It’s October again already! Apologies for the long silence; life has been absolutely insane! But I am back and ready for action since its my favorite season once again! This is the first of two October-themed posts and then we will get to the really fun stuff: new travel posts! Yay!
Most people have strong feelings about Christmas music: they love it or they hate it. But what about Halloween music? Why doesn’t Mariah Carey or Michael Buble release Halloween albums every so often? Where is the love?
Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I’ve been building my Halloween playlist for years, and it is a work of art. So let me help you get started with yours! Here are my top five spooky tunes to get you in the mood.
Five Songs to Listen to This Month
1. Tubular Bells – Mike Oldfield
I ask you, does anything send ice up your spine quite like this track? Even if you’ve never heard it (and where have you been?), that melody is all kinds of creepy! Add in the association with the iconic horror movie The Exorcist, and this is sure to get you in the mood for jump scares (and pea soup!).
There are other great horror movie soundtracks that cannot be missed (the brilliant 5/4 theme from Halloween and the sinister vocals of The Omen jump to mind). After all, the music is what really scares you, right?
2. Cry Little Sister – G Tom Mac
I’m sticking to the darker themes for now. Take a creepy horror soundtrack and make it as 80s as possible and what do you get? This gem that absolutely slaps! And the movie The Lost Boys? Iconic. I had no room in my life for Twilight vampires; Kiefer Sutherland was already there. These guys are way cooler than some sparkly dudes playing baseball.
I dare you not to have this one stuck in your head for the next hour.
3. Hoist the Colors – Voiceplay ft Jose Rosario Jr
A little bit of a shift with this one, though it’s still delightfully spooky. Honestly, I never thought of this song (originally from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End) for Halloween until I heard this arrangement. Voiceplay really leans into the haunting melody, and combined with their creepy ghost-pirate costumes, it really works as an October jam.
If anyone is actively trying to make Halloween music a thing, it’s Voiceplay. They have so many to choose from! Don’t believe me? Check out this bop–the most recent addition to my playlist!
4. Magic Dance – David Bowie
Okay, this one isn’t creepy at all. But sometimes you need to take a dance break, and no one does that better than the Goblin King!
Labyrinth is not typically considered a Halloween movie, right? But it has goblins, and it’s creep at times (those hairy red guys gave me nightmares). And the beat is great! Take this song plus that other famous Halloween pop song and you’ve got the start of an epic October playlist!
5. Jack & Sally’s Song – The Hound + The Fox
Let’s slow it down for our last entry here. The Nightmare Before Christmas is chock-full of Halloween-themed music, but I’ve always been partial to the slower, sad Sally’s Song (I am a sucker for a minor key). I love this cover by folk artists The Hound + The Fox, combining both Sally’s and Jack’s verses together in one gorgeous tune.
I hope that’s enough to get you started building your fall playlist. Did I miss anything? Comment below!