“Teardrop” by Massive Attack was used as House M.D.'s original United States opening theme.
The song is recognizable for its distinctive vocal sample and electronic arrangement. Its use accompanied the show's title sequence, which presents stylized medical imagery and the principal cast. The music helped establish the series' tense, cerebral atmosphere before each diagnostic story began.
The theme was not identical in every territory or episode. Broadcast and licensing arrangements led to alternate opening music in some international versions, and later episodes used variations or shortened title sequences. That is why viewers may remember a different song while still correctly recalling the series.
“Teardrop” was released by the British electronic group Massive Attack on the 1998 album Mezzanine. The song's association with House M.D. made it especially familiar to television audiences, although it was not written specifically for the program.