Halloween Party Music

What does a fun and festive Halloween Costume Party need? How about a great musical playlist! Sure, you can go with the standards like Ghostbuster, Monster Mash, Time Warp, Thriller, and Rock Lobster if you like. Those songs are all fine and good, and will work for any Halloween bash. I always like my Halloween songs to sound a little grittier, creepier, and darker. Adding metal music will help, Motorhead or any metal band that uses a jackhammer or saw-like guitar sounds in their music will work. Goth bands are perfect for Halloween with their doom gloom lyrics and sounds. Bands like Depeche Mode, The Cure, Joy Division, and Smashing Pumpkins are excellent choices. I am not sure what category Nine Inch Nails falls into these days, but Trent Reznor always sounds tortured and menacing on all his records, try The Downward Spiral.  All the bands from the Wax Trax days will fit into any Halloween soundtrack well, try Ministry, Front 242, Skinny Puppy, and Thrill Kill Kult.

You can search iTunes and Amazon for the numerous Halloween Party Music compilations that are out there. iTunes music list is rather extensive, make sure you get at least one good sound effects record, nice to toss in between songs. Soundtracks from scary movies will enhance your playlist well; honestly The Exorcist’s theme song still scares the hell out of me. Two of my favorite compilations records are Halloween Hootenanny and New Wave Halloween (although priced quite high on Amazon). Halloween Hootenanny features classics like the Swingin’ Neckbreakers with “No Costume, No Candy”, Dead Elvi with “The Creature Stole My Surfboard”, and Reverend Horton Heat with “The Halloween Dance”. All fun and festive songs! However, Halloween songs don’t need to be about Halloween, they should be dark, gloomy, creepy, and sound a bit scary. I compiled this list of songs that would work well for any Halloween soundtrack simply based on the mood of the song. Give them a listen:

Scarecrows In A Killer Slant – Liars from Sisterworld

I Think I Smell A Rat – The White Stripes from White Blood Cells

Ghost Town – The Specials from This Are Two Tone

Anyone’s Ghost – The National from High Violet

The Devil’s Harp – The Barr Brothers from the Barr Brothers

The Gloaming – Radiohead from the Hail To The Thief

Evil Seeds – The Raveonettes from Raven In The Grave

Voodoo Idol – The Cramps from Psychedelic Jungle Greatest Hits

Pluto Drive – The Creatures from Boomerang

Down By The Water – PJ Harvey from To Bring You My Love

Bela Lugosi’s Dead – Bauhaus

The Gravedigger’s Song – Mark Lanegan from Blues Funeral

Seven Devils – Florence & The Machine from Ceremonials

Everyday is Halloween – Ministry from Twitch

Psycho Killer – Talking Heads from Talking Heads 77

Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon

Season Of the Witch – Heretix (original version by Donovan)

Welcome To My Nightmare – Alice Cooper

Night Of The Lotus Eater – Nick Cave from Dig Lazarus Dig!

You Scare Me To Death – Tim Kasher from Adult Film