Every year fall comes around and Halloween-inspired media fills my phone. As this fall frenzy predictably takes place, I dutifully give myself the task of creating a new Halloween-inspired playlist, inspired by the vibes that this season emanates. Mostly, my song choices are based on the feeling they give me, but for this playlist, they typically encompass those eerie, melancholic, and ruminating moods.
I have some rules for the songs eligible for my playlist. No mainstream pop music, no oldies (nothing earlier than the 90s), and nothing from a movie (no Time Warp-ing here). So, sorry to Rihanna’s Disturbia and Michael Jackson’s Thriller, because my spooky playlist this fall is almost exclusively late 90’s alternative rock to late 2010’s indies.
“Ghosting” — Mother Mother
Mother Mother is my holy grail for eerie alternative music that gets me into the slightly more grunge-esque mood for fall. In my opinion, songs like “Burning Pile”, “Hayloft”, “Verbatim”, or “Arms Tonite” are all bangers and worth a listen, especially if you like “Ghosting.” Their mix of haunting melodies, unique lyrics, and edgy melodies makes them a bit of an acquired taste, but IMO, it’s totally with listening to this Halloween season.
A little fun fact for you as well, Mother Mother is a Canadian band from Quadra Island, British Columbia.
“Chicken” — Pixies
You’re probably already familiar with the Pixies because of their hit song, “Where Is My Mind?” released back in 1988, and while it’s an iconic track by itself, the Pixies have way more to offer. The song I’m recommending, “Chicken” is a new release and will be featured on their shortly-to-be-released album, The Night The Zombies Came. With only 18 lines of lyrics in the 4:22 run-time, this song heavily focuses on electric guitar riffs with a bass guitar as the backbone. This song is like standing beside a cliff after you’ve just spun around several times, so close to madness and descending into chaos, but just not; that’s what makes this song perfect for Halloween.
“Watermelon” — John and Jane Q. Public (explicit)
Don’t let the title fool you—there’s nothing upbeat or summery about this track. Watermelon delivers sinister indie vibes, with an eeriness lurking behind the singer’s deceptively calm vocals. With a hint of psychedelic rock, this song is playful yet unsettling, making it easy to get lost in. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes this track so haunting, besides perhaps the simplicity and short run-time of it, but nonetheless there’s an undeniable spooky quality that keeps you entranced and listening to it over and over again.
“1979” — The Smashing Pumpkins
Now, “1979” is by no means a secret, so you might already know it. However, if you haven’t, it’s a great example of ghost alternative rock paired with a hypnotic rhythm. The lead singer and guitarist, Billy Corgan’s vocals have a somewhat whiny quality to them that is so addictive to listen to. This song is the band’s most famous song for a reason so go give it a listen! When I’m in my feels, I love listening to “1979” in the car when I’m driving along the coastline with the windows down, heat blasting and volume on high.
“Howl” — Florence + The Machine
“Howl” is an emotionally charged number with lyrics like, “I hunt for you with bloodied feet across the hallowed ground,” which depicts gothic imagery and powerful vocals from Florence. The dark atmosphere that surrounds this song carries over to other songs from the Lungs (Deluxe Edition) album. Another song recommendation to add to your listen-to list is “My Boy Builds Coffins”.
“no surprises” — radiohead
Lead singer, Thom Yorke, lulls you to sleep in this melancholic song with his gentle vocals and a soft accompaniment with his glockenspiel throughout. There is a lullaby-like quality to it, and though it’s maybe a little bit less Halloween-inspired than some other songs on this list, it still fits the mood I’m curating for this season’s playlist. Radiohead is known for diversifying their sound throughout their albums and this song from OK Company is no exception.
“Oblivion” — Grimes
A little bit electronic and a little big Stranger Things, “Oblivion” is great for those late-night walks home when the mist is creeping in and you’re feeling somewhat invincible. Just me? Well, if not, this song is giving with its eerie undertones, pulsing synths, and ghostly vocals. Nobody delivers a futuristic Halloween scene like Grimes does.
“house of memories” — Panic at the disco
This is my go-to fall season hype-up song. I can’t explain it, maybe it’s all the “woooah’s” in the song. Providing a rich atmosphere with a strong bass drumbeat and layered vocals, “House of Memories” makes me feel like I’m marching through a haunted mansion with blood dripping down my forehead—or maybe that’s just my overactive imagination…
“Halloween” — Phoebe Bridgers
Okay, I couldn’t help myself with this one. So, if the title of this song doesn’t convince you that it’s Halloween-related then I don’t know what to tell you. While “Halloween” is a bit of a genre switch-up from the rest of the tracks on this list, it has a sombre tone that syncs up so well with this festively spooky season. In “Halloween,” there are hauntingly beautiful vocals by Bridgers herself, and just as Phoebe says, “Baby, it’s Halloween / and we can be anything,” so believe in yourself this season and your Halloween playlist-making abilities!
Below are some more alternative songs that didn’t quite make the final cut, but still match the eerieness of the season:
- “Evil” by Interpol
- “Wolf Like Me” by TV On The Radio
- “Tried and True” by Ween
- “Cellophane” by FKA Twigs
I hope you can enjoy some of these frightful tunes this fall season—because nothing lingers in the air quite like a haunting melody.