Songs by Mark Mothersbaugh, Danny Elfman, Iggy Pop, Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump & more soundtrack these children’s animated series.
Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends
Marvel/Disney
Cartoons are a staple of childhood, and plenty of musicians have kept their inner-kids alive by making music for animated shows that find their way into family living rooms (and, since it hasn’t stopped in the streaming era, tablets too).
Many famous artists have performed the themes written by others — like Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, who sings over the opening credits for Fox Kids’ Spider-Man: The Animated Series. Or Little Richard’s energetic take on The Magic School Bus and Simple Plan’s pop-punky gig for What’s New Scooby Doo. The B-52s sing Nickelodeon’s Rocko’s Modern Life track and Solange teamed up with her sister and Destiny’s Child for Disney Channel’s The Proud Family opener. Christina Milian entered the Disney family too, adding her voice to Kim Possible’s “Call Me, Beep Me!” And don’t forget Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers’ delightful performance of “Believe in Yourself” while Arthur began on PBS.
But these 10 tracks were written by the rock stars – some simply instrumental, others full on singable bops that get stuck in your head if you’re with a kid who loves the shows. Old-school rockers like Devo co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh, Oingo Boingo’s Danny Elfman and Iggy Pop are joined in this group by the likes of They Might Be Giants, Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump and blink-182‘s Mark Hoppus.
Whether the series follows babies, super heroes, extra-terrestrials, iconic Disney characters, famous toys or are adaptations of well-known kid’s literature, scroll through these rocking cartoon theme songs below.
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Rugrats
Writer: Mark Mothersbaugh
Song: ThemeOlder millennials hooked on Nickelodeon remember the instrumental from Mothersbaugh that introduced Tommy Pickles and co. to the world.
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Batman: The Animated Series
Writer: Danny Elfman
Song: ThemeElfman has a prolific career composing for movies and TV including the theme for The Simpsons and countless Tim Burton collaborations. Elfman created the music for Batman: The Animated Series’ first season, based on his previous score for Burton’s Batman, starring Michael Keaton.
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Space Goofs
Writer: Iggy Pop
Song: “Monster Man”Iggy Pop’s punk sensibilities were perfect for the French animated series – which aired in the US on Fox – about aliens who find themselves lost on Earth.
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Rocket Power
Writer: Mark Mothersbaugh
Song: ThemeA fun fact. Mothersbaugh convinced Devo to reunite – kind of – to perform the Nick Jr. series’ song for the opening credits as The Wipeouters.
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Clifford the Big Red Dog
Writer: Mark Mothersbaugh
Song: ThemeMothersbaugh collaborated with Josh Mancell – who sings the series theme – on the music for the PBS kids series that aired from 2000 to 2003.
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Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Writer: They Might Be Giants
Song: Theme
No stranger to children’s music – TMBG’s Here Comes the 123s won the 2009 Grammy for Best Children’s Album – the band took up the mantle of a new song for Mickey and Friends in 2006. -
Green Eggs and Ham
Writer: Rivers Cuomo
Song: “Backflip”Weezer’s leader crafted “Backflip” for the Netflix Jr. series’ first season based on the classic Dr. Seuss tale. (It was later replaced the following season by Yola’s “Come With Me.”)
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Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends
Writer: Patrick Stump
Song: Theme“The theme song for Spidey and His Amazing Friends, you couldn’t pull me away from the studio after I recorded it because I just wanted to add more stuff. I was just so excited. There’s a certain frenetic energy to Spidey — and the webs swinging — that I just wanted to put into it. So it was all of those things sped up and made overexcited, because that’s how I was feeling,” the Fall Out Boy lead vocalist said back in 2021 about the creation of the tune.
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Hot Wheels Let’s Race
Writer: Patrick Stump
Song: ThemeStump didn’t stop with the kid-friendly music after Spidey. He lent his talents to the Netflix Jr. show based on the Mattel toys.
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Marvel’s Iron Man and His Awesome Friends
Writer: Mark Hoppus
Song: “Totally Awesome“Hoppus penned the theme for the Disney Jr. series that imagines what adventures Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, went on as a child.