Massive Attack performed “Teardrop,” the song associated with House M.D.’s opening theme.
“Teardrop” was released by the English trip-hop group Massive Attack in 1998. Elizabeth Fraser provided the song’s vocals, and the track appeared on the group’s album Mezzanine. Its distinctive sound became strongly associated with House M.D. after being used in the show’s opening presentation in several markets and versions.
The television arrangement is more complicated than simply placing the full studio recording over every opening. Broadcast and distribution versions have used edits, instrumental adaptations, or substitute music, partly because of rights and regional decisions. The pilot used the original track, while the regular U.S. opening commonly used a version based on its instrumental elements.
This makes Massive Attack the canonical artist linked to the song, while the exact opening audio can vary by episode version, country, or release. “Teardrop” is also sometimes confused with the show’s separately credited theme music and transitional scoring.