Massive Attack performed “Teardrop,” the song associated with House M.D.’s opening credits.
“Teardrop” was released by the English trip-hop group Massive Attack in 1998. The song appears on the group’s album Mezzanine and features vocals by Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins. Its distinctive sound became strongly linked with House through the program’s opening presentation.
The U.S. opening sequence used an instrumental version of “Teardrop” because of music-rights and broadcast considerations. International versions and later episodes sometimes used different arrangements or title music, which can cause viewers to remember the song differently.
The track was not written specifically for House. Its original release predates the series by several years. Massive Attack’s association with the program therefore comes from the licensing and use of an existing recording, not from a commission created for the medical drama.