A spine-chilling scary song: masterful tracks that evoke fear and eerie recommended songs

For those curious folks who want to feel fear from scary songs or pore over creepy lyrics, we’ve researched eerie classics and popular frightening tracks you shouldn’t miss.

We’ll introduce a wide range—from songs beloved by music fans to selections chosen by our site’s music-specialist writers—blending them together.

We’ve carefully picked both Japanese and Western music, old and new.

Some tracks might not seem scary just by listening, but depending on how you interpret the lyrics, they can be chilling.

It could be fun to talk about the stories behind these songs when sharing summer ghost tales.

How about listening to scary songs and sending chills down your spine?

Playlist

A spine-chilling scary song: masterful tracks that evoke fear and eerie recommended songs
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	BathroomShiina Ringo		A masterpiece that expresses Shiina Ringo’s maddening worldview
2	blue carsupittsu		The blue car might be a song of double suicide.
3	Your Dissection Pure Love Song ~Die~aimyon		An exciting song I discovered from a street performance on YouTube
4	curseYamazaki Hako		Yamazaki Hako’s “Curse” is a song with really scary lyrics.
5	RebornColin Stetson		The score of the film “Hereditary.” An instrumental piece where terror and beauty coexist.
6	When They Cry: HigurashiShimamiy a Eiko		Opening theme song of Higurashi When They Cry
7	RevengeMy Hair is Bad		A song that portrays the shift in feelings from the sorrow of a broken heart to resentment
8	FlowerASA-CHANG & Junrei		The avant-garde music of ASA-CHANG & Junray
9	COTTON COLORTaniyama Hiroko		Cotton Color is a scary song
10	a May flyRADWIMPS		A scary song with shocking lyrics by RADWIMPS
11	Garamon SongKuniaki Haishima		The Strangely Alluring “Garamon Song”
12	moonlightOnitsuka Chihiro		It's a beautiful song, but the lyrics are dark and despairing.
13	AstraZeneca “Atherosclerotic Disease Onset Prevention Awareness Campaign” TV Commercial SongKaori Takeda		Kaori Takeda sings in an AstraZeneca atherosclerosis awareness commercial
14	Ringtone of DeathEndō Kōji		Expressing fear in the score for One Missed Call
15	I’m going to kill my ex-boyfriend.Gōruden Bonbā		A song by Golden Bomber about male jealousy
16	CountdownCocco		Cocco’s hymn to madwomen
17	ambushMatsutōya Yumi		Machibuse, the classic song that portrays the tenacity of unrequited love
18	I like you, I like you—I love you.Togawa Jun		A scary love song sung by Jun Togawa
19	The Strait of HungerIshikawa Sayuri		A profound love song from the film based on Sayuri Ishikawa’s work
20	I bear a grudge.Nakajima Miyuki		The scary song “Urami・Masu” expresses the madness of resentment.
21	BrainwashingRADWIMPS		Introduction to RADWIMPS' dark songs from 2017
22	Kagome Kagome		There’s an urban legend about Kagome Kagome.
23	A song about a crazy boyfriend.takayan		The darkness of men who want to monopolize the woman they love
24	Gloomy Sunday		Introduction to a world-famous scary song
25	Delusional DiaryShido		Introduction to Sid's Stalker Theme Music
26	Go for it!Nakajima Miyuki		A powerful song that stands up to the injustices of society
27	RainingCocco		A song depicting a girl quietly hurt within a happy everyday life
28	The Vanished AugustGasshou Kyoku		Introduction to a choral piece themed on the Hiroshima atomic bombing
29	Tie and Untie, Rakshasa and Skeletonhachi		Introduction to Kenshi Yonezu’s Vocaloid songs
30	ChikotanTōkyō Hōsō Jidō Gasshōdan		The second half of the Chikotan choral piece is scary.
31	Distillation reactionMorita Doji		A maniacal song that sings of the terror of being buried in snow
32	Even if I quit being humanKurahashi Yoeko		A terrifying song where love goes off the rails
33	A Doll’s HouseTaniyama Hiroko		Hiroko Taniyama’s mysterious and scary song “Doll’s House”
34	A beautiful witch in a picture bookJanne Da Arc		A scary song depicting family breakdown from a toddler’s perspective
35	Let’s eatKurahashi Yoeko		Jealousy that wants to monopolize the man she loves
36	Give my regards to Ms. Yotsuya.Eight		Vocaloid producer Eight’s rock piece themed on Yotsuya Kaidan
37	Beloved child,RURUTIA		A song by RURUTIA that depicts possessive love
38	Portrait of ReikoMorita Doji		The Portrait of Reiko is a sorrowful, tragic song of fear.
39	kaleidoscopeIwasaki Hiromi		Hiromi Iwasaki’s song, a love song featuring a male voice
40	Wax MuseumSeikima II		A representative song by Seikima-II, a metal piece excellent at expressing fear
41	Yashagaike (Yasha-ga-ike)ningen ishi		Ningen Isu is a band that plays scary songs. There are also scary songs among children’s songs.
42	Red ShoesShibano Eriko & Kudō Minako		A sad song modeled after a real girl named Kimi-chan
43	I’ll eat you up!Gachapin		The scary Gachapin song was pulled off the air
44	sombre dimancheDamia		A dark song banned from broadcasting
45	White CometShimura Takuo		The enemy’s theme song gives off a trauma-level sense of despair.
46	Don’t call me a stalker.Ōtasuseri		A comedic song that sings about stalker behavior
47	GumLa’cryma Christi		It has the bright tone of La’cryma Christi, but all the characters die.
48	hungry ghostinugami saakasu dan		A rock band known for terrifying songs.
49	26 ways your girlfriend will catch you cheatingMioyamazaki		A song with realistic lyrics that depict 26 rules for how cheating gets exposed
50	Robinsonsupittsu		There exists a dark interpretation hidden in Spitz’s songs.
51	ambushIshikawa Hitomi		Hitomi Ishikawa's unrequited love song
52	lynchingcali≠gari		cali≠gari’s signature horror song
53	Rhapsody of Mad DeathMadeth gray’ll		A terrifyingly powerful song by a Japanese visual kei band
54	Song of the Near-DeathTomokawa Kazuki		A would-be suicide can’t die and keeps on living. The quiet, matter-of-fact depiction of the suicide scenes is terrifying.
55	Gallows TreeJ.A shīzā		The eerie and beautiful music of J.A. Seazer
56	Oshichi: Alluring Love and Crimson Cherry BlossomsMemento mori		Oshichi committed arson for love and was executed by burning at the stake.
57	Yūraku-chō Linehachijuu hakkasho junrei		An indie band with a unique worldview
58	The Metropolitan Museum of ArtOhnuki Taeko		The Trauma Song Where the Pharaoh Sleeps
59	Nozomi, Kanae, TamaeKinniku Shoujo Tai		A commentary on songs by Kinniku Shōjo-tai.
60	DoglamaglaYBO2		YBO2’s song Dogra Magra
61	Namahageningen ishi		The eerie atmosphere of Ningen Isu’s song “Namahage.”
62	flower; blossom; splendor; showiness; brilliance (context-dependent)Kumurisora		A rock ballad that sings of Kumurisora’s heartache
63	stalkerKizu		The stalker song by Kizu is included in the Heisei recordings.
64	Stalker’s Song: 3rd Block, Your HouseAbe Mao		Terrified by Mao Abe’s stalker song
65	Onahamaoni		An epic hip-hop themed around one's hometown
66	Manabu Yoshikai, 17 years old (unemployed)Shido		Fear caused by a man driven by desire
67	Lament of ResentmentKaji Meiko		Meiko Kaji’s signature song became world-famous through a film
68	Blue Headscarftaiyou koumon		A trans-jutsu band that eats the dead’s song
69	doppelgängerCreepy Nuts		Creepy Nuts’ theme song depicting a split self
70	Sweet fruitSuga Shikao		A love song about suffering from baseless jealousy because you’re so deeply in love with someone.
71	FEELS LIKE HEAVENHIIH		The theme song of “Ring”: memorable lyrics and timbre
72	Jason GirlLadyMonsters.		A suspiciously cute electric track
73	Magisawotaku		The witch’s music: its frightening worldview and outstanding lyrics are captivating.
74	Inugami KozōFunōchō		A song that fulfills the wishes of those who dislike the Inugami boy
75	My Room, My Dress Shirt, and MeHiramatsu Eri		A story about a woman whose love is so deep it’s dangerous
76	Vicious WorldSOB		Short hardcore punk by S.O.B
77	loveamano tsuki		A stalker song about chasing the man next door
78	There’s Something About MaryLadyMonsters.		A frightening song depicting obsession and madness with dolls
79	pomegranatesuiren		An eerie musical world summoned by the madness of love
80	old hagkyouki		Rocking the anxieties and fears of old age in song.
81	When prayers turn into wordsOnitsuka Chihiro		Scary lyrics from the theme song of Ju-On