This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.

“Thriller,” “Monster Mash,” “This Is Halloween” — those are all of the classic Halloween songs we know and love but sometimes you just want to switch it up.

Whether you want to host a costume party or you just want to get in the spirit of Halloween, you know you have to have all the right songs. You can’t go wrong with the classic Halloween songs but I have some new ones to expand your taste.

“Scary (feat. Rico Nasty) ” BY Megan Thee Stallion: As soon as the song starts you can feel the Halloween energy. Megan Thee Stallion and Rico Nasty go back and forth mentioning all your favorite horror movies from “Candyman” to “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Plus the eerie background music makes it a great fit for Halloween.
“Girls Talk Boys” by 5 Seconds of Summer: Featured on the 2016’s Ghostbusters soundtrack “Girls Talk Boys” is less of a Halloween song and more of a Halloween-adjacent song but it still works and 5 Seconds of Summer’s sound is perfect for a party.
“False Alarm” BY The Weeknd: My personal The Weeknd pick for a Halloween playlist, I think this song has a great Halloween vibe. From the haunted vocals from The Weeknd, the screaming and the alarm sounds it almost feels like you are going through a haunted house.
“Frankenstein” BY Rina Sawayama: As featured on a few of Spotify’s Halloween playlists, Rina Sawayama’s pop song is one of my personal favorite songs. “Frankenstein” has the energy and lyrics to get you in that Halloween party mood.
“Spookie Coochie” BY Doechii: After searching for playlists with Halloween songs I stumbled across the underrated rapper Doechii with an underrated Halloween song “Spookie Coochie.” Right from the beginning the song takes you back to trick-or-treating and takes you through infamous slasher killers like Chucky, Jason and Freddy.
“Zombies” BY Childish Gambino: There are many great Halloween-themed songs from Childish Gambino’s “‘Awaken, My Love!’” album like “Redbone” and “Me and Your Mama” but my pick is “Zombies.” It probably gives off the perfect sound for Halloween and Childish Gambino’s vocals on this song are different from the other songs in the best way.
“The Other Side” BY Bruno Mars: It’s not a party playlist without a Bruno Mars song and while this song is one of his less popular songs, it is the one that is the best for Halloween. Between the wolf howling and the Frankenstein reference it makes you want Mars to collaborate with other people more often.
“Ghostface Killers (feat. Travis Scott)” BY 21 Savage, Offset, Metro Boomin: Sharing the same name as the infamous “Scream” killer, Ghostface, “GhostfaceKillers” is another great rap song for your Halloween playlist. It boasts a crew of the greatest rappers (and producer) of today’s rap scene as they come together to create a catchy song.
“vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo: This one is slower and more emotional but it is on theme for Halloween. The lyrics are not only relatable but are great for the spooky theme. Plus it is one that everyone will know so you can be sure to belt it out with you and your friends.