Playlisting your Halloween party can be a tricky business. Of course you want some modern chart-toppers and all-time bangers to keep the party vibes flowing and your guests happy throughout the night – but this is also Halloween, the spookiest night of the year. What would it be without one or two seasonally scary tunes to blast out throughout the evening? But which spooky tunes to play? Here at The Edge we have you covered: our writers have been thinking about what songs you can’t get away with leaving out of your Halloween playlist, so you always have something spooky to play when the going needs to get that little bit more thrilling…
Michael Jackson – ‘Thriller’
Halloween is all about theatre; crazy costumes, dramatic dancing, and all things spooky. Combine these elements and you won’t be able to help grooving to Michael Jackson‘s iconic spooky song, ‘Thriller’, on Halloween night. The dance moves are always a fan favourite (and you’re definitely lying if you say you haven’t attempted the iconic dance sequence before). With a music video that spans almost 15 minutes, it is obvious why this is the Halloween classic that no one has been able to beat since. It would almost be insulting to refer to it as just a music video – a short film would be more appropriate – as the actual music doesn’t start until five minutes in. The reason that this will always be the best is because of its mixture of humour, horror and drama – not to mention Michael Jackson’s incredible vocals combined with Vincent Price’s creepy narration throughout. It is unsurprising that Thriller is still the biggest selling album of all time.
Ray Parker Jr. – ‘Ghostbusters’
One of the most emblematic ’80s songs and the iconic leading soundtrack of the eponymous film, Ray Parker Jr.’s timeless ‘Ghostbusters’ is an instant provider of a walk down memory lane. Or even better, a funk down memory lane. The groovy ’80s synths are more certain to get the best moves out of you than today’s certified ‘bangers’, while the repetitive exclamation is just inviting you to join in with the singing. And I absolutely wouldn’t blame you if you started to strut rhythmically just like in the video. It’s contagious.
Maybe ‘spooky’ isn’t the exact word I would use to describe ‘Ghostbusters’, as the only goosebumps I get during this song are caused by everyone’s silliest moves. And I probably wouldn’t call them if I saw things running through my head, either. But if what you’re looking for is to have a blast at this year’s Halloween party while being perfectly in line with the theme, make sure to add ‘Ghostbusters’ to your playlist. It’ll look very good.
Andrew Gold & Friends – ‘Spooky Scary Skeletons’
Would Halloween really be complete without a good old dose of Andrew Gold’s bone-a fide classic? Amidst all your ‘Thriller’s and your ‘Monster Mash’es, spare a moment to give a listen to the silliest song about dancing skeletons you’ll ever have the pleasure of hearing. ‘Spooky Scary Skeletons’ sprung from Andrew Gold & Friends’ joyous Halloween Howlers back in 1996, and has truly taken this generation by storm. I dare you to try and find a Halloween-themed meme video that doesn’t pump this bad boy out at one point. But what makes it so essential, you ask? Like any good Halloween song, it revels in its own silliness, with ribcage-evoking bursts of piano and delightful sound effects to spook away repetition. Not to mention, it’s one of the most compelling reasons to get onto a dancefloor this Halloween, with an absolutely infectious rhythm that will warm you right down to your bones. Once you’ve heard it, your doom is sealed. This earworm will sneak from its sarcophagus – and just won’t leave you be!
MGMT – ‘Little Dark Age’
When you think of MGMT, you probably think of summer indie-pop bangers ‘Kids’, ‘Electric Feel’ or ‘Time To Pretend’, and for good reason – those three hits practically definied the late-’00s radio waves. But in early 2018, the duo returned, bringing a far darker and more psychedelic sound than many fans of those great indie anthems were probably used to. The standout of all of this was ‘Little Dark Age’, a darkly dizzying acid trip into some kind of gothic haunted house on a spaceship, and a bizarrely bewitching track if ever there was one. It’s impossible not to be reminded of Halloween when listening to this one, the combination of off-kilter synth and hypnotic vocals creating an eerily frightening atmosphere reminiscent of the scariest horror films; but at the same time, it’s catchy enough and just upbeat enough to get away with slipping into your Halloween party playlist, even if just for that one spookiest night of the year.
