While putting together the list of the Best 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, a lot of terrible rapping, and an EXTREME version 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 a lot of cartoons from across the spectrum in the 90s.

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Image via Toei Animation

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!

So Bad It's Good

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 the worst theme 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, and ProStars.

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, what is this abomination? Well here's a fun theory: The baseball comedy Major League came 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 for Kyatto Ninden Teyandee, A.K.A. Samurai Pizza Cats. One of Haim Saban and Shuki Levy's many, many overseas acquisitions for Western audiences, this theme song was apparently dubbed by an inebriated writer for the show doing a Paul Lynde impression. 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 than UltraForceSkeleton Warriors went the extra mile by including a computer-generated golden skull in space (voiced by the late, great Tony Jay) to dole out exposition. Kudos!

Extreme Dinosaurs

Here's where I get to remind you that Street Sharks was 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 this Extreme Dinosaurs series, did have a worthy theme song! Worthy of making my "worst of" list, but worthy nonetheless.

Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars

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 loved Mummies Alive! but it doesn't stop it from being terrible.

Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa

Believe it or not, this is actually a pretty stirring pop-Country Western-themed song, especially since the show's concept is so bizarre. But if you hate County Western music, this thing will likely rub you the wrong way. Still, for my moo money, it's the best of the worst of the best, so hopefully that does something for you!

Video Game Cartoons

Now we get into some more specific territory. While the 80s were clearly Nintendo's domain for animated adaptations (that were spectacularly terrible), the 90s opened up the TV landscape for many more video game publishers. Rare, Technos Japan, Capcom, and more got in on the act in the 90s. A fair number of shows tried to create a mythology behind fighting games while others opted for a straight-up action-adventure series. As always, some ended up being better than others.

Honorable Mentions: The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, DarkstalkersStreet Fighter, and Donkey Kong Country

Battletoads

You can pretty much thank/blame the success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Thundercats for the seemingly endless array of anthropomorphic animal humanoids at the center of a bunch of 80s and 90s cartoons. Battletoads is a fine example, hailing from a beat-em-up game that developed a cult following. This half-hour animated special, however, could find no love and was never picked up to a full series. Perhaps this off-the-mark theme song had something to do with that...

Monster Rancher

Monsters rule; Monster Rancher. So begins one of many attempts to capitalize on the success of Pokemon while also holding to the "rap style" that the 90s demanded.

Double Dragon

"To be a dragon, you gotta be strong, humble, never braggin'." The Code of the Dragon is as good a set of rules to follow as any other. All you need is an equally musclebound bro with a matching tattoo to pal around with and you're good to go.

Mutant League

Though it's a simple instrumental theme song with no repetition of the title, rapping section, or hook, I love the marching fanfare of this song. Does it do a good job at introducing the gory and super-violent sports cartoon that followed? Not really, but the computer-generated blimp and stadium sells viewers on the gladiatorial spectacle that is to come; the theme song fits this just fine.

Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm

This exposition-and-roll-call-heavy intro would normally disqualify it, like its fellow fighting series Darkstalkers and Street Fighter, but Mortal Kombat does a solid job of paying homage to both the game itself and the mid-90s live-action movie adaptation. Oh and Clancy Brown's narration deserve to be heard at every possible opportunity.

Earthworm Jim

Perhaps the weirdest entry on this entire list--and that's saying something--Earthworm Jim's bizarro, voice-cracking song fits perfectly with the wacky sense of humor and out-there style of animation. Groovy!

Virtua Fighter

Virtua Fighter's intro does a much better job than its fighting fellows when it comes to getting the story across using an actual song. Sure, there's no roll call to tell you just who these fighting folks are, but in terms of pure theme song-y goodness, this one is the champ. Too bad it never seemed to gain as much popularity as its competition.

Mega Man

Moving on from fighting game adaptations, the super fighting robot Mega Man made a successful leap from video game to animated series with this classic. It's a simple song, to be sure, but it's got plenty of energy and drive to compliment the titular hero. Sometimes that's all you need.