The 2000’s are the dark ages of television theme songs. The majority of shows have instrumentals. Several shows grab portions of songs already recorded and released. If you were a TV jingle writer, you were basically S.O.L. in this millennium. We scoured the landscape, and barely came up with 5 originals. Here are our Five Fave TV Theme Songs From The 2000’s.

#5 – Chappelle’s Show – Cedric “Catfish” Turner & Malcolm Prince

Dave Chappelle’s short-lived, yet legendary sketch comedy show featured a casual, improvised intro song. This one is simple, to the point, and lets us get right into the show.

Chappelle’s Show
Written & Sung by Cedric “Catfish” Turner & Malcolm Prince

Chapelle’s Show.
Chapelle’s Show.
Chapelle’s Show.
Chapelle’s Show.
Chapelle’s Show.
Woo-hoo.
Let’s start the show.

#4 – Two And A Half Men

The infamous Two And A Half Men made short order of letting us know exactly what the show was about – Men…

Two And A Half Men
Written by Chuck Lorre & Lee Aronsohn / Sung by studio singers

Men, men, men, men, manly men, men, men (Ooh)
Men, men, men, men, manly men, men, men
Men, men, men, men, manly men
Ooh-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo, ooh
Men, men, men, men, manly men, men, men (Ooh)
Men, men, men, men, manly men, men, men (Ha)
Men…

#3 – Firefly – Sonny Rhodes

Joss Whedon can simply do no wrong. Firefly was an incredible space western starring Nathan Fillion, Morena Baccarin, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Adam Baldwin and Summer Glau in the early stages of their careers. This amazing show was never given a chance, cancelled after one perfect season. The movie Serenity, named after the ship, tied up most of the loose ends. Joss is Boss, and he even wrote this killer song.

The Ballad Of Serenity
Written by Joss Whedon / Sung by Sonny Rhodes

Take my love, take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don’t care, I’m still free
You can’t take the sky from me

Take me out to the black
Tell ’em I ain’t coming back
Burn the land, boil the sea
You can’t take the sky from me

There’s no place I can be
Since I found Serenity
You can’t take the sky from me

#2 – Sons Of Anarchy – Curtis Stigers

Sons Of Anarchy is among the greatest drama series ever produced. The theme song drops you brilliantly into the minds and attitudes of the bikers who inhabit the world of Charming, CA. A great theme song always gets you pumped to keep watching, and this one does the trick.

This Life
Written by Curtis Stigers, Dave Kushner, Bob Thiele, Jr. & Kurt Sutter / Sung by Curtis Stigers & The Forest Rangers

Riding through this world all alone
God takes your soul, you’re on your own
The crow flies straight, a perfect line
On the Devil’s Bed until you die

Gotta raise some hell, ‘fore they take you down
Gotta live this life
Gotta look this world in the eye
Gotta live this life until you die

#1 – The Big Bang Theory – Barenaked Ladies

This beloved, weird, annoying, popular show went on and on, and is now streaming and syndicated everywhere. At least the theme song is amazing, created by one of Canada’s best bands ever – Barenaked Ladies. It all started with a big bang.

The Big Bang Theory
Written by Ed Roberston / Sung by Barenaked Ladies

Our whole universe was in a hot dense state
Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started. Wait…
The Earth began to cool
The autotrophs began to drool
Neanderthals developed tools
We built a wall (we built the pyramids)
Math, science, history, unraveling the mystery
That all started with the big bang! (Bang!)

Since the dawn of man is really not that long
As every galaxy was formed in less time than it takes to sing this song
A fraction of a second and the elements were made
The bipeds stood up straight
The dinosaurs all met their fate
They tried to leap but they were late
And they all died (they froze their asses off)
The oceans and pangea
See ya wouldn’t wanna be ya
Set in motion by the same big bang!

It all started with the big bang!

It’s expanding ever outward but one day
It will pause and start to go the other way
Collapsing ever inward, we won’t be here, it won’t be heard
Our best and brightest figure that it’ll make an even bigger bang!

Australopithecus would really have been sick of us
Debating how we’re here they’re catching deer (we’re catching viruses)
Religion or astronomy, Encarta, Deuteronomy
It all started with the big bang!

Music and mythology, Einstein and astrology
It all started with the big bang!
It all started with the big bang!

Five Fave: TV Theme Songs From The 2000’s first appeared on Game On Media.

1995 was a decade where music took many interesting turns. “Alternative” wasn’t just a new genre, it was a true description of the multiple choices listeners had, as new artists emerged with unique sounds, established artists went solo, and everybody pushed musical boundaries. Glam and bubble-gum were in the rearview mirror, grunge had turned mainstream, country was going pop, and hip-hop was starting to dominate, eventually finding its way into rock and roll. 25 years ago, these albums rocked our world and continue to remain in our consciousness, and on our playlists. Here are our Five Fave 1995 25th Anniversary Albums – Male Vocals.

#5 – 311 – 311

311 launched themselves into the mainstream with their self-titled album. Although it took a while to catch fire, their unique blending of styles, including elements of hip-hop, gave them a place in rock history. Their legendary live shows continue to thrill audiences, and they have methodically added to their catalog every 2 to 3 years. The songs they are still best known for, “Down” and “All Mixed Up”, are from the “311” album.

#4 – White Zombie – Astro-Creep: 2000 – Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head

Astro-Creep: 2000… is the 4th and final White Zombie album. Rob Zombie continued to great success as a solo act, and kept a handful of White Zombie songs in his live sets. The biggest (and best) of those is “More Human Than Human”, inspired by the motto of the human replicant manufacturer Tyrell Corporation in Blade Runner. The album is full of quotes from old horror and cult classic films, showcasing Zombie’s artistic flair, also evident in his live extravaganzas.

#3 – Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory

Ahh, what could have been. Oasis hit the ground running with their first album, “Definitely Maybe”, and smashed through all barriers with their second, the start-to-finish classic “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory”. Lead vocalist Liam Gallagher and his brother, guitarist/vocalist Noel Gallagher were bigger than The Beatles, at least in their own mind. They instantly began living out their own “Behind The Music” episode in real time. Ego, fame, substance abuse and sibling rivalry doomed the band. Although they pressed on in various forms for another decade, they never recaptured the magic of this album.

#2 – The Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

“Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” is the epic centerpiece of Billy Corgan’s career leading The Smashing Pumpkins. A 28 song, 2 hour sprawling musical landscape, an entire alternative radio station in itself. From the orchestral “Tonight, Tonight” to the brit-pop “1979”, with tons of dreamy ballads in between, no sound is left behind. The highlights for most were the grungiest, angstiest tracks – “Muzzle”, “Zero” and “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”. 25 years later, The Smashing Pumpkins are set to drop another double album.

#1 – Foo Fighters – Foo Fighters

The first Foo Fighters album is a Dave Grohl solo album, recorded in a week, with Dave playing all instruments. It was meant only as catharsis after the suicide of Kurt Cobain and the end of Nirvana, but instead it launched one of the greatest rock acts of all time. After putting a band together to tour, Foo Fighters took off and shows no signs of slowing. While this may not be their best album, it is clearly the most important, as it set the stage for what was to come, and gave Grohl the confidence to step out front. Dave Grohl can do no wrong.

Five Fave: 1995 25th Anniversary Albums – Male Vocals first appeared on Game On Media.

For the past 5 years, the Del Mar Fairgrounds has hosted San Diego’s biggest music festival, KAABOO Del Mar. With an idyllic location adjacent to the beach and the Del Mar Racetrack, the festival grew into THE destination for every genre of live music, world-class comedy, craft food and beverages, and art. The festival was sold and planned to move to downtown San Diego, in and around Petco Park, but this year’s event didn’t happen. So let’s take a look back at our Five Fave KAABOO Del Mar Musical Performances.

#5 – 311 KAABOO Del Mar 2015

311 Kaaboo 15

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#4 – Gavin DeGraw KAABOO Del Mar 2016

Kaaboo 16 Gavin DeGraw

13 photos

#3 – Dave Matthews Band KAABOO Del Mar 2019

Kaaboo 19 Dave Matthews Band

11 photos

#2 – Duran Duran KAABOO Del Mar 2019

Kaaboo 19 Duran Duran

16 photos

#1 – Aerosmith KAABOO Del Mar 2016

Kaaboo 16 Aerosmith

25 photos

Five Fave: KAABOO Del Mar Musical Performances first appeared on Game On Media.

The 2020 Golden Globes awards were handed out in Hollywood tonight for the best work in television and movies for the past year. The night was full of emotion, with humor, appreciation and empathy evident throughout the show. There were many wonderful speeches, particularly when nearly half of the recipients seemed genuinely shocked to have won over their more famous fellow nominees. Tom Hanks was choked up while thanking his wife and 5 children for years of support, and first winner of the night, Ramy Youssef, riffed on host Ricky Gervais‘ opening monologue and acknowledged his own anonymity.

These are our Five Fave Moments of the 2019 Golden Globes awards show. We have a deeply touching personal moment, a gracious and memorable acceptance, an overdue validation of an historic career, a politically incorrect stand-up routine, and a humble and humorous speech.

#5 – Brad Pitt won Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture for his role in “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood“. He was full of reverence for fellow nominees Tom Hanks, Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. He mixed humor and graciousness to perfection, explaining that he did not bring his Mom to the awards, because he gets romantically linked to any woman who stands next to him.

#4 – Ricky Gervais hosted for the 5th and allegedly “final” time, and he blatantly stated that he was going to tell jokes and he didn’t care what anyone thought of them. His opening monologue was biting and bawdy, with many unexpected gut busters. Nobody was spared and nothing was sacred, with the censors having to bleep several of his punchlines.

#3 – Elton John and Bernie Taupin won Best Original Song – Motion Picture for “I’m Gonna Love Me Again” from “Rocketman“. “This is really sweet,” Taupin said, “because this is not just about a song we wrote for a movie. It’s about a song we wrote for a movie that deals with our relationship. And it’s a relationship that doesn’t happen very often in this town: It’s a 52-year-old marriage.” Elton John added “It’s the first time I’ve ever won an award with him, ever.”

#2 – Ellen DeGeneres accepted the Carol Burnett Award for Excellence In Television. Among her hilarious and heartfelt comments, which she delivered with perfect comedic timing, she shared her motivation. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was make people feel good and laugh. There’s no greater feeling than when someone tells me that I’ve made their day better with my show or that I’ve helped them get through a sickness or a hard time in their lives. But the real power of television for me is that — not that people watch my show, but people watch my show and then they’re inspired to go out and do the same thing in their own lives, make people laugh or be kind or help someone less fortunate than themselves. That is the power of television. I’m so, so grateful to be a part of it.”

#1 – Kate McKinnon introduced Ellen DeGeneres as the recipient of the Carol Burnett Award, with a speech that was funny and deeply personal. She thanked Ellen for showing her as a child that gay people could be on TV. “She risked her entire life and her entire career in order to tell the truth and she suffered greatly for it. Of course, attitudes change but only because brave people like Ellen jump into the fire to make them change. If I hadn’t seen her on TV, I would’ve thought, ‘I can never be on TV, they don’t let LGBTQ people on TV,’ and more than that, I would’ve gone on thinking that I was an alien and that I maybe didn’t even have a right to be here, so thank you, Ellen, for giving me a shot.”

Five Fave: Moments Of 2020 Golden Globes first appeared on Game On Media.

With the growing popularity of streaming services, series binging is quickly becoming the de facto way to watch TV. Sometimes, a series has just too many seasons, with too many episodes, and story lines that last for years. Do you really have time to just sit down and watch “Lost”?

These are our Five Fave Easy Streamers of 2019 – TV shows that are tight, compact, and easily digestable in just a few viewings. Most can even be consumed over one rainy day on the couch. We have a daring take on the comic book genre. We have an adorable movie star with a deep philosophical dilemma. We have a clever series with a fantasy nod to “Ally MacBeal”. We have the week in the life of a typical family at the holidays. We have a dark twist on the way people live online.

#5 – You starring Penn Badgley on Netflix – 10 episodes

A dangerously charming, intensely obsessive young man goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of those he is transfixed by. Obsessed with an aspiring writer, a brilliant bookstore manager begins quietly and strategically removing all obstacles that keep her from him.

#4 – The Moody’s Christmas starring Denis Leary on Fox and Hulu – 6 episodes

A tight-knit but dysfunctional family gathers in their hometown for the “perfect” holiday.

#3 – Dollface starring Kat Denning on Hulu – 10 episodes

A young woman who, after being dumped by her longtime boyfriend, must deal with her own imagination when she literally and metaphorically re-enters the world of women, in order to rekindle the female friendships she left behind. Also starring Brenda Song, Shay Mitchell, and Esther Povitsky.

#2 – Living With Yourself starring Paul Rudd on Netflix – 8 episodes

Burned out on life, Miles undergoes a strange procedure at a strip mall spa — and wakes to find he’s been replaced by a better version of himself.

#1 – The Watchmen starring Regina King on HBO – 9 episodes

Set in an alternate history where masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws, Watchmen embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name while attempting to break new ground of its own.

Five Fave: 2019 Easy Streamers first appeared on Game On Media.

Television went through several changes throughout the 2010’s decade. Several shows took a sympathetic look at the darkness within, tracing the journey and the struggle of their main character. Fans tuned in to watch men who they loved to hate, and hated to love. Ultimately, these shows thrived as each lead attempted to battle their inner demons and process the rationale behind their violent actions.

Another huge change in the decade was the rise of streaming services. This gave fans a chance to find shows that they may have missed, or catch up to shows that had become hits. Some of these shows started in the late 2000’s, but were fully discovered in the 2010’s. The status of these TV Bad Boys definitely rose due to the binge watching phenomenon.

Our Five Fave TV Bad Boys Of The Decade are characters that viewers may have never pictured cheering for, including a politician writing his own book of tricks, a serial killer with a code, a rising drug kingpin with a purpose, a motorcycle-riding criminal with a conscience, and the devil himself.

#5 – Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar on Fox/Netflix’s Lucifer from Tom Kapinos

#4 – Charlie Hunnam as Jackson “Jax” Teller on FX’s Sons Of Anarchy from Kurt Sutter

#3 – Bryan Cranston as Walter White AKA Heisenberg on AMC’s Breaking Bad from Vince Gilligan

#2 – Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan on Showtime’s Dexter from James Manos Jr.

#1 – Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood on Netflix’s House Of Cards from Beau Willimon

Five Fave: TV Bad Boys Of The Decade first appeared on Game On Media.

These are our Five Fave Rock Albums of 2019, in the New Classic Rock style. These are definitely not cover bands, but more and more artists are stripping rock and roll back down to the essentials – bass, guitars and drums – with honest, soulful singing. The result is a dirty, sexy sound that feels real. We have an intense new band earning fans one by one while touring with legends. We have a highly entertaining band gut-punching their way into your heart. We have a Canadian act that sounds like a southern rock group. We have a Texas band blending sounds from Seattle to Jacksonville into a hearty stew. We have a Southern California group combining Hollywood style with boardwalk cool.

#5 – Dirty Honey – Dirty Honey

#4 – Blacktop Mojo – Under The Sun

#3 – The Glorious Sons – Panic Attack

#2 – Crobot – Motherbrain

#1 – Joyous Wolf – Place In Time

Five Fave: 2019 Rock Albums – New Classic Rock first appeared on Game On Media.

These are our Five Fave Rock Albums of 2019, where Legends Rise. We have a band completely gelling with a new singer and guitarist, finally matching their historic heights. We have guitar heroes continuing their ascent while expanding their horizons. We have a supergroup’s sophomore effort solidifying their signature sound. We have an album years in the making that can no longer be a punchline. We have an 80’s band that never wore spandex, never stopped touring, and never stopped making quality albums.

#5 – Tesla – Shock

#4 – Tool – Fear Inoculum

#3 – Saint Asonia – Flawed Design

#2 – Alter Bridge – Walk The Sky

#1 – Queensrÿche – The Verdict

Five Fave: 2019 Rock Albums – Legends Rise first appeared on Game On Media.

Here are our Five Fave 2019 Rock Albums that are Pushing Creative Boundaries. We have an album that crosses genres with collaborations and instrument fluidity. We have a band with a comic book inspired back story that incorporates strings and special effects. We have a hardcore hero collaborating with all of his favorites. We have a band elevating punk rock and politics to exciting new levels. We have a band bringing reggae sensibilities to the rock scene.

#5 – Fire From The Gods – American Sun

#4 – Fever 333 – Strength In Numb333rs

#3 – Jasta – The Lost Chapters, Volume 2

#2 – Starset – Divisions

#1 – Highly Suspect – MCID

Five Fave: 2019 Rock Albums – Pushing Creative Boundaries first appeared on Game On Media.

These are our Five Fave Rock Albums of 2019, with a focus on Mental Health Awareness. With many high-profile suicides and continued struggles with addiction in the music community and the country as a whole, many artists decided to open up and dig deep. Hopefully the stigma around mental health will go away, and people will be able to talk about it as something that everyone deals with, that changes from day to day the same way that physical health does. We have the deeply personal debut album from one of the most exciting bands in years. We have a unique artist baring his soul after a tragic loss. We have a legendary band who has never been afraid to expose their weaknesses. We have a rising band staring their issues straight in the eye. We have a comeback story from a man who lost his band and his family due to his addictions, but never his inner strength.

#5 – Scott Stapp – The Space Between The Shadows

#4 – Bad Wolves – N.A.T.I.O.N.

#3 – Papa Roach – Who Do You Trust?

#2 – KoRn – The Nothing

#1 – Badflower – OK, I’M SICK

Five Fave: 2019 Rock Albums – Mental Health Awareness first appeared on Game On Media.

These are our Five Fave Rock Albums of 2019 – the heaviest Head Bangers. These albums make us drive faster, thrash harder and lift more weight. We have a ground-breaking band making perhaps their ultimate collection of masterpieces. We have the final recordings from a legendary drummer and rock icon. We have one of America’s most consistent heavy hit makers. We have Italy’s dynamic duo continuing to push boundaries. We have thrash legends showing no sign of slowing down.

#5 – Death Angel – Humanicide

#4 – Lacuna Coil – Black Anima

#3 – Hellyeah – Welcome Home

#2 – Killswitch Engage – Atonement

#1 – Slipknot – We Are Not Your Kind

Five Fave: 2019 Rock Albums – Head Bangers first appeared on Game On Media.

These are our Five Fave Elton John songs. In the midst of his farewell tour, with his biopic feature film about to be released, what better time to dig deep into his hit filled catalog, and choose our Five Fave.

#5. Circle Of Life. One of the songs written for the classic film The Lion King. It is full of deep life lessons and philosophy. “There’s more to be seen than can ever be seen; more to do than can ever be done.”

#4. Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny). A bittersweet tribute to John Lennon, centered around the profound sadness the world shared when he was gunned down in front of his apartment on December 8, 1980.

#3. Candle In The Wind. Another tribute to one of the world’s greatest stars, Marilyn Monroe. His 1997 remake in honour of Princess Diana is the top selling single of all time.

#2. Tiny Dancer. One of Elton’s finest piano performances, combined with a slowly building story about love, music and touring, culminating in a fun sing along chorus.

#1. Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long Long Time). A poignant look at the sacrifice, loneliness and heartache behind every child’s dream job, astronaut. Similar to the tale told in David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”, the dream can turn to nightmare. The metaphor works on many levels, relatable to anyone who spends time away from family in order to make a living.

What are your Five Fave?

(Photo: Terry O’Neill @ Iconic Images)

Five Fave: Elton John Songs first appeared on Game On Media.