Name That Tune facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Name That Tune |
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| Created by | Harry Salter |
| Written by | Chris Newberg |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
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| Original release | December 20, 1952 – present |
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| Related shows | Name That Video |
Name That Tune is a fun American television game show where contestants guess songs! It was first created by orchestra conductor Harry Salter and his wife, Roberta Semple Salter. In the show, players listen to an orchestra or band play parts of songs. Their goal is to be the first to correctly identify the tune.
The show first aired on the NBC Radio Network in 1952. It quickly moved to television in 1953 on NBC, and then to CBS in 1954, where it stayed until 1959. A very popular version of Name That Tune started in 1974. This version, hosted by Tom Kennedy, became known as The $100,000 Name That Tune because of its big prize. It ran until 1981. The show returned in 1984 with Jim Lange as host, but this version lasted only one season.
In recent years, Name That Tune made a big comeback! A new primetime version premiered on January 6, 2021, on Fox. Actress Jane Krakowski hosts this modern show, with Randy Jackson leading the band. This revival has been very successful, with a fifth season starting on September 15, 2025.
Contents
- Discovering Name That Tune
- Playing the Game: How to Name That Tune
- A Look Back: Show History
- New Life: Revivals of the Show
- Name That Tune Around the World
- Other Ways to Play Name That Tune
- Images for kids
Discovering Name That Tune
How the Show Began
The idea for Name That Tune came from an earlier radio and TV show called Stop the Music. That show asked audience members or callers to identify songs. Name That Tune changed this by having two contestants compete directly against each other on stage.
Over the years, the main parts of Name That Tune have stayed the same. There's always a live orchestra or band playing music. Contestants go head-to-head to guess songs. The winner of these rounds then plays a special bonus round called the "Golden Medley" for a grand prize. Sometimes, past winners even returned for a chance to win even bigger prizes, like $100,000 in the 1970s and 1980s!
The Music Makers: Orchestra and Band
Music is at the heart of Name That Tune. Different conductors and bands have brought the tunes to life over the decades. For example, in the 1970s, Tommy Oliver and Stan Worth led the orchestra. The 2021 version features famous musician and former American Idol judge Randy Jackson as the bandleader. He also helps announce the show at the beginning.
Playing the Game: How to Name That Tune
Early Days: The 1950s Version
In the 1950s, contestants stood across from two large bells. When they knew a song, they ran to "ring the bell and name that tune!" Four songs were played in each game, with prizes increasing for each correct guess. The player with the most money after four songs went on to the "Golden Medley" bonus round.
The Golden Medley Challenge (1950s)
In this bonus round, contestants had to guess seven songs chosen by home viewers. Each correct answer won money for both the contestant and the home viewer. If a contestant named all seven, they won $1,600. This also gave a home viewer a chance to come to the studio and play a special "Golden Medley Marathon" with the studio contestant. In the Marathon, they worked as a team to guess five tunes in 30 seconds for a chance to win $10,000!
The Popular 1970s and 80s Versions
The 1974-1981 version of Name That Tune had contestants earn points, cash, and prizes. They played three rounds. The first two games gave 10 points to the winner, and the final game, "Bid-a-Note," was worth 20 points. The player with the most points advanced to the "Golden Medley" bonus round.
Melody Roulette
In this game, a wheel was spun to decide the cash prize for guessing a tune. The wheel had different money amounts, and sometimes even a "Double" space to multiply the prize! Contestants kept any cash they won.
Other Exciting Games
Over the years, many different games were played in the second round. Here are a few examples:
- Build-a-Tune: The orchestra started playing a song with just a few instruments and slowly added more until it was a full song. Contestants tried to guess it as early as possible.
- The Money Tree: Each contestant had a "tree" with $1 bills. While one contestant tried to guess a tune, their opponent quickly removed bills from their tree. The goal was to have the most money left on your tree at the end!
- Ring That Bell: This game was like the 1950s version. Contestants ran to ring a bell to guess a tune.
Bid-a-Note: A Classic Challenge
"Bid-a-Note" was often the final head-to-head round. After hearing a clue about a song, contestants took turns bidding on how few notes they needed to identify it. Bidding could start as high as seven notes. The bidding ended when someone challenged the other player to name the tune, or when a player bid just one note. Guessing correctly earned a point, but a wrong guess gave the point to the opponent. The first player to get three points won the game.
The Golden Medley: The Big Bonus Round
This was the main bonus round. The champion had to identify seven tunes in 30 seconds. They could buzz in to stop the clock and give an answer, or pass if they weren't sure. If time allowed, they could return to passed tunes. The game ended if they named all seven, ran out of time, or gave a wrong answer. In the Tom Kennedy syndicated series, naming all seven tunes won a $15,000 prize package!
The $100,000 Mystery Tune
From 1976 to 1978, winners of the Golden Medley on the syndicated series had a chance to win an extra $100,000! They tried to guess a "Mystery Tune" played by a pianist while in an isolation booth. If their guess was an exact match to the secret title, they won the huge prize!
$100,000 Tournaments
Sometimes, Golden Medley winners were invited back to compete in special tournaments. These tournaments offered even bigger prizes, including $100,000 in cash and prizes for the winner! The "Golden Medley" even became a competitive round called the "Golden Medley Showdown" in these tournaments.
The 2021 Version: Modern Music Fun
The current hour-long version of Name That Tune features two complete games per episode. Contestants play for cash in two rounds. If one contestant guesses incorrectly, the opponent can try to "steal" the money. "Bid-a-Note" is always the second round. The high scorer keeps their winnings and moves on to the "Golden Medley" for a chance to win up to $100,000 more!
In the first round, tunes are played as "toss-ups" where either contestant can buzz in. One tune also awards a bonus prize. Lyrics are sung in the first round, but not the song title. Each tune is worth $1,000.
First-Round Games (2021)
The first round features different games, such as:
- By Request: Contestants choose a music category, and a tune from that category is played.
- Mixtape: All the tunes fit a single theme given by the host.
- Spin Me Round: An electronic wheel spins to choose a musical genre, and a song from that genre is played.
- Blank That Blank: (Introduced in season 3) Part of the song title is given before the tune is played.
Bid-a-Note (2021)
This game is played second, with a maximum bid of 10 notes. Four tunes are played, with the first one worth $5,000. The value increases by $5,000 for each tune, up to $20,000.
Golden Medley (2021)
The champion plays the "Golden Medley" to identify seven tunes in 30 seconds, with no vocals. Each of the first six correct answers wins $10,000. The seventh correct answer adds an extra $40,000, making the top prize $100,000! If a civilian contestant gives a wrong answer, the round ends, but they keep the money they've already won.
A Look Back: Show History
Name That Tune has a long history on television. It first aired in prime time on NBC from 1953 to 1954 with Red Benson as host. It then moved to CBS, hosted by Bill Cullen and later George DeWitt, until 1959.
The most famous syndicated version, hosted by Tom Kennedy, ran from 1974 to 1981. It became known as The $100,000 Name That Tune in 1976. There were also shorter daytime versions on NBC in 1974-1975 and 1977.
The New $100,000 Name That Tune returned in 1984 as a daily show with Jim Lange as host, but it only lasted one season.
Where to Find Old Episodes
Many of the very old episodes from the 1950s and 1970s are hard to find today. However, the 1984-1985 syndicated version was rerun often on channels like Christian Broadcasting Network (now Freeform) and USA Network. Some episodes from this version were even available on the streaming service Tubi for a while.
New Life: Revivals of the Show
Over the years, there were many attempts to bring Name That Tune back to TV. Ideas included versions with Donny Osmond or Elizabeth Banks as hosts, and even plans for versions on MTV, VH1, and CMT tailored to different music styles. However, these plans didn't make it to air.
The Successful 2021 Revival
In October 2020, news broke that a new version of Name That Tune was being filmed in Australia. On November 18, 2020, Fox officially announced the series. It premiered on January 6, 2021, with actress Jane Krakowski as host and Randy Jackson as bandleader.
The show was so popular that a second season premiered on March 29, 2022. Production moved to Dublin, Ireland, for this season. A third season, called Celebrity Name That Tune, premiered on January 11, 2023, featuring famous contestants. A fourth season began on June 3, 2024, and a fifth season started on September 15, 2025.
Name That Tune Around the World
The fun of guessing tunes isn't just in the United States! Many countries have created their own versions of Name That Tune.
- Brazil: Qual é a Música? (What Song Is It?) has been a big hit on SBT for decades. A new version started in June 2023.
- Germany: Hast du Töne? (Do you have sound?) aired from 1999 to 2001 and returned in 2024 with celebrity contestants.
- Italy: Il Musichiere was an early version from 1957. More recently, Sarabanda and Name That Tune – Indovina la canzone have been popular, often featuring celebrity teams.
- Poland: Jaka to melodia? (What Melody Is It?) has been on TVP1 since 1997 and airs almost every day! It combines a quiz with musical performances.
- Russia: Ugaday Melodiyu (Guess the Tune) was very popular from 1995 to 1999 and has been revived several times, including in 2013 and 2023.
- United Kingdom: The UK had its own Name That Tune from 1976 to 1988 on ITV, and again in 1997-1998 on Channel 5.
- Vietnam: Nốt nhạc vui (Happy Notes) was a popular version that aired from 2004 to 2009.
Other Ways to Play Name That Tune
Name That Video
In 2001, a spin-off show called Name That Video aired on VH1. Instead of just listening to music, contestants watched music videos to guess the song titles.
Games and Apps
The show's idea has also been turned into different games:
- Arcade Game: In 1986, an arcade game was released. Players had to guess tunes from four choices.
- Video Game: A game based on the show was released for the CD-i home console.
- Mobile Phone Game: In 2003, a mobile phone version appeared. Players listened to short music clips and identified the tune.
- DVD Games: Name That Tune: 80s Edition was released in 2005, and a re-released version came out in 2007.
Images for kids
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Onstage logo used for the 1984–85 version
