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
- Actually scary nursery rhymes. Children's songs that give you the chills once you understand their meaning
- 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: Those Actually Scary Songs (21–30)
Hello ZeppCharlie Clouser
The theme song from the 2004 American psycho-thriller film Saw.
The story follows two people locked in a confined space by the killer Jigsaw as they attempt to escape, and it drew attention for its brutal scenes and unexpected twists.
The track is grounded in industrial rock, seasoned with suspenseful string arrangements that heighten the tension; listening to it after seeing the film gives you a heart-pounding feeling, as if you’re fleeing from Jigsaw.
Succession of WitchesUematsu Nobuo
The witch’s theme from Final Fantasy VIII, released by Square in 1999.
Built on a peculiar organ-based melody with operatic female chorus layered on top, the eerie piece frequently played throughout the game as a theme conveying the terror of the witch.
Recommendation of Terrifying Music: Actually Scary Songs (31–40)
Chrome Plated Megaphone of DestinyFrank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention
A piece composed by the American maverick guitarist Frank Zappa, inspired by Franz Kafka—the Czech writer famous for absurdist novels like The Metamorphosis and The Trial—and based on his short story In the Penal Colony.
It is a surrealist work of music that depicts the human mind, and as you listen, it fills you with a growing sense of unease.
It’s a haunting performance that suggests the scariest thing of all may be the human subconscious.
The music video is eerie as well.
The Shining ThemeWendy Carlos
This is the theme song from the horror film The Shining, based on a novel by Stephen King and directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Wendy Carlos, who won acclaim for performing Bach on synthesizer, provides the music that complements Jack Nicholson’s chilling portrayal of the protagonist, a writer who loses his sanity as he works on his novel.
The combination of classical training and the eerie effects of the synthesizer matches the film perfectly.
Go for it!Nakajima Miyuki
This is a bold and ambitious work by Miyuki Nakajima that portrays people who keep moving forward even as they face the unreasonable realities of society.
It delivers a powerful message to those confronting challenges such as educational discrimination, violence, indifference, and sexism.
It was included on the album “Yokan” released in March 1983, and was re-released as a single in May 1994.
Since then, it has been featured in commercials such as Sumitomo Life’s “Winning Life,” and in 2020 as UNIQLO’s “HEATTECH” CM song, continuing to resonate with many people across generations.
However, the lyrics immediately before the first chorus in this work depict a chillingly realistic portrayal of human cruelty.
Grim Grinning GhostsBuddy Baker
The theme played in the Disneyland attraction “Haunted Mansion.” It was created by Buddy Baker, who handled a great deal of Disney music, including Winnie the Pooh.
The music perfectly matches the attraction’s setting of a mansion inhabited by 999 ghosts, and it likely brings back nostalgic memories for many.
The idea of basing it on country music makes it a very interesting piece as well.
Solaris ThemeEdward Artemiev
The main theme from Andrei Tarkovsky’s Russian film Solaris.
The music is by Eduard Artemyev, known as the father of electronic music in the former Soviet Union.
This piece is an electronic rendition of Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (BWV 639),” and its austere, eerie melody suits the film’s theme—where the darkness of the human heart takes form—very well.