Think your Halloween playlist begins and ends with “Monster Mash” and “Thriller”? Think again, my ghoulish friends. As a Halloween-obsessed DJ who lives for fog machines, purple lights, and songs that make skeletons shimmy, I’ve brewed up a playlist guide packed with creepy deep cuts, underrated bangers, and just-weird-enough gems to resurrect any party. If you want your October 31st soundtrack to be equal parts spooky, stylish, and chef’s kiss strange…step into my haunted musical laboratory.
October 26, 2024
For the first time since COVID, I will not be DJing on Halloween night. I was hired for a party on the 31st, but the revelers canceled two weeks ago after learning that the majority of their invites would be unable to attend. I was saddened by the cancellation because Halloween is my favorite holiday, and Halloween parties are always my favorite parties year after year.
I am a fan of all things horror; television, movies, literature, comics, anime, or cosplay, it does not matter. I am all-in. And nothing makes me happier than curating the perfect soundtrack for a Halloween party. While I will be staying at home this All Hallows Eve, it does not mean that I will squander my opportunity to discuss the perfect mix of music for those of you who have parties planned. As we roll into the Halloween homestretch, it’s time to dust the cobwebs off of the candy bowls and string together that playlist of creepy tunes for those upcoming parties and shindigs. Iconic standbys such as “Monster Mash” or “Ghostbusters” will likely garner shrieks of joy from younger goblins, but if you truly want to kill it at that pumpkin carving get-together, you might want to consider digging a bit deeper into the cauldron of nefarious songs to unearth some novel numbers for your spooky setlist.
Nailing that quintessential Halloween playlist is all about creating a haunted mood.
While the unsettling sounds of rattling chains, hollow resounding voices and screeching violins are certain to send a chill down the spines on Elm Street, the musical landscape is littered with a labyrinth of grim songs which are not considered traditional Halloween tunes, yet still deliver a cryptic romp. Scary or fun, these songs are a treat that will always do the trick.
Below, I will share five of my very favorite tracks in several categories of Halloween music. It is my hope that by doing this, I may inspire you to curate a new playlist for this year's Halloween bash. Some of these songs you may not know. Others you likely never considered. The secret lies in both titles and lyrics. And let's not forget that Halloween is a time when people are encouraged to mask up and put on a different persona. A lot of people dress for pop culture allowing us to breach a broad spectrum of music. You'll want to introduce your party guests to songs they've not heard before and play the most popular tracks. I will also include a number of Honorable Mentions. Trust me. The perfect combination is a mix that is disturbing, haunting, and fun. Together, these tracks will create a vibe and set the mood for an evening unlike any you have experienced before. “If you build it, they will come."
FOR THE KIDS
"The Headless Horseman" by Thurl Ravenscroft
"Lil' Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs
"The Purple People Eater" by Sheb Wooley
"Spooky, Scary Skeletons" by Andrew Goldman
"This Is Halloween" by The Citizens of Halloween
THE MUST PLAYS
"Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker, Jr.
"I Want Candy" by Bow Wow Wow
"Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett
"Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell
"Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon
THE CLICHÉS
"Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Black Magic Woman" by Santana
"Highway to Hell" by AC/DC
"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult
"Witchy Woman" by The Eagles
THE OFTEN OVERLOOKED
"Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo
"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by The Charlie Daniels Band
"I Put a Spell on You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins
"Nightmare on My Street" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
"Season of the Witch" by Lana Del Rey
THE UNEXPECTED
"The Boogie Monster" by Gnarls Barkley
"Bury a Friend" by Billie Eilish
"Dracula's Wedding" by Outkast
"The Man Comes Along" by Johnny Cash
"The Monster" by Eminem
THE UNCONVENTIONAL
"Bring Me to Life" by Evanesence
"Devil Inside" by INXS
"Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive" by Men at Work
"Excitable Boy" by Warren Zevon
"Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran
THE NOVELTY
"The Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati" by Rose and the Arrangement
"Dinner with Drac" by John Zacherle
"Nature Trail to Hell" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Two Big Pumpkins" by Elvira. Mistress of the Dark
"Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" by Donald Glover and Tracy Morgan
THE NOT WELL KNOWN
"Bela Lugosi's Dead" by Bauhaus
"Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)" by Concrete Blonde
"The Curse of Millhaven" by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
"I Was a Teenage Werewolf" by The Cramps
"Wicked Annabella" by The Kinks
THE DANCE FLOOR
"Disturbia" by Rihanna
"Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift
"She-Wolf" by Shakira
"Thriller" by Michael Jackson
"The Time Warp" by Nell Campbell, Patricia Quinn, and Richard O'Brien
SPOKEN WORD
"Frankie Teardrop" by Suicide
"Hamburger Lady" by Throbbing Gristle
"Mother" by The Police
"They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haah!" by Napoleon XIV
"What's He Building?" by Tom Waits
THE TRULY FRIGHTENING
"Avalanche" by Leonard Cohen
"Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath
"Cannibal" by Marika Hackman
"The Fine Art of Poisoning" by Jill Tracy
"I Love the Dead" by Alice Cooper
THE INSTRUMENTALS
"Psycho" Score by Bernard Herrmann
"Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima" by Krzystof Penderecki
"Volumina for Organ" by György Ligeti
"Night on Bald Mountain" by Modest Mussorgsky
"Jaws" Score by John Williams
HONORABLE MENTION
"After Dark" by Tito and the Tarantulas
"Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" by Nancy Sinatra
"Boris the Spider" by The Who
"Cry Little Sister" by Gerard McMahon
"Dead" by The Pixies
"Maxwell's Silver Hammer" by The Beatles
"Night with the Jersey Devil" by Bruce Springsteen
"The Killing Moon" by Echo and the Bunnymen
“Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor
"Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads
"Puttin' on the Ritz" by Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, and Cast of Young Frankenstein
"Spellbound" by Siouxsie and the Banshees
"Witch Queen of New Orleans" by Redbone
"Vampires, Mummies, and the Holy Ghost" by Jimmy Buffett
"You're Dead" by Norma Tanega
As a final note, menacing music sets that ghostly aura, but background elements can help to cement it. If you have plans to party next Thursday night, consider adding a fog machine and lighting—shades of purple, green, and orange will do nicely—or maybe make it a black light party. A multi-sensory experience will help keep those vampires and gremlins quivering with delight.
Halloween parties are unlike any other events in that they typically enjoy an anything goes atmosphere. It is this relaxed environment which really fuels the black magic of a Halloween event. On October 31, we all just seem to let loose a little bit more than at your average get-togethers. You get to put on a costume—anyone and anything you want to be, you can be at a Halloween party—that, to me, makes Halloween parties the very best parties of all.