What song serves as the opening theme of House M.D. in its original U.S. broadcast version?
Answer
“Teardrop” by Massive Attack
“Teardrop” by Massive Attack serves as the opening theme of House M.D. in its original U.S. broadcast version.
The song, released in 1998, was written by Massive Attack members Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, and Andrew Vowles with vocalist Elizabeth Fraser. Fraser sings the prominent vocal part, giving the track its distinctive, haunting sound.
The opening sequence uses the song alongside visual images of the hospital and medical anatomy, including imagery associated with the human body. The combination helped establish the program’s atmosphere: clinical, mysterious, and emotionally tense.
The theme has a complicated broadcast history. Different versions and international broadcasts have used alternate music, and the original U.S. opening was sometimes shortened or replaced. That is why viewers may associate House M.D. with a different theme depending on where or when they watched it. “Teardrop” remains the canonical original-U.S.-broadcast answer.