As Halloween approaches, some of the most iconic voices from the worlds of goth and metal reveal the tracks that truly send shivers down their spines. Forget the usual Monster Mash — for the ultimate spooky playlist, these musicians recommend everything from chilling horror soundtracks and 1940s children’s tunes to Russian darkwave. Here, stars like Sunn O))), Creeper, and Diamanda Galás share their choices of the most terrifying music ever created.
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Cosey Fanni Tutti: The Murder by Bernard Herrmann (1960)
For Cosey Fanni Tutti, nothing sends a chill like the infamous shower scene music from Psycho. She explains how even after multiple viewings, the high-pitched violins, perfectly synced with the violent knife stabbing, still have the power to “freak” her out. “Music set to visuals intensifies the audio experience,” she says, adding that this combination creates an atmosphere of heightened fear, keeping the audience on edge.
Stephen O’Malley, Sunn O))): Evil by Abruptum (1991)
Sunn O)))’s Stephen O’Malley recalls the first time he heard Abruptum’s Evil. “It’s messed up, demented, improvised doom/black metal saturated with agony and torture,” he says of the track, which he describes as a chaotic and disturbing experience. The 7-inch, which he bought in 1992, left a lasting impression, and O’Malley now sees the genre as a reflection of deeper darkness in the world.
Amy Walpole, Witch Fever: Jesus and Your Living Room Floor by Sloppy Jane (2021)
For Amy Walpole, the song Jesus and Your Living Room Floor by Sloppy Jane taps into a personal history of loneliness and religious trauma. “Having been brought up in a charismatic Christian church — essentially, a cult — I can relate to the religious aspects,” Walpole says, describing the song as dark and gothic, with lyrics that blend grotesque imagery with mundane scenes. The resulting atmosphere is both haunting and cathartic for her.
Stephen Mallinder, Cabaret Voltaire: Sparky’s Magic Piano by Henry Blair (1947)
Stephen Mallinder recalls hearing Sparky’s Magic Piano as a child, a children’s song that terrified him. “The piano would start talking to Sparky in a voice produced by a primitive vocoder,” he remembers. The unnerving, disembodied voice triggered a lasting sense of unease. “As a five-year-old, I was convinced it was a small boy trapped inside a piano for eternity,” he confesses. The bizarre combination of children’s music and eerie technology left a lasting impression on him.
TheOGM, Ho99o9: Paint Her Mouth by Herbie Hancock (1974)
For TheOGM, it’s Herbie Hancock’s Paint Her Mouth from the Death Wish soundtrack that invokes the most chilling feelings. “If you hear it in isolation, it’s truly chilling,” he says. The minimalist synthesiser and subtle percussion evoke a sense of paranoia and impending doom, something TheOGM relates to growing up in an urban environment. The track makes you feel as though you’re being followed, and his reaction mirrors the tension built by Hancock’s haunting composition.
Tatiana Shmayluk, Jinjer: Опиум для никого by Agatha Christie (1994)
Jinjer’s Tatiana Shmayluk recalls a time in her youth when she was introduced to the Russian darkwave track Опиум для никого (Opium for No One) by Agatha Christie. “It’s more gothic and melancholic than horrifying, but the words are really dark,” she says, describing lyrics like “I paint my lips black with shoe polish” and “Kill me, kill yourself, you won’t change anything.” The haunting, poetic words triggered vivid, unsettling imagery in her mind, an experience she now reflects on with a sense of melancholy.
Taylor Momsen, The Pretty Reckless: Main Title, Theme From Jaws by John Williams (1975)
For Taylor Momsen, John Williams’ Jaws theme is the ultimate horror soundtrack. “It creates incredible anxiety with just two notes,” she says. The simplicity of the score mirrors the primal simplicity of the shark’s mind, with a sense of danger lurking beneath the surface. For Momsen, the theme brings back the deep fear of the unknown, making it a true horror classic.
Cassy Brooking (AKA Cassyette): Perverts by Ethel Cain (2025)
Cassyette’s pick is Perverts by Ethel Cain, a dark, drone-heavy album filled with guilt, sin, and a creeping sense of dread. “It’s so genuinely creepy, but her music takes you on a journey,” Cassyette says. The track Pulldrone reminds her of American Horror Story with its eerie atmosphere, and she finds it so unsettling that she still can’t bring herself to listen to the album all the way through.
Jamie Stewart, Xiu Xiu: Schrei x by Diamanda Galás (1996)
For Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart, Diamanda Galás is one of the most intense and frightening musicians in history. Her track Schrei x is “feral” and relentless, with Galás’ vocal delivery sounding like a primal scream. Stewart describes the experience of listening to her as a “wild, feral” journey, with Galás’ sheer intensity making Schrei x one of the most harrowing musical experiences he’s encountered.
Spencer Charnas, Ice Nine Kills: Halloween soundtrack by John Carpenter (1978)
For Spencer Charnas, John Carpenter’s Halloween soundtrack stands as one of the most impactful in horror cinema. “The film didn’t have a score at first,” he says, explaining how Carpenter’s minimalist synthesiser score turned the film from a dull slasher into a horror masterpiece. The music conjures up a sense of dread and unease, evoking the terror of the unknown, making it one of the greatest horror scores of all time.
These musicians’ picks showcase the diversity and depth of what truly frightens us, from eerie soundtracks to deeply personal reflections on fear and anxiety. For those seeking the ultimate Halloween playlist, these selections offer a mix of atmospheric dread, unsettling noise, and unforgettable terror.