“Teardrop” by Massive Attack is used as the opening theme for most episodes of House M.D. Its distinctive vocal line and electronic arrangement became strongly associated with the series.
The song was released by the English trip-hop group Massive Attack in 1998 and features vocals by Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins. The television opening sequence places the song beneath images of medical diagrams, anatomical imagery, and the cast and crew credits.
The opening music was not identical in every broadcast context. The original version of the pilot used a different song, and some international broadcasts used alternate music because of licensing issues. That is why “Teardrop” is best described as the theme used for most episodes rather than an absolute statement about every version of the series.