This year at Supanova in Adelaide and Brisbane, we’ll be joined by some legends from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
Not only will we get to see comic book artists Freddie Williams II and Jon Sommariva, who have helped bring some of the most recent and iconic TMNT stories to life, but also series co-creator Kevin Eastman.
There’s no doubt that – back when everything first began in the mid-’80s – Eastman couldn’t have expected Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo to span across comics, television shows, movies, and video games.
To celebrate the chance to meet some of the creators behind the franchise, we’re putting together a list of some of the most iconic songs across Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles history. From theme songs to hip-hop anthems, there have been plenty of songs that reflect the different iterations of our favourite heroes in a half shell.
Shell Shocked – Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa & Ty Dolla $ign (featuring Kill The Noise & Madsonik)
From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 2014
Remember when Michael Bay was reimagining our childhood franchises? A collaboration between Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa, and Ty Dolla $ign (also featuring Kill The Noise and Madsonik), Shell Shocked is an anthem that closes out the 2014 live-action reboot of the franchise.
The song captures the brotherhood, loyalty and challenges the four brothers face. With the hook, “knock knock, you about to get shell shocked,” and its energetic beat, it makes for a fun way to close out the movie.
We Ain’t Came To Lose – Raekwon & Ghostface Killah
From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, 2022
As a loving homage to the side-scrolling beat-’em-up era, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge was a fun highlight for the Turtles in video games.
When the player reaches the Shredder boss battle in the Outworld Strangeoids, they’re greeted by a hip-hop track from Raekwon and Ghostface Killah of the Wu-Tang Clan. The song absolutely goes off while the Turtles take on their archenemy. It’s the kind of track that makes an already fun boss fight even more entertaining.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme Song (2012)
From the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series, 2012
The 2012 Nickelodeon animated series offered a fun reinterpretation of the original TMNT theme song, while also introducing a catchy rap of its own.
“Lean, green, ninja team” is still a beautifully written rhyme, while the intro pays homage to various incarnations of the franchise across movies, television shows, and even the original comic.
It’s a great example of how the Turtles can take familiar elements from their past and give them a modern spin.
Turtle Power! – Partners In Kryme
From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 1990
To this day, the first live-action TMNT movie from 1990 remains one of the most memorable big-screen versions of the characters. However, the awesome beat of Turtle Power! doesn’t always get the love it deserves.
Written by James Alpern and Richard Usher and produced by Partners In Kryme, the song features vocoder vocals in its chorus and became a memorable companion piece to the New Line Cinema movie.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme Song (2003)
From the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series, 2003
For those who grew up in the early 2000s, the lyrics “1, 2, 3, 4” immediately bring back memories of the 2003 4Kids animated series. Written by Russell Velázquez and Norman J. Grossfeld, the theme features awesome, fast-paced guitar riffs that kick off the first five seasons of the show.
Lyrics like “Turtles count it off” and “I love being a turtle” always stick out, alongside descriptions of the Turtles’ martial arts code and their emphasis on teamwork. For a whole generation of fans, those opening guitar riffs were the sound of getting home from school and settling in for another episode.
Pizza Power
From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time, 1991
Fans of the classic NES and Konami arcade game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time would immediately get a rush of nostalgia from Pizza Power as the game boots up.
A loving ballad to the flying-saucer-shaped food delights, the song describes the ingredients of the half-shell heroes’ favourite food, providing the soundtrack to a montage of the Turtles fighting the Foot Clan before we can even press start.
Coming Out Of Their Shells – Raphael
From Coming Out Of Their Shells, 1990
Speaking of Pizza Power, the song was also part of an album called Coming Out Of Their Shells.
Yes, the Ninja Turtles were so popular that characters appeared on stage in costume performing live concerts. Songs like We’re The Turtles showcased the brothers performing instruments, and Splinter had a soulful solo called Skipping Stones. Despite the bizarre choice, there’s almost a quaintness to the idea, especially when you consider how much kids would have loved interacting with the characters on a live stage.
We Wish You A Turtle Christmas
From We Wish You A Turtle Christmas, 1994
Not only did the Turtles have a band, but they also had a Christmas special!
Released as a direct-to-video special in the mid-’90s, audiences got to see the reptilian brothers celebrate the holidays in the best way they knew how.
While performing songs from the Coming Out Of Their Shells album, the Turtles also put their own spin on We Wish You A Merry Christmas and The Twelve Days Of Christmas.
The special is a wonderfully surreal snapshot of Turtlemania, and needs to be seen to be believed.
Ninja Rap – Vanilla Ice
From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze, 1991
Let’s set the scene. In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze, our heroes are fighting two mutated bad guys, Tokka and Rahzar. Raphael is thrown into a dance club, where rapper Vanilla Ice happens to be performing.
Naturally, a freestyle rap is born from this battle. A ninja rap, if you will! Oh, the ’90s!
Despite the unique setup for an original song in the soundtrack, Ninja Rap remains a wonderfully cheesy and fun beat. “Go ninja, go ninja, go!” is still an iconic and triumphant moment as Vanilla Ice and a group of New Yorkers encourage the brothers. It’s silly, catchy, and unforgettable.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme Song (1987)
From the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series, 1987
If you were wondering where the OG theme song was, look no further. It’s time to celebrate the most iconic song from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
The song was co-written by the show’s composer Dennis C. Brown and now-famous TV producer Chuck Lorre. Infamously given a $2,000 budget and a 48-hour deadline to record and produce the theme song, the duo created one of the most iconic television openings of all time.
Between the high-paced energy, the quick introductions of the four brothers and phrases like “Heroes in a half shell” and “Turtle power!”, the theme song has become cemented in the franchise’s iconography.
It’s instantly recognisable, incredibly catchy, and still one of the first things many fans associate with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Kevin Eastman, Freddie Williams II, and Jon Sommariva will be attending Supanova Comic Con & Gaming in Adelaide (30 October – 1 November 2026) and Brisbane (6-8 November 2026). For tickets and more info, click here.
