“Teardrop” by Massive Attack served as House M.D.’s main title theme in the United States.
The song, released in 1998, opens with a distinctive harpsichord-like keyboard figure and a vocal performance by Elizabeth Fraser. Its atmospheric sound became closely associated with the show’s opening graphics and medical imagery.
The U.S. broadcast used “Teardrop” as the principal theme, while some international broadcasts used alternative music because of licensing arrangements. This explains why viewers in different countries may remember a different opening song.
The song’s title is sometimes confused with other emotionally prominent tracks used during House M.D. episodes, especially “How to Save a Life” by The Fray. That song appeared in the series but was not its main title theme. The canonical theme is Massive Attack’s “Teardrop.”