Ten Most Badass TV Theme Songs of the '80s

Knight Rider

​Say what you will about '80s TV shows -- the one-dimensional characters and ludicrous plot devices -- but they just don't make theme songs like they used to.

If you were alive and watching television in the '80s, then you've most likely got the intro music to classic shows like Knight Rider, Miami Vice, and A-Team stuck in your head for eternity. And with good reason. These were some pretty epic tunes, full of grit, emotion and unforgettably cheesy electric guitar solos.  

See the cut for Crossfade's ten most badass TV theme songs of the '80s.

10. Knight Rider



Before The Hoff was a washed-up loser getting wasted on YouTube, he was the biggest badass on television. This show's theme song -- an unforgettable, dark and sultry electro-funk number -- would later get revamped for the dancefloor by the likes of Busta Rhymes and Timbaland.

9. Miami Vice



The show that put '80s Miami chic, i.e. Don Johnson's white linen suits with sockless loafers, on the map. At the time, Miami Vice was also known for its innovative New Wave soundtrack, and the opening theme song follows suit with its pounding drum machine toms and glossy guitar riffs.

8. A-Team



The ultimate theme song for the ultimate badasses. But we all know this song was written especially for Mr. T. In a perfect world, a marching band would follow him 24 hours per day, playing this song wherever the T-Man might roam.

7. Booker



This 21 Jump Street spinoff would get cancelled after its first season, prematurely ending Richard Grieco's career. It was incredibly unfair for the prodigious thespian and his fans. Our consolation: This banging theme song by Billy Idol lives on.

6. Airwolf



'80s America had a serious obsession with flashy technology. Hence, shows like Knight Rider, Small Wonder and Airwolf featuring a machine or robot as main characters. Airwolf's theme song is pure high-speed adrenaline-pumping techno ear porn.