While putting together the list of theBest 80s Cartoon Theme Songs, I learned a few things: The most successful and memorable songs repeated the show’s title, had a lyrical or musical hook, and were just plain old fun to sing/hum/whistle along with. The much-expanded crop of 90s cartoons learned a lot from the 80s as well, but added their own decade-specific twists like (horribly animated) computer-generated sequences and characters, alotof terrible rapping, and anEXTREMEversion of just about everything. The best (and the worst) that the 90s had to offer has been painstakingly gathered here in 75 incredible cartoon theme songs.
The 90s boasted a cartoon explosion that saw the rise of Nickelodeon’s Nicktoons, Cartoon Network’s innovative series, and adaptations of popular comic books and video games. Also invading this era was an increased number of imported anime properties, the vast majority of which were redubbed in English with new (and usually terrible) English theme songs and intros to go with it. This decade also saw a rise in the maturity level of animated shows with series on broadcast, cable, and premium networks all aiming to satisfy the needs of an older audience that still sought out animated fare. This was all in addition to the cartoons cranked out by well established production companies like Disney. In other words, there were alotof cartoons from across the spectrum in the 90s.
With that in mind, I’ve separated these 75 theme songs into the following categories: So Bad It’s Good, Video Game Cartoons, Comic Book Adaptations, Anime Invasion, Teen Angst and Adult Drama, Kid Stuff, and Action Heavy. You can check out my Top 10 from each of those categories, all of which had to have a substantial run in the 1990s to be considered “90s Cartoons." Also, there had to be some sort of lyrical song, noticeable theme, or anything other than the straight-up exposition style in the intro. Then, once your nostalgia has been well and truly satisfied, be sure to weigh in on my Top 5 that selects the five best animated series theme songs from the decade and crowns the cartoon king. Here we go!
Before we can get into the best the 90s had to offer, we need a starting point, a measuring stick of sorts. So I now present to you 10 of theworsttheme songs to ever grace a half-hour animated program. And when I say “worst”, I mean that in the kindest way possible. Yes, the raps are terrible, the repetition of the show’s title is grating, and the production value is sub-par, but these all have their own special shine when it comes to nostalgia.
And I’m already trimming the list of cartoons I wanted to include with this first breakdown, so here are some honorable mentions that were too good, too bad, or too middle of the road for this category:Road Rovers,Monster Force,Street Sharks,andProStars.
The Bots Master
The bad news is that this theme song commits pretty much every cartoon theme song sin: bad puns, awful rapping, so many Zs, and the conjuring of the dreaded 3D gimmick of “Laser Time!”
The good news is that, if this show is any indication, we have very little to fear from our robot overlords.
Swamp Thing
Sweet Guardian of the Green, whatisthis abomination? Well here’s a fun theory: The baseball comedyMajor Leaguecame out in 1989 and helped to reawaken the already popular 1966 song “Wild Thing” in the zeitgeist.Swamp Thing, a 1991 debut, corrupted it beyond measure to create one of the worst theme songs in existence. Enjoy!
Samurai Pizza Cats
This is one of those “so bad it’s good” theme songs that helped American audiences develop a cult following forKyatto Ninden Teyandee, A.K.A.Samurai Pizza Cats. One ofHaim SabanandShuki Levy’s many, many overseas acquisitions for Western audiences, this theme song was apparently dubbed by an inebriated writer for the show doing aPaul Lyndeimpression. Even if that’s not accurate, it certainly adds to the mystique surrounding everyone’s favorite pizza-making, crime-fighting cyborg cats.
UltraForce
This comics property, originally part of Malibu Comics before Marvel bought them out and drove them into the ground, is comprised of some of the biggest superhero rip-offs in the modern era. Witness blue-and-yellow Iron Man and a more dickish version of Shazam! And if the amount of thought that went into the characters themselves was already pretty low, the theme song is somehow even more brainless. (But, hey, I’ll never forget the show’s title!)
Skeleton Warriors
Giving slightly more thought to their characters' roll call thanUltraForce,Skeleton Warriorswent the extra mile by including a computer-generated golden skull in space (voiced by the late, greatTony Jay) to dole out exposition. Kudos!
Extreme Dinosaurs
Here’s where I get to remind you thatStreet Sharkswas a thing that existed. The theme song was, surprisingly, middle-of-the-road and it didn’t make any list here. However, the DinoVengers character, which would spin off into thisExtreme Dinosaursseries, did have a worthy theme song! Worthy of making my “worst of” list, but worthy nonetheless.
I just can’t with this intro/theme song. Something about it has always turned me off or caused me to change the channel. YMMV, of course.
James Bond Jr.
“He learned the game from his Uncle James, now he’s heir to the name: James Bond. James Bond Jr.”
This theme song, which is actually quite well sung and arranged while paying homage to the classic Bond theme, raises some interesting parentage concerns. You have exactly 45 seconds to solve this puzzle, otherwise S.C.U.M. wins!
Mummies Alive
No, just because this happens to be one of my personal favorites doesn’t stop it from making this “worst of” list because it’s bad, bad, bad. Note the “mummy (w)rap” (I will not apologize for puns!), the decision to not even bother with rhyming, and the desire to blaze through it as quickly as possible. I lovedMummies Alive!but it doesn’t stop it from being terrible.
