From "I Put a Spell on You" to the timeless spooky bop of John Carpenter's 'Halloween' theme.
Carved pumpkins. A fog machine. Bobbing for apples and a big bowl of candy. The only thing missing from your Halloween party is the perfect playlist. And while "Monster Mash" and "Spooky Scary Skeletons" are necessities, there are plenty of horror movie anthems that are essential to have in rotation.
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From a John Carpenter classic to eerie instrumentals to some horror villain themes, there are a few spooky songs that cannot be left off the playlist at your next Halloween party.
One of the most recognizable songs from any scary movie is the theme to the 1978 classic Halloween. Composed by horror music legend John Carpenter, this song acts as the theme not only for the 1978 film, but the latest trilogy of reboot films that debuted in 2018, 40 years after the original composition hit the ears of slasher fans everywhere.
With a memorable tone and a head-bobbing beat, this song will have guests dancing to the nostalgic sounds of watching that creepy, carved pumpkin flicker as the opening credits rolled just before Michael Myers' very first kill.
It was definitely a waste when 1988's Child's Play trilogy was left without a specific theme song the way most other 80s slashers had. But in 2019, all was redeemed over 30 years after Chucky first reigned terror on Andy and his mom when a Child's Play remake was made.
"The Buddi Song" was written by Bear McCreary and performed by Chucky's voice actor in the film, Mark Hamill. What starts out as a sweet song from one best friend to another slowly turns into an eerie tune featuring a creepy children's choir.
Halloweentime hit Ghostbusters came out in 1984 and had a hit theme song to match, written and performed by Ray Parker Jr. The Grammy Award-winner perfectly captures the comedic presence of the Ghostbusters with lyrics just haunting enough to spook you.
Whether they're dressed as ghosts in white sheets or as Peter, Ray and Egon, all the guests at your Halloween bash will be jamming out to this upbeat, spooky classic the second that electric guitar strums.
The 1990 It miniseries may have lacked a soundtrack, but the 2017 remake did not disappoint. And out of all the songs composed by Benjamin Wallfisch, it's the instrumental titled "Every 27 Years" that resonates most with Stephen King fans.
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From its slow, haunting tune to the way you just can't help but see Pennnywise's looming face in your mind when you hear it, this tune will have every party guest looking over their shoulder for a floating red balloon.
From "Damn It, Janet" to "Sweet Transvestite," 1975's Rocky Horror Picture Show has one of the most iconic soundtracks in horror film history. But only one is guaranteed to get all of your Halloween party guests out on the dance floor.
Richard O'Brien's "Time Warp" is performed by the entire cast of the film and has some spine-chilling choreography to go along with it that's equivalent to a spooky "Cha Cha Slide."
Of all the slasher villains' theme songs, Freddy Krueger's has got to be the creepiest. Also called "Freddy's Theme," the "One, two, buckle my shoe" parody appears several times throughout the A Nightmare On Elm Street franchise.
Sung by a group of ghostly, jump-roping children, the song warns of Freddy's evil endeavors, telling everyone to lock their doors, grab a crucifix and be ready to never sleep again.
As haunting as the Poltergeist's theme may be, there's nothing more terrifying than children singing. "Carol Anne's Theme," composed by Jerry Goldsmith, creepily captures everything horrifying about the supernatural horror.
"Carol Anne's Theme" is sung by children singing in the tune of the film's original theme, and will be sure to creep out all those party guests.
While the Halloween franchise's soundtrack is mostly made up of John Carpenter compositions, another spooky tune made the cut for 1981's slasher sequel Halloween II.
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Performed by the 1950s female quartet The Chordettes, "Mr. Sandman" became a theme for the Michael Myers sequel, playing during both the opening and the ending of the film.
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas started as a dark fantasy musical and has since turned into both a Halloweentime and Christmastime classic.
While the stop-motion film is full of memorable songs, it's "This Is Halloween" that has turned into a spooky-time anthem. Written by Danny Elfman and performed by the residents of Halloween Town, this song encapsulates the spooky spirit of the film by introducing the audience to the year-round town of Halloween.
When it comes to Halloween, the Sanderson Sisters are always the life of the party. And in 1993's Hocus Pocus, the three witches take over a boo bash in Salem where they perform their most famous hit.
Sure to put a spell on all your party guests, "I Put A Spell On You" was written in 1956 by Screamin' Jay and performed by Winifred Sanderson's portrayer Bette Midler for the film.
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Ashley Amber is a 27-year-old writer and author. Ashley independently published a novelette series in the genre of fantasy/romance, with a third book in the works. She made her poetry debut in 2021, published in an LGBTQIA+ anthology by InkFeathers Publishing, for which she also had the honor of writing the back cover blurb. Aside from books and poetry, Ashley has worked as a pop culture writer and blogger for numerous blogs, most notably MJ's Big Blog and Collider. When she's not writing, you can find Ashley on Youtube where she make videos about her writer's life and author journey.
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