Recommendation of Scary Music: That Song That’s Actually Frightening
One facet of music as an art form is that it can evoke fear—just hearing it can send chills down your spine.
In this article, we’re spotlighting a range of pieces under the theme of scary music.
From classic horror movie theme songs to classical music at the core, plus rock and popular music, we’ve curated a wide selection! Some tracks might not seem particularly scary when you’re just listening, but once you learn the backstory, they suddenly become terrifying… You might make discoveries like that.
Be sure to check it out!
- A spine-chilling scary song: masterful tracks that evoke fear and eerie recommended songs
- A seemingly scary nursery rhyme: a children’s song that gives you the chills when you hear it
- A fearsome and beautiful masterpiece: Themes from terrifying film scores
- Disgusting music. A classic of Japanese pop/rock.
- [Dark Side] Songs with scary lyrics. Tracks that make you shiver with chilling phrases.
- [So touching it makes you cry] A heartbreakingly wistful and sad song that tightens your chest
- BGM for a haunted house. Scary music.
- Chills down your spine. A collection of Vocaloid songs that are scary but irresistibly listenable.
- A roundup of love songs themed around homosexuality and LGBTQ+
- Anime songs to listen to on Halloween: Theme and insert songs from anime about yokai and ghosts
- A spine-chilling, terrifying song. Japanese music that evokes madness and horror.
- [Classical] Recommended classical music perfect for Halloween
- “Song of War”: A classic that sings of the tragedy and folly of war
Recommendation of terrifying music: Actually scary songs (11–20)
Gloomy SundayBillie Holiday
In Europe and America, “Gloomy Sunday” is famous as the anthem of suicide.
There’s an urban legend that, when people listened to it back in the day, suicides occurred around the world, which helped make the song notorious.
Since its release in 1935, it has been covered by numerous artists up to the present and sung in various languages, including Hungarian and French.
In Japan, the notable covers tend to come from singers influenced by chanson; it’s fun to compare the different versions, from Fubuki Koshiji to Mari Natsuki!
Tubular BellsMike Oldfield
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this is one of the most famous main theme songs in horror film history worldwide.
“Tubular Bells” became a hit not only in the United States but also in Japan as the theme for the classic horror film The Exorcist, and just listening to it vividly brings back scenes from that terrifying movie.
In fact, this main theme is an arranged and re-recorded version of the distinctive main phrase that opens Part 1 of British musician Mike Oldfield’s 1973 solo album Tubular Bells.
There’s a behind-the-scenes story that Oldfield himself had no involvement in the performance or arrangement of the film version, but that doesn’t diminish the value of the piece.
If you only know The Exorcist version, be sure to give the original album a listen as well.
Main TitleJerry Goldsmith
This is a masterpiece composed by the great Jerry Goldsmith, who created many legendary soundtracks in film history! It’s the main theme from the classic 1979 film Alien, and precisely because it lacks dramatic twists or a catchy, hummable melody, it leaves the listener with a profound weight and an indescribable sense of unease and fear.
Considering that in the sequel, Aliens, the director changed from Ridley Scott to James Cameron and the overall style shifted dramatically, it seems only natural that the music would also pass from Goldsmith to James Horner.
The terror unfolding within the confined space of a spaceship is most striking in the first film, and I feel Goldsmith’s score brilliantly captures a creeping sense of dread.
It might be interesting to trace how the music evolves across the series!
To Bring You My LovePJ Harvey
PJ Harvey—affectionately known as “Polly”—is a singer-songwriter whom Britain can proudly present to the world: a truly alternative artist.
Since her explosive debut as a trio in the early 1990s, she has never stayed within a single genre, and stands as a singular, almost miraculous figure who has also achieved commercial success.
In her early period in particular, she released many songs that bared the raw passions of womanhood and sent shivers down the spines of male listeners.
This time, I’d like to introduce the opening track from her third album, To Bring You My Love, released in 1995, which marked a new step forward for her as a solo artist.
It’s a track stripped of any beat-keeping instruments, built only on a repeating, noisy guitar backing, vibraphone, and organ, carrying a whiff of the blues.
Harvey’s voice rises as if from the depths of the earth—utterly overwhelming.
Be sure to pay attention to the lyrics as well, in which she wields a distinctive authorship that’s different from mere emotional outpouring.
We Suck Young Blood. Your Time Is Up.Radiohead
We Suck Young Blood.
Your Time Is Up., included on Radiohead’s sixth album Hail to the Thief, is a work that highlights a dark pop tone as the band attempted to step away from a traditional rock sound.
At the time, it drew global attention as a song written by vocalist Thom Yorke, themed around a phrase in the title that criticized and opposed the policies of a certain country’s president.
Once you read the lyrics, I think the way you hear the song will change—so take your time to read them and give it a listen!
Halloween ThemeJohn Carpenter
The theme song of the Halloween series—an important work in the history of horror films—is the main theme that appears throughout the series in various arranged forms.
The 1978 film Halloween, a low-budget yet massive hit that is highly regarded for its artistry despite being a splatter film, was directed by John Carpenter, who also composed the music himself.
The theme has been loved as an iconic piece that symbolizes the work and continues to evoke fear—truly an eternal classic.
Its 5/4 rhythm that builds a nameless sense of anxiety, the minimalist piano motif, and the ominous timbre of analog synths—despite the simple construction, it vividly showcases Carpenter’s talent as a composer.
The very fact that Carpenter can display such remarkable ability both as a film director and as a composer is, in a way, almost frightening in itself!
Recommendation of Terrifying Music: Those Actually Scary Songs (21–30)
Theme Of LauraYamaoka Noboru
The theme song of Laura, a character from Konami’s 2001 horror game Silent Hill 2.
Unusual for video game music, it’s a rock-style track that puts the guitar front and center, using various effects to create a dark, ambient atmosphere.
It has a passionate fanbase both in Japan and abroad, and is a popular piece often performed by orchestras.