11 spooky '80s songs to add to your Halloween party playlist

Bust a move to these 11 spooky songs, guaranteed to give you full '80s Halloween party nostalgia.

The costumes and decorations aren't the only spooky part about Halloween! Spooky season is not complete without a rockin' and monster mashin' Halloween playlist. Add a little bit of kooky, a lot of spooky and well, probably a few disco songs in the mix and you'll have a Halloween playlist guaranteed to get everyone looking alive.

What are some of your favorite Halloween-inspired songs?

1. "Thriller" - Michael Jackson

Release year: 1982

Let's start off with an obvious addition to any '80s Halloween playlist. "Thriller" has been the anthem of almost every Halloween party since the '80s.

2. "Somebody's Watching Me" - Rockwell

Release year: 1984

This song comes up every Halloween and is a must-add '80s throwback. "Somebody's Watching Me," features guest vocals by Michael and Jermaine Jackson. Make sure everybody's watching you when you head to the dance floor for this one.

3. "Ghostbusters" - Ray Parker Jr.

Release year: 1984

Is it really even a Halloween party if "Ghostbusters," isn't on the playlist?

4. "Sunglasses at Night" - Corey Hart

Release year: 1983

This song always stays in our heads, whether we want it to or not. Add it to your Halloween playlist: sunglasses optional.

5. "Hungry Like the Wolf" - Duran Duran

Release year: 1982

Dancing all night to this one could really work up an appetite, just be careful not to get hungry like the wolf!

6. "Pet Sematary" - Ramones

Release year: 1989

This song will you bring back to life when it comes on! Add this to your '80s playlist and be the coolest cat around.

7. "The Killing Moon" - Echo & the Bunnymen

Release year: 1983

This song has become a Halloween favorite through time. Originally released in 1983, it's still a must-have on any playlist.

8. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" - Eurythmics

Release year: 1982

Sweet dreams were not made from this music video but it is the perfect song to get everyone dancing. 


9. "Maneater" - Daryl Hall & John Oates

Release year: 1982

The saxophone solo really gets us everytime. Were you groovin' to this song in the '80s?

10. "White Wedding, Part. 1" - Billy Idol

Release year: 1982

It's a nice day for a Halloween party in 2022. Add this to your playlist for a complete '80s vibe.

11. "Maniac" - Michael Sembello

Release year: 1983

We just know you're humming this one in your head. 

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61 Comments

Nightshade1972 14 months ago
Kinda surprised that Bloodletting (The Vampire Song), by Concrete Blonde, isn't on this list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbJmWCuMiEM&ab_channel=ConcreteBlondeVEVO
bagandwallyfan52 26 months ago
https://youtu.be/ZoO4rJjQWjI
I love this song called Haunted
House by Jumping Gene Simmons from 1963.
bagandwallyfan52 26 months ago
I prefer Monster Mash by Bobby Boris
Pickett .
I also like Witch Doctor by
David Seville .
GoUTVols1961 26 months ago
The missed Guns N' Roses "Used To Love Her".
https://youtu.be/ItPj7oZFN94
frances3agape GoUTVols1961 26 months ago
YAY, Go Vols ! Let's keep the winning streak going
OldTVfanatic 26 months ago
You forgot Oingo Boingo’s Dead Man’s Party and Weird Science.
Mannixishot 26 months ago
The 80s are the best decade for music, I enjoy every song on this list.
Pacificsun Mannixishot 26 months ago
I like your avatar!



LOCATION:
https://www.metv.com/stories/which-decade-had-the-best-halloween-candy

Here's the LOCATION for Trivia Quiz (don't peek at answers first)
https://www.ultimatequizquestions.com/back-to-the-future-quiz/

Bricat2001 26 months ago
No Frankenstein by Edgar winter group?

There’s only like 2 songs in that list that’s “Halloweenish” what about hells bells by acdc? or 2 minutes to midnight by iron maiden if your looking for 80s songs?
Mac2Nite 26 months ago
Not too terribly Halloweenie... but a great list of songs nonetheless. Thanks for the memories 😊👍
Zip 26 months ago
Okay, you lost me at Sunglasses at Night, and from there is just got weirder... Hungry like the Wolf, scary? Maniac??

Has the MeTV staff never heard of The Cure? ANY of their songs are scarier than the ones on this list.

An early Cure song:

Zip Zip 26 months ago
And a later one:



And still no Jan Terri - Get Down Goblin on a list like this?
jvf 26 months ago
This list is terrible. Most of these aren't Halloween material. Not even a mention of Monster Mash.
MichaelVegas 26 months ago
How is Maniac a song about a poor woman who dances in a club a "Horror Song" On you interesting face Ola Ray then woman in the Thriller video was a Nude Playboy model when she got the gig
daDoctah MichaelVegas 26 months ago
Maniac was originally written about a serial killer. They changed up the lyrics to make it more commercial.

Which reminds me: "Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads.
JKMallaber 26 months ago
How about "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" (Napoleon XIV) or "The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum)" (Fun Boy Three)

Pretty sure the second one came out in the early 80s, Take Me Away in the 60s.
Dave 26 months ago
The cast of THE MUNSTERS put out an album in the 60's. One song done by Fred Gwynne is "IT TAKES ALL KIND OF PEOPLE" is really cute.
justjeff 26 months ago
"Spooky" songs for Halloween? I'll stick with the 50s and 60s classics... "Witch Doctor" (David Seville), "Purple People Eater" (Sheb Wooley), "Haunted House" (Jumpin' Gene Simmons), "Monster Mash" (Bobby "Boris" Pickett), "Dinner with Drac" (Zacherle), "Peek a Boo" (The Cadillacs) , ""Laurie (Strange Things Happen)" Dickey Lee, "The Blob" (The Five Blobs), "I Put a Spell on You" ("Screamin' Jay Hawkins") and the cult favorite "I Want My Baby Back" by Jimmy Cross...
Dave justjeff 26 months ago
Don't forget WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD by Screamin' Jay Hawkins! Also check out Bob McFadden's I DIG YOU BABY, KNIVES AND LOVERS by Frankie Stein & His Ghouls, & THE LURCH by Ted Cassidy.
justjeff Dave 26 months ago
...and I'd omitted "The Mummy" by Bob McFadden and Dor (Rod McKuen)...
Pacificsun justjeff 26 months ago
I looked all over for you!



LOCATION:
https://www.metv.com/stories/which-decade-had-the-best-halloween-candy

LOCATION: Answers to the Quiz Trivia (STOP if you want to play)
https://www.ultimatequizquestions.com/back-to-the-future-quiz/


justjeff Pacificsun 26 months ago
A lot of things going on... making preparations for a prostate procedure on Thursday, plus I'd pulled a muscle in my back a few days ago... and just now feeling a bit of relief. I just looked over the quiz, and would only have got half of them right... but I also went to look at the multiple choice quiz and it triggered a few more answers... althought I still came up blank on others...
Pacificsun justjeff 26 months ago
My concern for your ailments. Hoping for the best.

Thank you for responding. Hope today, at least, is enjoyable. Take care!!
justjeff Pacificsun 26 months ago
I appreciate the good wishes. God willing, all will be well with a little time and rest...
Dave 26 months ago
Halloween songs are almost 100 years old. Here’s a great album with songs from the 20’s & 30’s!
LDM1376 26 months ago
How come no one's agreeing with the Ramones pick? "Pet Sematary" definitely belongs on this list. As well as "Somebody's Watching Me", "Thriller"and "Ghostbusters". I'd replace the other songs with "No One Lives Forever", "Insanity", "Imposter" and "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo and "Chain Saw" and "I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement" by The Ramones. Practically anything by The Cramps can be added, but I'll go with "Goo Goo Muck", "Human Fly" and "I Was a Teenage Werewolf". And I'll end with "I Put a Spell on You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins.
Dave 26 months ago
I've found some really cool vintage Halloween songs on iTunes: One album is Halloween Ragtime and the other is Vintage Halloween Party. A few other songs I have on my Halloween mix? NIGHT by Jackie Wilson, UP THE NECK by The Pretenders, MR. WEREWOLF by The Kac Ties, AAA! by They Might Be Giants, BELIEVE by Here Come The Mummies, BATMAN, WOLFMAN, FRANKENSTEIN & DRACULA by The Diamonds, THE BLOB by The Five Blobs, & DARK LADY by Cher. I have a 13 hour music mix on my iPod of Halloween music so I could be here all day.
TimothyMadigan 26 months ago
Songs or videos??
Halloween-themed, or ghost or other horror-genre themed, vidoes, sure. Almost all of them have some of that (horror-stalker for some).
But outside of Thriller and Ghostbusters, none of them are horror/Halloween themed or even related songs.
Barry22 26 months ago
This a a ridiculous list. Thriller and Ghostbusters yes. The others, not so much so. I did like Echo and The Bunnymen back in the day. And don't forget, Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker for Ghostbusters, and won.
JimmyD 26 months ago
How are any of these "spooky". The only one that even comes within a hundred miles of "spooky" is Thriller.
musicman37 JimmyD 26 months ago
How abut "Witch Queen of New Orleans" by Redbone?
Michael musicman37 26 months ago
Come and get your love!
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