The theme tune of a television gameshow sets the scene for excitement and anticipation.
It’s something that becomes a call to arms for regular viewers. Their catchy melodies and energetic rhythms immediately grab the attention of viewers, marking the beginning of the next enthralling instalment.
Game show theme tunes have become ingrained in the minds of viewers, creating immersive entertainment that keeps people coming back for more. Below, we look back at four of the most iconic theme tunes to underpin some of the most successful TV game shows ever witnessed.
Deal or No Deal
The fast-paced drum beat of Deal or No Deal, combined with the upbeat trumpets, is one of the most iconic game show theme tunes in TV history. It also happens to be one of the most enduring game show franchises too.
Aside from the TV show, Deal or No Deal is now popular as a board game and has even been embraced in the iGaming industry. There’s a branded Deal or No Deal bingo room within Paddy Power’s online bingo website, complete with those iconic red boxes and a game show-style user interface. The theme music was composed by a Dutch producer, Martijn Schimmer. The 48-year-old has been composing music for films and fictional TV series for well over two decades. Schimmer’s Deal or No Deal song has been readily used for the international version of this show for many years. He’s also had a hand in theme tunes for 1 vs. 100 and The Voice.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is one of the most successful game shows in the modern era of television entertainment. It has become entrenched in popular culture, with versions of this game show appearing in video and board game format.
The theme tune for this game show was produced by the late Matthew Strachan and his father, Keith. Their composition, with dramatic strings, helps to create the intense gaming experience that this show is world-renowned for.
Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune theme tune has actually changed many, many times through the years. Although Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Give It One were both used in the show’s infancy, Big Wheels was the most iconic theme tune for the show in the late 1970s and early 80s.
Composed by Alan Thicke, it has elements that sound like Give It One, especially with its piano composition. Big Wheels was recognised for its influence in the world of game show theme tunes by being part of “The Best of TV Quiz & Game Show Themes”, a CD compilation from Varese Sarabande, released in 2000.
The Price is Right
Last but by no means least, The Price is Right is another piece of TV game show royalty. Its jazz-led theme tune is one of the most unmistakable songs on TV through the years. It was composed by a man named Edd Kalehoff, who also masterminded a string of other popular TV theme tunes including Monday Night Football, PBS NewsHour and Nickelodeon’s Double Dare game show.
Kalehoff’s involvement in The Price is Right saw him credited as the official composer of the theme tune, which surely means he has earned a bundle in royalties through the years.
