“I PLAYED THE FOOL (MAIN TITLE THEME FROM ROOSTER) WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY: MICHAEL STIPE & ANDREW WATT
WATERTOWER MUSIC RELEASES
“I PLAYED THE FOOL (MAIN TITLE THEME)
FROM THE HBO ORIGINAL SERIES “ROOSTER”
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY:
MICHAEL STIPE & ANDREW WATT
ART (FOR MEDIA USE): DOWNLOAD
LOS ANGELES, CA (March 9, 2026) – WaterTower Music today announces the release of “I Played The Fool (Main Title Theme)”, the official main title theme from the brand-new HBO Original series Rooster created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses. The song is performed by Michael Stipe & Andrew Watt and is available now on all major digital streaming platforms.
“I Played The Fool (Main Title Theme)” brings together two Grammy Award-winning artists for the first time, pairing one of the most sought-after producers and collaborators in modern music, Andrew Watt, with Michael Stipe, the legendary former frontman of the iconic band R.E.M.
“I Played The Fool” marks Stipe’s first new song in three years, making the track a highly anticipated return for the acclaimed artist. The track showcases Stipe’s unmistakable voice paired with Watt’s bold contemporary production, creating a striking and memorable introduction to the series.
Produced and co-performed by Watt, the song also features Travis Barker (Blink-182) on drums and Josh Klinghoffer on guitar and piano. Anchored by Barker’s driving percussion and Klinghoffer’s atmospheric instrumentation, the track delivers a striking and cinematic opening to Rooster, establishing the tone for the HBO series with a blend of raw emotion, modern rock
energy and timeless songwriting.
Michael Stipe shares:
“I’m thrilled to lend my voice to Rooster – as a giant fan of everyone involved, it’s a real honor to be included with ‘I Played The Fool’.
Andrew Watt adds:
“Michael Stipe is a hero of mine. A chance to write a song with him was that of a dream…He is one of the true great songwriters of this lifetime and he did what only he could do on this song. He sets “Rooster” off to the moon by making you laugh and cry at the same time with the best clapping tv theme song since Friends.”
Bill Lawrence Shares:
“Recently I’ve watched Andrew join some of the most accomplished artists from my era (The Stones, Pearl Jam, etc, etc) and make music that somehow feels nostalgic and simultaneously of the moment. The fact that he was able to partner with one of my favorite songwriter/singers of all time, Michael Stipe, turned this into a career highlight for me. And it’s flat out a great song.”
On having the song created, Matt Tarses added:
“Our plan had always been to use music from our own time in college in the 80s. No band was more important to me then than REM. When Andrew Watt told us he thought he could get Michael Stipe to write and record a new song for us, we said, “Cool, good luck with that.” We knew this would never happen. But a few months later, Andrew sent an early demo of “I Played the Fool.” And when I listened to it on my phone, I cried. I really did. Saying we are excited to have this great song and this iconic voice on our main title is a huge understatement.”
ABOUT ROOSTER
A comedy set on a college campus centering on an author’s (Steve Carell) complicated relationship with his daughter (Charly Clive).
From co-showrunners Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, is executive produced by Bill Lawrence, Jeff Ingold, and Liza Katzer for Doozer, Matt Tarses, Jonathan Krisel, Barbie Adler, Annie Mebane, David Stassen, Anthony King, David Hyman, and Steve Carell.
The series stars Steve Carell, Charly Clive, Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster, John C. McGinley, and Lauren Tsai.
The HBO Original comedy series ROOSTER debuted Sunday, March 8 on HBO and is available to stream on HBO Max. New episodes of the 10-episode season, from Warner Bros. Television, will debut weekly through Sunday, May 10.
ABOUT MICHAEL STIPE
Michael Stipe is an artist, producer and singer/songwriter. He fronted the band R.E.M. for 31 years, selling over 100 million records and touring the world. For the past decade, his personal focus has been cross-medium visual art, incorporating video, soundscape, sculpture, and photographic and digital imagery. He has released four recent photography books through Damiani out of Bologna, Italy. His first institution show was at ICA Milan in December 2023. He is currently completing his first solo album. Michael lives in New York City and Berlin.
ABOUT ANDREW WATT
Multi-GRAMMY-winning producer Andrew Watt has become synonymous with one undeniable truth: he is the music industry’s not-so-secret weapon. Known for his genre-spanning versatility, Watt has collaborated with some of the most groundbreaking artists of the past decade, crafting chart-topping hits and award-winning albums across pop and rock. In 2021, he earned his first GRAMMY for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, recognized for his work with Ozzy Osbourne, Dua Lipa, Post Malone, and Miley Cyrus. He followed with a Best Rock Album win for producing Osbourne’s Patient Number 9, and in 2023 earned another Best Rock Album GRAMMY for Hackney Diamonds by The Rolling Stones. Among his recent high-profile projects, Watt co-produced the global smash “Die With a Smile” by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga. The single became a worldwide phenomenon, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, amassing over a billion global streams, topping charts internationally, and emerging as one of the fastest-rising pop collaborations of the decade. He also co-produced Gaga’s No. 1, critically acclaimed album Mayhem, including its hit “Abracadabra.” His work on the album earned a GRAMMY for Best Dance Pop Recording, while Mayhem also won Best Pop Vocal Album. He additionally received nominations for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year for his contributions to the project. Recent credits include work with Brandi Carlile and Elton John on their collaborative album Who Believes in Angels?, KATSEYE’s “Gabriela,” nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Carlile’s Returning to Myself, which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Watt also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song in 2025 for “Never Too Late,” written for the 2024 documentary Elton John: Never Too Late directed by RJ Cutler.
ABOUT WATERTOWER MUSIC
WaterTower Music, the in-house label for the Warner Bros Discovery companies, releases recorded music as rich and diverse as the companies themselves. It has been the soundtrack home to many of the world’s most iconic films, television shows and games since 2001.
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PRESS CONTACTS
For WaterTower Music
Rocco Carrozza
Rocco.Carrozza@wbd.com
