May 15, 2025
The Whoniverse is alive… with the sound of music!
Music is an integral part of Doctor Who, be it Ron Grainer and Delia Derbyshire’s haunting theme tune, the innovative work of the Radiophonic Workshop or the cinematic stylings of Murray Gold and Segun Akinola. But there have been plenty of diegetic moments within the series itself.
Ahead of the Fifteenth Doctor and Belinda Chandra’s trip to The Interstellar Song Contest, we’re taking you through the chart countdown of the Whoniverse’s Top of the Pops!
Masterful Moments
The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords/The Power of the Doctor
Despite his hatred for humans, the Master has a fascination with Earth pop culture – from the Teletubbies to pop music! He’s frequently used pop songs to underline his acts of world domination – from signalling the Toclafane to descend with ‘Voodoo Child’ by Rogue Traders (UK Chart position #3) to taunting the Tenth Doctor with the Scissor Sisters’ ‘I Can’t Decide’ (UK Chart position #64) and, of course, taking the opportunity to sing Boney M’s ‘Rasputin’ (UK Chart position #2) as Rasputin!
Although the Daleks and Cybermen seemed less than impressed…
My Angel Put the Devil in Me
The Daleks are using the sewers of New York to kidnap people and turn them into pig slaves. One unfortunate victim is Lazlo - boyfriend of showgirl Tallulah Francis, played by Miranda Raison, who performs this iconic and sultry number in the episode.
Kind, brave and integral to the Tenth Doctor’s eventual defeat of the Daleks, Tallulah can also pull off an incredible musical number – accompanied, on the record itself, by Raison’s father, a jazz pianist who performed alongside the BBC National Orchestra of Wales!
Spice Up Your Life
Lip-syncing for his life, the Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris) went on a murderous and playful rampage soundtracked by the Spice Girl’s 1997 number 1 hit. A musical theatre legend himself, the song gave Harris the chance to show off his skills and dispatch much of UNIT at the same time!
The Doctor’s Musical Moments
Second Doctor/Seventh Doctor/Twelfth Doctor
Quite the renaissance Time Lord, the Doctor has also shown their musical skill on several occasions. The Second Doctor was incredibly attached to his recorder, often to the annoyance of his companions, and was heartbroken when it was destroyed during his and the Third Doctor’s battle with Omega. The Seventh Doctor was fond of playing the spoons, part of the jokey façade that allowed him to manipulate others from behind the scenes. Not to be outdone, the Twelfth Doctor was frequently seen with his guitar, playing atop a tank or noodling along to Beethoven.
Time Lords have even got in on the act in real life. Third Doctor Jon Pertwee released a psychedelic rock, spoken-word version of the iconic theme tune in 1972; Fifth Doctor Peter Davison composed the theme song for children's TV show Button Moon; and both Jodie Whittaker and David Tennant have recorded charity singles for BBC Children in Need. But of course, true to his character, rock star Peter Capaldi has released two albums since his departure from the show!
The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon
An example of both non-diegetic and diegetic music in Who, companions Steven Taylor and Dodo Chaplet are forced to sing this Wild West ballad to prove their skills as performers at gunpoint, before it recurs throughout the episode, being sung by guest star Lynda Baron.
An instant earworm, it might be the reason for the First Doctor’s headache rather than his toothache!
The Beatles
The Doctor has had several encounters with the Fab Four. The First Doctor used his Time-Space Visualiser to view the Beatles performing ‘Ticket to Ride’ (UK Chart position #1) in a moment of downtime before the TARDIS team’s epic chase against the Daleks. This moment is doubly significant for preserving the only existing clip of the Beatles on Top of the Pops, which is missing from the BBC archives (like much of the First and Second Doctor’s eras!).
The Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday met the Beatles during their fight against Maestro, where the group, stripped of their musical talent, performed ‘I’ve Got a Dog’. Once music was restored, they joined the cast in performing ‘There’s Always a Twist at the End’ (written by the show’s composer, Murray Gold).
Don’t Stop Me Now
Another pop star to appear in the series proper, Grammy-award winner Foxes performed a cover of the Queen song as a female singer onboard the space-faring Orient Express. The song was later heard again in Hell Bent, plus a music video featuring footage from Series 8 was released on the BBC website.
The Goblin Song
When the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday confront the Goblin King to rescue Lulubelle, they find themselves in the middle of a performance by the Goblin band, including the unforgettable ‘Janis Goblin’ rocking out behind the mic. Improvising verses themselves, the Doctor and Ruby distract the Goblin King to make their escape.
The song even reached Number 1 on the UK iTunes chart – and all proceeds went to BBC Children in Need!
Song for Ten
Accompanying the Tenth Doctor while he picked out his pinstripe suit from the TARDIS wardrobe, this Murray Gold song set the scene for the fast-paced and modern era – although it also referenced the Ninth Doctor’s tragic goodbye to Rose (‘Have a good life, do it for me’).
Re-recorded for the soundtrack album by Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy, the song was also performed at the very first Doctor Who Proms.
The Long Song
This lullaby was handed down from Chorister to Chorister across the generations on the planet Akhaten, to keep the Old One from waking. However, the song ended during the Eleventh Doctor and Clara Oswald’s visit to Akhaten, leading Clara to have to sacrifice a leaf given to her by her mother in order to placate the god.
What other chart-toppers will the Doctor and Belinda encounter during The Interstellar Song Contest? Find out on Saturday 17th May on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ where available.
