Who composed the theme music for The Office US?

Jay Ferguson composed the theme music for the US version of The Office. His original instrumental theme is heard over the opening credits, alongside shots of Scranton and the Dunder Mifflin cast.

Before settling on Ferguson’s composition, producer Greg Daniels considered using existing songs including “Better Things” by The Kinks, “Float On” by Modest Mouse and “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra. The cast reportedly preferred “Mr. Blue Sky,” but it could not be used because it had already appeared in another television drama.

The final theme was performed by The Scrantones, a fictional band associated with the show’s music. Ferguson described the piece as beginning with vulnerability and yearning before bursting into exaggerated optimism, a tone that mirrors the series’ mixture of awkwardness and warmth. Mark Mothersbaugh and Danny Elfman are also well-known television composers, but neither wrote The Office theme.