10 Best Halloween Songs

Halloween songs are an essential part of the scariest holiday of the year. You can find that some of our 10 best Halloween songs date back as far as 50 years, providing that Halloween will never go out of the style.

Be sure to listen to these Halloween song classics on AOL Radio’s Halloween station.

10. ‘Welcome to My Nightmare’ – Alice Cooper

This disco-sounding track — fusing rock with Broadway tunes — is the opening song to his same-titled album that tells the nightmares of a fictional child named Steven. The single – written by Cooper and Dick Wagner — reached No. 45 on the Billboard Top 100. In 1978, Alice Cooper performed the song on the third season of ‘The Muppet Show.’

09. ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ – Blue Oyster Cult

This Halloween song favorite was built around the opening riff by lead the main guitarist Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser .who wrote (and sang on) the hit single, says the lyrics are about love, not suicide. In 1976, the single reached No. 12 on the U.S. charts, making it their most successful album.

08. ‘Cry Little Sister’ – Gerard McMann

‘Cry Little Sister’ is the theme song for the vampire thriller film, ‘The Lost Boys.’ The song was originally recorded by Gerard McMahon (who goes by the name Gerard McMann) for the soundtrack and was later covered by Seattle-band Aiden in the sequel.

07. ‘Ghostbusters’ – Ray Parker Jr.

Parker had only two days to write down the theme song for the “Ghost Busters”. The lyrics came to him while he was watching a TV infomercial. He got that idea from the phone number flashing across the screen for the lyrics: ‘Who You Gonna Call?’ It stayed at top of the list for nearly three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.

06. ‘Monster Mash’ – Bobby (Boris) Pickett

No. 6 on our Halloween songs countdown derived from Pickett’s monologue-rendition of horror film actor Boris Karloff while he and his band were performing a song by The Diamonds. The ‘Monster Mash’ single reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 20, 1962.

05. ‘Dragula’ – Rob Zombie

“Helibilly Deluxe” was Zombie’s premiere solo album, which also featured his other sit single, “Living Dead Girl”. Based on the drag racers the “Dragula” in TV sitcom and “The Munsters”, the classical song reached No.5 in the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks in the year 1998.

04. ‘Time Warp’ – Richard O’Brien

“Time Warp” featured in the cult flick, “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. The song has been covered by artists Alvin and the Chipmunks. The British Pop group Black Lace, the Mastermixers, and Bunny, and Sebastian Bach of Skid Row.

03. Grim Grinning Ghosts (The Screaming Song) – Buddy Baker and Xavier Atencio

Sound vaguely familiar? That’s because this Halloween song is the theme for the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney Theme Park. There are different variations of songs on the ride by Atencio in the graveyard. 

02. ‘Thriller’ – Michael Jackson

It was written by Rod Temperton and Quincy Jones Producer. This song reached No.4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles, and No.1 on the R&R singles charts. No way to have Halloween song without an epic 14-minute video. It’s full of zombie-like jazz moves, which was choreographed by Michael Jackson and Michael Peters. It also includes the actor Vincent Price, who known for his distinctive voice in horror films.

01. ‘This Is Halloween’ – Danny Elfman

This song was composed by Danny Elfman, and it was covered by Marilyn Mason in 2006, and also used in the video game “Kingdom Hearts”. It was nominated for the best original score in the year 1993 for Golden Globes.

What are Your Favorite Halloween Songs?

Let us know your top favorite Halloween songs in the comments. Plus don’t miss our Halloween party music playlist as well as AOL’s Best Halloween Videos. AOL’s Holidash also has great celeb Halloween costume ideas and DIY costume ideas.