Halloween is quickly approaching, and that means that candy, costumes, and spooky things will abound. Scary makeup and creepy costumes can make many people jump, but I find eerie tunes add the perfect amount of suspense to any situation. You have your obvious choice of themes from movies such as The Nightmare on Elm Street or Halloween, but for those who don’t like frightening music (like me), there are plenty of Halloween songs to play at parties that won’t spookify things too much. These songs will fit the Halloween mood though, and that’s all you need. Here are five of my favorites for a Halloween playlist. Happy Halloween!
1. “Thriller” – Michael Jackson
I know this is the most typical Halloween jam, but it’s not like you can have a complete Halloween list without it! From the zombies in the music video to the lyrics (“You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it / You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes”), Michael has the spooky factor down.
2. “I Put a Spell on You” – Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
This song has been redone countless times, from Bette Midler in Hocus Pocus to Creedence Clearwater Revival, but if you haven’t listened to the original, you need to. Once you do, you’ll get why Screamin’ Jay has the screamin’ in his name. There are also a few moments where he does a creepy laugh, and it’ll send some shivers down your spine.
3. “This is Halloween” – Panic! At the Disco
I am absolutely addicted to this song, and I love Brenden Urie’s voice, the whispers,and the harmonies. It’s such a great rendition of one of my favorite songs. Also, I’m going to cheat and just recommend the whole Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack because it’s all so great.
4. “Superstition” – Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is the funkmaster, and I love how he takes superstitions and makes you want to groove. This song just makes you want to get up and dance, and that’s important at any party.
5. “Introduction” – the Sleepy Hollow soundtrack, Danny Elfman
You could probably take any theme written by Danny Elfman and play it at your Halloween party, but I chose this one specifically because he mixes the right amount of instrumentals with creepy vocals. This whole soundtrack is a go-to for me, and yes, I adore the movie.
And for fun, I’m adding this jam that my roommate and I play every single day. Enjoy!
Featured image courtesy of of Flickr Commons: The National Archives UK // User: nationalarchives
