The art of the TV theme song is somewhat of a dying one. The world no longer moves to the beat of just one drum and the era of a lengthy ditty played over shots of a photogenic cast is all but over. It's no wonder, fewer and fewer people watch TV live and instead prefer to watch on a DVR or a computer where opening credits are easy enough to fast forward through. That being said, there are a few current TV themes that are definitely worth your notice. While they may not all have been written expressly for their shows, they are all performed by artists that have an impressive and enjoyable catalogue worth exploring. So if someone catches you with any of these nine songs on your playlists, don't be embarrassed. They're impossibly catchy.
Shameless "The Luck You Got" by The High Strung
Everything about this delightfully depraved Showtime series is not safe for work. Oh yes, including the opening credits. But the theme song by the Detroit-based indie group The High Strung is good old fashioned fun. The High Strung may sound familiar to fans of "This American Life" for their episode titled "The Dewey Decibel System." Check out another one of their tracks, the more sedate Standing At The Door Of Self-Discovery to see if The High Strung is more than a one hit wonder.
Justified "Long Hard Times To Come" by Gangstagrass feat. T.O.N.E.-Z
There couldn't be a better fit for the Kentucky neo-noir Justified than this rousing hick-hop song from Gangstagrass. Even author Elmore Leonard is a fan, crediting the group with doing "nothing short of creating a new form of music." So slap on a Raylan Givens Stetson and wriggle into your tightest Wranglers; this track will make you feel both citified and countrified at the same time.