How I Met Your Mother Music

One of the things that makes How I Met Your Mother so great is the music. The songs featured in each episode feature a good mix of genres, recognizable music, and underground indie bands, makes up one of the best soundtracks for any sitcom on television.

This page has all the music (or at least all that I can identify) broken out by episode. Any songs that haven’t been identified will be listed. If you see a hole, drop me an email so we can make this list as complete as possible. This page wouldn’t be possible without the help of Mike Jonas and the other members of the IMDB How I Met Your Mother forum.

Season One

Theme Song

  • The Solids - “Hey Beautiful”
    Original song written and performed by show creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas’s band

Episode 1: Pilot

  • Otis Redding - “Cigarettes and Coffee”*
    Playing on Robin’s stereo
  • The Pretenders - “Back On The Chain Gang”
    Ending

Episode 4: Return of the Shirt

  • Belle and Sebastian - “We Rule The School”
    Natalie’s favorite song

Episode 5: Okay Awesome

  • Lovefreekz - “Shine (Lovefreekz Club Mix)”
    Marshall’s dance solo
  • Dj Sammy - “Heaven”
    Ending

Episode 6: Slutty Pumpkin

  • Nada Surf - “Inside Of Love”*
    Ted and Robin snuggle on the roof, ending
  • Kenny Loggins - “Highway To The Danger Zone”
    Barney’s entrance dressed as Top Gun pilot
  • Acapella group (the Shag-a-rats) sing:
    Freddy Quinn - “My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean”
    “Peanuts Theme (Charlie Brown)”
    Big Sugar - “Is She Really Going Out With Him?”

Episode 7: Matchmaker

  • Seals and Crofts - “Summer Breeze”
    Ted and Dr. O’Brien sing their guilty pleasure song together in the exam room
  • Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - “Parallel or Together”*
    Ted steals info about his 86% match

Episode 8: The Duel

  • Chumbawamba - “Tubthumping”*
    Ending

Episode 9: Belly Full of Turkey

  • We Are Scientists - “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt”
    Ted distributes mushrooms to the homeless
  • Styx - “Mr Roboto”*
    The strip club
  • The 88 - “You Belong To Me”
    Ending

Episode 10: The Pineapple Incident

  • Cheap Trick - “Voices”
    Ted sings along to the jukebox
  • Jon Brion - “Voices”*
    Cover plays over the ending

Episode 11: The Limo

  • Pavement - “Major Leagues”*
    Ted calls for a toast
  • There are two “Get Psyched Mix” lists: One that was posted in “Barney’s Blog,” a page on the CBS website maintained by some of the writers, and one that is based on what’s handwritten on the CD-R case that Barney holds in the episode (yes, someone with HDTV and a DVR could read what was on that cover).Barney’s Blog version:
    1. “You Give Love a Bad Name” - Jonathan B. Jovi
    2. “The Humpty Dance” - Digital Underground
    3. “Come Sail Away” - Stix
    4. “Don’t Stop Believin’” - Journey
    5. “The Transformers Theme Song” - O. Prime
    6. “You’re the Best Around” - Joe Esposito
    7. “High Enough” - Damn Yankees
    8. “Jessie’s Girl” - Rick Springfield
    9. “Rock You Like a Hurricane” - The Scorpions
    10. “Hip Hop Hooray” - Naughty by Nature
    11. “Change of Heart” - Tom Petty
    12. “Run Away” - Slade

    TV version:

    1. “I Wanna Rock” — Twisted Sister
    2. “You Give Love A Bad Name” — BJ (Bon Jovi)
    3. “Lick It Up” — KISS
    4. “Paradise City” — GNR (Guns & Roses)
    5. “Dancing With Myself” — Billy Idol
    6. “Rock You Like A Hurricane” — Scorpy (Scorpions)
    7. “Panama” — Van Halen
    8. “Talk Dirty To Me” — Poison
    9. “Thunderstruck” — AC/DC
    10. “Dr. Feelgood” — Crue (Motley Crue)
    11. “Round and Round” — Ratt

Episode 12: The Wedding

  • Fuck - “Laundry Shop”
    near-ending wrapup
  • Death Cab For Cutie - “Soul Meets Body”*
    Ted sees Victoria for the first time

Episode 13: Drumroll, Please

  • Micheal Buble - “You Don’t Know Me”*
    Ted and Victoria dance
  • Scott Joplin & George Gershwin - “The Entertainer”
    Ted plays this on the piano
  • Pavement - “Spit on a Stranger”*
    Ted rushing into the Buttercup Bakery

Episode 15: Game Night

  • My Morning Jacket - “Off the Record”*
    Ending

Episode 16: Cupcake

  • The Pixies - “Where is My Mind?”
    Ending

Episode 17: Life Amoung the Gorillas

  • AC/DC - “Dirty Deeds”
    Barney’s karaoke song
  • Elton John and Kiki Dee - “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”
    Marshall and Lily’s karaoke song

Episode 18: Nothing Good Happens After 2am

  • Supergrass - “Alright”*
    Robin’s day begins
  • Rachael Yamagata - “Quiet”*
    Robin ends the day with a glass of wine
  • Korean Elvis sings:
    Maureen McGovern - “The Morning After”
    Elvis Presley - “Love Me Tender”
  • Robin Hackett - “Hard Left”
    Ending

Episode 20: Best Prom Ever

  • Violent Femmes - “Good Feeling”
    Plays on Lily’s stereo in college flashback
  • Verve Pipe - “The Freshmen”*
    Lily’s Prom
  • HIMYM favorite band The 88 perform the following songs at the prom:
    The 88 - “Hide Another Mistake”
    The 88 - “Head Cut Off”
    The 88 - “Jesus is Good”
    The 88 - “Good Feeling” (Cover)

Episode 21: Milk

  • Roxy Music - “Mother of Pearl”
    Ted gets dropped off and has his epiphany

Episode 22: Come On

  • Johann Sebastian Bach - “Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major”
    The hungry string quartet play this piece in Robin’s apartment
  • Bloc Party - “This Modern Love”
    Ending sequence

* Replaced with other music on the DVD

Season Two

Episode 1 (23): Where Were We?

  • George Perkins and the Silver Stars - “Cryin’ in the Streets”
    Ted’s summary in the beginning
  • Parliament - “Give Up the Funk”
    George Clinton’s cameo
  • Grant Lee Phillips - “Boys Don’t Cry” (cover of the Cure song)
    Lily looks at the gang through the bar window, ending

Episode 2 (24): The Scorpian and the Toad

  • The Elected - “It Was Love”
    Marshall and Lily talk near at the end.

Episode 4 (26): Ted Mosby, Architect

  • The Decemberists - “Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect”
    Robin surprises Ted at his office.

Episode 5 (27): World’s Greatest Couple

  • Islands - “Don’t Call Me Whitney, Bobby”
    Lily redecorates Barney’s apartment.
  • ABBA - “Fernando”
    Marshall leaves Brad and Kara

Episode 6 (28): Aldrin Justice

  • The World Record - “We’re #1″
    Near the end

Episode 7 (29): Swarley

  • Helen Reddy - “I Am Woman”
    Ted’s radio request surprise
  • The Explorers Club - “Forever”
    Lily and Marshall get back together
  • Gary Portnoy - “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” (The ‘Cheers’ Theme)
    Epilogue

Episode 8 (30): Atlantic City

  • Fountains of Wayne - “Sink to the Bottom”
    Ending

Episode 9 (31): Slap Bet (aka Robin Sparkles)

  • Robin Sparkles - “Let’s Go To The Mall”
    Written by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, performed by Cobie Smulders. Download here.

Episode 10 (32): Single Stamina

  • The Replacements - “Skyway”
    Ending

Episode 11 (33): How Lily Stole Christmas

  • Clarence Carter - “Backdoor Santa”
    Marshall delivers packages
  • Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker - “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”
    Marshall calls Ted to ask about the winter wonderland
  • UNIDENTIFIED
    Reggae song in the dorm room flashback.
  • Marshall, Barney & Robin - “Silent Night”
    Outside Ted’s cousin’s house

Episode 12 (34): First Time in New York

  • The Weepies - “Gotta Have You”
    Beginning
  • Mickey & Sylvia - “Love is Strange”
    Barney’s “Dirty Dancing”
  • Nada Surf - “Always Love”
    Ending wrap-up
  • Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes - “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”
    Epilogue

Episode 13 (35): Columns

  • Ben Lee - “Whatever It Is”
    Prologue
  • UNIDENTIFIED
    Narration over “Ted hates being the boss” sequence
  • The Ethels - “Corazon Incessante”
    Ted and Druthers bond over whiskey
  • UNIDENTIFIED
    Ted wins his employees over with margaritas.

Episode 14 (36): Monday Night Football

  • Peter, Bjorn, and John - “Young Folks”
    Ted assembles his sensory deprivation gadget, group sits down to watch the game

Episode 15 (37): Lucky Penny

  • Oppenheimer - “Nine Words”
    Ending

Episode 16 (38): Stuff

  • Iggy Pop - “I Wanna be Your Dog”
    Ted sees Robin’s dogs as her exes montage
  • UNIDENTIFIED
    Song during Ted and Robin’s big argument.

Episode 17 (39): Arrivederci, Fiero

  • The Proclaimers - “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”
    The Fiero’s permanent music

Episode 18 (40): Moving Day

  • The Solids - “Soap on Your Skin”
    Ted and Robin get started on “we’re not moving in together” sex

Episode 19 (41): Bachelor Party

  • The Wiggins - “When I Get Up”
    Barney’s Recipe for a Bachelor Party
  • Chop Chop - “Pinched”
    Older Ted explains the stock characters

Episode 21 (43): Something Borrowed

  • Johann Sebastian Bach - “Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring”
    Harp wedding music, guitarist’s wedding music
  • Haunt - “Love Song”
    Ending wrap-up

Episode 22 (44): Something Blue

  • The 88 - “No One Here”
    Ted and Robin break up
    Note: currently unavailable. Will be featured on The 88’s next CD released in January ‘08
  • Jaymay - “Sea Green, See Blue.”
    Ted and Barney talk at the end

Season Three

Episode 1 (45): Wait For It

  • Mandy Moore - “Ladies’ Choice” and “Nothing That You Are”
    Throughout the episode
  • Enrique Iglesias (as Male Gael) - “Alguien Soy Yo”
    Plays the song on the couch. This is actually an Enrique Iglesias song.

Episode 2 (46): We’re Not From Here

  • Enrique Iglesias - “Somebody’s Me” (English version of “Alguien Soy Yo”)
    Ending

Episode 3 (47): The Third Wheel

  • UNIDENTIFIED
    Music when Ted hypothetically tires the girls out dancing.
  • Wilco - “Passenger Side”
    Ted rides the tricycle…or not…he did…he didn’t…

Episode 4 (48): Little Boys

  • The Blakes - “Commit”
    When Ted’s kids’ drawings are shown.
  • Reggae Revolution - “Jump Up
    Reggae music as mini-Ted dances in the epilogue.

Episode 5 (49): How I Met Everyone Else

  • UNIDENTIFIED
    Ted walks in on Marshall with his sandwich.
  • The Jayhawks - “Save it for a Rainy Day”
    Ted concedes to Marshall’s version of the freshman orientation party, Blah Blah goes ballistic.

Episode 8 (52): Spoiler Alert

  • Spoon - “The Underdog”
    Ending

Episode 9 (53): Slapsgiving

  • Adam Merrin - “Still Alright”
    Marshall’s toasts Lily’s accomplishments.
  • Marshall Eriksen - “You Just Got Slapped”
    Marshall sings after slapping Barney. Get the song here.

Episode 10 (54): The Yips

  • UNIDENTIFIED
    Song on Ted’s iPod in the flashback sequence when he’s called out for never working up a sweat at the gym.

Episode 11 (55): The Platinum Rule

  • Miss Derringer - “Black Tears”
    Played during the “Submission” montage
  • The Five Stairsteps - “O-o-h Child”
    Ending/The ninth step of The Platinum Rule

Episode 12 (56): No Tomorrow

  • Nada Surf - “Beautiful Beat
    Played at the end of the episode while Ted searched the bar for his forgotten cell phone

Episode 13 (57): Ten Sessions

  • Big Star - “Thirteen
    The musical accompaniment to the two-minute date.

Episode 14 (58): The Bracket

  • David Barrett - “One Shining Momentmore
    The song that plays over Lily’s scrap book in the end
  • Theme from Doogie Howser, M.D.
    Music that plays in the end as Barney types his blog. This is an homage to Doogie Howser where a young Neil Patrick Harris kept an electronic journal. Hence the archaic blue screen and theme music.

Episode 16 (60): Sandcastles in the Sand

  • David Barrett - “Dazzey Duks
    Lily plays it on the jukebox as she and Michelle undergo revertigo or associative regression.
  • Robin Sparkles - “Let’s Go To The Mall
  • Robin Sparkles - “Sandcastles in the Sand
  • The Foreskins - “Murder Train

Episode 18 (62): Rebound Bro

  • UNIDENTIFIED
    Song at end.

Episode 19 (63): Everything Must Go

  • I’m From Barcelona - “The Painter
    Lily at the art exhibit, ending.

Episode 20 (64): Miracles

  • Radiohead - “Nice Dream
    The gang rushes to Ted’s side
  • The Replacements - “Here Comes A Regular
    Ending.

Season Four

Episode 2 (66): Best Burger In New York

  • Mozart - “Serenade No. 10 in B Flat Major, K.361 ‘Gran Partita’: III. Adagio
    Marshall describes the Best Burger in New York.

Episode 3 (67): I Heart New Jersey

  • Bruce Springsteen - “Jersey Girl” (Live)
    Ted reads Lucy a bedtime story.

Episode 4 (68): Intervention

  • The 88 - “Coming Home
    Gang sits at the bar in 2009.

Episode 5 (69): Shelter Island

  • Mikey and the Gypsys - “Monday
    Ted, Stella, and the gang travel to Shelter Island. Ted travels to Tony’s. Ted, Lucy, and Tony travel to Shelter Island.
  • Benji Hughes - “Waiting for an Invitation
    Ending.

Episode 6 (70): Happily Ever After

  • Correatown - “All The World (I Tell Myself)
    Wedding flashbacks.
  • Regina Spektor - “Better
    Ending.

Episode 9 (73): The Naked Man

  • Marching Band - “Gorgeous Behavior
    Opening narration and elevator girl montage.

Episode 10 (74): The Fight

  • Instrumental - “Taps
    Plays when Ted and Barney leave the bar to fight.
  • Dave Davies - “This Man He Weeps Tonight
    Cover of the Kinks song. Barney and Ted re-enter the bar after the fight. The same song plays when Ted and Doug fight.
  • The Foreskins - “Murder Train
    Simon’s band in “Sandcastles in the Sand”. Plays during the Eriksen boys’ fight club montage.

Episode 11 (75): Little Minnesota

  • UNIDENTIFIED - “White Christmas
    When Ted gives Heather the briefcase.
  • Crash Test Dummies - “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
    The song being sung badly by the Canadian at the karaoke in the Canadian bar.
  • Marshall and the rest of the bar - “Let’s Go to the Mall
    Karaoke in the bar.

Episode 13 (77): Three Days of Snow

  • The Beach Boys - “Kokomo
    Barney and Ted’s bartending scenes.

Season 5 returns September '09—Mondays at 8:00pm on CBS

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