Miami Vice Theme
Jan Hammer’s sleek synth anthem that drove crime TV into pop culture glory
When Miami Vice hit screens in 1984, it didn’t just change how TV looked—it changed how it sounded. The show had pastel suits, fast cars, and that moody, neon-drenched swagger. But nothing captured its vibe more than Jan Hammer’s “Miami Vice Theme”—a slick, pulsing instrumental that felt like it belonged as much in a nightclub as it did in a cop show intro.
Sound: Cool synths, hot precision
Composed and performed by Jan Hammer, a Czech-born musician known for fusing rock with electronics, the theme is pure ‘80s machine magic. There’s no fluff—it’s built on pounding electronic drums, throbbing synth bass, and Hammer’s soaring, guitar-like synth lead that sounds like emotion made electric.
He used cutting-edge gear at the time—Fairlight CMI, Moog, and Prophet-5—to layer crisp textures and dramatic flair. It was stylish without being flashy. Quietly intense. And totally unforgettable.
From the screen to the charts
After airing with the Miami Vice pilot in 1984, the theme got its moment in the spotlight with a proper single release in August 1985. Shockingly (for an instrumental), it rocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 by November, making it the last instrumental to top the chart until Baauer’s “Harlem Shake” nearly three decades later.
It wasn’t just big in the U.S.—it also hit Top 5 in the UK, No. 4 in Canada, and climbed charts across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The show’s popularity helped, sure. But the music had its own magnetic pull.
The legacy: crime cool, turned classic
The “Miami Vice Theme” went on to win two Grammys in 1986—Best Instrumental Composition and Best Pop Instrumental Performance. It helped the show’s soundtrack top the Billboard 200 for 11 weeks, setting a record that stood until High School Musical broke it years later.
There was even a music video—with Hammer being chased by Crockett and Tubbs in a meta, synth-fueled action clip. And in 2003, TV Guide named it the most popular TV theme of the last 50 years. Not bad for a minute-long instrumental originally tucked between plot points.