Some classes might plan a haunted house for their school festival or cultural festival, right?
There are tons of elements to obsess over in a haunted house—worldbuilding, visuals, lighting, and how you scare people—but one thing you mustn’t forget is the BGM!
If you have music that instantly ramps up the fear just by playing, it raises the quality of the haunted house on its own.
So in this article, we’ve rounded up some delightfully scary BGM tracks that are perfect for haunted houses.
If you’re struggling to decide what kind of BGM to use, feel free to use this as a reference!
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BGM usable for haunted houses. Scary music (1–10)
Hedwig’s Theme: Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsJohn Williams
When you think of the Harry Potter films, this is the song that surely makes everyone nod in agreement.
Composed by John Williams, this piece brims with a mysterious allure that whisks listeners into a magical world in an instant.
The melody, opening with the sparkling timbre of the celesta, is perfect for heightening Halloween’s spooky-yet-festive mood.
It first debuted on the album Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and went on to color the story in the soundtrack for the sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (released in November 2002).
Incidentally, it’s such an emblematic piece of the series that it’s even quoted in the spin-offs.
Play it on Halloween night, and you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped right into a school of witchcraft and wizardry!
OpeningMarco Beltrami
It’s a piece that leaves a strong impression with an eerie melody that quietly sends chills down your spine, signaling the beginning of a story.
Featured at the start of the 2019 horror film “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” it perfectly foreshadows the terror to come! The composer is Marco Beltrami, known for the Scream series and a two-time Academy Award nominee.
The restrained, slowly intensifying sound design that stirs unease is simply masterful.
Even though it’s instrumental, you can almost feel the sorrow and loneliness of the girl who holds the key to the story.
If you want to create a haunted-house-like atmosphere or use it as intro BGM for a ghost story, it might make your party even more exciting!
Bela Lugosi’s DeadBauhaus
Bauhaus is a British band said to be pioneers of gothic rock.
Their gothic vibe is perfect for Halloween.
Among Bauhaus’s songs, I chose this one, where the sobbing guitar sound feels raw and painful, with a sense of dread.
Ballet Music “The Sleeping Beauty”: Puss-in-Boots and the White Cat (Act III)Pyotr Tchaikovsky
How about a comical piece to heighten Halloween’s mischievous mood? It’s a work included in the ballet suite The Sleeping Beauty by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, who created many masterpieces of ballet music.
This piece brilliantly depicts, through music, two fairy-tale cats as they frolic and hiss at each other.
With phrases that mimic meows and rhythms suggesting agile movements, it feels as if costumed characters are dancing right before your eyes—just listening is enough to lift your spirits.
The ballet containing this piece premiered in January 1890, and its extraordinary wedding-celebration setting also suits the Halloween vibe perfectly.
Play it as background music for your party, and it will help create a strange and delightful night.
Amazing Happy Halloween Nightsyudou
With sounds like a toy box being upended and a waltz-tinged melody, this song creates an eerie yet playful atmosphere.
It’s a Halloween track produced by syudou, also known as the creator of “Usseewa.” The lyrics depict a protagonist lost in an inescapable labyrinth, becoming intoxicated by a frenzied night.
The highlight is the fusion of syudou’s signature dark worldview with a danceable sound.
It’s a recommended Vocaloid song for those who find ordinary tracks unsatisfying!
Suspiriagoburin
Music: Goblin: An Italian progressive rock band.
Film: Suspiria: An Italian horror film directed by Dario Argento.
Using the Circum Sound System (a terrifying stereophonic motion sound device) to amplify the terror of the witches.
In Japan, it became a hit with the promotional tagline, “Never watch it alone.”
Lavender TownMasuda Junichi
If you’ve played Pokémon on the Game Boy, you’ve probably heard this.
It’s the BGM from Lavender Town, a town where many Pokémon graves are built.
The sparse tones and dissonance make it a track that evokes fear.
It might be interesting to listen to on Halloween night.