For us music lovers, Halloween means more than Pumpkin Spice lattes and Liquid Rooms: it’s an opportunity to enjoy some ’80s classics and add some eerie tracks to our ever-growing Autumn lineup.
This article rounds up an eclectic mix of recommendations sure to cover your go-to genre, and maybe broaden some horizons too.
Phoebe Bridgers
Some artists just have that haunting tone to their work. A standout for me is always going to be Phoebe Bridgers. The Indie Folk songwriter is no stranger to spooky under (and over) tones– her signature skeleton get up is one for the ages and aside from the obvious choice ‘Halloween’, her discography is definitely one to dust off this season.
Bridgers’ sophomore album Punisher is the best backdrop to a yearning and ‘sad-girl’ October. Whether it’s the ghostly notes of ‘Chinese Satellite’ or the morbid metaphors plaguing ‘Moon Song’, Bridgers simply has to make your Halloween playlist.
80’s synth-wave
As cheesy as they may be, the glam-metal, synth-wave tracks of the 80s are undoubtedly the SOUND of Halloween, so we’d be foolish not to reference some of your Mum’s favourite tracks.
Kings of the era, Duran Duran are hardly lacking in the catchy, danceable beats perfect for your Halloween bash. A guilty pleasure pick is the addictive ‘Hungry like the Wolf’. But any Stranger Things fans know ‘Girls on Film’ is the mark of a great DJ.
Cult classics not to be dismissed are MJ’s anthem ‘Thriller’, Ray Parker’s memorable ‘Ghostbusters’ and Rockwell’s disconcerting ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’.
Killer Covers
Sometimes a good Halloween song can come from an unexpected corner of your Spotify archives. A track doesn’t need to be titled ‘Halloween Hit’ to set the mood. In fact, covers of seemingly ordinary-themed songs can result in a sensationally spooky song.
Placebo, a band unafraid of tapping into darker themes, covers ‘Running Up That Hill’ to create a really unsettling and raw track.
Despite the dystopian content, you may not think the Hunger Games soundtrack could produce a sinister track. Yet Lorde completely transforms the classic ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’, curating a broody and distorted feel. The cover is slowed down significantly from the original and the use of heavy synths feels, unsurprisingly, cinematic.
Oldies but Goldies
It’s no surprise that an era witnessing the invasion of British bands onto the scene can claim some of the most iconic Halloween choices. ‘Spooky’ by Dusty Springfield is a natural mention, paired with another on the nose pick October Country’s ‘My Girlfriend is a Witch’. Often credited for its contribution to ‘cowboy psychedelia’, Nancy’s ‘These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ offers a groovy tune for your dusky strolls around Edinburgh. The Doors also produced equally frightening sounds with ‘End of the Night’ and ‘People are Strange’ that are definitely worth a listen.
Unheard of Halloween
Here are my favourite niche spooky songs, Olivia’s picks:
Manhattan band Interpol’s ‘Evil’ is an unexpectedly cool Halloween tune. It transcends the traditionally spooky sound and offers ‘horror’ in another sense – with signature pulsing baselines and punky rhythms.
Another hidden gem lies in Brand New’s discography. Famous for its uncomfortable yet poetic lyrics, Deja Entendu leans into a spiritual genre. ‘The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows’ characterizes the silent scariness of Halloween. Borrowing from the Pixies ‘Loud, quiet, loud’, the song’s production builds intensity expertly; making it the perfectly creepy choice.
So, will you be adding any of these hits to your Halloween repertoire?
“Phoebe Bridgers at Surly Brewing Festival Field in Minneapolis, MN” by Andy Witchger is licensed under CC BY 2.0.