The big three – as far as browsers are concerned – have been making headlines as of late. Microsoft released IE9, which was downloaded nearly 2.5 million times in the first 24 hours of being released. While impressive, Firefox 4 came out clearing some 5 million downloads in its first 24-hour release period. Google Chrome has even been in the news with some of its new features, like talk to search, being integrated in its latest beta release.

Out of the three browsers I’ve mentioned, Chrome is still my favorite. It’s very minimalist and I’m a fan of the overall design and functionality. Besides all that though, one of the cool things about Chrome is also one of its most basic features – the ability to add themes. People have created a lot of great themes for the Chrome browser that you can install with a simple click. In this article, I’ll show you the Google Chrome themes that I thought were the coolest.

What’s so cool about themes? Well, rather than try explaining it to you, check out this cool YouTube video that Google has whipped up for your viewing pleasure.

1. Chuck Anderson

This might just be my favorite theme on this list. I’m a fan of the grayish-blue tabs and the bright universe-like stars in the background. I think you’ll like it, try it out.

2. Glow

Glow is a really cool theme because, while it has a black background, it is actually quite colorful at the top. If you’d like to see your back, refresh, home, and preference buttons glowing you should be a fan of this one too.

3. Tiesto

If you’re looking for a dark theme, Tiesto is a pretty cool looking one. This one used to be my go-to default theme for a while, and I like the use of gray and white mixed in with the black background.

4. Gradient

This theme is displayed as a gradient (go figure) of various shades of blue. If you’re into blue you should like this one, and I can honestly say it shouldn’t be too bright for your taste either.

5. Glossy Blue

I like the Glossy Blue theme because of its use of grays and blues. With this theme, the tab you’re focused in on will be a shade of blue, while all the background tabs will be grayed out.

6. Pencil Sketch

The Pencil Sketch theme is attractive because of its simplicity. It’s very basic, which is something you might like considering you’re a Chrome user in the first place.

7. Jack Spade

This theme by an artist is pretty cool because it has that hand-drawn feel to it. If you’re a fan of the blue and orange color combo, or you’re into patterns, this might be your theme.

8. Rampage

Rampage is a recognizable contemporary fashion brand according to the theme page. Regardless of what that actually means, I just like the look and feel of this one.

9. The Beatles

Let’s face it, there aren’t many things that are cooler than The Beatles. If you’re a fan, or you just wish your browser was a little more groovy, you should check out this theme.

10. Mario

The Mario thing is also pretty cool, especially if you’re a big fan. It’s a little too bright for my taste, but perhaps that’s just the sort of thing you’re looking for.

Conclusion

Are you a fan of any of the Google Chrome themes I provided above? If you aren’t, or if you’ve been inspired to create one of your own, we’ve got you covered. You can create your own themes using Chrome Theme Maker and this tutorial on How to Design a Browser Theme for Google Chrome by Tim.  Let us know what decorates your Chrome browser, in the comments below.