Eastenders, Coronation Street and Friends voted the top three most recognisable TV theme tunes of all time

• However, more than four in 10 Brits can’t recite the lyrics to iconic TV theme tune Friends
• Game of Thrones’ epic opening is a Millennial favourite while Match of the Day is a surprise hit for one in five Gen Zs
• Sky launches voice search for theme tunes, so customers can say favourite lyrics into their TV remote to take them straight to the show

EastEnders, Coronation Street and Millennial favourite Friends have been voted the top three most recognisable TV theme tunes of all time.

New research conducted by Sky TV reveals the top 10 most instantly recognisable theme tunes as voted for by Brits, with cult classics such as Doctor Who (47%), The Simpsons (44%) and Match of the Day (44%) taking high rankings. Taking 10^th place is the most recent show to make the list, Game of Thrones at 23%.

Top 10 most instantly recognisable theme tunes as voted for by Brits:

1. EastEnders – 59%
2. Coronation Street – 56%
3. Friends – 50%
4. Doctor Who – 47%
5. The Simpsons – 44%, Match of the Day – 44%
6. Only Fools and Horses – 43%
7. Scooby-Doo – 33%, Big Bang Theory – 33%
8. Blackadder – 25%
9. The Muppet Show – 23%
10. Game of Thrones – 23%

Despite only taking third place as the most recognisable theme tune, it’s Friends that’s been voted as people’s number one earworm, with more than a quarter (27%) saying the catchy “I’ll be there for you” theme tune gets stuck in their heads for at least an hour every week. This adds up to a minimum of 52 hours a year, or the equivalent of a whopping 141 episodes of the show. However, despite giving it so much airtime, over four in 10 (42%) still can’t recall the lyrics to the first line.

To celebrate these iconic theme tunes, Sky has launched a brand-new voice search feature allowing customers to say the lyrics of their favourite shows’ theme tunes directly into their Sky Glass, Sky Stream or Sky Q remote and be taken straight to the show. Try these ones out:

• Friends – “I’ll be there for you”
• Only Fools and Horses - “God bless Hooky Street”
• Big Bang Theory – “It all started with a big bang”
• Bluey – “Mum, Dad, Bingo, Bluey”
• Paw Patrol – “We’ll be there on the double”

Please see Notes to Editors for the full list of commands.

Telly theme tune lovers can also say “the theme tune that goes like” into their remote to watch a collection of shows with the nation’s favourite theme tunes. Including some modern instrumental classics like the iconic piano riff in Succession and the unforgettable ‘ohs’ in White Lotus.

When it comes to singing TV theme tunes, more than three in 10 fans (31%) are happy to be caught belting out the wrong lyrics, embracing the moment by making up their own words, while nearly a quarter (23%) of Brits enjoy singing along to their favourite theme tune with other members of their household.  

Exploring the generational divide

Long-standing British soap EastEnders ranks as the top show that can be identified in just one note by three in 10 (30%) Brits, and is a surprise hit with Gen Z (54%). The orchestral Game of Thrones theme tune is ranked as the favourite by 26% of Millennials, whereas only 12% of Gen Z agree.

The biggest disparity seen between Gen Z and Baby Boomers is which theme tune is most likely to get stuck in their heads. The introduction to Big Bang Theory is a smash hit with the younger generation at 51% compared to their elders at 14%. Meanwhile, Match of the Day has more than six in 10 (63%) Baby Boomers humming along, whereas only 18% of Gen Z recognise the popular football show’s song, a huge 45% difference.

Catherine Lees, Managing Director, Sky TV says: “A catchy theme tune can really elevate a TV show. Whether it’s the claps from Friends or the dramatic opening bars from Game of Thrones, they set the tone for what’s to come. To celebrate the nation’s love of them, we’ve created voice search for theme tune lyrics on Sky TV, so you can have fun finding some of the best. So why not say ”I’ll wait by the window for you” into your remote to see what’s occurin’?”.

Notes to Editors

For more information, please contact the Sky PR team at Ready10: skyvc@ready10.media or call 020 3897 0333.

Research was carried out by Research without Barriers and conducted between 19^th August 2024 to 22^nd August 2024. The sample surveyed 2,043 UK adults.

Full list of commands for the voice control:

• Friends – “I’ll be there for you”
• Only Fools and Horses – “God bless Hooky Street”
• Big Bang Theory – “It all started with a big bang”
• The Muppet Show – “It's time to meet the Muppets”
• Thomas and Friends – “They’re the really useful crew”
• Paw Patrol - “We’ll be there on the double”
• Gavin & Stacey – “I'll wait by the window for you”
• Bluey – “Mum, Dad, Bingo, Bluey”
• Gilmore Girls - “Where you lead, I will follow”
• For a collection of the greatest instrumental theme tunes - “The theme tune that goes like”

Top 10 TV theme tunes/opening credits that Brits get stuck in their heard for an hour or more on a weekly basis

• Friends – 27%
• EastEnders – 23%
• Coronation Street – 20%
• Big Bang Theory – 20%
• Match of the Day – 19%
• The Simpsons – 18%
• Only Fools and Horses – 17%
• Game of Thrones – 15%
• Scooby-Doo – 15%