Who composed the theme music for the podcast 'Serial'?

The theme music for the podcast Serial was composed by Nick Thorburn.

Thorburn, also known by his stage name Nick Diamonds, is a Canadian musician associated with bands including The Unicorns and Islands. For Serial’s first season, he created the distinctive short instrumental theme and additional soundtrack material, helping establish the show’s tense, reflective atmosphere.

Serial debuted in 2014 as an investigative podcast hosted by journalist Sarah Koenig and produced by This American Life and WBEZ Chicago. Its first season examined the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee and the conviction of her former boyfriend Adnan Syed. Thorburn’s music became part of the show’s recognizable identity as episodes moved between interviews, archival material, and Koenig’s narration.

A useful distinction is that Thorburn composed the theme, while Mark Henry Phillips also contributed scoring and mixed the show. Later seasons expanded the musical credits, including contributions from Phillips, Fritz Myers, and staff music editor Kate Bilinski. Those additional credits do not change the canonical answer to a question specifically asking for the theme composer.