The nights turn darker, the air feels cooler, and spooky season arrives. People carve the pumpkins, finalise the costumes, and turn their attention toward sorting out the ultimate Halloween playlist. A great mix needs enough power to make even the afterlife dance.
2025’s Halloween soundtrack requires more than just decades-old classics; it demands a fusion of those iconic tracks with fresh pop anthems and the most viral sounds currently dominating TikTok.
We guide you through assembling a playlist that blends stone-cold hits with contemporary artists reflecting this year’s top costume trends, like Wednesday, Wicked, and the K-Pop Demon Hunters phenomenon.
The Stone-Cold Classics: Time Out’s Hall of Haunts
Certain anthems have long defined the spooky season. Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ remains the most iconic Halloween track, an undisputed perennial staple.
Although it peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100 in 1984, the song feels essential to the season. Another classic, ‘Monster Mash’ by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers, holds the title of best Halloween track to dance to, known for its goofy, endearing vibe, and was a Hot 100 No. 1 hit.
We cannot skip ‘Ghostbusters’ by Ray Parker Jr., a campy, party-starting No. 1 hit from 1984. We also must include Rockwell’s 1983 hit, ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’.
This track brings certified Halloween energy thanks to its eerie nature, paranoid lyrics, and the appearance of Michael Jackson on the hook.
For those wanting a little rock and roll grit, look to The Cramps’ ‘Goo Goo Muck’. This song has long served as a Halloween go-to, with lyrics about turning into a “Goo Goo Muck” when the sun goes down to hunt out people to eat.
Modern Anthems: Connecting Music to 2025 Costume Trends
A great Halloween playlist needs tracks matching the biggest current cultural moments and trending costumes. This year sees strong themes of dark academia, modern witches, and demon slayers.
The Wednesday Effect
Jenna Ortega’s iconic dance as Wednesday Addams in the 2023 Netflix series used ‘Goo Goo Muck’ as its backtrack, guaranteeing the song a massive resurgence. We include this rock ’n’ roll banger in the modern section because Wednesday cemented it as a modern spooky necessity.
Pop Vampire Royalty
Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Vampire’ belongs on any modern haunted playlist. This epic pop song, which hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 2023, explores heartbreak, rage, and calls someone a “blood sucker”. People can easily relate to the feeling of someone sinking their teeth into them.
Slasher Pop and Bewitching Melodies
Lady Gaga is Mother Monster, serving up spectacular, spooky pop. We put her track ‘Abracadabra’ on this list as Time Out lists it as the best new Halloween anthem. Its stomping beats and soaring refrain will blow out the cobwebs at any party.
For a truly sinister pop moment, include Kim Petras’s ‘There Will Be Blood’. This seductively sinister single cemented Petras’s position as the princess of slasher pop. The song features lyrics of impending doom chasing down its victim over club-rocking synths.
If you are dressing up as any form of demon, you need Imagine Dragons’ ‘Demons’. This track brings a fist-pumping, haunted vibe and peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100.
K-Pop Demon Hunters Domination
The K-Pop Demon Hunters trend is huge, and the song ‘Golden’ by HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI, and the KPop Demon Hunters Cast, appears on October 2025 viral hit charts. This song is enjoying chart dominance, making it an essential, high-ranking pop inclusion.
Viral Sounds of October 2025: TikTok Tracks
TikTok’s algorithm prioritises familiarity, meaning jumping on songs on the rise gives your post more visibility. Including sounds trending in October 2025 ensures your playlist feels current.
- ‘Halloween (Trap Remix)’ by The Trap Remix Guys is trending right now. Creators and brands use this spooky remix to spotlight Halloween-themed products and events, or to show off their costume ideas.
- ‘I Really Want It’ by The Red Collective is a perfect choice for unboxing moments or showcasing must-have items. The lyrics, “I really, really want that,” capture that craving feeling.
- ‘Prepare to be Sickkahh Me’ by Kym Jenkins carries a cheeky, unapologetic energy. It makes listeners want to step into the spotlight and own the moment with lyrics like, “I’m here, I’m me, and I’m not apologizing for it”. This sound perfectly soundtracks the ultimate confidence moment before heading out to the party.
The 2025 Neon Music Haunted Hits Playlist
We present a blend of classic, terrifying, and trending tracks to ensure your 2025 Halloween party goes hard.
| Classic/Themed Hits | Artist | Why it Ranks | |
| Thriller | Michael Jackson | Most iconic Halloween track. | |
| Monster Mash | Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers | Best track for dancing, a goofy classic. | |
| Ghostbusters | Ray Parker Jr. | A campy, party-starting No. 1 hit. | |
| Somebody’s Watching Me | Rockwell | Eerie certified Halloween hit featuring Michael Jackson. | |
| I Put a Spell on You | Screamin’ Jay Hawkins | A classic choice for spooky ambiance. | |
| Disturbia | Rihanna | A 2008 classic with twisting melodies and a horror movie-like scream. | |
| She Wolf | Shakira | Sexy, spooky, and a timeless classic that fills the dancefloor. | |
| (You’re the) Devil in Disguise | Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires | A rollicking hit with a seasonal word in the title. |
| 2025 Pop Anthems & Costume Trends | Artist | Why it Ranks | |
| Goo Goo Muck | The Cramps | Cemented by the iconic Wednesday Addams dance. | |
| Vampire | Olivia Rodrigo | Modern pop hit for the blood-sucker trend; hit No. 1 on the Hot 100. | |
| Abracadabra | Lady Gaga | Best new Halloween anthem; a bewitching floorfiller. | |
| There Will Be Blood | Kim Petras | Seductively sinister slasher pop. | |
| Golden | HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI, KPop Demon Hunters Cast | Dominating charts, capitalizing on the K-Pop Demon Hunters trend. |
| Viral TikTok Tracks (October 2025) | Artist | Why it Ranks | |
| Halloween (Trap Remix) | The Trap Remix Guys | Currently trending for costume reveal videos and events. | |
| Prepare to be Sickkahh Me | Kym Jenkins | Cheeky and unapologetic energy, great for owning the moment. | |
| I Really Want It | The Red Collective | Perfect audio for showcasing a must-have item or costume reveal. | |
| Watermelon – iPhone Demo | John + Jane Q. Public | Trending for expressing frustration or emotional exhaustion with absurdity. | |
| Marz | DeeBaby | Smooth, lo-fi trap energy for “I made it” moments. |