[Ghosts & Yokai] Horror Song Collection [Monsters & Zombies]
I bet a lot of people feel like listening to horror songs when summer rolls around.
In recent years, Halloween culture has really taken root, and along with it, a wide variety of tracks have been released.
So in this article, I’ll be introducing lots of songs featuring ghosts, yokai, monsters, zombies, and more.
The lineup ranges from truly scary to super cute.
They’re great not only for your own listening, but also as BGM for parties!
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[Ghosts & Yokai] Horror Song Special [Monsters & Zombies] (21–30)
Otherworldly Mixed Grand Ball (feat. Ghost)Hoshino Gen
This is a song by Gen Hoshino written as the theme for the film “Ghost Book: Obake Zukan.” With a playful concept of humans and ghosts dancing together, it perfectly captures the original work’s “scary yet fun” world.
The lyrics blend spookiness and joy, making it perfect for Halloween.
Released in July 2022, the track is also included on the album “Gen.” There’s even a unique anecdote that, inspired by a fun paranormal experience during production, they had “ghosts” join in on the chorus! The all-animated music video’s dance went viral on TikTok.
Fittingly ghostly, it’s ideal for Halloween—and if you sing and dance to it together at karaoke, it’s sure to be a hitfully fun dance number that gets everyone going!
Ghost PancakesTokyo Haiji
If you’d prefer a cute ghost song over a scary one, we recommend “Ghost Pancakes”! It’s a fun ghost song about ghosts making pancakes in the kitchen at night.
Created by the sister creator duo Tokyo Heidi, the song was made with the idea that combining kids’ favorites—pancakes and ghosts—would be really fun.
At first, the child protagonist is afraid of the ghosts, but after seeing how much fun they’re having making pancakes, the child transforms into a ghost too and joins in.
With ghosts this delightful, you might even feel safe having them at home!
[Ghosts & Yokai] Horror Song Special [Monsters & Zombies] (31–40)
Unchained MelodyThe Righteous Brothers
The theme song of the 1990 film Ghost.
It is known for the love scene with the protagonist’s lover, who has died and become a ghost, which moved audiences around the world.
Although many years have passed since its release, you can still often hear it used as background music for love scenes on variety shows and the like.
Okiku’s Song (The Dish Mansion)Kiyomaru Okuda Eiko Wakakusa Nobuko
Do you know the stories Banshū Sarayashiki and Banchō Sarayashiki, in which the ghost Okiku counts dishes—“One plate, two plates…”? The lyrics of this song, Okiku no Uta, depict that tale exactly as it is.
Hearing the story as a play or a rakugo performance is of course frightening, but sung to the distinctive melody of the early Shōwa era, it conveys a different kind of terror.
The voices of the three women singing even sound like Okiku’s cries of tearful lament.
It would be perfect for creating an eerie atmosphere as BGM for a test-of-courage event!
The Dobochon Family of the Haunted CastleGurīn Buraito
The anime “The Dobo-cho Family of the Haunted Castle” features Count Dracula speaking in the Nagoya dialect.
This song, which shares the same title as the anime, was used as the opening theme and was sung by Green Bright.
The lyrics—about all the ghosts getting together to make a ruckus and have a fun night—vividly conjure up the image of cheerful ghosts.
It’s perfect for events like Halloween where people dress up as ghosts! We also recommend cosplaying as the ghosts that appear in the anime and having fun with it.
Obake no Q-TaroIshikawa Susumu
Obake Q-Taro is a gag manga by Fujiko Fujio featuring a ghost named Q-Taro.
The song of the same title was used as the opening theme for the anime and was sung by Susumu Ishikawa, who was active as a singer and voice actor; it was released in 1965.
Set to a comical melody, the song introduces what kind of ghost Q-Taro is.
It’s a not-scary ghost song that even conveys the anime’s cheerful atmosphere.
Be sure to enjoy it together with the anime!
Feels like“Heaven”HIIH
Ring is a representative Japanese horror film featuring Sadako, the long-haired woman who appears from wells and televisions.
Its theme song, “feels like HEAVEN” by HIIH, is so famous that when people think of Sadako, they think of this track.
Despite its fame, it was only used as the theme song for the first film, Ring.
The intro—whose hair-raising lyrics make you feel as if Sadako is closing in right now—evokes pure terror! The chilling vocals and melody that make you shiver are frightening as well.
But as you keep listening, surprisingly, it doesn’t feel like a typical horror movie theme at all; it’s actually a brisk, electronic tune.