Best Halloween playlists on Spotify and Apple Music

Hand holding a Space Gray iPhone X with a Halloween Playlist open on Apple Music
Hand holding a Space Gray iPhone X with a Halloween Playlist open on Apple Music (Image credit: Luke Filipowicz / iMore)

Halloween is here, and what better way to set the mood than with the best Halloween playlists on Spotify and Apple Music? Each playlist has different songs that go from rap to classical music, or just plain scary sounds, that you can listen to on your iPhone, or blast it on your computer speakers.

Best Halloween playlists on Spotify

Spotify app

Spotify app (Image credit: iMore)
  • HORROR WAVE: This playlist strikes a perfect balance between groovy scores from 70s and 80s horror films and more modern artists like Symmetry, MGMT, and Kavinsky. It's haunting, lullabye-esque, and a bit psychedelic — think wearing a retro cocktail dress at an art school Halloween party, hosted by the girl whose apartment is lit exclusively by neon.
  • Halloween: This is the Halloween playlist middle school me would make. It's moody and melodramatic, and features soundtrack hits from movies like Nightmare Before Christmas and Sucker Punch, as well as original songs from Deftones, Melanie Martinez, Depeche Mode, and more. Plus, it starts out with a beautiful version of Sarah Sanderson's "Come Little Children" from the best Halloween movie of all time, Hocus Pocus.
  • Headbanger Halloween: This is the ideal Halloween playlist for lovers of classic rock. If you're looking for the collection of tracks that Dean Winchester would be bumpin' in his Chevy Impala, this is absolutely it. Every prince of darkness from Alice Cooper to Ozzy Osbourne is accounted for.
  • Classical Halloween: For a more "lavish Victorian vampire wandering the castle" vibe, consider this playlist. It features experimental composers like György Ligeti, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Iannis Xenakis, so there are lots of blood-curdling string bits that definitely make you feel like you're going to turn the wrong corner in the hedge maze and run into Dracula.
  • Halloween Rap: This playlist is composed of the spookiest of raps by artists from OutKast to Kid Cudi to Kool Keith's alien surgeon alter-ego Dr. Octagon. It's great to chill to, but it's explicit, so it's not a good one for a party with kiddos unless your kiddos don't mind swearing. The only complaint I have about this playlist is that "Satan" by goth rap outfit BLKHRTS isn't on it (but you can find that one on SoundCloud and insert it in wherever you see fit).
  • Rockabilly Halloween: Ever want to feel like you're at a little dive bar eating fried pickles but also the devil is right on your tail ready to collect your everlasting soul? This is a great playlist for that. A mixture of new and old rockabilly alike, this collection features The Horrorpops, Kip Tyler, and the legendary Screamin' Jay Hawkins of "I Put A Spell On You" fame.
  • Joyce's Halloween House Party: Inspired by the 80s vibes of Stranger Things, this playlist pretty much has all the classics. It seamlessly blends favorites like "Thriller," the Ghostbuster's theme and Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me" with modern additions like Florence and the Machine's hauntingly gorgeous "Seven Devils."
  • Trick or Treat: Not every playlist has to be scary, and this one is the perfect example. If you're looking for lighter music to play around the house or for your kids, you'll find a great selection in the Trick or Treat playlist.
  • Scary Stories: If you really want to get spooked, then you should try listening to Scary Stories. This playlist has a bunch of short and long scary stories that will let your imagination go wild.
  • ASMR Halloween: Whether you like ASMR or not, listening to someone whispering in your ear takes the scares to a whole new level. You'll find different scary stories and some not so scary sounds to both feel fright and calm at the same time.
  • Halloween Sounds: This is by far one of the scariest playlists I've heard. Halloween Sounds is much more than what you're thinking. It's a combination of ambient sounds that'll make you feel eerie and scared. Just do yourself a favor and don't listen to it at night like I did.

Best Halloween Playlists on Apple Music

Apple Music on iPhone

Apple Music on iPhone (Image credit: iMore)
  • Halloween Party: Apple's newest Halloween playlist that promises to capture the spooky spirit with a wide variety of different music. Classics like Michael Jackson's Thriller and the Ghostbusters theme song grace the list, but so do some pop and rock anthems like Lady Gaga's Monster and Howlin' for you by The Black Keys.
  • Halloween Screenfest!: Nothing makes a good horror movie like a fantastic score, and spooky films have had some great ones. Throw this playlist on if you're in the mood for some spooky soundtrack vibes and listen to haunting tunes from classic horror films like Jaws, Pet Sematary, and Alien!
  • Halloween After Dark: This is a more alternative rock-focused playlist for those who don't necessarily want the super predictable stuff ("Monster Mash") but still want on-theme tracks people will be able to recognize and sing along to. It features artists like the Eagles, David Bowie, and the Ramones.
  • Halloween: I know, I know, I can hear you from my desk: "Now! is still making music compilations?!" Of course, they are. Why would they ever stop? They're clearly great at it, and this playlist is no exception. The team has condensed the musical essence of Halloween from the past 40 years and made it accessible in as few tracks as possible, so this is a good one for a short get-together where you only want to listen to the hits.
  • Disney's Halloween Tunes for Your Little Trick-or-Treaters: If you're hosting a Halloween party or event for your little ones this year, this playlist is the one to go with. It's also the one to go with if you're not hosting a kid's party but you love singing Disney songs and just want to enjoy yourself because you know who you are and you like having fun.
  • Halloween by Urban Outfitters: If you've ever been inside an Urban Outfitters, then you can probably guess what this playlist sounds like: indie and weird, while still maintaining some mainstream cool. It's a really good blend of less accessible but beautiful songs by artists like Arca and Burial and more recognizable tracks by Kanye West and Nine Inch Nails.
  • Spooky Sounds of Halloween: If you want something less musical and more haunted house-y, this is the playlist for you. It's got every creepy sound effect from horrible, cringe-inducing Poltergeist static to werewolf roars.
  • Spooky Classical for Halloween: Unlike the stranger and more disconcerting classical playlist in the Spotify section, this playlist is better fits the bill of what you'd expect when someone says "classical music," pipe organs and all. It features heavy hitters like Bach, Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky and Mozart.

Thoughts?

What are your best Halloween playlists? Share them with us in the comments!

Tory Foulk

Tory Foulk is a writer at Mobile Nations. She lives at the intersection of technology and sorcery and enjoys radio, bees, and houses in small towns. When she isn't working on articles, you'll likely find her listening to her favorite podcasts in a carefully curated blanket nest. You can follow her on Twitter at @tsfoulk.