Theme Ride Thursday: TV Theme Songs, a Nostalgic Ride down Memory Lane!

We like to have a bit of fun around here, in case you couldn’t tell. While all of our profiles are grounded in solid riding principles, we can’t resist throwing in a theme now and then that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your riders’ faces—and what’s more iconic than TV theme songs? With World Television Day coming up on November 21, it’s the perfect excuse to put together a TV theme ride! Of course, you can use this theme any time of year—just consider this your nudge to dive into a little TV nostalgia and bring some smiles to your next class.

Why a TV Theme Song Ride?

When we started putting together this TV Theme Songs playlist, we faced a conundrum: Should we include only the iconic theme songs that everyone knows and loves, or should we also add memorable (longer) songs that appeared throughout the shows? It might sound like a simple choice, but from a cycling class programming perspective, it’s a big deal!

Why stick with just the theme songs? Because those are the tracks everyone recognizes right away—they bring instant nostalgia and a smile to your riders’ faces. Think of the unforgettable intro from Friends, the booming theme of The X-Files, or the catchy jingle from The Brady Bunch. These are the songs that transport people back to their living rooms, and they pack a powerful punch when you want to create a lighthearted and familiar atmosphere in your class. But, it’s no secret that not all of them work as motivational tracks for the main working portion of your profile. 

On the flip side, TV shows often feature fantastic songs beyond the opening credits. Some of these tracks evoke strong memories for fans of the series. For example, “Don’t Stop Believin’” became synonymous with The Sopranos after its unforgettable placement in the finale. Or consider The O.C., which brought Phantom Planet’s “California” into the spotlight as the unofficial anthem of the show. Then there’s Grey’s Anatomy, known for launching Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” to mainstream fame. Including songs like these could give you a wider range of appropriate music choices for climbs, sprints, and intervals, but there’s a catch: without the iconic context of a theme song, your riders might not make the connection right away. You may need to Google which show the song came from and you’ll probably have to pause and explain it to your riders. (Plus, I’m not gonna lie…it would take me way too many hours to curate a lot of those tracks, especially since I didn’t watch much television for several decades!)

Our bucket playlist below is a mix of both, but it leans heavily on those classic theme songs that everyone recognizes as soon as they hear the first note. There are over 120 tracks, many are on the shorter side, making them perfect for recovery songs. If we missed your favorite, let us know in the comments—we’re always happy to add more gems.

Programming Ideas for TV Themes

You don’t need to fill your entire class with TV theme songs (though you totally could if you want!). Instead, consider using these shorter songs solely for your recovery tunes (or include the warm-up and cool-down in the theme)—what better way to bring a little lighthearted joy between intervals than with a blast from the past? With that idea in mind, create mini recovery themes over the course of a few weeks of programming, like TV theme songs from the 1960s one week, then the 1970s the next week, and then move through the decades for a nostalgic journey.

Another idea is to create mini themes based on the genre of the TV shows, like selecting only TV theme songs from detective shows (Miami Vice, Magnum P.I.), horror/paranormal (The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Walking Dead), or sitcom classics (Cheers, Friends, The Golden Girls).

For a twist, try mixing TV themes into a ride focused on movie soundtracks (check out our SOYMB bucket playlist). Use the TV themes as your recovery songs and amp up the intensity with iconic movie tracks for intervals and climbs. You can also dig deeper and find songs that appeared throughout the shows (as mentioned above) by doing a search on Google or Spotify—that way you can surprise your riders with deep cuts from your favorite shows.

Suggested Songs from Our Bucket Playlist

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, 2:57, 101 bpm
Who doesn’t know this theme song by heart? It’s one of the few that tells the entire premise of the show in its lyrics. Use it as a warm-up or throw in some leg surges to the beat. If you’re feeling wild, make it a high-cadence, high-intensity interval and challenge your class to rap along!

Woke Up This Morning—Chosen One Mix (The Sopranos Theme Song), A3, 4:05, 89 bpm
One of the most iconic TV themes of all time, this bluesy track set the tone for what was widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential TV series ever, airing from 1999 to 2007. It’s a great warm-up song, but you can also push the pace for a moderate to high-intensity interval. Fun fact: The Sopranos was almost called Made in New Jersey—can you imagine? (NB: There are numerous other versions, including one that is 1:33 in our bucket playlist, another excellent recovery choice.)

Dragnet ’88 (from Dragnet), Art of Noise, 2:59, 120 bpm
This 1987 remix of the classic Dragnet theme won a Grammy in 1987 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. It was used as the theme music for the 1987 film version of Dragnet based on the TV show. It’s punchy and energetic, making it perfect for a steep climb. Get your riders in the zone by having them visualize chasing down a suspect—just the facts, ma’am!   

The Office Theme, Michael Scott Fan Club, 1:05, 84 bpm
This is the quintessential short recovery song! Here’s a fun fact: The catchy theme song wasn’t originally supposed to be used. The producers initially considered using “Better Things” by The Kinks or “Float On” by Modest Mouse, but after hearing the original composition by Jay Ferguson, they knew it was a perfect fit. Get ready for smiles and nostalgia from your riders!

Jungle Love, The Steve Miller Band, 3:09, 143 bpm
While not an actual theme song, “Jungle Love” became synonymous with Everybody Loves Raymond after appearing multiple times on the show. Use this upbeat track for a peppy climb that keeps everyone’s energy up. Trivia: The song’s repeated use was inspired by Ray Romano’s own love for classic rock!

Stranger Things: A TV Series Musical Journey (and What’s Coming Next!)

No TV show has integrated music quite like Stranger Things. Set in the 1980s, it’s a love letter to the era’s pop culture, complete with a killer soundtrack. The show’s music choices have even sent old favorites soaring back up the charts—remember when Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” became a viral hit in 2022? Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” from the fourth season, and Limahl’s “The NeverEnding Story” from the third season also saw a resurgence on Spotify and other streaming services.

The Stranger Things soundtrack is a goldmine for cycling classes. Whether it’s the haunting melody of “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash or the adrenaline-pumping “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, these tracks are perfect for everything from fast flats to climbs to sprints—you know, to escape the Mind Flayer in the Upside Down! I’ve put together a separate playlist of songs featured across all four seasons (over 150 songs). It’s on my list of fun theme rides to create, but I haven’t had a chance to do it yet. Not to worry—you’ll be the first ones to hear about it if I do! If you are like me and love the show’s soundtracks and want to create your own Stranger Things ride, check out my bucket playlist below. Make sure to let us know how it goes—bonus points for dressing up like the characters!

And here’s some exciting news: Stranger Things season 5 is slated for release in 2025, and rumor has it that the storyline might move into the 1990s as the characters grow up. If that’s the case, we could see an entirely new wave of 1990s hits making a comeback. Get ready for a future ride featuring everything from grunge to early hip-hop—this could bring a whole new decade of fun songs into the mix!

Stranger Things, Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein, 1:08, 84 bpm
You’ll find this theme track in both bucket playlists below. Make sure to include it as one of your recovery songs.