7 Spooky Bangers and Monster Mash-Ups
Halloween songs are like horror movies. There are some great ones, some okay ones and some that are so bad it’s scaaaary. With so many options out there, you may be overwhelmed by choices as you assemble a playlist for your Halloween party. I’ve assembled a few songs with a spooky vibe that aren’t so mainstream (I’m a Halloween hipster) that you might want to listen to during your party.
1.) Canon in D Minor vs. Run This Town
Though you might not know Canon in D by name, it’s the first tune you think of when you imagine a scary castle getting struck by lightning. Paired with Jay-Z’s “Run This Town,” Canon In D sounds cool, and the mash-up will more than make up for any initial awkwardness that might occur due the first 30 seconds of this song being just creepy organ music.
2.) Ghostbusters (Victor Niglio Remix)
If you’re like me and want your Ghostbusters theme with an electro bounce beat, then A) I’m so sorry and B) boy do I have the song for you. Though the millisecond pauses in the song to sample Ray Parker Jr. saying “no ghosts” is a little cheesy even for me, I could definitely see people bouncing their head to this on the dancefloor in a “What drugs is this DJ on?” sort of way.
3.) Thriller (Eric Prydz Remix)
Thriller is considered to be one of the most iconic songs of all time. So who would dare try to top something already so great? As it turns out, a lot of people with varying results. This next song only tweaks the song slightly — it’s slightly faster and has some subtle electro music in the background. The end result isn’t a showstopper, but definitely is something supremely danceable. I like this song for two reasons. 1) It’s not just a sample of MJ saying “Thriller” on repeat. 2) It puts Vincent Price’s narration of “Funk of the Forty Thousand Years” in the middle and acts almost as the drop for the second (and frankly better) half of the song.
4.) Werewolves of London (Covered by THE Adam Sandler)
I added this partly because I felt like people would get mad if they left this article without hearing an unquestionably good song. I think this is the only song on this list I could play to my parents without them hanging their head in shame. This might not work in a dance party setting, but it definitely wouldn’t be out of place playing in the background of a casual Halloween dorm party or a basement pong scene. Some might see the fact it’s being sung by Adam Sandler as a caveat, but I see it as a bonus feature. He sincerely sounds really good.
5.) Bad Voodoo - Kreeps
This song is actually from the videogame DLC Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare. I mention this fact because it’s a great icebreaker with the opposite sex. (Editor’s note: it isn’t.) Song origins aside, it’s a good mix of spooky, Western and surfer music. It’s worth listening to mostly because you probably didn’t know there was such a thing as a “good mix” of those three things.
6 & 7.) Ghostbusters vs. Get Low & Ghostbusters vs. Gangnam Style
I don’t know what possessed Gustav Krantz to mash up “Ghostbusters” with Lil Jon’s ode to misogyny, “Get Low,” but the two blend in surprisingly well, musically speaking. Now you can simultaneously celebrate Halloween and debate whether it’s ethically sound to dance to these lyrics.
If you prefer Halloween sans female objectification, try this other mash-up:
Bonus Jamz
These songs would be great if you want everyone to clear out your Halloween party as inhumanely as possible.
1.) Thriller (Covered by Imogen Heap)
So you used my Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare pick-up line from before, and surprise, surprise worked. Now you want to play a slow song to set the mood, all the while reminding your partner that it’s still Halloween. I would suggest playing Imogen Heap’s acoustic cover of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” It sounds beautiful, but the song becomes less of a soundtrack to breakdancing zombies and more a soundtrack to the recently dead that just need a hug.
2.) Bumps Gonna Goose Ya (feat. Jack Black)
This next song, made as a promo for the just-released “Goosebumps” movie, is by all accounts a terrible song. I would know, I’ve listened to it at least 30 times, seven of which were before I even had the idea for this article. If Jack Black’s commitment to facial gymnastics singing “Bumps gonna goose ya,” and “Viewer beware, you’re in for a scare GooOOOOooosebumps” doesn’t put him in some sort of musical hall of fame, I don’t know what will. There are so many other terrible/amazing things about this video (the rap recapping the plot of the movie, the ghost backup dancers who can’t dance) that I don’t have the word count allotment to cover, but I encourage you to watch this for the gem it is.
3.) Harry Potter (Phutur’s Trap Remix)
This last song, a trap remix of the spooky Harry Potter theme song, almost speaks for itself. The only thing I’ll say is that listening to it puts a giant smile on my face, and not because it’s any good (because it isn’t).