- 10 months ago
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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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best songs to include on your Halloween Party Playlist.
00:24Number 20. Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater Revival.
00:30A lot of the fun around picking Halloween songs can be the creative subtext behind some old-school classics.
00:39Bad Moon Rising was already a hit for Creedence Clearwater Revival years before its inclusion on the soundtrack to An American Werewolf in London.
00:50It'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.
00:58The decision to play Bad Moon Rising on Halloween should certainly succeed in waking the wolf within even the tamest Devil's Night Bash.
01:10Number 19. Runnin' with the Devil, Van Halen.
01:13This 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.
01:28That obnoxiously hard-hitting bass thump from Michael Anthony leads the charge with his all-time hard rock banger.
01:34Runnin' with the Devil is the sort of tune that makes us raise our collective fists and yell.
01:38It's heavy but approachable, catchy, and has plenty of attitude.
01:49There'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.
02:02Number 18. Spooky Scary Skeletons, Andrew Gold.
02:06Spooky Scary Skeletons send shivers down your spine.
02:12The 1980s was a halcyon decade for great, cheap Halloween tapes that could be found at your local department store.
02:18These cassettes were often jam-packed with creepy music and sound effects that were perfect at parties.
02:23Andrew Gold attempted to fill this void in 1996, a period that was long since removed from Halloween music's golden years.
02:29The original Spooky Scary Skeletons harkens back to the OG Halloween records of old.
02:34We're so sorry skeletons, you're so misunderstood.
02:40And the story could have easily ended at this point.
02:42However, modern internet forums have resurrected the ghost of Spooky Scary Skeletons and its xylophone for a new, ironically appreciative audience.
02:50Spooky Scary Skeletons send shivers down your spine.
02:53You shrieking skulls will shock your soul.
02:56Seal your doom tonight.
02:57Number 17. The Purple People Eater, Sheb Woolley.
03:01One big eye, like a Mr. Shakin' in the seduit.
03:05It looks like a purple people eater to me.
03:08Every Halloween playlist needs a good novelty song, right?
03:11The Purple People Eater from Sheb Woolley is a fun and relatively innocent Halloween jam, a relic from the bygone past.
03:17Still, the sincerity of its execution makes it a perfect pick for younger kids enjoying a slightly less spooky Halloween.
03:24It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater.
03:27One-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater.
03:30The desire of this titular people eater to simply rock out and have a good time allows Woolley's song to be silly and lighthearted.
03:37The pop instrumentation is also catchy, with a chorus that's instantly memorable.
03:42What can we say?
03:43They call them classics for a reason.
03:44That's not the reason that I came to land.
03:47I want to get a job in a rock and roll band.
03:50Well, that's my soul, I ain't gonna try and hurt people eater.
03:53Number 16. Werewolves of London, Warren Zeben.
03:57Ah-hoo, werewolves of London.
04:01Ah-hoo, werewolves of London.
04:04This one's admittedly a softball, but no Halloween playlist is complete without this late 70s jam.
04:10Warren Zeben only reached the Billboard Top 40 charts once,
04:13and it was with this song that initially started out as the joke.
04:16Werewolves of London was inspired by the horror movie of the same name, but it's far from scary.
04:20The song is instead just a classic rock jam, with a jaunty atmosphere and lyrics inspired by timeless scary movies.
04:37The reference to famous werewolf actor Lon Chaney Jr. is fun,
04:41and makes Werewolves of London a song that gets wheeled out every Halloween season.
04:45You better stay away from him, you'll rip your lungs out, Jim.
04:50I'd like to meet his tailor.
04:53Number 15. Bring Me to Life, Evanescence.
04:57Wake me up, then my blood to run, I can't wake up, before I come undone.
05:03The success of Evanescence back in the early 2000s
05:06was timed perfectly with rising public interest in gothic-influenced rock and metal.
05:10Bring Me to Life may not have been written with Halloween specifically in mind,
05:13but the atmosphere at play within the song's production and execution lent it a comparable feeling.
05:26Then, there's that title, which could chicly be snuck onto a playlist of all things undead and rising.
05:32Bring Me to Life was a radio hit for Evanescence,
05:34but it was their dedication to expanding this sound that earned them fans for life.
05:38Bring Me to Life!
05:41Wake Me up, wake me up inside, I can't wake up.
05:45Number 14. Highway to Hell, ACDC.
05:49Highway to Hell, I'm a highway to hell.
05:56It's a perfect storm of sorts.
05:58An ACDC track that helped define their early career
06:01while also serving as a swan song for the group's inimitable lead singer, Bon Scott.
06:05ACDC didn't always sound malevolent, but songs like Highway to Hell and Night Prowler,
06:10taken from the same album, actually tied it into some real-life true crime.
06:14Yeah, I'm the night-prowler, watch out tonight.
06:21The notorious Night Stalker, Richard Ramirez, was reportedly a fan
06:25and took inspiration from the latter tune.
06:28Highway to Hell, in the meantime, possesses a less troubling pedigree,
06:31but is no less awesome a choice for a Halloween jam.
06:34That iconic riff, Scott's wailing vocals,
06:37it's simply one of ACDC's finest musical hours.
06:40Number 13. Dead Man's Party, Oingo Boingo.
06:57Denny Elfman is probably best known today for composing iconic film scores
07:00like Batman and Beetlejuice.
07:02However, those paying attention back in the 1980s
07:05will likely also remember Elfman's old band, Oingo Boingo.
07:08Their song, Dead Man's Party, was featured in the Rodney Dangerfield flick,
07:12Back to School, the same year it was released on vinyl.
07:21The tune possesses throbbing bass and devilish melodies,
07:24while Elfman's vocals are cool, quirky, and unlike many of his contemporaries.
07:28Dead Man's Party honestly enjoys a vibe all its own,
07:31and this is definitely a good thing.
07:38It's unclear as to whether or not the writers that composed Disturbia for Rihanna back in 2008
07:54were aware of the psychological thriller of the same name.
07:57That flick was only released a year prior, however,
07:59so it's totally possible that Disturbia may owe some sort of debt to it.
08:02This song was a huge success for Rihanna,
08:14regardless of any surmised thematic connections,
08:17and the accompanying video is executed with an appropriately moody darkness.
08:20It's this combination of electro dance beats and thick grooves
08:24that helps make Disturbia a comparatively more recent addition
08:27to your Halloween shenanigans.
08:28Number 11, Superstition, Stevie Wonder
08:39Those who are seeking to bring a little funk into their Halloween season
08:50need look no further than this 70s banger from Stevie Wonder.
08:53Superstition is one of the soul and jazz icons' most well-known and beloved songs.
08:57This is with good reason, too,
08:59since Wonder basically sets a template here
09:01for other funk groups to follow in his musical wake.
09:11The spookiness of real-life superstitions play into the song's lyrics,
09:15while Wonder's clavinet creates an ear-warm melody for their ages.
09:18It's basically impossible not to smile and get down when Superstition is on,
09:22and isn't getting together with friends half the fun of any Halloween gathering?
09:25Number 10, Somebody's Watching Me, Rockwell
09:36This song combines fear with paranoia
09:46to play on the spooky theme of having that feeling that you're being watched.
09:49On this debut single from Rockwell,
09:52Jermaine and Michael Jackson provide backing vocals
09:54to give the chorus a slick Motown feel.
09:56I always feel like somebody's watching me
10:01And I have no promise
10:03The song is well-produced and feels cinematic,
10:05like listeners are the stars of their own horror movie,
10:08which is great for a day like Halloween.
10:09Who's playing tricks on me?
10:12I always feel like somebody's watching me
10:17Number 9, Monster Mash, Bobby Boris Pickett
10:21I was working in the lab late one night
10:24When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
10:28Even though it was a simple novelty song,
10:30it seems that the novelty still hasn't worn off for this Halloween tune.
10:33Released just three days before All Hallows' Eve in 1962,
10:37the song is a comedic retelling of the Frankenstein story,
10:39in which a mad scientist creates a dancing monster.
10:42And suddenly, to my surprise,
10:46he did the monster mash.
10:49The song recognizes its own kishiness
10:51and plays with it by incorporating sound effects
10:53like the sound of a bubbling cauldron
10:55and nails on a chalkboard.
10:56Easy go, you impetuous young boy.
11:00Oh, let's go!
11:03Oh, let's go!
11:05Number 8, Bark at the Moon, Ozzy Osbourne.
11:08Please break the silence
11:11Waking from the dinner night
11:15This song has great narrative content
11:18that makes it perfect for Halloween.
11:19Ozzy tells the story of a town
11:21terrorized by a mythical beast
11:22which kills many of the townsfolk.
11:24Just when they thought it was gone,
11:26it comes back
11:26and the instrumentation parallels
11:28the return of the beast
11:29with frantic power chords.
11:31Holy shaggo
11:33Living in a loom that fell
11:36The song was promoted
11:38with Ozzy's first music video
11:40which flips the script
11:41as Ozzy becomes the beast in question
11:42before being committed
11:44to a mental institution.
11:50Number 7, Welcome to My Nightmare
11:53Cooper excels at creepy, fun songs
12:04like Feed My Frankenstein
12:05But this song is by far
12:14the best executed of the two.
12:16It's a mixture of different genres
12:17like jazz, hard rock, and disco
12:20and that all comes together
12:21to give the song a theatrical quality
12:23that's great for a day of make-believe.
12:31Cooper plays up the song's creepy vibe
12:33in the music video
12:34performing in demonic makeup
12:36and combating ghoulish forces.
12:38Cooper later performed the song
12:39on The Muppet Show
12:39cementing its status
12:41as a Halloween staple
12:42for people of all ages.
12:43Number 6, Don't Fear the Reaper
12:55Blue Oyster Cult
12:56The hypnotic signature riff
13:04off this track
13:05is enticing enough
13:06to put anyone in a weird trance.
13:08Also on top of that
13:08the song's subject matter
13:10is pretty macabre
13:11as the lyrics focus
13:12on the inevitability of death
13:13and the futility of fearing it.
13:15Come on baby
13:16Don't fear the Reaper
13:18Baby take my hand
13:20Don't fear the Reaper
13:22The way the singer's voice
13:23echoes throughout the chorus
13:24gives a haunting effect
13:25that is perfect for listeners
13:26getting themselves
13:27into an eerie mood.
13:28In fact, it's so eerie
13:29that it was featured
13:30in Halloween
13:31and inspired Stephen King
13:32to write The Stand.
13:33But we still think
13:35it could use more cowbell.
13:36Come on baby
13:37but she met no fear
13:39that she will have to live
13:41Number 5, Ghostbusters
13:44Ray Parker Jr.
13:46There's something strange
13:48in your neighborhood
13:49Who you gonna call?
13:52Ghostbusters!
13:53This song has a fun,
13:55playful tone
13:56that matches the film
13:56and accompanies 100%.
13:58After watching late night TV,
14:00Parker was inspired
14:01by the cheesy commercials
14:02that would come on
14:03during that time.
14:04The kookiness of the song's content
14:05over that upbeat 80s groove
14:07gives the song
14:08a nostalgic vibe
14:09that is perfect for Halloween.
14:16The song was such a hit
14:19that it stayed at number one
14:20on the charts
14:21for three weeks.
14:22In addition to that,
14:23it was nominated for an Oscar.
14:31Number 4,
14:32I Put a Spell on You
14:34Screamin' Jay Hawkins
14:35Originally envisioned
14:42as a distinguished love ballad,
14:44the entire band
14:44was intoxicated
14:45during the recording session,
14:47leading to Hawkins'
14:48raw and guttural vocal delivery.
14:50Inspired by the unnerving vocals,
14:52radio DJ Alan Freed
14:53offered Hawkins $300
14:54to emerge from a coffin on stage.
14:57Hawkins embraced
15:03this new performance aesthetic,
15:05developing an eccentric stage persona
15:07to go with it,
15:07which included
15:08the prominent use
15:09of voodoo imagery
15:10and inadvertently
15:11became a pioneer
15:11of shock rock
15:12in the process.
15:20Number 3,
15:22Time Warp,
15:23the Rocky Horror Picture Show cast.
15:25Taken right out of the film,
15:32this song has come
15:33to have a life of its own.
15:34The track may be a parody
15:35of instructional dance songs,
15:37but that hasn't stopped it
15:37from getting people
15:38out on the dance floor.
15:39It's just a jump
15:40due to the film's
15:52over-the-top attitude
15:53and quirkiness,
15:54the tune has a playful quality
15:55that people can relate to,
15:57especially around Halloween time.
15:58Time Warp has been covered
16:00many times over the years
16:01and is one of the main
16:02audience participation activities
16:03during screenings of the film.
16:05Let's do the hard work again!
16:11Number 2,
16:12This is Halloween,
16:13the Nightmare Before Christmas cast.
16:15Come with us
16:16and you will see
16:18this our child of Halloween.
16:21This is Halloween!
16:22Wouldn't you like
16:23to see something strange?
16:25This song is reminiscent
16:26of older tunes
16:27of the 1960s,
16:28like the theme
16:28from The Munsters.
16:29Performed by the citizens
16:34of Halloween Town
16:35and headed by none other
16:36than composer
16:37Danny Elfman himself,
16:38it humanizes
16:39the strange characters
16:40but still keeps that element
16:41of scary fun,
16:43attracted to both
16:43children and adults.
16:44Hey, this is Halloween!
16:46Red and black!
16:47It's a bloody ring!
16:48Aren't you scared?
16:49No, that's just fine!
16:51Marilyn Manson
16:51later re-recorded the song
16:53for the 2008 album
16:54Nightmare Revisited,
16:55but it's the original
16:56that remains a Halloween favorite.
16:59Before we continue,
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17:21Number 1.
17:22Thriller.
17:23Michael Jackson.
17:25It's close to midnight
17:27as something evil
17:29is lurking in the door.
17:32At our number 1 spot,
17:33we have one of the most
17:34recognizable songs
17:35of all time.
17:36Coming as the title track
17:37off history's best-selling
17:38album ever,
17:39the tune also has
17:40all the makings
17:41of a horror movie
17:42with the sound
17:43of the creaking door,
17:44howling dogs,
17:45and Vincent Price's
17:46ominous voice
17:46interspersed
17:47between Jackson's
17:48singing parts.
17:49The 1950s B-movie-inspired
17:58music video
17:59only adds to the song's
18:00reputation as a
18:01Halloween classic.
18:02In the video's
18:02most iconic scene,
18:04Jackson leads actors
18:05costumed as zombies
18:06in a choreographed
18:07dance routine
18:07that, admit it,
18:09we've all tried
18:09to duplicate
18:10more than once.
18:11Do you have a
18:18go-to Halloween playlist?
18:20Let us know
18:20in the comments.
18:21in the comments.
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