It’s so easy to say that 2020 has sucked. In a lot of ways, it has. However, I refuse to let it ruin my favorite month (October) during my favorite season (fall).
Think about it: you can still have an awesome time at home watching some of the best movies cinema has released (horror movies), and you can throw a kickass dance party in your pj’s or those leggings you’ve already worn for five days in a row now.
If you need a soundtrack for that dance party, or just for something to have on in the car while you make this week’s grocery run, I’ve got the October soundtrack you need this season.
These 31 songs will make your October, trust me. Download them.
- Type O Negative – “Wolf Moon”: This band is going to show up a few times here because they pretty much own the season for me, but here’s a good start. “Wolf Moon” eludes to moon and wolf imagery and has a wonderfully creepy sound.
- Fleetwood Mac – “Dreams”: Mystical Stevie knew what she was doing when she wrote this song. She was providing a dreamy soundtrack for a magically witchy season. TikTok has made it pretty unforgettable this year too.
- Opeth – “Harvest”: “Into the orchard I walk, peering way past the gate. Wilted scenes for us who couldn’t wait.” This song was made for people who love fall.
- Kanye West – “Monster”: Kanye has Rick Ross, Jay-Z, and arguably one of Nicki Minaj’s most memorable verses of her career on this tune. It’s a fantastic six minute long metaphor for humans as monsters.
- Rob Zombie – “Dragula”: Okay, honestly, any Rob Zombie song would be fine for this playlist, but this is one of my favorites.
- Black Sabbath – “Black Sabbath”: A musical ode to an actual paranormal experience that Geezer Butler had? Sign me up!
- Mötley Crüe – “Shout At The Devil”: Because, duh.
- Type O Negative – “Halloween In Heaven”: An ode to rockstars lost, and yet it reminds of The Nightmare Before Christmas too since it talks about “Christmas in Hell.”
- Frank Zappa – “Caramillo Brillo”: This is a fun four minute song dedicated to a very witchy woman who ends up being pretty seductive somehow.
- Slayer – “Dead Skin Mask”: A tribute to Ed Gein? I’m in! Although, just about any Slayer song would do for this playlist as well.
- Billie Eilish – “bury a friend”: Gruesome lyrics mixed with a wonderfully creepy set of heavy beats? Perfect for a dance party.
- Iron Maiden – “Number Of The Beast”: An entire song about a dream that included the devil. What’s not “October” about this?
- Tyler, The Creator – “Translyvania”: This is on the list for lyrical content and sound for sure.
- Marilyn Manson – “Say10”: Say the title a few times until you get what it’s really referring too. There’s some creepy biblical references here.
- My Chemical Romance – “Helena”: Not only are they still fresh on everyone’s mind here, but you can recover from the fact that they didn’t get to do much of that anniversary tour with this on your playlist.
- Nas – “Hip Hop Is Dead”: A creepy Iron Butterfly sample mixed with a critique on its own musical genre? I’m in!
- Ozzy Osbourne – “Bark At The Moon”: This is here for the wolf references for sure. However, any Ozzy tune would do really.
- Ozzy Osbourne – “Scary Little Green Men”: If you want some new Ozzy in the mix, go for this one.
- Pantera – “Cowboys From Hell”: This was Pantera’s introduction to the world, and they did it with some cowboy ghosts of Texas behind them I’m sure. It’s wickedly awesome.
- Rihanna – “Disturbia”: How creepy can the mind get? Just ask this song by RiRi. It’s danceable too.
- The Rolling Stones – “Symphony For The Devil”: While I prefer the Guns N’ Roses version from Interview With The Vampire, you can’t ignore an original.
- Type O Negative – “Black No. 1”: It was supposed to poke fun at goth culture, and yet we’ve adopted it as an anthem.
- AC/DC – “Hells Bells”: The title says enough, but it’s that famous intro that we want this on any October playlist for.
- Butcher Babies – “Monster’s Ball”: It’ll pump you up with that catchy hook for sure!
- The Animals – “House Of The Rising Sun”: We still don’t know what exactly this “house” actually was in New Orleans (a brothel? a jail?), but we know it saw some serious trauma. This makes for a creepy selection.
- Smashing Pumpkins – “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”: Um, “the world is a vampire.” Who hasn’t felt that way? Need I say more?
- Aerosmith – “Seasons Of Wither”: A must have to honor fall, in my opinion.
- Eagles – “Hotel California”: For the dinner party that you can’t escape.
- Misfits – “Halloween”: I’d say “Skulls” is an honorable mention here too.
- Lamb Of God – “Walk With Me In Hell”: My favorite LOB track, so I’m biased here.
- Megadeth – “Sweating Bullets”: A song that serves as a metaphor for one fo the scariest things we experience in life – mental illness.
Which ones are you going to have on your playlist?