Which band recorded “Teardrop,” the theme music used for House M.D.?

Massive Attack recorded “Teardrop,” the song used as House M.D.'s opening theme in many broadcasts.

“Teardrop” was released by the English trip-hop group Massive Attack in 1998. Its distinctive heartbeat-like opening and atmospheric sound became strongly associated with the show's title sequence, which displays medical imagery and the names of the principal cast.

The opening music varied by territory and broadcast version. The original United States opening used an instrumental arrangement of “Teardrop,” while some international versions used the song itself or different music because of licensing and broadcast arrangements. That variation is why viewers may remember slightly different introductions.

The song is sometimes attributed to Radiohead or Portishead because all three acts are associated with alternative and atmospheric music. However, the House M.D. theme connection is specifically Massive Attack's “Teardrop,” not a song by either of those groups.