It’s Halloween night and you’ve already put on your scary Halloween costume, lined up your horror movie marathon and set out candy for the trick-or-treaters. The only thing that could add more spooky vibes to your night would be the perfect playlist of eerie and creepy Halloween songs. Not to worry, because we have put together a combination of rock, pop, R&B and rock songs that’ll make you want to dance.
Even if dancing isn’t quite your thing, there are tons of hits that you’ll want to sing along to and also work great for Halloween party karaoke. All of the classics including "Monster Mash," "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and, of course, "I Put a Spell On You" from Disney’s Hocus Pocus are right here for you. Just don’t forget to download them for easy listening.
1. "Vampire" — Olivia Rodrigo
Bloodsucking and a bad breakup all make this song a perfect vibe for Halloween.
2. "Monster Mash" — Bobby (Boris) Pickett
Yes, you've heard it all before. No, it has not gotten any less catchy — or less of an absolute essential Halloween classic!
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3. "Anthem" — Michael Ables
From the psychological thriller Us, composer Michael Ables said he wanted the opening song to sound like an "evil march." Mission accomplished!
4. "The Phantom of the Opera" Overture — Andrew Lloyd Webber
This one's obviously a must-play for all musical theater fans, but there's no doubt that anyone and everyone will appreciate that epic, instantly recognizable organ intro.
5. "Stranger Things" Theme — Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein
I mean, is there anything more perfect for Halloween than the spooky Stranger Things theme song?
6. "Haunted" — Beyonce
Leave it to Queen Bey to slay with a scary-good track that's also accompanied by an equally eerie music video.
7. "Haunted" — Taylor Swift
Speaking of great songs named "Haunted," this one from Taylor Swift is everything you want in a dark, dramatic breakup anthem (and more!).
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8. "Creep" — Radiohead
This one's an essential for celebrating the creepiest night of the year — especially for all the weirdos and misfits out there.
9. "A Nightmare on My Street" — DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Who knew '80s hip-hop and Halloween could go so well together? Before he was well-known actor Will Smith, he was busting a beat as The Fresh Prince.
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10. "Monster" — Kanye West ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Bon Iver
Not only does this hip-hop track feature the ultimate collab of musicians, it also features a horror-filled theme perfect for Halloween.
11. "I Put a Spell On You" — Bette Midler
Disney's wicked '90s hit Hocus Pocus and its sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, feature the quirky Sanderson sisters who wreak havoc on a small town. Bette Midler's rendition of "I Put a Spell On You" always puts us in the holiday spirit.
12. "Thriller" — Michael Jackson
There's nothing quite like a posse of zombie backup dancers. You just can't resist mimicking all their iconic moves.
13. "Ghostbusters" Theme — Ray Parker Jr.
Who you gonna call? You won't be afraid of no ghosts when you're jamming to this classic.
14. "This Is Halloween" — The Citizens of Halloween
Jack Skellington's passion for this fright-filled holiday is pretty contagious. And the melody will be just the thing to get your Halloween party started.
15. "Superstition" — Stevie Wonder
We agree with Stevie Wonder — it doesn't always pay to be superstitious — but we can still be a little apprehensive about breaking mirrors and crossing black cats on Halloween.
16. "Somebody's Watching Me" — Rockwell
A couple of eerie lyrics about being followed, punched up with a little '80s pizzaz, make for one spooky song. We can guarantee it'll get stuck in your head all night long.
17. "Time Warp" — Little Nell, Patricia Quinn, & Richard O'Brien
A jump to the left and step to the right are the heart and soul behind the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Plus, a song that comes with its own dance moves is always a hit.
18. "The Addams Family" Theme — Vic Mizzy
A dismembered hand, a cousin who's literally hidden by hair — of course we had to include the spookiest family of all time on this list.
19. "Wolves" — Selena Gomez & Marshmello
Selena Gomez starred in the Hotel Transylvania franchises so it's safe to consider her a Halloween expert. And the eerie feeling evoked in the song's visualizer doesn't hurt either.
20. "Dark Horse" — Katy Perry ft. Juicy J
Katy Perry told MTV she wanted this song to have a "witchy, spell-y kind of black magic-y" vibe. I think we all can agree she nailed it.
21. "I'm in Love with a Monster" — Fifth Harmony
Grab your other half for this funk-influenced hit. That's why you dressed up in a couples costume, after all.
22. "Zombie" — The Cranberries
The year: 1995. Your obsession: This Dolores O'Riordan song.
23. "Monster" — Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga's breakthrough album includes a very appropriately titled track for Halloween.
24. "Get Ur Freak On" — Missy Elliot
Crazy story: Missy Elliot was actually in the hospital the night before she performed this song at the Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show. She still killed it of course.
25. "Freaks Come Out at Night" — Whodini
This little '80s earworm will stay in your head long into November.
26. "She Wolf" — Shakira
It's impossible not to dance to Shakira — just try.
27. "The Monster" — Eminem ft. Rihanna
Pop singer Bebe Rexha actually wrote the hook for this song that later won a Grammy Award.
28. "Werewolves of London" — Warren Zevon
Place your bets now that someone will start howling along to Warren Zevon's 1978 rock track.
29. "I Want Candy" — Bow Wow Wow
Bow Wow Wow's cover of the Strangeloves' single describes your trick-or-treating sugar rush to a T.
30. "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" — David Bowie
The 1980 album's title track gets eerie real fast with lyrics about a woman's descent into madness.
31. "Disturbia" — Rihanna
Right from the opening scream, Rihanna's number one hit will get people dancing — and singing along to that crazy catchy hook. Bum-bum-be-dum-bum-bum-be-dum-bum ...
32. "Season of the Witch" — Donovan
The hippie vibes of this psychedelic rock may not seem scary, but the song's appeared in everything from Halloween III to American Horror Story.
33. "Heads Will Roll" — Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs somehow turned the creepy topic of decapitation into insanely danceable anthem.
34. "Halloween" Theme — John Carpenter
The slasher movie franchise may include a whopping 11 flicks, but the original soundtrack is undeniably the best. Just cross your fingers that Michael Myers doesn't show up to the party.
35. "Hungry Like the Wolf" — Duran Duran
This Duran Duran classic is a straight shot to the '80s, back when MTV played the jungle-themed music video non-stop.
36. "Ghost" — Ella Henderson
You might have caught this recent hit by X Factor contestant Ella Henderson on the radio.
37. "Witchy Woman" — The Eagles
Sure, it's a classic Eagles track, but the witch-themed lyrics fit the holiday theme.
38. "Midnight City" — M83
This lead single hit it big back in 2011 yet the synth-pop track is still the perfect afterdark groove over a decade later.
39. "True Blood" — Justin Timberlake
Not the HBO series of the same name, but this Justin Timberlake song sounds like someone's a blood-thirsty vampire.
40. "Spooky" — Dusty Springfield
The name of this song is literally spooky — and it's all about love. You might remember it from the 2008 rom-com How to Lose Friends and Alienate People.
41. "Boogie Monster" — Gnarls Barkley
Is the boogie monster real? Just listen to this creepy song and maybe you'll find out.
42. "Skeleton in the Closet" — Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong is telling the terrifying story of a haunted mansion that's filled with ghosts and goblins — eek!
43. "Super Freak" — Rick James
Change the mood a bit with this classic, which will have everyone in the room bopping along.
44. "Blinding Lights" — The Weeknd
Get some strobe lights out and start blaring this song. If you really want to set the mood, play the video for everyone to watch.
45. "Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead" — Ella Fitzgerald
The famous tune from The Wizard of Oz is an obvious classic, but Ella Fitzgerald's cover version puts on a jazzy twist that's perfect for any party.
46. "Ghost" — Halsey
Okay, this is a love song. But every party needs a few mixed in, and this track does the trick with the haunting music and the line: "My ghost, where'd you go?"
47. "Look What You Made Do" — Taylor Swift
Even if you're not a fan of Taylor Swift, you can't deny how amazing this song is, especially around Halloween.
48. "Don't Fear the Reaper" — Blue Oyster Cult
The song deals with death and how it's inevitable and isn't something that should be feared. And yes, there's cowbell.
49. "Who Can It Be Now?" — Men at Work
Once you really dig into the song, it's not too scary. But during a Halloween party, the sentiment of feeling a little on edge rings truer than ever.
50. "Run" — Michael Abels
There are no lyrics in this song from the classic psychological thriller, Us. And no lyrics are needed as the instruments and sounds are terrifying.
Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience. From 2015 to 2019, she held various editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, including as health editor, covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and dreams of the day Northwestern will go back to the Rose Bowl.
Cameron (she/her) is a staff writer for Good Housekeeping, where she covers everything from holidays to food. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she received a B.A. in magazine journalism. In her spare-time she can be found scrolling TikTok for the latest cleaning hacks and restaurant openings, binge-watching seasons of Project Runway or online shopping.
