10 Game Shows With Great Music
This list proves why watching every second of every type of show counts. (OK, it also shows how I am a fan of 70s and 80s music.)
The next time you are watching a somewhat recent episode of these 10 game shows (which I have listed in the order of which I thought of them), don't be even a second late to changing the channel to these game shows when an episode starts. Or get up when the bonus round is over or as prizes are being described.
Instead, stay put, turn the volume up and listen to some (at least IMHO) great music!
The next time you are watching a somewhat recent episode of these 10 game shows (which I have listed in the order of which I thought of them), don't be even a second late to changing the channel to these game shows when an episode starts. Or get up when the bonus round is over or as prizes are being described.
Instead, stay put, turn the volume up and listen to some (at least IMHO) great music!
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- StarsBob BarkerJanice PenningtonDian ParkinsonContestants compete for prizes and cash, including cars and vacations, in games that test their knowledge of consumer goods pricing.The music heard during the closing credits during the past decade or so of the daytime version is the gem here.
- StarsJim PerrySummer BartholomewLou MulfordUpdated version of the 1969-1974 NBC game show. Three contestants competed to answer trivia questions, with scoring in dollars. The game was interrupted at certain intervals for Instant Bargains, which allowed the player in the lead to buy a prize at a discounted prize (e.g., a $795 stereo color TV for $6), always at the risk of later losing the game; and a new feature, the "Fame Game," where the host read first-person clues leading to the identity of a person, place, thing, etc., with the winner having a chance to earn cash, a bonus prize or add to his score with the choice of one of nine numbers. The player with the highest score could elect to use his score money to buy specially-discounted luxury items (e.g., a $4,500 diamond-studded Swiss watch for $120), or accumulate his score money by winning future games and having access to either a luxury car, an escalating jackpot which began at $50,000 and increased by $1,000 per show until won, or everything on stage. Later in the show's run, the endgame's format changed, where champions chose prizes via a matching game; and again later by solving phrases within 30 seconds to win a cash bonus.The music heard during the closing credits is worth a listen.
- CreatorMerv GriffinStarsAlex TrebekJohnny GilbertJimmy McGuireA returning champion and two challengers test their buzzer skills and their knowledge in a wide range of academic and popular categories.I am referring to the music played over the credits during the last few years, most recently with the 2022-2023 season.
- StarsJim PerryJanice BakerGene WoodHosted by Jim Perry, were contestants are asked questions about how 100 people answered a poll question then played a card game where they tried to guess whether the next card drawn from a deck in a sequence would be higher or lower.This show has had multiple versions of closing music over the years. For the purpose of this list, I am referring to the closing music heard during the mid-1980s, when Bob Eubanks was the game show's host.
- StarsBert ConvyGene WoodJamie FarrSecond revised version of the classic Mark Goodson game show, where celebrity-contestant teams conveyed passwords using one-word clues.With all due respect to earlier versions of "Password" -- some of which were hosted by Allen Ludden and allowed him to meet one of his future wives (Betty White) -- my list refers to the version of game show the game show called "Super Password."
- CreatorBill CarruthersJan McCormickStarsPeter TomarkenRod RoddyCharlie O'DonnellA game show where contestents answer trivia questions and then have to gamble their winnings on a randomly flashing game board.This is an example of where I liked the music played while the winners heard about the prizes they won.
There have been at least two versions of "Press Your Luck" that have aired over the years. For the purpose of this list, I am referring to the music heard when Peter Tomarken hosted in the mid 1980s (and the idea of a Whammy seemed much cuter). - StarsGene RayburnJohnny OlsonBrett SomersThe five-day-a-week syndicated successor to the popular CBS game show, where two could compete to match fill-in-the-blank phrases with those of the celebrities.There have been at least two versions of "Match Game" that have aired over the years. For the purpose of this list, I am referring to the closing music heard during the daytime version of the 1970s when Gene Rayburn hosted.
- StarsGene RayburnJon 'Bowzer' BaumanGene WoodAfternoon game show which combined elements of two classic game shows "Match Game" and "Hollywood Squares" into one.The opening music to this game show is great, even if the graphics used to show the names of the guest stars seems a bit antiquated, even for its time.
- CreatorMark GoodsonStarsRichard DawsonGene WoodJohnny GilbertTwo families compete by trying to outguess the opponents about survey results.Both the opening and closing music to "Family Feud" were great.
I say this very reluctantly because way before the #MeToo movement I found Richard Dawson's insistence on kissing most of the female contestants degrading. - CreatorMerv GriffinStarsPat SajakVanna WhiteCharlie O'DonnellHosted by Pat Sajak, this game show features 3 contestants who try to solve a puzzle by spinning the wheel and guessing letters in a word or phrase.Just like the other show created by Merv Griffin on this list, I am referring to the music played over the credits during the last few years, most recently with the 2022-2023 season.
Now if host Pat Sajak could just stop putting his foot in his mouth so much when he talks to contestants ... maybe a whole new generation of fans would watch.