Music Blogs

Halloween is upon us. I thought I would help you get a jump on the festivities by providing a list of 13 Halloween playlists. Each one contains 13 songs. Mix and match songs, or just pick your favorite genre. The “Ambient” list is especially good for putting on a loop, and playing outside for trick-or-treaters; it creates a seriously spooky soundscape that’ll set the mood.

1. The Ambient Halloween Playlist
If you use just one of our Halloween playlists this year, it should be this one. Hide your speakers in the bushes and put this one on repeat. It kicks off with the eerie pipe organ composition “Toccata & Fugue In D Minor” then continues for over an hour with some of the most disturbing, chill-inducing background music known to man. Guaranteed to reduce your candy output by 50%.

2. The Alternative Rock Halloween Playlist
If you dig more mainstream Alternative Rock this is the Halloween list for you. The first song, the vampire classic “Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)” by Concrete Blonde, sets the mood for this hour-long ghoulfest. Other artists include Ween, The B-52’s, Talking Heads, INXS, The Cranberries, Alice in Chains, Oingo Boingo and more.

3. The Metal Halloween Playlist
No other genre embraces the dark side like heavy metal, and as such, a metal list was a requirement. This one avoids pop metal entirely and gets straight to the real deal. As you would expect, the playlist begins with the song “Halloween” by the band Helloween. It’s then followed by a destructive rampage of sound, produced by the likes of Slayer, Morbid Angel, King Diamond, Testament, Venom, Black Label Society, Deicide and more.

4. The Gothic Halloween Playlist
Gothic Music fans celebrate Halloween 365 days a year; make-up, costumes and all. Why not join them for just one day? Jump into these 13 classic Goth tracks about vampires, monsters, the undead, Halloween and magic. Artists in this 1 hour and 10 minute playlist include Bauhaus, The Cure, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Nosferatu, Two Witches, Skinny Puppy, Cabaret Voltaire and Velvet Acid Christ.

5. The Hip-Hop Halloween Playlist
The Hip-Hop Halloween playlist starts and ends with the act that embraces Halloween more than any other, Insane Clown Posse. In addition, you’ll find both old skool and new skool tracks by Ice Cube, Quasimoto, Brand Nubian, Public Enemy, Whodini, Buck 65, Madvillain, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Kool Moe Dee, Cypress Hill and The Geto Boys.

6. The Indie Halloween Playlist
You might think that when putting together a Halloween playlist based on genre, that indie music would be difficult. Well, it really wasn’t. There’s a lot more darkness under the surface of the sensitive indie artist than you would think. This Halloween compilation starts with “Do They Know It’s Hallowe’en” by the indie supergroup North American Halloween Prevention Initiative. The remaining 50+ minutes are filled by Sufjan Stevens, Matt Pond PA, Cat Power, Gorillaz, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Elf Power, TV on the Radio, Sonic Youth, Badly Drawn Boy, Eels, Jad Fair and Death Cab For Cutie.

7. The Punk Halloween Playlist
Even with all their anti-mainstream angst, you’ll find punk rockers out in full force at the end of October celebrating the holiday just like the rest of us. This playlist was built especially for them and concentrates on “classic” punk rock that would make your daddy proud. Dead Kennedys, The Ramones, Black Flag, The Misfits, T.S.O.L., The Exploited, D.O.A., D.R.I., Bad Religion, Rancid, UK Subs and The Angry Samoans.

8. The Pop Halloween Playlist
We don’t create many “Pop” playlist here at the Radish. After all, why should we try to compete with the 85 million other commercial pop media outlets in the world today? Well, even though we can’t hope to (and don’t wish to) compete, this playlist features 13 of the greatest Halloween-centric songs to emerge from the corporate pop world. Includes Michael Jackson, Rockwell, Ray Parker Jr., Barry Manilow, Go West, Howie Day, Atlanta Rhythm Section and others.

9. The Classic Rock Halloween Playlist
This is my third favorite Halloween list after the Indie and Ambient lists. It’ll go great with beer and cigarettes and includes no-brainers by Warren Zevon, Blue Oyster Cult, Edgar Winter and Santana, as well as overlooked picks by Rush, John Fogerty, Donovan, The Doors, The Who, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne and the Steve Miller Band.

10. The Novelty Song Halloween Playlist
As much as this playlist made me feel dirty, I fought the urge to destroy my computer, and forged ahead. It includes songs you’ll hear over and over and over and over again this Halloween. This is where you’ll find “The Monster Mash”, “The Munster’s Theme”, “The Mummy”, “Purple People Eater”, “Witch Doctor”, “Redneck Dracula” and more. 

In addition to the above, check out these previous Radish playlists that fit for Halloween:

11. Satan Songs
Satan is an angel, demon, or minor god in many religions. He plays various roles in the Hebrew Bible, the Apocrypha and the New Testament. In the Hebrew Bible, Satan is an angel that God uses to test man for various reasons usually dealing with his level of piety (i.e. the test of Adam and Eve in Genesis, and the Book of Job). In the Apocrypha and New Testament, Satan is portrayed as an evil, rebellious demon who is the enemy of God and mankind. [more]  All the songs in this list have the word “Satan” in the title.

12. Acoustic Devil Songs
The Devil is the name given to a supernatural entity, who, in most Western religions, is the central embodiment of evil. This entity is commonly referred to by a variety of other names, including Satan, Asmodai, Beelzebub, Lucifer and/or Mephistopheles. In classic demonology, however, each of these alternate names refers to a specific supernatural entity. All of the acoustic-based songs in this playlist are either about the devil or use him as an artistic device. [more]

13. Songs About Jeffrery Dahmer
I created this playlist last Halloween when I felt myself pulled more to the dark side of music. Like film, music can convey a myriad of emotions, including those of the vile and disgusting sort. Jeffrey Dahmer was one of the most notorious serial killers in American history, and his life and crimes have inspired many songs.