“Teardrop” by Massive Attack is the opening theme song used in the standard U.S. broadcast version of House M.D.
The song appears over the show’s opening title sequence, which presents medical imagery and credits while establishing the program’s distinctive atmosphere. “Teardrop” was released by the British trip-hop group Massive Attack in 1998 and features vocals by Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins.
The track was not used identically in every market or every version of the program. Some international broadcasts and later distribution versions used alternate music because of licensing arrangements. That variation is why viewers may remember a different opening song even though “Teardrop” is the best-known standard U.S. theme.
The song is sometimes misidentified as a piece written specifically for the series. It predates House M.D. by several years; Massive Attack released it in 1998, while the television series premiered in 2004.