Follow TV Tropes

Following

Awesome Music / Western Animation

Go To

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3684485541_9d874c2a831_6445.jpg
Why else do you think it was called Looney Tunes?

"And your second wish?"
"I have just the thing! I wish I had my own theme music!"
— Peter Griffin of Family Guy, being very, very meta; "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1

Animated TV series and short films are notorious for having catchy theme songs, but some take it a step further.


Works with their own pages:


Individual examples:

    open/close all folders 

    DreamWorks Animation 
  • Kung Fu Panda:
    • Oogway Ascends.
    • Tai Lung's Theme, which appears at various points throughout "Tai Lung Escapes", "The Bridge", and "Shifu vs. Tai Lung." (And all the cool kung fu fighting music!)

    Don Bluth 

    Hanna-Barbera 
  • The Jetsons:
    • The series' theme song, which comes with two variants: the original version for the 60s run, and the 80s version (with more synthesizers/sound effects from the series). It gets stuck in your head and never leaves. It's one of the most well known theme songs of all time.
    • "Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah" from the original series' Jet Screamer episode has brilliant electric guitar usage. It was so good that it got an equally epic cover by Violent Femmes.

    Warner Bros. Animation 
  • Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire:
    • "Getaway Yeah", a killer rock song that perfectly complements the chase scene.
    • All of the Hex Girls songs are pretty good, easy to see why they're so popular both in-universe and with fans of the franchise.
  • The second and third intros for Static Shock use very catchy hip hop beats and lyrics.
  • Teen Titans (2003):
    • When there's trouble, you know who to call...
    • When the Titans make a comeback during the Big Badass Battle Sequence in the penultimate season 5 episode "Titans Together", a badass orchestral remix of the main theme song plays, slower-paced and instrumental-only.
    • Everything from "Aftershock Part 2". Seriously. Just... just listen to it. There's a lot of religious imagery in this episode, and the music at several points makes use of pipe organs and even Gregorian chanting at one point (fitting, given that the episode is the end of an adaptation to a story called "The Judas Contract"). It's quite a departure from the usual musical cues even for finale battles.
    • There's a gorgeous bit of piano music during the scene in "How Long Is Forever?" where Nightwing calls the Titans on their communicators, and it seems like all three of them are unable to come to his aid. It's just heartbreaking.
    • Terra's theme (especially the rendition that plays during her run through the obstacle course) is pretty darn awesome.
  • The main title from Superman: Doomsday.
  • Tiny Toon Adventures:
    • This was the first cartoon in ages to use a fully orchestrated score for every episode, just like in the good ol' days.
    • The theme song, sung in full voice by the entire cast and orchestrated with an infuriatingly catchy melody, is one for the ages.
    • The Around The World version of the Tiny Toons theme takes the greatness of the original and makes it multilingual.

    Nickelodeon 
  • Invader Zim:
    • The background music for Zim and Dib's titanic, solar system-spanning conflict in "Battle of the Planets".
    • "Ultra Peepi" theme from Hamstergeddon is an Awesome techno track. Pity it only lasted about 40 seconds.
    • The all kinds of awesome theme song.
    • The "Music" of Funny that is the Doom Song.
  • Danny Phantom:
    • One particular score during "Fanning the Flames". When Danny is flying Sam towards the Monster of the Week, the series plays a relaxing rendition of the theme's song. It makes the scene all the more poignant and remains one of the most convincing moments of the Danny/Sam pairing.
    • The scene in" My Brother's Keeper". After so much doubt and misery, Danny is shown flying happily as that particular rendition plays as Jazz comes to terms with knowing her brother is a hero.
    • The various heroic (and villainous) renditions of the main theme are all amazing! Just watch any scene with Vlad being especially villainous.
    • "RemEmber." The full version in particular, which we never actually hear in the show; it's a dark song that seems to be about how Ember died, which was apparently due to killing herself after discovering her boyfriend was only using her for sex. Because this is a kids' show.
  • Ren & Stimpy:
    • "Happy Happy Joy Joy" is a note perfect parody of banal, repetitive children's songs, sung in a spot on imitation of Burl Ives' voice, complete with quotes from The Big Country.note 
    • The geniunely stirring anthem of the Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen. In German it's even better. God, that harmony!
  • KaBlam! has many.
    • The awesome ska opening.
    • And the first ending theme. Listen to the full version (on Retrojunk).
    • That doesn't mean the second end title was bad. It was awesome!
    • In fact, all of Henry and June's background music was amazing.
    • June's song in "Won't Stick To Most Dental Work". That little girl (referring to June, her VA was actually 15 at the time, and still has a great voice) had a great voice. To bad there was never a musical episode with June being the lead.
    • All the music in The Off-Beats had a jazzy, Peanuts flavor to it.

    Cartoon Network Original 

    Fox Cartoon 
  • American Dad!: The intro "Oh boy, it's swell to sayyy..."...GOOD MORNING, U.S.AAAA!"
    • Eight words: Krispy Kreme McDonald's Jam-Tasic Roller Boogie Prawn Experience. Every song they play is a public domain song made awesome.

    Movies 

    TV series 
  • On Care Bears & Cousins, Harmony Bear's song in "Share Air" really is quite nice. It has a sort of mellow vibe like some of the music from the 80s. And unlike what happens to the bears on the show, it won't actually make you float on air, heavy instruments or no.

Top