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Halloween is a celebration of friends, family, amped-up parties, costumes and the iconic sounds of Halloween. If you want to impress your guests with a great Halloween party atmosphere, it will need a killer soundtrack from beginning to end; be it a dance party or a slow-paced celebration with spooky room décor. Either way, a good assortment of Halloween songs creates the right mood from the beginning, lifts the spirits of your guests and keeps an energetic spirit throughout the night. In this guide, you will find some of the best Halloween songs to celebrate in style and have the most memorable night of the first half of the year. Our covers you make your Halloween party playlist a real game changer with your choice of music. Pumpkins, costumes; you got it all covered, but the background music can make or break the mood for a memorable night with your friends or family.

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Halloween Dance Playlist

You’ll have to dust off your moves when it comes to picking tunes for a Halloween dance party – upbeat, lively songs with a disco vibe are the ideal way to get your guests boogieing. Here are some spine-chilling tunes, from disco classics to modern stars, that will keep the dance floor packed:

“Thriller” by Michael Jackson

If you’re throwing a Halloween party, you need this track This track must be Halloween. With its horror-themed music video and dance routine, that is.

“Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr.

That ribbed neck ribbon has to be the best way to secure your underwear Yet I bet when the streets are rocking and the lights are low This gangsta song will get you up your feet and singing bite down on the mic, check this I’m gonna kill, let the murder begin Heaven knows I’m missin’, I wanna go back home It turns out, even Snoop Dogg can rap a nursery rhyme! This song will soon have your friends singing and dancing along. Party!

“Monster Mash’ by Bobby Boris Pickett

What’s Halloween without this classic? It has the right dose of fun, upbeat cheer in its catchy piano melody, which will give everyone lighthearted joy and get them dancing.

“Disturbia” by Rihanna

This is one example of an edgy, gloomy pop single that still sounds good in music but keeps the spooky, dark, Halloween vibe going on. Its beat is addicting and the hook keeps the party going.

“Spooky, Scary Skeletons” by Andrew Gold

This is the playful, lighthearted tune featuring the happy lyrics: ‘Here come the spooky, scary skeletons/They gon’ creep up on ya/You better watch out …’ The song’s bouncy beat is a wonderful addition to your Halloween playlist.

“I Put a Spell on You’ by Screamin” by Jay Hawkins

This hypnotising, sensual track adds magic in its weird, old-fashioned lyrics and the dark, thick guitar strings building up into the ghostly backdrop.

“This Is Halloween” from The Nightmare Before Christmas

This fun, spooky song is probably one of my favourites from Tim Burton’s classic Halloween-inspired movie. It is reminiscent of being a kid again during Halloween, running around with my friends playing tricks in the neighbourhood.

“Bark at the Moon” by Ozzy Osbourne

This rock’s anthemic, menacing riffs and haunting lyrics add splendid flavour to your Halloween mix.

“She Wolf” by Shakira

This is a fun, dance-ready track that may cause me to lose my mind to pleasure. Its lyrics about ‘turning into a she-wolf again, spreading magic and growing teeth’ feel a little sadistic, yet it’s also amusing.

Spooky Music Playlist

To make your haunted house especially creepy, you’ll need a haunting playlist of songs. Play these for background music while the guests go trick-or-treating:

“A Nightmare on Elm Street Theme” by Charles Bernstein

Creepy atmosphere is key at any Halloween party, and there’s nothing quite like a spooky theme tune to set the tone of this moovie. Look no further than this chilling melody from a horror classic.

“Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield

Any party playlist needs a few climactic moments, and that’s exactly what this perfectly haunting song from The Exorcist (1973) delivers.

“Danse Macabre” by Camille Saint-Saëns

Need a little sophistication for your Halloween bash but still want to avoid anything too scary? This haunting piece from the classical repertoire could be just the ticket.

“Halloween Theme” by John Carpenter

An absolute classic. What would a Halloween playlist be without at least one spooky theme tune from a horror movie? Just listen to those chilling notes and you’re sure to set the scene for some atmosphere of your own.

“The Addams Family Theme” by Vic Mizzy

Now for something a little more playful. You can’t have too many classic television themes in any party playlist, and few are quite as fun as this one.

“Bury a Friend” by Billie Eilish

If you’re looking to add some modern, spooky vibes to your playlist, look no further than this sinister pop number with its morbid lyrics and disquieting tones.

“Black Magic Woman” by Santana

Here’s a great track from what is undoubtedly one of the most iconic albums for a Halloween party. This slow-burning blues rock number brings all sorts of mysterious vibes.

“The Phantom of the Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Still in that mood for some operatic drama? Then what could be spookier than a Dark Knight’s aria from one of the greatest operas of all time.

Fun Halloween Music

As well as some spooky songs to get you in the mood, it’s a good idea to have some more light-hearted, fun songs to create atmosphere:

“Witchy Woman” by Eagles It’s got a mystical vibe and still captures the essence of Halloween while being a good song to sing along to

“The Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show A cult classic with a catchy beat and dance moves that gets everyone involved.

“Little Shop of Horrors (Main Theme)” by Alan Menken The upbeat tune and playful melody of Little Shop of Horrors is a fun and silly tune to add to your party.

“Spooky Love” by the Old 97’s A fun quirky indie rock tune that gives your playlist a little playfulness.

“Freaks Come Out at Night” by Whodini This classic hip-hop tune with a fun beat and catchy hooks is great for capturing the spirit of the holiday.

“I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow An upbeat fun tune that’ll bring you and your guests back to your silly childhood days.

Gothic Rock Songs

For a gothier sound, your Halloween party will get an edge with some gothic rock tracks:

“This Is Halloween” by Marilyn Manson (cover of a song by Danny Elfman from the stop-motion film The Nightmare Before Christmas) A gloomy and vaguely sad-sounding take on the original by the godfather of gothic rock. Nothing else puts you in a mood like this.

“Join Me in Death” by HIM It’s a great-sounding song. Very romantic on the surface, yet seems quite horrifying at a deeper level. Very gothic in this way.

“Dragula” by Rob Zombie This fast, harsh song is heavy on the death metal feel. It’s perfect for a giant Halloween party with dark themes and alcohol

“Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus The anthem of the gothic rock movement, with its slow build and eerie atmosphere.

“Lips of Blood” by The Misfits I wouldn’t call it a favourite and, in fact, it’s pretty objectionable, because – like any kind of goth, grunge or heavy metal – these fast grim riffs will give you a nasty headache after a while. But if you like this type of stuff, that’s just great! As for me, I prefer slower and more atmospheric songs.

Any Halloween party is best enjoyed with a good soundtrack. A mix of high-energy electronic dance tracks and throwbacks, eerie and even unnerving melodies, fun songs with Halloween-related lyrics, and gothic rock will keep you and your partygoers dancing throughout the night. From Mario Williams, via YouTube.

photos Instagram (@chaosdreamland)

Pick a playlist with the right songs for your crowd, and your Halloween will be a success. Your guests will have something to sing in the shower long after the last song. Put on your favourite costume (or a simple black suit, or even more starkly, a bikini), set your iTunes to these chosen songs – and dance the night away! – with 13 creepy, crawly, scary, spooky and hilarious tracks that will brighten up your Halloween party!