“Teardrop” by Massive Attack was used as the opening theme for House, M.D. in many broadcasts.
The song’s distinctive vocal and electronic arrangement accompanied the show’s title sequence, which used medical imagery and introduced the principal cast. Its sound helped establish the series’ moody, modern identity and became strongly associated with House for viewers around the world.
“Teardrop” was released by the English trip-hop group Massive Attack in 1998. Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins provided the lead vocal. The song predates House by several years and was not composed specifically for the television series.
Broadcast versions did not always use the full song. Licensing and regional distribution affected the opening music in some markets and episodes, and the U.S. opening was shortened. Massive Attack also recorded other songs, including “Angel” and “Inertia Creeps,” but those are not the standard answer for House’s opening theme.