It’s finally Halloween! All October long, as part of The Sound Of Halloween, HollywoodLife has asked celebs from the pop culture worlds of music, movies, and TV to pick songs that should be on the ultimate Halloween playlist. Now, it’s our turn. The staff of HollywoodLife will cap off the feature by adding their picks to the playlist, ensuring that you have the best Halloween.
For many, the orange and black season begins long before the shadows grow long and the leaves start to run. In the past 90 days, global searches for Halloween have spiked nearly 1,400% on Spotify. The streaming service also gave the Pumpkin Crown to Rihanna, as she is the top female artist added to user-generated Halloween-themed playlists. According to Spotify Editor Rachel Selvin, spooky story podcasts are trending on Spotify, with true crime stories resonating the most. But what about music?
While October 31st brings frights and scares, some of the most popular songs added to user-generated Halloween playlists are not that surprising. John Carpenter, who spoke with HollywoodLife for The Sound Of Halloween, leads the pack with the main theme to Halloween. Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” theme is also near the top, including the two songs that John Carpenter picked for our playlist: “Don’t Fear The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult and Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London.”
Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s “Monster Mash” is also one of the favorites this year. Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and “Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show are also on the top list. Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” is also high on the charts, proving that something doesn’t necessarily need to be spooky to be perfect for this time of year.
Before checking out Spotify’s Spooky playlist, specially curated by Ethel Cain, take a spin through the “Halloween Life” pumpkin patch below to see what the staff has picked out for you.
Nicole Alleyne, Design Director
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Heads Will Roll”
“The lyrics pretty much sum up the vibe at a good Halloween party… Dance, dance til you’re dead (dead).” — NA
Elissa Anderson, Photo Editor
The Black Keys, “Howlin’ For You”
“I have two songs because I’m incredibly indecisive and think that they’re both perfect for Halloween. First one is “Howlin’ For You” by The Black Keys and the second is “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads. I feel like they put you in the headspace of a villain in a thriller flick, but in a fun way [laughs].” — EA
Amira Borders, Video Producer
Tyler, the Creator ft. A$AP Rocky, “Who Dat Boy”
“This song sounds like the track you would hear right before the killer strikes. Also, the music video is wild and looks like a scene from a scary movie.” — AB
James Crowley, News Writer
My Chemical Romance, “Vampires Will Never Hurt You”
“The song ebbs and flows like a horror movie between the chilling intro and the chaotic chorus, and then on top of that, it’s about vampires. Plus with the MCR reunion tour over the summer and Gerard Way wearing different costumes on-stage every night, it felt like Halloween started early” — JC
Sarah Jones, News & Entertainment Reporter
Patience & Prudence, “Tonight You Belong To Me”
“Gives me the creeps every time I hear it on American Horror Story!” — SJ
Jason Katz, Director Of Video
Phil Collins, “Don’t Lose My Number”
“This one is going to be kind of weird because the song is so catchy, but I always thought Phil Collins‘ ‘Don’t Lose My Number’ was fun yet creepy. I feel like it could be about some murderer or someone who is obsessed with someone.
“The lyrics are very interesting but also have some threats in them, such as ‘Don’t lose my number!’ and ‘Oh Billy, you better, you better, you better run for your life.’
These lyrics are also interesting: “Oh, they came at night, leaving fear behind / Shadows were on the ground / Nobody knew where to find him / No evidence was found.” — JK
Alyssa Norwin, Deputy Editor of New York
Taylor Swift, “Haunted”
“Because there can be a T. Swift song for any occasion if you want there to be.” — AN
Sabrina Picou, News & Entertainment Writer
Oingo Boingo, “Dead Man’s Party”
“It’s in the name! [laughs]” — SP
Audrey Rock, News & Entertainment Writer
The Police, “Every Breath You Take”
“This song is terrifying when you put it into the context of a stalker who refuses to move on. I’m willing to bet a lot of us know someone who fits the bill!” — AR
Chris Rogers, Deputy Editor of Los Angeles
The Chordettes, “Mr. Sandman”
“I’m not sure if this is an official Halloween song, but as a big fan of the Halloween movie franchise, this song sends chills down my spine any time I listen to it. I first discovered it while watching Halloween II (1981), and it’s been a favorite of mine ever since.” — CR
Dina Sartore-Bodo, Managing Editor
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, “Red Right Hand”
“It’s creepy and always reminds me of my favorite scary movie, Scream.” — DSB
Kelby Vera, News Editor
Tubeway Army, “Me I Disconnect From You”
“But…adding ‘Skulls’ by the Misfits couldn’t hurt.” – KV
Terry Zeller, News Writer
The Ronettes, “Be My Baby”
“Be My Baby” by the Ronettes. Hear me out! [laughs] The 1963 ditty is featured in the new horror flick Barbarian, which stars Bill Skarsgard (yes, Pennywise from ‘It’!) and Justin Long, and by the time the song plays at the end credits, trust and believe, you’ll be crying for your “mama.” It’s one twisted flick!
(Justin Long is also in the original Jeepers Creepers…. oof, you’ll never listen to that song the same again either).” — TZ
Jason Brow, Music Editor
The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, “Halloween”
“If you’re going to end a Halloween playlist, you’ve got a few options. “Halloween” by the Misfits works (“I remember Halloween”), as does “October Slowly Dying” by DieMonsterDie. The latter is also a fitting finale in 2022, especially since we lost lead zinger Zero earlier in the year (Rest In Peace). I think perhaps for this time around, we’ll opt for one of my favorites, “Halloween” by The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black. Something about it captures the mood going into November, and the song helps that creepy feeling last for months…up until when Halloween returns.” — JB