The Ultimate Halloween Playlist
This post was originally published in October 2021 and last updated in March 2024. All October posts are part of the Countdown to Halloween!
The Ultimate Halloween Playlist started all the way back in 2011. That was more than four years before I ever started this blog. At that point, I was trying to grow my annual Halloween party, Halloweenie Roast, into an event my friends look forward to all year long.
And it needed the perfect soundtrack.
So I went to work dropping every spooky, supernatural, and occult song I genuinely enjoyed onto a Spotify playlist. Since Halloweenie Roast always had a theme, I made sure to include songs that spoke to that as well.
But when the next year rolled around, I found myself wanting to preserve the previous year's work. Juggling annual playlists became a bit cumbersome, so I decided to start filing everything into an ultimate playlist.
And that's what I'm sharing with you today as my 2021 Halloween playlist: a decade's worth of hand-picked songs that are perfect for spooky season.
The Ultimate Halloween Playlist
The playlist started from personal knowledge and preferences. It probably doubled, possibly tripled, in size when I was introduced to Dead Air back in 2015.
Now, anytime I run across a song that I qualify as spooky enough for a Halloween playlist, it gets added...which has resulted in more than 1,000 songs, or two FULL days' worth of music for you to listen to.
Whether you're looking for classics, horror movie themes, or something brand new to you, you're sure to find it on The Ultimate Halloween Playlist.
19 Hand-Picked Faves:
A thousand songs is a LOT to listen to, so here are 19 of my favorites I think you should check out:
Thriller/Heads Will Roll by Glee Cast - A favorite dance track I played the heck out of at Halloweenie Roast 2011
The Lurch by Ted Cassidy - A fun, kitschy song that's a nod to "The Addams Family"
It Must Be Halloween by Trout Fishing in America - This one conjures up the most magical night of trick-or-treating in my head every time I hear it, also a fave for your Halloween party playlist
Screamin' Ball (At Dracula Hall) by The Duponts - Some of my faves on this playlist are the older tunes that came on the cusp of "Monster Mash", like this one!
Haunted House of Rock by Whodini - This one makes me feel like I'm in some killer late 80s slasher flick
The Ghost Who Walks by Karen Elson - So creepy, so dreamy, so lovely
Raised by Bats by Aurelio Voltaire - Or really anything by Voltaire on this playlist!
Black Magic by Magic Wands - The perfect magical rock anthem
Trick or Treat by Nekromantix - Another one that fills me with visions of a perfect Halloween night out trick-or-treating, just featured on my 31 Halloween Songs You've Never Heard playlist
Horror Queen by Nancy Nightmare and The Wizard - An anthem for all you horror movie queens
13 Nights of Halloween by Elvira - In case you didn't know this existed
Black Magic by Ruston Kelly - Such a great, low-key song featured on my Halloween & Chill playlist
I Put a Spell on You by The Animals - A fun twist on a classic
Straight to Hell by LVCRFT and Sabrina Spellman - Because y'all know I still can't stop playing it
Ghostbusters by Pentatonix - Another great twist on a classic
Anything Can Happen on Halloween by Stonegarth - The Tim Curry version is iconic but not on Spotify...so this cover will suffice
Monster Mash by The Derevolutions - My fave cover! Find your own on this playlist of 50+ versions of Monster Mash
All Hallow's Eve by Mannheim Steamroller - I know, the least cool band EVER...but their Halloween music definitely sets the mood!
She Put a Spell on Me by Pretty Frankenstein - Dark, creepy, perfect for Halloween
What songs go on your ultimate Halloween playlist?
Share them in the comments so I can add them...in case they aren't already there! Enjoyed this playlist? Here are three more you might like:
