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These spooky tracks are guaranteed to get you in the mood for everyone's favorite fall holiday. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best songs to include on your Halloween party playlist!
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00:00Pleased to meet you. Hope you guessed my name. Oh, yeah.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best songs to include on your Halloween party playlist.
00:13I am the shadow on the moon at night, filling your dreams to the brim with fright.
00:20Number 20, Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater Revival.
00:25I see the bad moon rising.
00:30A lot of the fun around picking Halloween songs can be the creative subtext behind some old-school classics.
00:35Bad Moon Rising was already a hit for Creedence Clearwater Revival years before its inclusion on the soundtrack to An American Werewolf in London.
00:43Beehive bomb, I smell the blood of an Englishman.
00:47It's a perfect fit for the film's blackly comedic tone, however, since writer-director John Landis decided to include a soundtrack that was full of moon references.
00:55The decision to play Bad Moon Rising on Halloween should certainly succeed in waking the wolf within even the tamest devil's night bash.
01:02There's a bad moon on the rise.
01:07Number 19, Runnin' with the Devil, Van Halen.
01:10I'm gonna tell you one thing.
01:18This song from Van Halen's classic self-titled debut album doesn't need to be a theme to a horror movie to fit into the Halloween spirit.
01:25That obnoxiously hard-hitting bass thump from Michael Anthony leads the charge with this all-time hard rock banger.
01:31Runnin' with the Devil is the sort of tune that makes us raise our collective fists and yell.
01:35It's heavy, but approachable, catchy, and has plenty of attitude.
01:46There's no real darkness or malevolence to the song, but the wordplay of the title feels right at home for the reason of the season.
01:52Number 18, Spooky Scary Skeletons, Andrew Gold.
02:03Spooky scary skeletons and shivers down your spine.
02:09The 1980s was a halcyon decade for great, cheap Halloween tapes that could be found at your local department store.
02:15These cassettes were often jam-packed with creepy music and sound effects that were perfect at parties.
02:20Andrew Gold attempted to fill this void in 1996, a period that was long since removed from Halloween music's golden years.
02:26The original Spooky Scary Skeletons harkens back to the OG Halloween records of old.
02:31We're so sorry skeletons, you're so misunderstood.
02:37And the story could have easily ended at this point.
02:39However, modern internet forums have resurrected the ghost of Spooky Scary Skeletons and its xylophone for a new, ironically appreciative audience.
02:47Spooky scary skeletons and shivers down your spine.
02:50Shrieking skulls will shock your soul and seal your doom tonight.
02:54Number 17, The Purple People Eater, Sheb Woolley.
02:58One big eye, like a Mr. Shakin' in a settee.
03:02It looks like a purple people eater to me.
03:05Every Halloween playlist needs a good novelty song, right?
03:08The Purple People Eater from Sheb Woolley is a fun and relatively innocent Halloween jam, a relic from the bygone past.
03:14Still, the sincerity of its execution makes it a perfect pick for younger kids enjoying a slightly less spooky Halloween.
03:20It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater.
03:24One-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater.
03:27The desire of this titular people eater to simply rock out and have a good time allows Woolley's song to be silly and light-hearted.
03:34The pop instrumentation is also catchy, with a chorus that's instantly memorable.
03:38What can we say? They call them classics for a reason.
03:41That's not the reason that I came to life.
03:43I wanted to get a job in a rock and roll band.
03:46Well, bless my soul, I ain't gonna lie.
03:49Number 16, Werewolves of London, Warren Zebin.
03:53Ah-hoo, werewolves of London.
03:58Ah-hoo.
04:01This one's admittedly a softball, but no Halloween playlist is complete without this late 70s jam.
04:06Warren Zebin only reached the Billboard Top 40 charts once, and it was with this song that initially started out as a joke.
04:12Werewolves of London was inspired by the horror movie of the same name, but it's far from scary.
04:24The song is instead just a classic rock jam with a jaunty atmosphere and lyrics inspired by timeless scary movies.
04:31The reference to famous werewolf actor Lon Chaney Jr. is fun.
04:34It makes Werewolves of London a song that gets wheeled out every Halloween season.
04:38You better stay away from him.
04:40He'll rip your lungs out, Jim.
04:43I'd like to meet his tailor.
04:46Number 15, Bring Me to Life, Evanescence.
04:51The success of Evanescence back in the early 2000s was timed perfectly with rising public interest in gothic-influenced rock and metal.
04:58Bring Me to Life may not have been written with Halloween specifically in mind,
05:01but the atmosphere at play within the song's production and execution lend it a comparable feeling.
05:07Then, there's that title, which could cheekily be snuck onto a playlist of all things undead and rising.
05:12Bring Me to Life was a radio hit for Evanescence, but it was their dedication to expanding this sound that earned them fans for life.
05:20Number 14, Highway to Hell, ACDC.
05:24title which could cheekily be snuck onto a playlist of all things undead and
05:28rising. Bring Me to Life was a radio hit for Evanescence but it was their
05:31dedication to expanding this sound that earned them fans for life.
05:42Number 14. Highway to Hell, ACDC
05:48It's a perfect storm of sorts, an ACDC track that helped define their early
05:58career while also serving as a swan song for the group's inimitable lead singer
06:01Bon Scott. ACDC didn't always sound malevolent but songs like Highway to
06:06Hell and Night Prowler, taken from the same album, actually tied it into some
06:10real-life true crime.
06:18The notorious Night Stalker, Richard Ramirez, was reportedly a fan and took
06:23inspiration from the latter tune. Highway to Hell, in the meantime, possesses a less
06:27troubling pedigree but is no less awesome a choice for a Halloween jam.
06:31That iconic riff, Scott's wailing vocals, it's simply one of ACDC's finest musical
06:36hours.
06:39Number 13. Dead Man's Party, Oingo Boingo
06:53Denny Elfman is probably best known today for composing iconic film scores
06:57like Batman and Beetlejuice. However, those paying attention back in the 1980s
07:02will likely also remember Elfman's old band, Oingo Boingo. Their song, Dead Man's
07:06Party, was featured in the Rodney Dangerfield flick, Back to School, the
07:10same year it was released on vinyl.
07:17The tune possesses throbbing bass and devilish melodies, while Elfman's vocals
07:22are cool, quirky, and unlike many of his contemporaries, Dead Man's Party
07:26honestly enjoys a vibe all its own, and this is definitely a good thing.
07:32Number 12. Disturbia, Rihanna
07:45It's unclear as to whether or not the writers that composed Disturbia for
07:49Rihanna back in 2008 were aware of the psychological thriller of the same name.
07:53That flick was only released a year prior, however, so it's totally possible
07:57that Disturbia may owe some sort of debt to it.
08:02This song was a huge success for Rihanna, regardless of any surmised thematic
08:13connections, and the accompanying video is executed with an appropriately moody
08:16darkness. It's this combination of electro dance beats and thick grooves
08:20that helps make Disturbia a comparatively more recent addition to
08:24your Halloween shenanigans.
08:32Number 11. Superstition, Stevie Wonder
08:43Those who are seeking to bring a little funk into their Halloween season need
08:47look no further than this 70s banger from Stevie Wonder. Superstition is one
08:51of the soul and jazz icon's most well-known and beloved songs. This is
08:55with good reason too, since Wonder basically sets a template here for other
08:58funk groups to follow in his musical wake.
09:07The spookiness of real-life Superstition's play into the song's
09:11lyrics, while Wonder's clavinet creates an ear-warm melody for their ages. It's
09:15basically impossible not to smile and get down when Superstition is on, and
09:19isn't getting together with friends half the fun of any Halloween gathering?
09:29Number 10. Somebody's Watching Me, Rockwell
09:40This song combines fear with paranoia to play on the spooky theme of having that
09:45feeling that you're being watched. On this debut single from Rockwell, Jermaine and
09:49Michael Jackson provide backing vocals to give the chorus a slick Motown feel.
09:59The song is well-produced and feels cinematic, like listeners are the stars
10:03of their own horror movie, which is great for a day like Halloween.
10:13Number 9. Monster Mash, Bobby Boris Pickett
10:24Even though it was a simple novelty song, it seems that the novelty still has
10:28it worn off for this Halloween tune. Released just three days before All
10:32Hallow's Eve in 1962, the song is a comedic retelling of the Frankenstein
10:36story, in which a mad scientist creates a dancing monster.
10:45The song recognizes its own kissiness and plays with it by incorporating sound
10:50effects like the sound of a bubbling cauldron and nails on a chalkboard.
10:59Number 8. Bark at the Moon, Ozzy Osbourne
11:12This song has great narrative content that makes it perfect for Halloween. Ozzy
11:16tells the story of a town terrorized by a mythical beast which kills many of the
11:20townsfolk. Just when they thought it was gone, it comes back and the
11:23instrumentation parallels the return of the beast with frantic power chords.
11:33The song was promoted with Ozzy's first music video, which flips the script as
11:38Ozzy becomes the beast in question, before being committed to a mental
11:41institution.
11:46Number 7. Welcome to My Nightmare, Alice Cooper
11:54I think you're gonna like it. Cooper excels at creepy, fun songs like
12:01Feed My Frankenstein.
12:09But this song is by far the best executed of the two. It's a mixture of
12:13different genres like jazz, hard rock, and disco, and that all comes together to give
12:18the song a theatrical quality that's great for a day of make-believe.
12:23Cooper plays up the song's creepy vibe in the music video, performing in
12:32demonic makeup and combating ghoulish forces. Cooper later performed the song
12:36on The Muppet Show, cementing its status as a Halloween staple for people of all
12:39ages.
12:42Number 6. Don't Fear The Reaper, Blue Oyster Cult
12:59The hypnotic signature riff off this track is enticing enough to put anyone
13:03in a weird trance. Also on top of that, the song's subject matter is pretty macabre
13:07as the lyrics focus on the inevitability of death and the futility of fearing it.
13:12The way the singer's voice echoes throughout the chorus is a haunting
13:22effect that is perfect for listeners getting themselves into an eerie mood. In
13:25fact, it's so eerie that it was featured in Halloween and inspired Stephen King to
13:29write the stand, but we still think it could use more cowbell.
13:34Number 5. Ghostbusters, Ray Parker Jr.
13:50This song has a fun, playful tone that matches the film it accompanies 100%.
13:55After watching late-night TV, Parker was inspired by the cheesy commercials that
13:59would come on during that time. The kookiness of the song's content over
14:02that upbeat 80s groove gives the song a nostalgic vibe that is perfect for
14:06Halloween. The song was such a hit that it stayed at number one on the charts
14:18for three weeks. In addition to that, it was nominated for an Oscar.
14:28Number 4. I Put a Spell on You, Screamin' Jay Hawkins
14:38Originally envisioned as a distinguished love ballad, the entire band was
14:41intoxicated during the recording session, leading to Hawkins' raw and guttural
14:45vocal delivery. Inspired by the unnerving vocals, radio DJ Alan Freed offered
14:50Hawkins $300 to emerge from a coffin on stage. Hawkins embraced this new
15:01performance aesthetic, developing an eccentric stage persona to go with it,
15:04which included the prominent use of voodoo imagery, and inadvertently became
15:08a pioneer of shock rock in the process.
15:12Number 3. Time Warp, The Rocky Horror Picture Show Cast
15:26Taken right out of the film, this song has come to have a life of its own. The
15:31track may be a parody of instructional dance songs, but that hasn't stopped it
15:34from getting people out on the dance floor.
15:42Due to the film's over-the-top attitude and quirkiness, the tune has a
15:51playful quality that people can relate to, especially around Halloween time.
15:55Time Warp has been covered many times over the years, and is one of the main
15:59audience participation activities during screenings of the film.
16:04Number 2. This Is Halloween, The Nightmare Before Christmas Cast
16:19Wouldn't you like to see something strange? This song is reminiscent of
16:23older tunes of the 1960s, like the theme from The Munsters. Performed by the
16:31citizens of Halloweentown, and headed by none other than composer Danny Elfman
16:35himself, it humanizes the strange characters, but still keeps that element
16:38of scary fun, attracted to both children and adults.
16:47Marilyn Manson later re-recorded the song for the 2008 album, Nightmare
16:51Revisited, but it's the original that remains a Halloween favorite.
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17:17Number 1. Thriller, Michael Jackson
17:22At our number one spot, we have one of the most recognizable songs of all time.
17:33Coming as the title track of history's best-selling album ever, the tune also
17:37has all the makings of a horror movie, with the sound of the creaking door,
17:40howling dogs, and Vincent Price's ominous voice interspersed between
17:44Jackson's singing parts.
17:52The 1950s B-movie inspired music video only adds to the song's reputation as a
17:57Halloween classic. In the video's most iconic scene, Jackson leads actors
18:02costumed as zombies in a choreographed dance routine that, admit it, we've all
18:06tried to duplicate more than once.
18:14Do you have a go-to Halloween playlist? Let us know in the comments.
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