPatrol'', not withstanding Mistle Toad's monologue at the end, which is spoken. A more mysterious, ethereal theme tune for the first season, compared with the second's season, which was more lively and fun, fitting of the shift that happened at the end of the first season.
571* ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry''
572* ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerryTales''
573* ''WesternAnimation/ToonMarty'' (barring a few {{Title Drop}}s)
574* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaPresentsTheRidonculousRace'' (the primary show/past seasons had lyrics in the theme song)
575* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaRama'' (unless you count the babbling in the theme song, the intro is instrumental)
576* ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies'' (seasons 3-5; seasons 1, 2, and 6 had an opening with lyrics)
577* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'''s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BCwW0Wj9RM opening sequence]] uses an instrumental theme (the show's main theme, by composer Brian Tyler), making it one of relatively few ''Transformers'' series to do so.
578* ''WesternAnimation/TrippingTheRift''
579* ''WesternAnimation/{{Trollhunters}}''
580* ''The WesternAnimation/VeggieTales Show'': The ''[=LarryBoy=]'' segments use an instrumental theme tune, with the only audible words being shouts of "I am that hero!".
581* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' uses "No Vacancy", a rearrangement of the [[Music/JGThirlwell Steroid Maximus]] track "Fighteous".
582* ''WesternAnimation/VictorAndValentino''
583* ''WesternAnimation/VideoPower'' (first season only; season two had rap lyrics)
584* ''WesternAnimation/VoltronLegendaryDefender''
585* ''WesternAnimation/WhatACartoonShow''
586* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wishfart}}''
587* ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinShowdown'' as well as ''WesternAnimation/XiaolinChronicles''.
588* The opening of both ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries'' and ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'' (except a scream about halfway through)
589* This trope also happens to be the case with foreign dubs of several animated TV shows (usually from Hanna-Barbera), mostly in Latin Spanish and (sometimes) Brazilian Portuguese. (Depending on if they are used, some intros will leave speaking lines intact, such as a narration or character dialogue.) Such examples include:
590** The Latin Spanish, French, and Brazilian Portuguese dubs for ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheScoobyDooShow''
591** The Latin Spanish and Polish dubs for ''WesternAnimation/TheJetsons''
592** The Latin Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese dubs for ''WesternAnimation/TheTomAndJerryShow''
593** The Italian and Brazilian Portuguese dubs for ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfSuperMarioBros3''
594** The Latin Spanish dub for ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs''
595*** A completely instrumental version of the theme song without any vocals, was used at least once on a Croatian dubbed episode and can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Iche2rAeg here]].
596** The French dub for ''WesternAnimation/SuperDrags''.
597[[/folder]]

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