Function bands
Background musicians
Function bands
Background musicians
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Halloween – it's an excuse for nutty dressing up and for gorging on pumpkin pie. More importantly, it's not just skeletons that will be coming out of the closets, but hoards of guilty musical pleasures. Here are ours!
This haunting track from gen Z superstar Billie Eilish has a decidedly Halloween theme. Featuring seconds of silence, eery whispering and dark lyrics, the tracks is written from the perspective of a monster under someone’s bed – spooky!
This 1989 single from American punk rock band Ramones was written for the film adaptation of Stephen King’s horror novel of the same name. The track went on to become one of the band’s biggest radio hits and was a regular feature of their concerts during the nineties.
Take party guests back to the glamour and opulence of the eighties with this Duran Duran classic. The lyrics were inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, providing not only a catchy tune but a costume idea or two!
Opening with the line “I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed” Eminem sets the scene for this reflective track featuring Rihanna. The rapper details his struggles with fame while Rihanna explores her inner demons during the chorus – a chorus many will struggle not to sing along to!
While this fun and funky tune from the Columbian hitmaker makes for perfect spooky season listening, it’s actually about female empowerment and women’s right to fully express themselves. Now that’s something we can dance to!
A fun and funky addition to any Halloween playlist, Missy Elliott’s Get Your Freak on is bound to get guests on the dance floor throwing a few shapes. Released back in 2001 it’s sure to induce a little nostalgia too.
Originally a joke suggested by Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers to Warren Zevon, Werewolves of London was inspired by the film of the same name and was written in about 15 minutes. Zevon’s friend Jackson Browne saw the potential in the song and began performing it himself. The track features Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood on drums and John McVie on bass.
This stream of consciousness rap is a real departure from Beyoncé’s usual pop and RnB hits. With a minimal backing track and a chilled vibe, this is ideal for a pre-party drinking sesh or spooky cocktail hour.
This 1996 song has been rediscovered in recent years thanks to an internet meme. The song was featured on Disney’s VHS Sing-Along Songs: Happy Haunting: Party at Disneyland! and paired with The Skeleton Dance, a 1929 animated short film. The music and film were once again paired on a YouTube video, attracting over 30 million views.
Originally written and released by British hard rock band Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction, Alice Cooper’s rendition of Feed My Frankenstein was released in 1992. Movie fans may remember it from the 1992 comedy, Wayne’s World.
“It’s a thief in the night to come and grab you, it can creep up inside you and consume you” these lyrics could be taken directly from a ghost story told under torch light. With a beat you can dance to, this is a must for your spooktacular playlist.
Featuring on Gaga’s multi-platinum album The Fame Monster, Monster features heavy bass and descending keyboard lines. The lyrics allude to Gaga’s fear of relationships and tendency to fall for bad boys – a concept some find just as scary as ghosts and ghouls.
This fun Halloween themed track by German singer songwriter Kim Petras more than deserves a place on your party playlist with lyrics like “There will be blood, you're gonna die. You’ll never make it, never make it through the night”.
Emblematic of the late noughties indie wave, Heads Will Roll will take you back to the days of side swept fringes, smudged mascara and nights out captured by digital cameras. Written from the perspective of the Queen of Hearts, it also provides a pretty cool costume idea.
One of Iron Maiden’s most popular hits, The Number of the Beast caused controversy among religious groups in the United States upon its release in 1982. The writer, bassist Steven Harris, was inspired by a nightmare he had after watching Damien: Omen II. Pretty spooky!
Highway to Hell was inspired by AC/DC’s gruelling touring experience. Featuring wails, growls, screeches and scratches, enthusiastically made by Bon Scott, the song possesses a unique, rebellious quality.
Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Jagger sings from the perspective of the devil boasting about his part in a number of historical atrocities. The key influences for the song were the work of French poet Baudelaire and the novel The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.
Featured on the 1980 album of the same name, Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) describes a woman becoming withdrawn from the world and descending into madness. Robert Fripp’s lead guitar work, Bowie’s familiar cockney tones and distinctive synthesized percussion combine to create a haunting track worthy of any Halloween party playlist.
An atmospheric track from Selena Gomez and music producer Marshmello, Wolves has an electric dance vibe that’s perfect for Spooktacular soirees. The lyrics allude to a consuming love affair and a desire to relive it.
Featuring Nicki Minaj, Jay Z, Rick Ross and Bon Iver, Monster boasts a pretty impressive list of contributors. Atmospheric with a distinctive drum beat, this song is a great choice for dance parties. The lyrics feature a heavy horror film influence which is reflected in the controversial music video.
Somebody’s Watching Me was released in 1984 and became a major commercial success internationally. In fact, the percussion heavy hit was Rockwell’s only top 40 hit in the UK singles chart. Rockwell’s quivering voice perfectly illustrates the fear of being watched from afar.
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