There are lots of reasons we love listening to music. It can reduce anxiety or improve quality of sleep, and it also totally affects our mood, from making us happier to putting us in the holiday spirit. Now that we're approaching Halloween, we're pulling out all things spooky. We're talking pop culture costumes, Halloween snacks, and — of course — Halloween music.
If you like spooky season, but you don't enjoy feeling outright terrified, this ethereal Halloween playlist is perfect for your September and October listening. While it's not too scary, it will give you those fall vibes that make you want to put pumpkins and ghost figurines around your living room. Listen to the playlist on Spotify here!
In terms of curating the playlist, each song has to meet some criteria. It has to feature spooky lyrics and a spooky title, or it has to make us feel like we're in a Halloween movie, you know? We pulled from our favorite artists, albums, and even the soundtracks of our favorite movies for a Halloween playlist that can't be beat. Below, get our playlist of 50 spooky songs.
Brit + Co's Playlist of Spooky Halloween Songs
- "Thriller" by Michael Jackson
- "Doomsday" by Lizzy McAlpine
- "A House in Nebraska" by Ethel Cain
- "Evil Like Me" by Kristin Chenoweth and Dove Cameron
- "Panic Room" by Au/Ra
- "Safe & Sound" by Taylor Swift
- "Lovely" (with Khalid) by Billie Eilish
- "You Should See Me in a Crown" by Billie Eilish
- "Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)" by AURORA
- "I Know the End" by Phoebe Bridgers
- "DVD Menu" by Phoebe Bridgers
- "Halloween" by Phoebe Bridgers
- "Colors Pt. II" by Halsey
- "Heads Will Roll" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- "Somebody's Watching Me" by Madelyn Darling
- "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush
- "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" by Lorde
- "Swan Song" by Saweetie, NIKI
- "Who Are You Really?" by Mikky Ekko
- "Maniac" by Conan Gray
- "Everybody Knows" by Sigrid
- "Darkside" by Neoni
- "Calling All the Monsters" by Thriii and Messengers
- "Once Upon a Dream" by Lana Del Rey
- "Agatha All Along" by Kathryn Hahn, Robert Lopez, Eric Bradley, Greg Whipple, Jasper Randall, and Gerald White
- "Stranger Things" by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein
- "Disturbia" by Rihanna
- "Afterlife" by Hailee Steinfeld
- "E.T." by Katy Perry
- "Bellyache" by Billie Eilish
- "A Kindling, of Sorts" by The Oh Hellos
- "Friends on the Other Side" by Keith David
- "Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads
- "Breakfast" by Dove Cameron
- "Howlin' for You" by The Black Keys
- "Zombie" by The Cranberries
- "Toxic" by Britney Spears
- "Bury a Friend" by Billie Eilish
- "The Seed" by AURORA
- "Playground" by Bea Miller
- "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant
- "Blood // Water" by Grandson
- "Trampoline" by SHAED
- "Ready or Not" (feat. Esthero) by Mischa "Book" Chillak
- "Private Eyes" by Lenachka
- "A Little Wicked" by Valerie Broussard
- "Madhouse" by Nessa Barrett
- "Arsonist's" Lullaby by Hozier
- "Way Down We Go" by KALEO
- "Arcade" by Duncan Laurence
Punisher image via Dead Oceans/Phoebe Bridgers; No Need To Argue: The Complete Sessions image via Universal Music Group/The Cranberries; Thriller 25 image via Epic/Legacy/Sony BMG/MJJ; When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? image via Darkroom/Interscope/Finneas O'Connell/Billie Eilish