“1986” Theme
1986 was NBC’s fourteenth attempt in seventeen years to launch a successful newsmagazine. It debuted in June of 1986 and lasted for only twenty broadcasts. The...
NBC News
“NBC News at Sunrise” 1985 – 1996 Open
This is another cue from The Mission by John Williams. NBC selected it as the opening for NBC News at Sunrise, which was the network’s early...
“Today” 1985 – 1990 Theme
This is the third part of the four-part package that John Williams composed for NBC News. For the Today Show he composed the Scherzo for Today....
“NBC Nightly News” 1985 – 2004 Theme
In 1985 NBC wanted to do away with the synthesizer sounds forever and so they commissioned a full orchestral news theme package from famous movie-score composer John...
“Decision 84” Open
In 1976 NBC introduced the concept of red states and blue states. To graphically illustrate the election results, they colored a state red if a Democrat...
“NBC Nightly News” 1983 – 1985
This electronic piece was used to open almost all NBC News programs in this era, such as Nightly News, Meet the Press, NBC News Digest and...
“NBC News at Sunrise” 1983 – 1985 Theme
When it debuted in 1983, NBC News at Sunrise was the early morning counterpart to Nightly News. At the time it was an important program on...
“Today” 1982 – 1985 Theme
The next Ellis theme, a different arrangement of his “This is Today” theme, debuted during Bryant Gumbel’s first show on January 4, 1982, and was used...
“NBC Nightly News” 1977 – 1979 Theme
John Williams is not the first famous movie composer to do a news theme for NBC. This funky theme, used during the latter period of the...
“NBC Nightly News” 1972 – 1977 Theme
When Chet Huntley retired, the Huntley-Brinkley Report became NBC Nightly News. While there were various changes to the anchor lineup, John Chancellor was the lead anchor for...
“Today” 1971 – 1978 Theme
This jazzy theme by Ray Ellis was used on the Today Show for a number of years but ultimately forced off the air due to a...
“Huntley-Brinkley Report” Theme
“Good night, Chet. Good night, David. And good night, for NBC News.” From the very first edition in 1956 until the last in 1970, that is...