In a strange phenomenon, an occurrence is rippling through every household. Shades of orange and red appear in every corner of the room, pumpkins are placed on the stairs, and the hushed excitement of costumes runs through the hallways: Halloween season is upon us. Whether it be during the carving of pumpkins, the drive to pick up a costume, or even while feet pound down the streets while on the hunt for candy, there is a need for music to fill the void. Here are the top five songs to put on your Halloween playlist:
“Somebody’s Watching Me” – Rockwell
With a bassline thumping like a heartbeat, there are very few songs that provide the creepiness of Halloween like Rockwell’s 80s hit. “Somebody’s Watching Me” tells the story of an average man struck with the feeling of paranoia—and his belief that everywhere he goes, somebody is there watching his movements. Accompanied by the eerie sounds of a distant pipe organ and the voice of the legend Michael Jackson, Rowell’s song is guaranteed to set the mood for a gloomy and creepy holiday.
“Dark Lady” – Cher
The only thing more haunting than the thought of a witch-like figure casting spells and seeing the future is the power behind American icon Cher’s vocals. Cher sings the story of a fortune teller who knows more about her clients than her clients truly know about themselves.“Dark Lady” provides listeners with the haunting sounds of keys accompanied by a strong bass guitar in order to set the feeling of horror in. This 70s pop song is guaranteed to bring the added spook to any Halloween related activity.
“Thriller (Steve Aoki Midnight Hour Remix)” – Michael Jackson
With ease, Steve Aoki transformed one of the greatest hits from the 80s into the ultimate party song. While keeping the impressive vocals produced by the King of Pop, Aoki adds a strong techno beat and adlibs from Jackson’s entire discography. While the original “Thriller”(released in 1982) still holds value as the song and music video that changed the future of the music industry—there is a certain spark brought by the Aoki remix that makes it the ultimate party hit.
“This is Halloween” – The Nightmare Before Christmas
When released in 1993, there was no predicting that the stop motion film The Nightmare Before Christmas would be known for its killer soundtrack just as much as its high quality stop motion. The opening song “This is Halloween” has spewed from TV speakers across the world for nearly 30 years now, and there’s a good reason: it perfectly emulates the Halloween ambiance. The low saxophone gives the feeling of creeping through the dead of night, and the different voices of the monsters are made purely from peoples’ darkest of fears.
“Calling all the Monsters” – China Anne McClain
When you partner China Anne McClain’s stunning vocals and a killer dance beat, there is no song that can surpass it. “Calling all the Monsters” aired back in 2011 on the Disney Channel original show A.N.T Farm, and very quickly became one of the most successful TV show original songs from the company. From then on, every October, this song can be heard blasting from miles away. With ease, McClain is able to emulate the different experiences of Halloween in three minutes: the monsters, ghouls, and horrors. A staple of childhoods everywhere, this song has earned its top ranking spot.
