This is the spookiest time of year: a time for horror, dread, thrill, and a time for all the creepiest creatures to thrive. Halloween doesn't seem to get a signature music other than rock music, and I wanted to present a different perspective to the scariest holiday of the year. These are some pieces I feel thrive in a dimly lit environment of darkness. I have been curating this playlist over many years. adding a wide variety of genres and eras to this list. Lyrics, beats, and melody which can make you feel like somebody is looking over your shoulder is very powerful. I admire artistry that can evoke a strong reaction like this. It's more fun to have an upbeat dance song when dressed in your costume. Both are necessary to a good holiday. The following is a mix of both vibes. Have a creepy sweet Halloween and enjoy! Cake - 88GLAM This is a rap group I am a huge fan of. I love the entire album this song comes from. Something that makes them special is their textured vocal sounds. Even as good as they are, their beats - and particularly in this song "Cake" - are enchanting. Part of the flavor of this song is the piano keys. It adds a mystical twinkle. But, combined with the haunting chorus consistent throughout the background of the song, it comes off as ominous. It's like a ballerina winding in her jewelry box, but you know something is going to happen when the song stops. This one may or may not be a party bop, but it gets me in a spooky mood. True Blood - Justin Timberlake Do you remember when the TV show True Blood was really popular? It feels like this song was made with that show in mind. I never watched the show, but I feel like I did from the secondhand exposure. This song has a sassy dance beat, clever lyrics, and is extremely long. Why is this song nine and a half minutes long? The beginning is bangin', and the rest is good too, but the problem is that it goes on for such a long time, I feel weary by the end of it. This song is like he's invited you on a roller coaster ride which, when you boarded, you were excited for. But now, you're halfway through and wishing you could get off the ride, but you can't because you're invested already, so there's no turning back. This song only has around 16,000 views on YouTube and 9,300,000 plays on Spotify which is somewhat unusual seeing as his songs may have hundred of millions of plays. It's one of the underrated gems. Drop - Chloe x Halle "Drop" made me want to drop like the hard hitting drum that is the backbone behind this song. It's power, knowledge, and mystery intertwined to establish a sick track. Not only that, but the visuals are stunning for this video. There is a man who is dancing in grotesque shapes, looking crooked and writhing. That is a perfect representation of how this song sounds. That combines with their voices rising in the most perfect harmony is chilling. I would pick this song to listen to while carving pumpkins or maybe brewing some delicious drinks. So many spooktacular options. Human - Maggie Lindeman If there was a song that embodied an October Halloween party bop, I vote this song. It is a pop bop, and this genre is meant to be fun. This is useful to get a group of people excited and feeling upbeat. The video and lyrics create a very spooky mood. I like that she suggests she is not human because it makes you wonder what she is then. Is she vampire? Werewolf? Alien? I have so many questions. Also I appreciate the appearance of one of my favorite guys in entertainment comedy, Rickey Thompson (who also narrated Amine's album "ONEPOINTFIVE"). Zombies - Childish Gambino Our fav abstract creator has made us a creepy, slinky slippery song that you definitely want to groove to. So groove to a funkalicious beat. Not only that, but Zombies is a very literal interpretation here. Sometimes, it is okay to take things at face value. The beat is relaxing and makes me want take a bubble bath but also watch "Austin Powers" - so many vibes. I may not play it at a party to turn up to, but definitely would play it at other lowkey social gatherings. Once Upon A Dream - Lana Del Rey If anyone can haunt me, Lana Del Rey is the most qualified being. Her whole brand is founded in chanting deeply haunting tones. It seems that she sings through smoke, has you squinting through fog, and hunting after her shadow. To me, this is the ultimate Halloween song to keep you feeling sensual, spooky, and empowered. Disney Princesses are always a popular costume for dressing up on this holiday, so it seems fitting that this is a Disney production. I find it even more satisfying that this movie (Maleficent) is about a categorized villain. People love dressing up as the bad guy. Here we have the perfect song to enjoy while we do so. Oldies of Honorable Mention There are some absolutely phenomenal songs that deserve to sit in the top spot in regards to Halloween jams. The performance by Screamin' Jay Hawkins is interesting but very peculiar! His shouting and animal style grunts with snorts makes me think of demonic sounds. It's aggressive and bold. This song has been covered so many times by many that most people would probably recognize it. However, this version is so special and unique. Tom Waits had his music making days back in the 1970's, but this song in particular came out in 2011, so not very old. I feel that his style and influences came from an older generation, and in some ways similar to Screamin' Jay. Tones of tension and devilish allure draw you through the song.
Here we go again with the creepy suggestive tones, but the The Coasters have hit it on the head with this track, making the listener feel paranoid and watchful. Quite deceiving. Leonard Cohen has a rasp that works well when describing demonic company. A smoky feeling.
There is a lot of media here to digest, but all together, it makes a fabulous playlist. To end this musical celebration of Halloween, I present one last track which was released in 2016. It is honestly just great song for Halloween time and non-spooky times. Get your creep on, always.
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A 20 something passionate about many facets of music: lyricism, melody, visual interpretations, the good stuff Categories
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