If you’re not into the traditional cheese of the “Purple People Eater” or you are sick of the same old awkward cut of “The Monster Mash,” this playlist will help you build your spooky spirit and is great for that Halloween party you're having this weekend!
1: “This is Halloween” – Marilyn Manson
This track was reimagined by Marilyn for the re-release of Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. His take is much scarier in contrast to the Panic! At The Disco cut of this classic jam.
2: “Animals” – Maroon 5
If anyone needs any more clarity as to why this song is creepy, visit VEVO or YouTube and watch Adam Levine cover himself in blood and dance around a meat packing plant. Clearly he was bitten by the freaky bug when on the set of American Horror Story: Asylum.
3: “Dragula” – Rob Zombie
Shock artist and film director Zombie is known for his sense of the macabre. Most songs he’s released have all been great Halloween tracks for the notions of witches, werewolves, and other gruesome subject matters.
4: “Thriller” – Michael Jackson
Mostly because you can’t just have a Halloween playlist without “Thriller” on it.
5: “The Creep” – The Lonely Island Feat. Nicki Minaj
Satirical Andy Samberg and company pull their pants up “like they are expecting a flood” and creep around with Minaj in this hilarious track with an intro and outro by John Waters, who dons a trademark pencil mustache and popped peepers. “Now don’t forget to smile…”
6: “Don’t Fear The Reaper (Blue Oyster Cult Cover)” – Pierce the Veil
An amped up version of the Cult classic, accompanied with a faded outro and hints of “More Cowbell” in honor of Christopher Walken’s Saturday Night Live Skit.
7: “Devil’s Got A Hold” – Travis Barker Feat. Slaughterhouse
The Urban Devil is hitting up Slaughterhouse in this track, distracting him from achieving his dreams. Drum beats hammered out by Blink-182’s Travis Barker in this dark and creative track.
8: “Gods and Monsters” – Lana Del Rey
A haunting track performed with a classic croon that was so well received as creepy that even Jessica Lange of American Horror Story covered it on the show's Freakshow installment.
9: “Burn the Witch” – Queens of the Stone Age
Josh Homme, most famously known as Brody Dalle’s other half (The Distillers Female Lead) throws down an erie jam that takes your mind to Salem and the crucifixion of magical beings.
10: “Lotion” – Greenskeepers
Sir Anthony Hopkins becomes even creepier in the music video for “Lotion” as someone strung together clips from Silence of the Lambs of Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill dancing on YouTube to this very groovy yet nauseating jam. Somehow the band Greenskeepers were able to make “putting the lotion on the skin” sound like a fun time.
11: (Ghost) Riders in the Sky – Johnny Cash
Depicting a story of a bad cowboy who needs to find his way to being a decent man, Ghosts gallop through the sky and tell him to change his ways.
12: “Monster Mash” – The Misfits
With the “Monster Mash” being a common classic, it’s great to see a band take it and make it their own. The Misfits make it faster, louder, and still keep Dracula wondering what happened to his “Transylvania Twist.”
13: “Halloween” – The Gaslight Anthem
A slower Halloween themed track off of The Gaslight Anthem’s 2014 album release Get Hurt. It is a relaxed interlude, perfect for a chill moment in a party.
14: “Lucifer” – JAY Z
A throwback track from HOV and beat progressions that come from a young Kanye West before his debut release of “College Dropout.” The name Lucifer in biblical passages is said to be the name of Satan before he became a fallen angel.
15: “Halloween on the Barberry Coast” – The Flaming Lips
An indie throwback dedication most likely able to add a great backtrack to any party scene.
16: “Symphony of Destruction” – Megadeath
Metal-heads rejoice! There’s something here for you too! “Just like the pied piper lead the rats through the streets,” this heavily guitar influenced track pumps you back up after some more relaxed tracks.
17: “Calling All Skeletons” – Alkaline Trio
The common creators of the creepy emo rockers, Alkaline Trio sings about skeletons in the closet.
18: Monster – Kanye West, JAY Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and Bon Iver
A star-studded Monster of a cast throws down heavy tracks about mummies, goons, goblins, and being a flat out force of supernatural nature. And then there’s Bon Iver awkwardly serenading the outro, who’s relayed in past interviews that he’s never quite sure why Kanye loves working with him.
19: “Booksmart Devil” – Silversun Pickups
Another one for the indie kids, Silversun Pickups lays a thick baseline to enhance the mood.
20: “Mz. Hyde” – Halestorm
LZZY Hale screams and squeals about her split personality of being an angel and a sweetheart and then being an all-out freak.
21: “Werewolf, Baby” – Rob Zombie
Another track from Zombie, because you can’t have just one. This time from his Hellbilly Deluxe Vol. 2 Release. Different than “Dragula,” you get a Rockabilly feel rather than an industrial rock track.
22: “Fresh Blood” – Eels
A sexy track laid down by Eels, who trade in their teenage OC soundtrack woes for something a little bit more sinister but with a So-Cal flow.
23: “Sympathy for the Devil” – The Rolling Stones
The Devil chased after Anastasia, killed JFK, and leads you to believe every evil in the world was his life’s work. He wants to just make sure you know that, so he possesses Mick Jagger to tell you.
24: “Somebody’s Watching Me” – Rockwell Feat. Michael Jackson
We can’t imagine a time where someone wasn’t watching us via technology, but in the 80’s, it really creeped out Rockwell. So much so, him and Michael Jackson made a song about it.
25: “Kill Everybody (Bare Noize Remix)” – Skrillex
Former screamo artist Sonny Moore of the band From First to Last moved to techno after blowing out his voice, chopped half his hair off, and called himself Skrillex, and by doing this became one of the biggest known music producers of this day and age. With a Bare Noize remix, this song will get the party pumping fists.
26: “Poison” – Bel Biv DeVoe
Whether you see Turk from Scrubs dancing or you know you just can’t trust “a big butt and a smile” this track will get the giggles and the bad hip hop dancing of the early 90’s going at your spookfest.
27: “Time Warp (Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack)” – Richard O’Brien, Little Nell, Patricia Quinn
To keep the silly dancing going, just jump to the left, “then step to the riiiiighhhttt.” The Frank-n-furters of the world will rejoice in your cult classic knowledge.
28: “Devil On My Shoulder” – Billy Talent
For those of you who listen to more of the rock persuasion, Billy Talent mixes some nice guitar riffs with very unique vocal work. Plus, what’s creepier than the Devil being on your shoulder?
29: “Bleed 2 Feed” – CC Adcock & The LaFayette Marquis
We couldn’t get away without an HBO True Blood sanctioned track. This one off of the first season’s soundtrack is a dark rockabilly vampire talking about how he’s looking to get hot and fed.
30: “There, There” – Radiohead
You can’t be certain how most people feel about this subject, but Thom Yorke has to be one of the creepiest looking men out there. So if you take him, mix it with this song, and make it into a stop motion music video of him hiking through a forest? Yes, that’s pretty freaky indeed.
31: “The Monster” – Eminem & Rihanna
Who could leave out the father of Detroit, Mr. Slim Shady. Paired with Rihanna with her melodious hook, Eminem talks about his inner demons and how they help him succeed.
