Whether you are looking to throw a large-scale Halloween celebration, need the perfect pre-game playlist, or are spending the night chilling at home, here are some gothic, spooky song and album recommendations, perfect for any Halloween occasion.
Albums
The Kentucky Vampires – The Crimson Curse
The Kentucky Vampires are a deathrock/goth rock band from… you guessed it, Kentucky. Their music is absolutely perfect for any vampire fan, especially with their 2020 album, The Crimson Curse.
The album opens with a beautiful, yet haunting organ track titled “A Marler Toccata for Organ E Minor”. The Crimson Curse is a no-skip album, each track filled with an atmosphere perfect for Halloween. Their most popular song, “Saint Vincent”, appears on the album, along with other perfectly crafted tracks such as “Silence”, “The Falling Sun”, and more. The album ends with the dark, atmospheric, and mysterious track, “Our Love Has No Goodbyes”, making for the perfect closer. The vampire-themed band is essential for any spooky occasion.
Twin Tribes – Pendulum
Twin Tribes followed up their acclaimed album Ceremony in 2024 with Pendulum. The release features their top hit “Monolith”, with a beat perfect for the goth club or any Halloween party.
Throughout the album, you can find catchy drums, beautiful synths, and deep vocals. Tracks such as “Temperance” create the perfect atmosphere, transcending the listener into a world filled with beautiful, yet simple guitars and driving synths. Another more upbeat track, similar to “Monolith”, is the incredible “Another Life”, great for dancing or just to vibe to.
Strange Boutique – The Loved One
Strange Boutique can be easily identified by their unique, swirly guitars, which work to create the perfect, almost witchy atmosphere. The Loved One is only one album in a beautifully crafted discography filled with incredible music. The band rose from the D.C. scene in the late 80s, and released music this year with their album Let The Lonely Heart Sing.
The Loved One is great for any ethereal, witchy, haunting occasion. A standout track is “A Certain Euphoria”. The intro works perfectly to build anticipation while the bassline keeps the listener centered. Monica Richards’ vocals float majestically over the atmospheric track, characterized by plenty of guitar pedals.
“Drown” is another haunting track. The song, which is also the band’s top hit, sets a ghostly scene. The vocals and instrumental have the perfect amount of contrast, and the ’90s production takes the song even further. The album’s track, “We Treat The Blindness”, continues the trend of front-and-center bass and floating, ethereal vocals. The instrumental breaks between sections allow the listener to get lost in the song.
Songs
Never Land – A Fragment – Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy’s 1987 album Floodland is home to some of their top hits. “Lucretia My Reflection” is a goth club staple, and “Dominion/Mother Russia” is an unforgettable seven-minute intro track.
The album’s outro, “Never Land – A Fragment”, features a repeating instrumental throughout; not much changes in the two minutes and 48 seconds. However, it is the perfect suspenseful and spooky track. The bassline is captivating, and the electronic elements add to the eeriness of the piece, making this the perfect Halloween track. Listeners are also able to hear the almost 12-minute version of the song with its 2006 remaster.
In The Fog – Fearing
Like the name, this song feels like a fog machine. Its synths work to make a floaty atmosphere while the drums keep the beat. The vocals in this song are deep, adding a calming yet creepy element.
“In The Fog” is perfect for any chill Halloween occasion, but also doubles as a great party song with its hard-hitting bassline.
Bela Lugosi’s Dead – Bauhaus
If you are familiar with the subculture, you probably could have guessed this one would have a place on the list. The song is too iconic to ignore, often credited as the first goth song. Its lyrics are perfect for any Halloween occasion. Standing at just under ten minutes, the song is filled with a haunting atmosphere and lyrics meant to chant along to.
Bauhaus has made a significant impact on the goth subculture and, in effect, all things spooky.
Three – The Cure
The Cure’s 1980 album, Seventeen Seconds, features plenty of great tracks, including “A Forest” and “M”. “Three” is a unique track with its deep bass, electronic sounds, and vocals that seem to sit in the background of the song rather than the forefront.
The rhythmic electronic beeps add to the tension in the track, which is already at a high. The song sounds evil and dark in the best way possible, filling the two minutes and 38 seconds with atmosphere fit for Halloween.
