the halloween playlist has requested its own fog machine

halloween music is allowed to have more than one setting. sometimes the room needs a dance floor. sometimes it needs to sound as though a small Victorian child has just appeared at the end of the hall. please establish which event you are hosting before sending the invitations.

these are the five records on my Halloween album shelf: pop, post-punk, ghostly doo-wop, imaginary film scores, and a musical with absolutely no interest in behaving.

TURN OFF THE LIGHT: the party has acquired a fog machine

From my media collectionTURN OFF THE LIGHT (2019)Artist: Kim Petras • Genre: Pop • Year: 2019View on Trove

Kim Petras gives the seasonal vocabulary a full pop-album budget. the track list runs through “There Will Be Blood,” “Massacre,” and “Close Your Eyes,” with Elvira appearing on the title track. subtlety was evidently unavailable that week.

this is the shelf’s obvious dance-floor lane. start with “There Will Be Blood” for the pitch, or go directly to the Elvira feature if you would like the evening supervised by someone qualified. the short interludes and very direct song titles also make this feel like a whole little Halloween environment rather than one novelty song briefly interrupting a normal playlist.

Juju: the room can wear black too

From my media collectionJu Ju (Remastered) (1981)Artist: Siouxsie & The Banshees • Genre: Alternative • Year: 1981View on Trove

Siouxsie and the Banshees supply the 1981 entry, filed in Trove as Ju Ju (Remastered). “Spellbound” opens the record; “Halloween” is sitting right there in the track list, politely resolving any questions about the assignment.

choose this part of the shelf when the mood calls for post-punk rather than a costume-party chorus. “Spellbound” and “Night Shift” make useful entry points. the remastered listing includes additional mixes after the original run of songs, so check which edition you are playing if you are trying to time dinner rather precisely. ghosts can wait; pasta gets weird.

Dead Man’s Bones: the school assembly is haunted

From my media collectionDead Man's Bones (2009)Artist: Dead Man's Bones • Genre: Alternative • Year: 2009View on Trove

Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields originally imagined a monster-and-ghost stage story before the songs became an album. ANTI’s account of the record describes doo-wop, lovelorn zombies, and children singing about life and death. a surprisingly comprehensive extracurricular program.

“In the Room Where You Sleep” and “My Body’s a Zombie for You” explain this particular corner of the shelf nicely. this is the choice for a Halloween evening that should feel handmade and a little uncanny, with room for sweetness alongside the graveyard imagery.

Lost Themes: supply your own ominous hallway

From my media collectionLost ThemesArtist: John Carpenter • Genre: rock • Year: 2015View on Trove

John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies made music that invites a film to happen in your head. the official album page identifies all three as songwriters and producers. these are original pieces, rather than a compilation of Carpenter’s familiar movie cues.

“Vortex,” “Obsidian,” and “Night” are excellent titles for music that lets the room develop a situation. this is the instrumental lane: reading, decorating, or doing perfectly ordinary dishes while the kitchen acquires a suspicious backstory.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: everyone knows the assignment

From my media collectionThe Rocky Horror Picture Show (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) (1975)Artist: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley • Genre: Soundtrack • Year: 1975View on Trove

the film soundtrack closes this shelf with Richard O’Brien, Richard Hartley, Tim Curry, and a cast that brought enough theatrical commitment for several holidays. “Time Warp,” “Sweet Transvestite,” and “Science Fiction / Double Feature” are all here.

this is the group-participation option. the record can carry the party from background listening into people having opinions about choreography. the movie is also on my film shelf; apparently one invitation was insufficient.

five albums, five uses for the same evening. pick the level of haunting the room can support. there is no obligation to make the fog machine do all the work.

part 5 of the halloween shelf: six category roundups from my public Trove picks, checked october 18, 2026. browse the complete shelf. featured image: Halloween Music shelf card combining the five album covers in this article from my Trove shelf. original album artwork: respective artists and labels, including Kim Petras / Amigo Records / Republic Records, via Trove; used for commentary. Facet illustrations are site mascots.