“CBS Evening News” 2006 – 2011 Theme

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For Katie Couric’s transition to the anchor chair, the CBS Evening News underwent a complete makeover. Following in NBC’s footsteps, CBS turned to a renowned film score composer for their new theme: James Horner, famous for his scores to blockbuster films such as Titanic, Aliens, and Avatar. CBS asked Horner to create a theme that would distinguish the Evening News from other broadcasts, including its previous theme. The result was music that felt sweeping, regal, and cinematic.

Despite scoring hundreds of films and winning both Oscars and Grammys, Horner had never worked in television. Television cues presented unique challenges, as they are generally much shorter—only a few seconds long—compared to the expansive 15-minute cues typical of film scores. Additionally, TV requires many special cues, such as bumpers, billboards, and opening themes. To help Horner adapt his music to these requirements, Joel Beckerman of Made Music Studio, a specialist in TV music, worked alongside him to transform the compositions into a complete theme package. Beckerman contributed, for example, the three-note motif that opens the headline cue.

The music was recorded in Los Angeles over an eight-hour session with a 90-piece orchestra, many of whom were regular collaborators of Horner’s. This theme wasn’t exclusive to CBS Evening News—it was also used for CBS Morning News and Up to the Minute.

James Horner – CBS Evening News close

Below is the headline cue open to the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.

James Horner – CBS Evening News headline cue
James Horner – CBS Evening News open

There were multiple versions of both the headline cue and the open. At first there was a plan to use different opening cues, depending on the news of the day. That plan ultimately did not materialize but Horner did compose opens with different moods. Here’s the open for when a war breaks out.

James Horner – CBS Evening News open (alternate)

In a nod to the past, former CBS Evening News anchor Walter Cronkite voiced the opening for Couric until shortly after he died.

James Horner – CBS Evening News open (with Walter Cronkite voiceover)
James Horner – CBS Evening News bumper (Pensive)

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