Anna
“Low Red Moon” by Belly
“You made me cry when I was young…now I got strong arms…he belongs to me…a human bed of roses.” Translation: you hurt me when I was helpless, so I killed you when I was strong enough. All accompanied by haunting guitar and organ-like chimes.
“You Want It Darker” by Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen could read a children’s book into a microphone, and it would be haunting. When he’s talking about the sins of humanity and torrid relationships with heavenly bodies accompanied by deep choral singing, the scare factor is quite enhanced.
“Strangers” by Portishead
The combination of this song’s unnerving instrumentals and discussion of renunciation of reality put it on the more jarring side of trip-hop. “Done it now, This ain’t real, On this side.” Many interpretations — suicide, dissociation, isolation — none of them joyful, all of them unnerving.
Avery
“Dancing in the Moonlight” by King Harvest
To some, this song is summer. To me, it is very much Halloween, or fall at least. The instrumentals have a hollow quality, but are simultaneously warm. When I listen to this song, I think of a group of skeleton friends dancing in a circle and enjoying the moon–a celebration of the bizarre.
Daniela
“Lesions in the Brain” by Llashwari (Katie Jane Garside)
“The bitter old lady who watch from the sunrise/ And, oh, God, I’m already scared”
Feels like I’m being possessed while listening. Disturbing and uneasy in the best way.
“Blood Bitch” by Cocteau Twins
Nobody knows what Elisabeth Fraser is saying, but it’s definitely spooky.
“In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)” by David Lynch, Alan R. Splet
It’s not Halloween until something makes you question if you’re real.
Kate
“The Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley
Quite possibly the greatest Halloween song ever written. I tremble at the thought of The Purple People Eater, because what if it eats me? Its final word of the song, “Tequila,” echoes through my nightmares, and I jolt awake, screaming, as its deranged, chipmunk-esque voice haunts me.
“Black Eye” by Allie X
Though not technically a Halloween song, I think “Black Eye” sounds kind of spooky. It opens with scream-like synths followed by a pulsing bass line. The use of organ adds to the dark tonal palette. It’s given an eerie and haunting vibe by its lyrics, which center pain and resilience.
“This Is Halloween” from The Nightmare Before Christmas
Although the movie can be considered a Halloween or Christmas movie (I usually watch it in the middle, around Thanksgiving), “This Is Halloween” is undeniably a Halloween song. Between the constant repetition of “Halloween” and Danny Elfman’s haunting, energetic score, the song perfectly captures the holiday’s playfully spooky spirit.
Quimby
“Halloween” by Phoebe Bridgers
“Baby, it’s Halloween, we can be anything”,
This is a song about loving someone so much that you’re willing to be whatever they want. I listened to this a lot when my freshman fall situationship ended mid-October last year. We had planned matching costumes. Terrifying!
“Claw Machine” by Sloppy Jane:
“When my best friend started driving we never went to class, the worst part of the car crash was talking to her dad”.
This song was written for I Saw the TV Glow. It’s fundamentally about reaching for something you’re not able to hold on to.
“John Wayne Gacy Jr.” by Sufjan Stevens:
“Oh the dead, 27 people, even more, they were boys, with their cars, summer jobs, Oh My God. Are you one of them?”
A haunting narrative about clown serial killer John Wayne Gacy, and about the boys he preyed on. It’s hard for me to listen to this song.
Neria
“Let Us Go Into The House of The Lord/Butterfly Sunday” by Harold Budd
I feel that this song is a perfect listen for getting into the spooky mood. I would love to go trick-or-treating with Harold Budd.
“If Only Tonight We Could Sleep?” by The Cure
Another great song to get you ready to scare some people! The Cure is a great group Halloween costume, too.
Oona
“Child I Will Hurt You” by Crystal Castles
This song is a bit spooky. Happy Halloween!
Hope
“Goo Goo Muck” by the Cramps
A cover by the Cramps, originally written by Ronny Cook and the Gaylads. Is this a song about zombies? Cannibalism? It is unclear, but undoubtedly spooky.
“The Killing Moon” by Echo and the Bunnymen
Although there is a popular cover by Pavement, I am still partial to the original Bunnymen version (chalk it up to primacy bias). To me, nothing seems scarier than a killing moon, whatever that is.
Isaac
“Psycho” by Jack Kittel
Written in the 1960’s, “Psycho” is a country ballad narrated in the first person that tells the story of a serial killer. I would encourage reading about the writing and recording of the song–about Leon Payne and Eddie Noack. Their stories seem to mirror the unsettling tone of the song.
“Gyroscope” by Boards of Canada
This song sure is creepy. Marcus Eoin supposedly dreamt of the sound of this song in a nightmare, and that is what inspired him to write it.
Melissa
“Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazzarus
Anyone who has seen the horror classic The Silence of the Lambs can confirm: this song is freaky. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, it is undeniable that the ominous synth melody playing throughout “Goodbye Horses” is totally spooky. And I highly encourage you to read up on Q Lazzarus – especially the way her song was featured in that movie to begin with.
“In The Cold, Cold Night” by The White Stripes
Nothing says Halloween like a Hammond organ, and this song has a lot of it. The constant, low hum of the organ matched with the haunting soprano voice of Meg White gives “In The Cold, Cold Night” an unsettling, eerie quality that makes it the perfect Halloween listen.
“Run With the Hunted” by Edinburgh School for the Deaf
Unintelligible vocals? Freaky title? New wave-y guitars distorted beyond belief? Check, check, check. If I was listening to this while walking home in the middle of the night, I would be sufficiently unsettled. And that’s what Halloween is all about. (Also – their song “Orpheus Ascending” deserves an honorable mention here as well because, obviously.)
Zephyr
“Skeletons” by Stevie Wonder
Nothing says ‘Halloween’ like skeletons, and nothing says ‘Skeletons’ like the title of this 1987 R&B hit. Full disclosure — compared to classics like “Monster Mash” and “Thriller,” the song isn’t especially spooky. What it lacks in fear factor, though, it more than makes up for in funk factor.
“Skeletons Coupling” by mark william lewis
Other than the aptly Halloween-y skeleton reference, this DIY dream-pop track has virtually nothing in common with my first pick. Consider this proof that Halloween is for everyone, from 80’s soul icons to the rising stars of the London experimental scene.
“Seismal” by Shelf Life
“Seismal” is my favorite song from an album called Hello, It’s Halloween, which is arguably the best work of former Alex G drummer Scotty Leitch. Leitch’s years of collaboration with the indie-pop star are definitely apparent in the album’s sound, but a hefty dose of shoegaze and just a hint of goth make the tracks unique (and perfect for any Halloween playlist).
“Voice-Over Intro/Voice-Over Session” from Thriller
If Halloween were a person, that person would be Vincent Price. Listen to the secret second verse of his famous “Thriller” rap in this behind-the-scenes recording.