Halloween is synonymous with many things: costumes, candy, and, of course, the perfectly spooky soundtrack. While Christmas music often dominates the holiday charts, Halloween songs hold a unique and chilling charm as October 31st approaches. For those looking to immerse themselves in the eerie atmosphere of All Hallows’ Eve, music is an essential ingredient. And while personal favorites abound, some Halloween-themed tracks have resonated more broadly across the Billboard Hot 100 charts than others.
This list compiles the 25 biggest Halloween songs, ranked according to their performance on the Hot 100 chart. It’s a definitive guide to the tracks that have truly captured the spirit of the season, based on objective chart data. Prepare yourself – some of these results might be unexpectedly spooky, even prompting a howl or two of surprise. For instance, despite its iconic status and undeniable Halloween association, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” – a song that peaked at No. 4 in 1984 and charted for 22 weeks – doesn’t even crack the top 20 in this ranking. “Thriller,” while a perennial Halloween staple, might be considered more of a foundational element of the season, like the bolts holding Frankenstein’s monster together, rather than the absolute chart-topping pinnacle.
So, what songs reign supreme in the realm of Halloween hits? No need to keep you in suspense. Read on to discover the definitive list of top Halloween songs.
Billboard’s Biggest Halloween Songs ranking utilizes weekly performance data from the Hot 100 (up to the chart dated Nov. 2, 2024). It encompasses both explicitly Halloween-themed songs and those incorporating seasonally relevant words in their titles such as “spooky,” “devil,” “monster,” and “witch.” The ranking system is inverse-point based, rewarding higher chart positions with greater value, with No. 1 weeks accruing the most points. To account for evolving chart dynamics, different eras are weighted to reflect varying chart turnover rates throughout history.
Additional research was contributed by Xander Zellner.
