Recommendation of Scary Music: That Song That’s Actually Frightening
One facet of music as an art form is that it can evoke fear—just hearing it can send chills down your spine.
In this article, we’re spotlighting a range of pieces under the theme of scary music.
From classic horror movie theme songs to classical music at the core, plus rock and popular music, we’ve curated a wide selection! Some tracks might not seem particularly scary when you’re just listening, but once you learn the backstory, they suddenly become terrifying… You might make discoveries like that.
Be sure to check it out!
- A seemingly scary nursery rhyme: a children’s song that gives you the chills when you hear it
- Chills down your spine. A collection of Vocaloid songs that are scary but irresistibly listenable.
- Anime songs to listen to on Halloween: Theme and insert songs from anime about yokai and ghosts
- [If You Can Sing These, You're Amazing!] Cool Karaoke Songs for Women
- A collection of cool songs that sound great when sung by women, originally male songs
- [Played in the Parks] A Special Feature on Iconic and Popular Songs from Disney Halloween
- [Fun] A Collection of Children’s Songs Featuring “Ghosts”
- Hits you hard! A collection of dark and cool Vocaloid songs
- Vocaloid Halloween Song Special [Trick or Treat]
- Yami songs recommended for women
- [Yandere] A Special Feature on Chilling Vocaloid Love Songs
Recommendation of Terrifying Music: Those Actually Scary Songs (21–30)
The Beautiful PeopleMarilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson, with a voice and appearance straight out of a horror manga.
The lyrics sarcastically call the modern people steeped in capitalism and materialism “the beautiful people,” and the upbeat groove makes it an incredibly cool metal classic.
The music video’s parade of eerie, over-the-top costumes also makes it a fun watch.
Succession of WitchesNobuo Uematsu
The witch’s theme from Final Fantasy VIII, released by Square in 1999.
Built on a peculiar organ-based melody with operatic female chorus layered on top, the eerie piece frequently played throughout the game as a theme conveying the terror of the witch.
Recommendation of Terrifying Music: Actually Scary Songs (31–40)
The Shining ThemeWendy Carlos
This is the theme song from the horror film The Shining, based on a novel by Stephen King and directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Wendy Carlos, who won acclaim for performing Bach on synthesizer, provides the music that complements Jack Nicholson’s chilling portrayal of the protagonist, a writer who loses his sanity as he works on his novel.
The combination of classical training and the eerie effects of the synthesizer matches the film perfectly.
Chrome Plated Megaphone of DestinyFrank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention
A piece composed by the American maverick guitarist Frank Zappa, inspired by Franz Kafka—the Czech writer famous for absurdist novels like The Metamorphosis and The Trial—and based on his short story In the Penal Colony.
It is a surrealist work of music that depicts the human mind, and as you listen, it fills you with a growing sense of unease.
It’s a haunting performance that suggests the scariest thing of all may be the human subconscious.
The music video is eerie as well.
In the House, In a HeartbeatJohn Murphy
The theme song from the 2002 British film “28 Days Later.” Directed by Danny Boyle, it portrays the lives of survivors in a devastated city where a virus that attacks the brain turns people violent.
The score throughout is by John Murphy; though the melody is simple, centered on piano and guitar, it aptly captures the desolate, depopulated landscape of London.
Grim Grinning GhostsBuddy Baker
The theme played in the Disneyland attraction “Haunted Mansion.” It was created by Buddy Baker, who handled a great deal of Disney music, including Winnie the Pooh.
The music perfectly matches the attraction’s setting of a mansion inhabited by 999 ghosts, and it likely brings back nostalgic memories for many.
The idea of basing it on country music makes it a very interesting piece as well.
Solaris ThemeEdward Artemiev
The main theme from Andrei Tarkovsky’s Russian film Solaris.
The music is by Eduard Artemyev, known as the father of electronic music in the former Soviet Union.
This piece is an electronic rendition of Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (BWV 639),” and its austere, eerie melody suits the film’s theme—where the darkness of the human heart takes form—very well.