Ready for Halloween? Planning on hosting a spooky bash with a few classic rock fans in tow? These five tracks are some of the creepiest classic rock songs out there, and they’re perfectly suited for a Halloween playlist.
1. “Night Prowler” by AC/DC
This 1979 Highway To Hell classic is definitely on the creepier side of AC/DC’s discography. Unfortunately, the band didn’t intend for it to be that way. According to guitarist Malcolm Young, the song was originally supposed to be about the sneaky things teenagers tend to do when young and in love. However, it ended up getting attached to the horrible real-life crimes of Richard Ramirez in the 1980s, particularly because that very criminal was an AC/DC fan.
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2. “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner” by Iron Maiden
The 1984 track “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner” by Iron Maiden is one of the creepiest classic rock songs out there. This epic shred-fest is about a sailor who kills a bird, specifically an albatross, and invites in some dire bad mojo. It’s a 14-minute, beautifully orchestrated piece of work. But one can’t deny that it’s a very ominous song.
3. “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult
This is an absolute must-have for any Halloween playlist. “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult may have come out in 1976, but it’s one of the best-aged classic rock songs you’ll find. It’s a stellar song with some creepy vibes. It makes perfect sense why it’s been used for horror television and film scores in the last few decades
4. “One Of These Days” by Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd often got a bit spooky with their music. However, the 1971 track “One Of These Days” really takes the cake. This classic rock song starts off in total unnerving silence before sharp winds and a spooky bass line kick in. It’s an echoing, somewhat dull, and muddy song with only one vocal lyric in its entirety: “One of these days, I’m going to cut you into little pieces.”
5. “Nebraska” by Bruce Springsteen
The 1982 masterpiece Nebraska isn’t really creepy, per say. It’s one of Springsteen’s best works, after all. But the title track of the album does veer into spooky territory. The lyrics are sung from the perspective of Charles Starkweather, a real-world serial murderer from the Cornhusker State who murdered short of a dozen people in the late 1950s.
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