Some of these songs aren’t “Halloween” songs per se, but they cover an eerie and cool eclectic mix of genres. There must be something on this list that will stir a party DJ’s juices and get his blood boiling to a high enough degree that he will want to search for more songs of a similar nature. (Find a link for kids' music at the bottom of the article. Many of the songs on my children's list are fab for all ages.)
Halloween Party Music
These songs are great but not quite lively enough to inspire dancing.
- Don’t Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult: This haunting song is, indeed, a cult classic. It is best when played really, really loud, but it also has a cool hypnotic undercurrent when played at a lower volume. I was obsessed with this song in the mid 70s. Needs more base. You might want to throw in Burning for You.
- Psycho Killer by the Talking Heads: This is just a great song and should be played at every party (even Christmas parties).
- Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon: Oh my God, there is just something so amazingly appealing about this talented guy. Did he leave the planet? Aaaahhhhoooo!
- I Walked With a Zombie by REM
- Pet Sematary by the Ramones
- Heroine by The Velvet Underground. Well, it's not about vampires, but he puts a spike into his vein. That's scary enough for me. Plus, I like the Velvet Underground.
- Sabbath Bloody Sabbath by Iron Maiden
- Emo Vampire Song.
- Freak on a Leash by Korn.
- Living Dead Girl by Rob Zombie.
- Running With the Devil by Van Halen.
Dance Songs for a Party
It’s usually best to signal the start of the “dance” portion of your gathering with something corny like The Monster Mash. That song always works magic and accomplishes the horrifying task of enticing reticent people onto the dance floor.
Baby Boomer Music:
- Bad Moon Rising by John Fogerty / CCR: This groovy tune is almost impossible to dance to unless one was raised in Texas, but it will bring wallflowers to the floor.
- Last Kiss by Frank Wilson. Pearl Jam isn't as good. You say it sounds like a love song? I say it sounds almost like necrophilia.
- Out of Limits by the Marketts: How can anyone have a dance party without surfer music? This song is as freaky scary as Quentin Tarantino (my secret crush).
- Paint it Black by The Rolling Stones: It’s a dark song about death.
- Strychnine by The Sonics: Almost no one outside of the Baby Boomer’s Seattle Scene had ever heard of this song until it was covered by The Cramps, The Flaming Lips, and all the others. Also, check out Psycho, and The Witch (total raw garage sound).
- Superstition by Stevie Ray Vaughn: This guy was so rocking good. Stevie Wonder’s version is pretty good, too.
- In the Midnight Hour by Wilson Pickett: We thought this song was so sexy.
- Devil's in my Car by The B52s.
- Superfreak by Rick James.
Dance Music for Rockers
Everyone likes to dance to these songs from the 80s and 90s, or whatever decade they're from.
- Halloween by Siouxsie and The Banshees: How did so many people miss this song on their holiday dance lists?
- Sympathy for the Devil by Guns N Roses: It is mandatory to have at least one song by Guns N Roses at any party.
- Frankenstein by Overkill
- She Blinded Me With Science by Thomas Dolby: This song reminds people of creating a Frankenstein out of dead body parts.
- Devil Inside by INXS: Just don’t let that devil out, party boy.
- Batdance by Prince
Techno Music and Hip Hop
Some people just want to go into a trance and dance. And, who can blame them?
- Everybody (Rock Your Body) by Backstreet Boys. Forget that this is Backstreet Boys for a few minutes, crank it up and just listen to the rockin' bass. It's a great dance song.
- Tubular Bells Remix or Tubular Bells Hip Hop. You can also find remixes of Friday the 13th and Night on Bald Mountain.
- Everyday Is Halloween by Ministry.
- Don’t Wanna Fall in Love by Jane Child: Try to find the original version to use as mood music because her awesome lyrics and spooky key changes get lost in the techno-house-music remix. Another great song is Do Whatcha Do. She’s so Goth.
- Nightmare on Elm Street Remix
- Freaks Come Out at Night by Whodini.
- Sweet Dreams Are Made of This by the Eurythmics: Is there anyone on earth who doesn't love Annie Lennox?
- Blood on the Dancefloor by MJ.
Okay, when it's time to see who is still alive, go ahead and crank up the songs in the next list.
Songs to Wake the Dead
There are tons of Death Metal songs but they give me a headache after a few minutes.
- Fire by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
- Teenage Frankenstein by Alice Cooper
- Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana: The world still mourns the loss of this wunderkind. It is a bittersweet sadness.
- At midnight, everyone should drink a toast to All Hallows Eve and another year of life and merriment while listening to the Phantom of the Opera by Nightwish
These are just some of the great party songs for the fabulous month of October. See Halloween Music for Kids (below) for more ideas.
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Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
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