I told you last year I'd be back with more songs for your Halloween playlist, and I like to think I keep my promises. So, here they are — 25 more songs to make your spooky soundtrack bigger, …
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I told you last year I'd be back with more songs for your Halloween playlist, and I like to think I keep my promises. So, here they are — 25 more songs to make your spooky soundtrack bigger, stranger and, hopefully, even better than last year's.
You can listen to these 25 new songs along with the selections from previous years in the player above.
These tracks run the gamut from classic Halloween fun and supernatural scares to unsettling songs about real-life fears, dramatic rock anthems and a few selections that have absolutely no business being on a Halloween playlist — but somehow work anyway.
A quick heads-up: Some of these songs feature explicit lyrics, mature themes or darker subject matter, so they may not be suitable for younger audiences.
Whether you're throwing a costume party, setting the mood for a haunted night in or simply looking for something new to add to your October rotation, here are 25 more songs to add to your Halloween playlist.
What better way to start a Halloween playlist than with a song that literally announces what it is? “This Is Halloween” is practically an unofficial anthem of spooky season, with its theatrical vocals, creepy characters and carnival-like energy.
The song comes from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” which also appears on Reporter Colin James’ Halloween movie roundup. If you haven’t checked it out yet, be sure to find it on our website. With 31 days of Halloween movies, it’s another great way to set the tone for the season.
This song is fun, weird and just a little unsettling, but the music makes it such a jam. Bowling for Soup gives the classic fairy tale a playful pop-punk makeover that makes it easy to sing along to while still keeping the wolf lurking in the background.
For an alternate version, Amanda Seyfried also offers a slower, creepier rendition that is worth adding to the Halloween rotation if you want something a little more eerie.
The Eagles have a way of getting stuck in your head, don't they? “Witchy Woman” has the kind of mysterious, hypnotic quality that makes it a natural Halloween pick, even if you aren't throwing on a full witch costume.
With its references to magic and a mysterious woman who seems to have everyone under her spell, this one brings a little classic-rock witchcraft to the playlist.
Not every Halloween song has to involve ghosts, monsters or murder. Sometimes, the scariest thing is dating.
“Spooky” is not quite as spooky as some of the other songs on this list, but can’t we all admit that dating and love can be a little scary sometimes? Dusty Springfield’s smooth vocals give this one more of a sultry, mysterious vibe than outright horror.
A classic.
The Cramps' “Goo Goo Muck” is one of those songs that seems like it was made for a Halloween party. Its wild rockabilly sound and bizarre lyrics give it exactly the kind of strange, slightly unhinged energy a good Halloween playlist needs.
I first heard this song years ago randomly on a YouTube video. I want to say it was a “Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep” fan video for Vanitas. Either way, the song is hilarious and a good transition before heading into paranoia and supernatural territory.
Aurelio Voltaire has a knack for making the macabre entertaining, and “When You're Evil” feels less like a terrifying encounter with evil and more like evil itself is having a really good time.
No, “Africa” is not actually a traditional Halloween song.
I’m adding it here because of discussions on Reddit and Tumblr about the song's lyrics possibly referring to lycanism. It kind of fits and, either way, I love this song, so why not?
Sometimes you have to let a Halloween playlist have one completely unexpected song. Consider this one your permission slip.
A more serious, less paranormal song about grief and loss, “Ghost” brings a different kind of sadness to the playlist.
I’m not much of a Bieber fan, but this song is actually very sad. Its focus on someone who is gone makes it a good reminder that ghosts don't always have to be supernatural. Sometimes they are the people and memories we can't let go of.
Another song that isn’t quite a Halloween song, but it has a good beat and chill vibe.
“Vampire Bat” brings a darker, dreamier energy to the playlist without sounding like a traditional spooky-season song. It’s a good choice for the part of the night when you want the music to stay atmospheric without turning every song into a horror movie soundtrack.
From the adult animated show “Helluva Boss,” this song is fun and a great addition to your Halloween playlist. It’s catchy, dancey and hard not to sing along to.
If your Halloween playlist is going to double as a party soundtrack, this one brings some much-needed monster energy to the dance floor.
This is not a Halloween song. This is one of those songs that is founded in real fear.
t.A.T.u. sings about stalking the subject of the song, being everywhere they are and seeing everything as if they were a fly on the wall. There are no ghosts or monsters here. That may actually make it more unsettling.
Sometimes the scariest thing on the playlist is something that could happen in real life.
This song is about zombies, so perfect fit, right?
Nah, I’m lying.
The song is much, much deeper than that, as most Twenty One Pilots songs are. “Vignette” explores darker themes surrounding addiction and deterioration, making it a fitting addition to a Halloween playlist even though the song isn't really about the undead.
Another one of those real-life fears rather than Hollywood magic or fairy-tale terror.
“Graveyard” follows someone who keeps following their lover to darker places, all the way to the graveyard. It is less about supernatural horror and more about the frightening lengths people can go when they are caught in an unhealthy relationship.
A great song for your Halloween playlist. Who doesn’t want to scream “We are the monsters underneath your bed” at their next party?
“Monsters” brings that classic childhood fear of what might be hiding in the dark and turns it into a dramatic rock song. It is basically permission to embrace your inner monster for a few minutes.
I am such a fan of weird, creepy songs, and this is one of those songs.
“Hide and Seek” sounds almost childish at first, which makes the darker elements even more unsettling. It takes something familiar and innocent — a childhood game — and twists it into something much more sinister.
If you like your Halloween music on the genuinely creepy side, don't skip this one.
Unpopular opinion: I’m not an Evanescence fan.
Everyone also said Amy Lee had such a beautiful voice, and she does ... when she isn’t screaming. Whiel I like her actual singing, her screaming grates on my ears, and I just never found the appeal of the group.
With that being said, this is a good song to have on your Halloween playlist and most people know it. It’s sure to be a hit with most partygoers, as I’m apparently the odd one out.
Sometimes you have to admit when the rest of the world has a point.
Such a great song.
“Enter Sandman” taps into one of the oldest childhood fears: what happens when you close your eyes and go to sleep? The song references nightmares, bedtime rituals and the Sandman while pairing those fears with one of Metallica's most recognizable riffs.
It’s scary, familiar and a whole lot of fun to sing.
There are some songs that simply have Halloween energy, and this is one of them.
“Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” brings Jimi Hendrix's legendary guitar work together with a title that practically demands a spot on a spooky playlist. It has the kind of psychedelic, supernatural atmosphere that can make a playlist feel darker without needing an obvious horror theme.
Plus, it’s Jimi Hendrix.
You know how people say, “I would do anything for the one I love?”
Bean takes that a step further — with murdering anyone who gets in the way of their beloved.
The term “yandere” comes from a character archetype in Japanese media describing someone whose love and affection become dangerously obsessive. Jazmin Bean takes that concept into delightfully disturbing territory, making this one a particularly dark addition to the playlist.
This song sounds like it should be much darker than it actually is.
“RIP” is about killing and letting go of your old self, making the song more uplifting than its title might suggest. Still, it fits the Halloween vibe perfectly, especially for anyone who enjoys the idea of using spooky imagery to talk about personal reinvention.
Plus, it’s fun, as most of Qveen Herby’s songs are.
Caleb Hyles’ version of this “Hunchback of Notre Dame” song is chilling.
“Hellfire” is a terrifying song about a man who can't control his lust, obsession and desire, which makes the fact that it comes from a Disney animated movie about as strange as it gets. There’s something very unsettling about a man grappling with his own desires and looking to God for someone to blame.
Hyles' powerful vocals take the already dark song and make it even more dramatic. It is one of those songs that can make you stop and wonder how this ended up in a children's movie.
A little different.
There are no words for this song because it is actually background music in the video game “Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.” But that doesn't make it any less deserving of a spot on this list.
This is a pick for my girlies at the Fairhope Public Library who also love the “Danganronpa” game series as much as I do. And if you know “Danganronpa,” you know the game is absolutely upsetting.
Even without lyrics, the music carries the unsettling atmosphere of the game with it.
Not so much a song as it is a spoken-word poem, but this is creepy nonetheless.
If you have seen “Dance Moms,” you know it was even more terrifying there as the children disappeared off the stage one by one.
It is the kind of piece that doesn't need a big musical buildup or horror-movie sound effects to make you uncomfortable. Sometimes, a creepy voice and a disturbing premise are enough.
Unlike my other MCR picks, this one is not actually about haunted scarecrows like their zombie and vampire songs.
However, the song is still terrifying because it is actually about bombs. The dark metaphor of nuclear annihilation represents sudden destruction and apocalyptic terror, giving this track a very different kind of horror than the supernatural songs on the list.
It is a reminder that Halloween scares don't always have to involve ghosts, vampires or monsters. Sometimes real-world fears are more than frightening enough.
Many people know this song, and there isn’t much else to say.
It’s a great addition to your Halloween playlist, with the kind of dramatic energy that makes it easy to picture playing at the end of a long Halloween night. Lady Gaga knows how to make things theatrical, and “The Dead Dance” fits right into that larger-than-life Halloween aesthetic.
And sometimes you just need a good Lady Gaga song to keep the party going.
No matter your Halloween plans, this year's playlist has something for every kind of spooky moment. From classic Halloween staples and supernatural songs to dark pop, rock, video game music and songs about the very real things that scare us, these 25 additions give the playlist plenty of room to get weird.
Mix them with previous year's selections, turn up the volume and let the soundtrack carry you from trick-or-treating to the after-party.
Want to see last year's picks? Visit https://tinyurl.com/yt3sh4sb.
You can check out the full playlist anytime on the GCM Spotify channel at https://tinyurl.com/5n8cwhd6 or by searching Gulf Coast Media on the Spotify app.
I'm not done yet. I'm on a mission to build a 13-hour Halloween playlist for Gulf Coast Media, so what's playing on your Halloween playlist? Send me your favorite spooky songs, weird deep cuts, creepy classics and questionable choices at whisper@gulfcoastmedia.com. If it gives you Halloween vibes, I want to hear it. You might just see on next year's playlist recommendations.
