After Ted Koppel’s retirement in 2005, Nightline underwent a major transformation that ultimately led to a ratings boost. The show shifted away from its traditional focus on daily news interviews—an area that cable news networks and later podcasts began to dominate—and embraced a more magazine-style format. Koppel was replaced by a team of three anchors, and production moved from Washington, D.C., to New York. As part of this reinvention, Nightline’s theme music was completely reworked by Joe Saba and Stew Winter of VideoHelper. The new, percussion-driven score helped the program stand out from other news broadcasts. The theme made a return when Nightline celebrated its 45th anniversary, which also saw the return of the classic logo.
“Nightline” 2005 – 2014, Current Theme

The theme returned in honor of the 45th anniversary of Nightline.