“NBC Nightly News” 1979 – 1983 Open & Close
NBC Nightly News debuted in July of 1970 after Chet Huntley left the Huntley-Brinkley Report. David Brinkley anchored with John Chancellor and Frank McGee as part...
News theme music
“World News This Morning” Theme
World News This Morning has had a variety of anchors since its debut in 1982, including Steve Bell, Anderson Cooper and Paula Zahn. This theme was...
“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...
“This Week” 1981 – 1992 Theme
In 1981 This Week hit the airwaves as ABC’s answer to NBC’s Meet the Press and as successor to Issues and Answers. Its moderator was David...
“20/20” 1979 – 1993 Theme
In June of 1978, Roone Arledge’s first news magazine hit the airwaves. It was called 20/20 and created to compete with 60 Minutes, the show that...
“World News Tonight” 1979 – 1990 Theme
Legendary ABC News president Roone Arledge wanted orchestral music to open World News Tonight and so in 1980 the evening newscast started to use this theme....
“Today” 1979 – 1981 Theme
This bright and sunny piece called “This is Today” is perhaps one of the most popular themes used on the Today Show. It’s the second theme...
“World News Tonight” 1978 – 1996 Theme
This is the teletype theme that was for World News Tonight in its early days. In 1980 World News Tonight stopped using this theme as its main...
“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...
“Decision” 1976 – 1992 Theme
NBC used this theme by Henry Mancini for a long time, from the election of Jimmy Carter as president to Bill Clinton. It has the patriotic...
“Good Morning America” 1975 – 1987 Theme
ABC’s Good Morning America was launched in November of 1975. The first host was David Hartman with Nancy Dussault as his co-host (later replaced by Sandy...
“ABC News” 1975 – 1976 Theme
ABC first started a newscast in the fall of 1953. Its anchor was John Charles Daly and the broadcast lasted only 15 minutes, as was customary...
“AM America” Theme
AM America was the direct predecessor to Good Morning America. Bill Beutel and Stephanie Edwards hosted the show from New York. The news was read by...
“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...