A good Halloween playlist does more work than any decoration in the room. It sets the mood before the first guest takes off a coat, and it keeps a party moving when the candy runs out. This is a 100 song Halloween playlist sorted into nine sections, from the classics every list needs to instrumental horror scores for a haunted hallway, plus a simple method for ordering the night.
How to Build the Perfect Halloween Playlist
Three rules keep a party playlist from falling apart. First, make it longer than the party. A three hour party needs at least four hours of music so nothing repeats. Second, shape the energy: mood setters for the first hour, dance floor tracks for the middle, and a slower spooky wind down at the end. Third, decide the audience before you decide the songs. A school party and an adult costume party share maybe fifteen tracks, and the rest should not overlap at all.
Check explicit versions before the night. A few of the biggest Halloween party songs have lyrics you do not want playing in a room full of eight year olds. Most streaming services offer clean edits if you look.
The 15 Songs Every Halloween Playlist Needs
If you only have time to queue fifteen tracks, queue these. Every one of them is instantly recognisable, and most of the room can sing along.
| Song | Artist | Year | Kid friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monster Mash | Bobby Boris Pickett | 1962 | Yes |
| Thriller | Michael Jackson | 1982 | Yes |
| Ghostbusters | Ray Parker Jr. | 1984 | Yes |
| This Is Halloween | Citizens of Halloween | 1993 | Yes |
| I Put a Spell on You | Bette Midler | 1993 | Yes |
| Somebody Watching Me | Rockwell | 1984 | Yes |
| Time Warp | Rocky Horror cast | 1975 | No |
| The Addams Family Theme | Vic Mizzy | 1964 | Yes |
| Halloween Theme | John Carpenter | 1978 | Yes |
| Werewolves of London | Warren Zevon | 1978 | Yes |
| Spooky Scary Skeletons | Andrew Gold | 1996 | Yes |
| Disturbia | Rihanna | 2008 | Yes |
| Superstition | Stevie Wonder | 1972 | Yes |
| Dont Fear the Reaper | Blue Oyster Cult | 1976 | Yes |
| Sympathy for the Devil | The Rolling Stones | 1968 | No |
Best Halloween Party Songs for Dancing
| Song | Artist | Year | Kid friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thriller | Michael Jackson | 1982 | Yes |
| Heads Will Roll | Yeah Yeah Yeahs | 2009 | No |
| Bad Moon Rising | Creedence Clearwater Revival | 1969 | Yes |
| Highway to Hell | AC DC | 1979 | No |
| Zombie | The Cranberries | 1994 | Yes |
| Ghost Town | The Specials | 1981 | Yes |
| Feel Good Inc | Gorillaz | 2005 | No |
| Dead Man Party | Oingo Boingo | 1985 | Yes |
| Psycho Killer | Talking Heads | 1977 | No |
| Black Magic Woman | Santana | 1970 | Yes |
| Witchy Woman | Eagles | 1972 | Yes |
| Season of the Witch | Donovan | 1966 | Yes |
Classic Halloween Songs from the 1950s and 1960s
| Song | Artist | Year | Kid friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monster Mash | Bobby Boris Pickett | 1962 | Yes |
| Purple People Eater | Sheb Wooley | 1958 | Yes |
| Dinner With Drac | John Zacherle | 1958 | Yes |
| I Put a Spell on You | Screamin Jay Hawkins | 1956 | Yes |
| Twilight Zone Theme | Marius Constant | 1959 | Yes |
| The Addams Family Theme | Vic Mizzy | 1964 | Yes |
| Spooky | Classics IV | 1968 | Yes |
| Little Demon | Screamin Jay Hawkins | 1956 | Yes |
| Haunted House | Jumpin Gene Simmons | 1964 | Yes |
| Thing | Bobby Boris Pickett | 1962 | Yes |
Halloween Songs from the 1970s and 1980s
| Song | Artist | Year | Kid friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Werewolves of London | Warren Zevon | 1978 | Yes |
| Ghostbusters | Ray Parker Jr. | 1984 | Yes |
| Somebody Watching Me | Rockwell | 1984 | Yes |
| Bela Lugosi Dead | Bauhaus | 1979 | No |
| Love Cats | The Cure | 1983 | Yes |
| People Are Strange | The Doors | 1967 | Yes |
| Halloween Theme | John Carpenter | 1978 | Yes |
| Tubular Bells | Mike Oldfield | 1973 | Yes |
| Welcome to My Nightmare | Alice Cooper | 1975 | No |
| Living Dead Girl | Rob Zombie | 1998 | No |
| Dead Man Party | Oingo Boingo | 1985 | Yes |
| Pet Sematary | Ramones | 1989 | No |
Halloween Songs from the 1990s and 2000s
| Song | Artist | Year | Kid friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| This Is Halloween | Citizens of Halloween | 1993 | Yes |
| Zombie | The Cranberries | 1994 | Yes |
| A Nightmare on My Street | DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince | 1988 | Yes |
| Disturbia | Rihanna | 2008 | Yes |
| Men in Black | Will Smith | 1997 | Yes |
| Dragula | Rob Zombie | 1998 | No |
| Bring Me to Life | Evanescence | 2003 | Yes |
| Toxic | Britney Spears | 2003 | Yes |
| Somebody Told Me | The Killers | 2004 | Yes |
| Calling All the Monsters | China Anne McClain | 2011 | Yes |
Modern Halloween Songs from the 2010s and 2020s
| Song | Artist | Year | Kid friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bury a Friend | Billie Eilish | 2019 | No |
| Vampire | Olivia Rodrigo | 2023 | No |
| Bad Guy | Billie Eilish | 2019 | Yes |
| Heat Waves | Glass Animals | 2020 | Yes |
| Stranger Things Theme | Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein | 2016 | Yes |
| Bloody Mary | Lady Gaga | 2011 | No |
| Devil Like Me | Rainbow Kitten Surprise | 2018 | No |
| Enemy | Imagine Dragons | 2021 | Yes |
| Oh No | Kreepa | 2020 | Yes |
| Running Up That Hill | Kate Bush | 1985 | Yes |
Kid Friendly Halloween Songs for School Parties
These are the tracks that work in a classroom, at a trunk or treat, or anywhere a five year old is listening. Pair them with the games in our guide to Halloween party games for kids.
| Song | Artist | Year | Kid friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spooky Scary Skeletons | Andrew Gold | 1996 | Yes |
| Five Little Pumpkins | Traditional | n/a | Yes |
| Monster Mash | Bobby Boris Pickett | 1962 | Yes |
| Fright Song | Monster High | 2010 | Yes |
| Ghostbusters | Ray Parker Jr. | 1984 | Yes |
| Im a Little Monster | Super Simple Songs | 2015 | Yes |
| Skeleton Dance | The Kiboomers | 2014 | Yes |
| Trick or Treat | Nickelodeon | 2012 | Yes |
| Werewolf Boogie | The Kiboomers | 2016 | Yes |
| This Is Halloween | Citizens of Halloween | 1993 | Yes |
Halloween Movie and TV Themes
| Song | Artist | Year | Kid friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halloween Theme | John Carpenter | 1978 | Yes |
| Tubular Bells from The Exorcist | Mike Oldfield | 1973 | Yes |
| Psycho Prelude | Bernard Herrmann | 1960 | Yes |
| Jaws Theme | John Williams | 1975 | Yes |
| Stranger Things Theme | Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein | 2016 | Yes |
| Beetlejuice Main Titles | Danny Elfman | 1988 | Yes |
| Whats This | Danny Elfman | 1993 | Yes |
| The X Files Theme | Mark Snow | 1993 | Yes |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer Theme | Nerf Herder | 1997 | Yes |
| Twin Peaks Theme | Angelo Badalamenti | 1990 | Yes |
Instrumental and Horror Score Music for Atmosphere
For a haunted hallway, a front porch or a photo backdrop, you want music with no lyrics competing with conversation. These work as a bed under a whole evening.
| Song | Artist | Year | Kid friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Night on Bald Mountain | Modest Mussorgsky | 1867 | Yes |
| Toccata and Fugue in D Minor | J S Bach | 1708 | Yes |
| Danse Macabre | Camille Saint Saens | 1874 | Yes |
| In the Hall of the Mountain King | Edvard Grieg | 1875 | Yes |
| O Fortuna | Carl Orff | 1936 | Yes |
| Lux Aeterna | Clint Mansell | 2000 | Yes |
| Suspiria Theme | Goblin | 1977 | Yes |
| Tubular Bells | Mike Oldfield | 1973 | Yes |
| Funeral March | Frederic Chopin | 1839 | Yes |
| The Shining Main Title | Wendy Carlos | 1980 | Yes |
Witches, Vampires, Zombies and Ghosts
| Song | Artist | Year | Kid friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Witchy Woman | Eagles | 1972 | Yes |
| Season of the Witch | Donovan | 1966 | Yes |
| Black Magic Woman | Santana | 1970 | Yes |
| I Want Your Soul | Armand Van Helden | 2008 | No |
| Zombie | The Cranberries | 1994 | Yes |
| Re Your Brains | Jonathan Coulton | 2006 | Yes |
| Ghost | Justin Bieber | 2021 | Yes |
| Ghost Riders in the Sky | Johnny Cash | 1979 | Yes |
| Vampire | Olivia Rodrigo | 2023 | No |
| Love Song for a Vampire | Annie Lennox | 1992 | Yes |
| Devil Went Down to Georgia | Charlie Daniels Band | 1979 | Yes |
Where to Stream Your Halloween Playlist
Every major service builds official Halloween collections each October. Spotify and Apple Music both run curated Halloween party lists you can copy and edit, and YouTube Music is the easiest option if you want the music videos playing on a screen. Build your own version rather than using a stock list, because a stock list will not know that your crowd needs the clean edits or that half the room is under ten.
Download the playlist for offline play before the party. Home internet drops exactly when forty people join the same network.
Halloween Playlist FAQs
What is a good Halloween playlist?
One that runs longer than the party, mixes eras, and builds from atmosphere to dancing and back down. Around 100 songs covers a four hour party without repeats.
What is the most played song on Halloween?
Thriller by Michael Jackson and Monster Mash by Bobby Boris Pickett trade the top spot every year. Both spike in streaming through late October.
How long should a Halloween party playlist be?
At least one hour longer than the party itself. A three hour party wants four hours of music, which is roughly 75 to 90 tracks.
What are the best Halloween songs for kids?
Spooky Scary Skeletons, Monster Mash, Ghostbusters, This Is Halloween and Five Little Pumpkins are the safest bets for a classroom or a trunk or treat.
What music works best for a haunted house?
Instrumental horror scores with no lyrics. Danse Macabre, the Halloween theme, Tubular Bells and Lux Aeterna all work without pulling focus.
Where can I find a free Halloween playlist?
Spotify, YouTube Music and Apple Music all offer free ad supported Halloween collections during October.
What Halloween songs get people dancing?
Thriller, Heads Will Roll, Disturbia, Highway to Hell and Dead Man Party. Save them for the middle hour of the night.
Should I use clean versions?
Yes if children are present. Several standard Halloween party tracks have explicit lyrics, and most services offer a clean edit.
Queue It Up Before the Doorbell Rings
Build the list a week ahead, play it once while you decorate, and cut anything that kills the mood. A Halloween playlist is the cheapest upgrade a party gets, and unlike decorations it works the second you press play. Once the music is sorted, our guides to adult Halloween party games and planning a party for all ages handle the rest of the night.
