R&B theme songs — specifically, those from Black artists — have played an instrumental role in shaping the cultural landscape of TV history. Often characterized by soulful melodies, powerful vocals, and, when necessary, emotive lyrics, these intros didn't just set the tone for beloved series — a few have even transcended the small screen to become iconic pieces of music in their own right.

One of the most notable aspects of these songs was their ability to reflect the essence of the show they introduced. Whether it was the funky groove of "The Jeffersons" theme song, "Movin' On Up," which perfectly summarized the show's narrative of upward mobility and success, or the youthful energy of "Sister, Sister,” these songs provided a powerful prelude to the stories and characters that follow.

Some have often featured legendary Black artists whose contributions to music extend far beyond television. For instance, Aretha Franklin's powerful vocals on "A Different World" theme was beyond legendary. Even Boyz II Men's harmonious iteration of "The Cosby Show" spinoff added a contemporary R&B flavor to the beloved series.

Below lies 19 examples of songs that added layer of depth and emotion to the viewing experience, and thus made the shows more memorable and impactful. Whether through upbeat anthems or heartfelt ballads, these audio classics remain an integral part of television history and a testament to the influence of Black music.

1. The Jeffersons

The theme song for “The Jeffersons,” titled “Movin’ On Up,” was a soulful offering with a touch of gospel choir vibes, was sung by Ja’net Dubois, an actress who starred as neighbor Willona Woods on the show. The lyrics essentially give you the gist of the plot, with lines like, “Well, we're movin' on up to the east side, to a deluxe apartment in the sky, movin’ on up to the east side, we finally got a piece of the pie.”

2. The Jamie Foxx Show

“The Jamie Foxx Show” was a vehicle for the show’s namesake that ran for five seasons and arguably stands as one of the best Black comedy series of all time. Given his talents, it only made sense for Foxx to create the theme song, titled “Here Comes Jamie Foxx,” a funky, West Coast-themed vibe that instantly got stuck in your head upon first listen. The last two runs of the show switched to a smoother offering, “The Simple Things Are All I Need,” which focused more on Foxx’s appreciation of his family and loved ones.

3. Moesha

The theme song for “Moesha,” which some sources have titled “Gotta Move,” was sung by Brandy, who played the show's namesake. The upbeat track was a dope blend of Hip Hop-inspired production and the legendary artist’s unmistakable vocals. While lyrics about Moesha and her friends didn’t change, the beat would go through a few iterations that matched the main character’s growth and maturity.

4. The Proud Family

“The Proud Family” was an animated series about Black teenager Penny Proud, played by Kyla Pratt, and her zany family and friends. Tommy Davidson, Paula Jai Parker, Orlando Brown, Aries Spears, Carlos Mencia, and more made up the ensemble cast. "The Proud Family Theme Song" came courtesy of Solange and Destiny’s Child, a group led by Solange’s sister, Beyoncé. The subsequent film didn’t feature the infectious track, and the series relaunch, “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” saw Joyce Wrice handling theme song duties.

5. Everybody Hates Chris

The theme song for “Everybody Hates Chris” came courtesy of Tichina Arnold, who played the main character’s mother in the series. “My first love is singing,” Arnold explained in a behind-the-scenes interview. “The show got picked up, they’re gonna need a theme song.” She reached out to friends to write and record a track “in seven minutes.” The end portion of that final product became the theme throughout most of the show’s overall run; a more genre-less instrumental was utilized for the final seasons.

6. Girlfriends

“Girlfriends,” a popular Black sitcom that lasted eight seasons, boasted a theme song by Angie Stone. “My girlfriends, there through thick and thin,” she sang. “My girlfriends, there for anything.” Even after one of the four main characters – played by Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, Persia White, and Jill Marie Jones – left the show, Stone’s soulful intro remained unchanged.

7. As Told By Ginger

In what might be one of the coolest entries on this list, the Nickelodeon cartoon “As Told By Ginger” came with a theme song courtesy of Macy Gray. The beautifully written song contained poignant lines like, “Someone once told me, ‘The grass is much greener on the other side,’ well, I paid a visit, well, it's possible I missed it, it seemed different, yet exactly the same.” The animated preteen drama lasted for three seasons.

8. That’s So Raven

During her child star days, Raven-Symoné was making waves on the Disney Channel series “That’s So Raven.” Not only did she star as the show’s central character, but she also performed the official theme song alongside cast members Orlando Brown and Anneliese van der Pol. The track even came with a matching dance-heavy visual that saw regular spins on Disney outlets.

9. Good Times

“Good Times” was a spinoff of “Maude” (Florida Evans, played by the decorated Esther Rolle, was popular enough to earn her own series), which was itself a spinoff of “All in the Family.” The theme song was performed by Jim Gilstrap and Blinky Williams, both of whom delivered powerful lines about the ups and downs of life as a Black family in the projects. Notably, Dave Chappelle would create a hilarious skit that essentially paid homage to the iconic song and its lyrics.

10. The Parkers

“The Parkers” was a successful spinoff of “Moesha,” which saw Countess Vaughn’s Kim Parker as one of its main characters. For the aforementioned spinoff, hijinks ensued as Kim and her mother, Nikki Parker (played by Mo’Nique), both attended a community college in Santa Monica, CA. The theme song for “The Parkers” was handled by Vaughn, an accomplished singer who released an album early in her career.

11. A Different World

“A Different World,” a spinoff of “The Cosby Show,” saw Denise Huxtable attending Hillman College. Even after her early departure, the show took on a life of its own as a Black-oriented series that gave the world a look into life as a student at an HBCU. For its first season, Phoebe Snow performed a jazzy theme for its intro. Following its success, Aretha Franklin took over, and her powerful vocal chops could be heard throughout the majority of the series. Boyz II Men and Terrence Forsythe took over for the final season.

12. Cousin Skeeter

The team behind Nickelodeon’s “Cousin Skeeter,” which starred a puppet voiced by Bill Bellamy, took a different approach than other series. Rather than have the show create an original theme song, they decided to utilize a reworked version of 702’s hit single “Steelo” for the show’s intro. The updated iteration even came with a flashy visual featuring the show’s main cast.

13. One on One

“One on One” was a sitcom about a father-daughter relationship with Flex Alexander and Kyla Pratt in their respective roles. The show was also notable for featuring a wealth of big names, including Chris Brown, Mario, Brandy, Nate Dogg, and Lisa Leslie. The theme song matches the show’s “me and you against the world” theme, complete with vocals from Shanice – who Flex is married to in real life – and B.Slade (formerly known as Tonéx). The track received a more modern remix for the last season.

14. All That

For 10 seasons, the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series “All That” was truly groundbreaking for children’s television – it even spawned “Kenan & Kel,” “The Amanda Show,” and “The Nick Cannon Show.” The show even experienced an 11th season revival before a pandemic shut the world down. The theme song for the original iteration came courtesy of TLC, with a remix provided for the latter part of its lifespan.

15. Sister, Sister

“Sister, Sister” was a sitcom vehicle for twins Tia and Tamera Mowry that helped catapult both of their careers, both together and individually. The original theme song for the show was one that many thought was sung by En Vogue – a notion that actress Holly Robinson Peete appeared to refute on social media (others speculated that it was cast member Jackée Harry.

The closest that anyone presumably got to the truth was via a Reddit user, who shared a website bio from singer Carmen Carter. The veteran singer is known for lending her voice to “Dancing With The Stars,” the Super Bowl, and a slew of other shows and films. Nonetheless, the Mowry sisters would take over theme song duties themselves for the final two seasons.

16. Kim Possible

“Kim Possible” was an action cartoon that appeared on the Disney Channel. The theme song for the hit series was “Call Me, Beep Me!” an energetic number that was performed by Christina Milian. Interestingly enough, the track – considered one of the greatest to come from the children-focused network – has since been covered by artists around the world, including France’s Priscilla Betti, Germany’s the Preluders, and Japan’s Beni Arashiro.

17. Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

The Mark Curry and Holly Robinson Peete-starred “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper” had theme songs that were good enough to stand alone within anyone’s playlist. For the first seasons, viewers were treated to a soulful number courtesy of En Vogue, Peete, and Dawnn Lewis, another member of the show’s cast. This was followed by Shalamar frontman Howard Hewett’s cover of “Soul Man.” For the remaining seasons, Sherwood Ball, Carmen Carter, and Oren Waters created the equally impressive “Cooper, Cooper.”

18. The Magic School Bus

Somehow, the producers behind “The Magic School Bus” managed to score a theme song for a man considered to be the “architect of rock and roll.” At the beginning of each episode was the infectious "Ride on the Magic School Bus," which was performed by Little Richard. According to composer Peter Lurye, the idea of working with the music icon was “a very exciting and slightly scary idea.” After a conference call and a flight to Los Angeles, all parties were able to come up with the song that children enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) as the official intro.

19. True Jackson, VP

“True Jackson, VP” starred Keke Palmer as a teenager who found herself at an executive role under a fictional fashion company. It was on the Nickelodeon sitcom where she proved her versatility as both an actress and a singer, as could be heard on the theme song. Titled “Change It Up,” the full version of the pop offering – which she produced alongside Toby Gad – began with a short rap verse before Palmer switched to harmonies about the main character and her rise to fame on the series.