Halloween is coming up, and besides being geared toward experimenting with identity
through fashion and makeup, it’s also a time to reflect our individual senses of culture through
music. With the rise of popular Halloween movies, Tiktok, Spotify, and memes, it’s easy to find
something that can reflect each sense of self in a way that is a mix of all different forms of genre,
beats, and tempos.
One reason why many people gravitate towards these spooky vibes is because they evoke
powerful emotions, whether it be sadness, grief, loss, or the in-between of all these feelings. For
example, slowing down and adding acoustics to more painful, sad songs makes a huge impact.
This is very popular, as it can be seen through tons of covers found across genres and time. What
is cool about all of these songs is that their main singers are female role models who are pushing
the genre of sound and experimenting with ideas around sexuality and stereotypes by laying into
it.
If you’re feeling the classics, “Thriller,” by Michael Jackson; “Somebody’s Watching
Me,” by Rockwell; and “Superstition,” by Stevie Wonder, are pop, jazzy classics that play with
the baseline, with choruses that stand the test of time.
If you want your playlist to be inspired by spooky movies and television shows, try
“Season of the Witch,” by Donovan; “Heads Will Roll,” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs; and “You
Should See Me in A Crown,” by Billie Eilish, which was featured in the end-credits of “Agatha
All Along.” “Wednesday” featured the cult-classic “Goo Goo Muck” by the Cramps during the
iconic scene featuring Jenna Ortega sporting some groovy moves. This scene was remixed to
“Bloody Mary” by Lady Gaga by many TikTok creators, also gives off a super spooky vibe. Of
course, the snaps in “The Addams Family” will also forever be iconic. Lastly, “Maneater” by
Nelly Furtado was featured in “Challengers,” and the harmonies are one to get
audiences chills.
Two other songs I believe are worth a listen include “La Llorona” by Chavela Vargas and
“Brujería” by El Gran Combo. These pieces comment on Latin superstitions passed
down from generation to generation.
For newer options, anything with a slow beat can have its cool version to play with.
“I Can See You” (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift can represent the shadows of partners’ past
lingering in the hallways. “Seven Nations Army” by The White Stripes’ reverb, with the drums,
can represent those coming to get someone from the underworld. The band Motionless In White
plays with the sound of a jack-in-the-box to build suspense in the intro of their song “BFBTG:
Corpse Nation.” “Disturbia” by Rihanna also plays with the feeling of being in a haunted house
or graveyard during Halloween. “Joke’s On You” by Charlotte Lawrence also has the same feel
as “I Put A Spell on You” from the original “Hocus Pocus” soundtrack.
Perhaps that’s what’s cool about Halloween, we all have a space in which to embody our
true voices. By putting on a mask for the night, we might just gain a better glimpse of who we
are or who we want to be.
