WRITTEN BY NALIJAH DANIELS
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Long have I been a fan of the unsettling and spooky, making Halloween one of my favorite times of the year. Although I haven’t gone down every horror rabbit hole, my ear will always perk up at a haunting tune. Songs that are eerie enough to raise hairs on my arms even if I’m just on my morning commute.
Music doesn’t shine within Halloween culture because we associate the holiday with movie soundtrack tunes. No matter how insanely iconic “Calling All the Monsters” is, it’s not always the right spooky vibe. You may be seeking more subtle music.
Here are five haunting songs that aren’t quite kid-friendly trick-or-treat anthems. It’s a woman-dominated list, proving that we know how to manipulate the horrors to create beautiful art!
“Control” by Halsey
My personal favorite, and one of the first to open my ears to this undefined genre. The minor-key vocal layering mimics spirits or psychological terror. The storytelling, surrounding a woman succumbing to these voices, transports the listener to a bonfire watching someone with a flashlight under their face.
“House” by Charli XCX (featuring John Cale)
This new classic cemented itself as the most popular in this undefined genre after being the lead single of the blockbuster Wuthering Heights (2026) soundtrack. It went on to inspire a TikTok trend about the horrors we each face with the creaking orchestral melody turned bass-heavy beat as the perfect background music.
“Is This Real?” by Lisa Hall
From a different soundtrack, Practical Magic (1998), and although often watched during the Halloween season, this song is more witchy than it is scary. Lisa Hall sounds like she’s conjuring up a spell that causes this hallucination. I’m itching to check out the sequel’s soundtrack to see if there’s a new hit.
“Madhouse” by Little Mix
For the pop listeners! Haunting doesn’t necessarily mean slowed, minor-key and bass-heavy. This is the most on-the-nose of this list, but Halloween is often camp in this glam way. Imagine escaping from a cell somehow wearing luxury and running down dark alleyways to escape evil scientist in masks to really get into the vision.
“Haunted” by Laura Les
From one-half of the 100 Gecs duo, the song’s title says it all. There’s even a sheet ghost with a skull mask in the music video. I discovered this hit when it was featured in Euphoria, and understood Lexi––the introverted, creative, goody-two-shoes––a whole lot more. As a hyperpop fan, this was naturally up my alley, but spooky season is the perfect time to dive in if you haven’t yet!
