The theme song for the long-running CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory has become the most lucrative hit for Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies. Frontman Ed Robertson credits the show's enduring success with transforming his financial fortunes. The track, written in just 15 minutes, has outpaced the band's previous chart-toppers in revenue.
The Big Bang Theory aired for 12 seasons on CBS, featuring stars Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, and Kaley Cuoco. The comedy achieved massive ratings during its run and continues to thrive in syndication and streaming platforms.
Ed Robertson, lead singer of Barenaked Ladies, composed the show's iconic theme song, a quick-paced summary of the universe's history from the Big Bang to modern achievements like building the pyramids. The band, known for platinum albums and their 1997 Billboard number-one single "One Week," found this TV contribution far more rewarding financially.
"'The Big Bang Theory' absolutely changed everything for me," Robertson told Rolling Stone. "It's been like having a number one hit multiple times a year, every year for the past decade. It's the gift that keeps on giving."
He described the royalties as life-changing, falling between seven and ten digits without specifying further. "Financially speaking, the 'Big Bang' theme dwarfed 'One Week' and made it look like an insignificant thing," Robertson added. This income has granted the band artistic independence, allowing them to create music on their own terms. "We've got no one to impress anymore but ourselves. That's the most fortunate part of this whole situation," he said.
The song's origins trace back to 2005, when series co-creator Chuck Lorre attended a Barenaked Ladies concert in Los Angeles. Impressed by Robertson's improvised rap on the universe's beginnings, Lorre commissioned a theme song. Robertson penned it during a shower in 15 minutes.
The Big Bang Theory debuted in September 2007, with a full 1-minute-45-second version of the theme released the following month. It appeared on the band's 2011 greatest-hits album Hits From Yesterday & The Day Before and in a music video on the show's Season 4 DVD. Robertson reprised an acoustic rendition for the 2019 series finale.