Keith & Matthew Strachan

Keith & Matthew Strachan
Matthew Strachan publicity photo taken 2016.
First Country	United Kingdom
First Date	4 September 1998
Latest Country	Germany (1999-), Austria (2000-), Vietnam (2005-2010, 2011-), United Kingdom (since 2018 revival), United States (since 2020 revival), Slovenia (Godler era), Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Ukraine (2021-), Russia, Poland (2023-), Mongolia, France, Hungary (since 2024 revival), Sweden, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, Arab World, Italy (2025-)
Latest Date	Present

Keith (born 21st January 1944) and Matthew Strachan (11th December 1970 — 8th September 2021) are the father and son duo who composed the original musical scores for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, including the theme song from 1998 to 2007 and again from 2018.

A compilation of all the Strachan themes is featured on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: The Album. A couple of the themes are also used in the Millionaire scenes of Slumdog Millionaire.

In 2007, when the 12-question format was introduced, Ramon Covalo became the new composer of the theme songs, with most of the Strachan cues being replaced, with notable exceptions being the let's play, final answer ,winning, losing cues, let's play next question, lifeline, explain the rules and goodbye contestants, as well as the Fastest Finger First music and other parts of soundtrack. Other countries use the Ramon Covalo cues while some have stuck with the Strachan cues. In 2018, the UK version of the show returned to the classic format with the Strachan musical cues.

In 2008, the Strachan themes were slightly remixed for the clock format on the U.S. version of the show. For example, the question music was synced to the sound of a ticking clock. The Strachan music and cues were eventually replaced altogether in favor of themes by Jeff Lippencott and Mark T. Williams in 2010 when the shuffle format was introduced. The shuffle themes continued to be used on the show until the final syndicated season , even though the shuffle format was dropped in 2015. Chris Harrison has stated in a Facebook live stream on February 6, 2017 that they have been constantly thinking about bringing back the old themes, as well as the hot seat, but the reason that they have not is that it might create a more formal feel that will not work for audiences of daytime shows. The change in music for the U.S. version was a Disney decision, and is the result of The Walt Disney Company owning the rights to the show in the United States. Everywhere else around the world, Celador (now 2waytraffic) directly controls the show, but in the United States, Disney controls the show. However since 2020 the U.S. version is now distributed by Sony instead of Disney, and as well the Strachan musical cues are been returned.

Trivia

• Matthew performed live singing and piano at the St James Theatre, London, in 2012.
• Keith and Matthew accepted the ASCAP Hall of Fame Award in 2015 for their soundtrack for Millionaire, with Matthew accepting the award and recalling the circumstances of creating the soundtrack in 8 days with his father.
• The £500,000 win and £1,000,000 question musics were the only cues that was never heard in Ireland, Czech Republic and Finland, due to a few contestants walking away on the 14th question.
• In the Czech version in 2000-2005...
  • ...the lose cues were push up a level. The cues were like this:
    • £100-£1,000 lose cue played on the first 6 questions.
    • £2,000 & £64,000 lose cue played for flunking out on question 7 & 12.
    • £4,000 & £125,000 lose cue played for flunking out on question 8 & 13. (twice only on question 13)
    • £8,000 & £250,000 lose cue played for flunking out on question 9 & 14. (never on question 14)
    • £16,000 & £500,000 lose cue played for flunking out on question 10 & (probably if it had happened) 15. (never on question 15)
    • £32,000 lose cue played for flunking out on question 11.
    • £1,000,000 cue was never probably been heard if someone flunking out on question 15.
  • ...after the commercial break, with the exception of the first 4 questions, the final answer cues were like this:
    • £2,000 & £64,000 final answer cue played in episodes 1-16, 18-38.
    • £32,000 & £1,000,000 final answer cue played in episodes 39-184, 364-383.
    • £4,000 & £125,000 final answer cue played in episodes 17, 185-363.
• In some versions of the show (Germany, Austria, Czech Republic since the show debut and Vietnam since 2018), the question 15 "Final answer" cue played for all questions after the second milestone instead of normal question "Final Answer" cue.
• In Israel, the £4,000 question music was played for £8,000, the £8,000 question music was played for £16,000, and the £16,000 question music was played for £32,000.
• During the risk format, £16,000 win was high-pitched by 1 semitone when someone answers the 10th question correctly in Cologne for the German, Austrian, Switzerland, and Czech versions. This was later used also for the UK version filmed in Salford and at the Polish studio for the Italian and Spanish versions, unless if the safety net is set on the 10th question.
• On May 13, 2013 in Australia, the £1,000,000 lose cue was played low pitched on Kevin Short's $1,000,000 question.
• On January 28, 2017 in Russia, the £16,000 let's play and £20,000 question (at the slightest beginning) cues are played high-pitched on contestants on the 100,000 ruble question.
• Strangely, when some versions of the show have upgraded to Olga van den brandt graphics (Netherlands, Croatia, Denmark, Chile, Israel, Arab World, Bulgaria, South Africa and Serbia) in 2019-2022 respectively, only the original questions cues were played in the Question 6 and 7, instead of the current ones.
• Strangely, there is a Rave intro, commercial break, (sometimes have host entrance and closing cues, composed by Ramon Covalo and remixing by Nick Magnus), but the Strachan 'Classic' cues for the other sounds in some countries such as:
  • Denmark (from 2007 to 2013, Q6-7 since 2019),
  • Italy (2007-2011, then since 2025),
  • Vietnam (from 2008 to 2010, then since 2011, although they mixed up some cues),
  • Croatia (Q1-5; from 2009 to 2010, Q6-7, starting 2019),
  • Mexico (although partly because it shared its set with Venezuela),
  • Venezuela (from 2009 to 2013),
  • Georgia (2009-2011 except Q1-15),
  • Switzerland (2011, shared its set with Germany),
  • India Hindi (2013; Q13 for question 5, Q14 for question 6, Q11 for question 7,8),
  • Czech Republic (2016-2017, shared its set with Germany),
  • Kyrgyzstan (because it was unlicensed),
  • Kazakhstan (2017 - 2019)
  • Netherlands (Q6-7 2019-2022, 2024-2025),
  • Chile (Q6-7 since 2019),
  • Israel (Q6-7 since 2020),
  • Slovenia (since 2020),
  • Sweden (except Q1-5 since 2008, completely since 2025),
  • Sri Lanka (except Q1-5 and Q10 ''correct answers'' cue since 2021, some episodes have Rave intro cue),
  • Arab World (except Q1-5, Q8-15, closing in 2021, completely since 2025),
  • Iran (probably because it was unlicensed),
  • Nigeria (completely in 2009, except Q1-5 from 2010 to 2011),
  • Australia (2021 specials in Q11-15),
  • Azerbaijan (since 2021, except Q10 "Correct answer" cue),
  • South Africa (Q6-7 since 2021),
  • Serbia (Q6-7, Closing since 2022),
  • Russia (since 2023),
  • Poland (since 2023),
  • Mongolia (since 2024, which sometimes has the Rave Q1-5 music on questions 1-5),
  • Brazil (2023, although some of other cues have mixed),
  • Bulgaria (Q6-7 2021 - 2024, completely from 2025 except Q5, 10 "Correct answer" cue),
  • France (since 2024, when the 25th anniversary was broadcast to now),
  • Hungary (since 2024, except Q5, Q10 ''Correct answer'' cue and sometime is into the hot seat cues),
  • Uzbekistan (since 2025, when the show debut)
  • Several Millionaire Hot Seat versions (Chile, Egypt, Ecuador, Sweden, Spain, Ukraine, Greek and Vietnam).