Halloween songs might not be as beloved — or profitable — as Christmas music (though that’s changing a bit), but there’s no denying the grave reality that people go batty for spooky songs as Oct. 31 approaches.
Simply put, folks who want to avoid spooky songs around All Hallows’ Eve don’t have a ghost of a chance. And while we all have our favorites, there are some seasonally appropriate songs that loom larger in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 than others.
We decided to round up the 25 Biggest Halloween Songs based on their Hot 100 chart achievements (see below for a detailed explanation). No bones about it — the results might leave some people howling mad. Frightening as it may be to fans of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson’s iconic “Thriller” isn’t in the top 10 of this list of 25 songs — but as of 2026, it makes the top 20 of this list for the first time, fueled in part by a boost from the 2026 biopic Michael. Regardless of its ranking on this list, it’s inarguably a perennial staple – one as essential to the season as those holding Frankenstein’s Monster together.
So what did make the list? No need for us to be cryptic – read on and find out.
Billboard’s Biggest Halloween Songs ranking is based on weekly performance on the Hot 100 (through the Oct. 31, 2026-dated charts), and includes Halloween-themed hits or songs with a seasonal word in its title (“spooky,” “devil,” “monster,” “witch,” etc.). Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower spots earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates during various periods.
Additional research by Xander Zellner.
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Blue Öyster Cult, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 12
Peak Date: 11/6/76
The Vibe: Morbidly romantic.
A Favorite of: Crop harvesters.
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Golden Earring, “Twilight Zone”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 10
Peak Date: 3/26/83
The Vibe: A dimension of sound
A Favorite of: Those existing between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge.
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Olivia Rodrigo, “Vampire”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 1
Peak date: 7/15/23
The vibe: Wounded, vitriolic.
A favorite of: Lestat, Nosferatu.
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Justin Bieber, “Ghost”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 5
Peak date: 4/2/22
The vibe: Inconsolable, incorporeal.
A favorite of: Casper, Moaning Myrtle.
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Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires, “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 3
Peak date: 8/10/63
The vibe: Smitten, rollicking.
A favorite of: Demons with a fondness for Groucho glasses.
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Bobby Vee, “Devil or Angel”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 6
Peak date: 10/17/60
The vibe: Sweet, obsessive.
A favorite of: People torn between which cake to eat.
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Michael Jackson, “Thriller”
Hot 100 Peak: 4
Peak date: 3/3/84
The vibe: Spooky, funky (and not just the smell).
A favorite of: Anyone with a pulse – and plenty of those without.
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Kodak Black, “Super Gremlin”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 3
Peak Date: 3/19/22
The Vibe: Creepy, taunting.
A Favorite of: Gizmo.
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The Charlie Daniels Band, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 3
Peak date: 9/15/79
The vibe: Rollicking, unstoppable.
A favorite of: Cowboys from hell.
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Santana, “Black Magic Woman”
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Creedence Clearwater Revival, “Bad Moon Rising”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 2
Peak Date: 6/28/69
The Vibe: Rootsy, easy-going.
A Favorite of: Wolf men, wolf women and wolf they/thems.
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Cliff Richard, “Devil Woman”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 6
Peak Date: 9/25/76
The Vibe: Rockin’, swingin’.
A Favorite of: Demonic damsels.
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Classics IV, “Spooky”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 3
Peak Date: 2/10/68
The Vibe: Sultry, groovy.
A Favorite of: Sensual specters.
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Imagine Dragons, “Demons”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 6
Peak Date: 12/7/13
The Vibe: Fist-pumping, fist-bumping.
A Favorite of: Smaug, Mushu, Puff.
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INXS, “Devil Inside”
Hot 100 Peak: No 2
Peak Date: 4/16/88
The Vibe: Seductive, playful.
A Favorite of: Indoor demons.
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Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, “Devil With a Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 4
Peak Date: 11/26/66
The Vibe: Raucous, devil-may-care.
A Favorite of: Sartorial Satan.
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Janet Jackson, “Black Cat”
Hot 100 Peak: No 1
Peak Date: 10/27/90
The Vibe: Hard-rocking, ferocious.
A Favorite of: Edgar Allan Poe, Salem from Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
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Cher, “Dark Lady”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 1
Peak Date: 3/23/74
The Vibe: Eerie, sly.
A Favorite of: Home-wrecking fortune tellers.
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Rockwell, “Somebody’s Watching Me”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 2
Peak Date: 3/24/84
The Vibe: Paranoid, spooky.
A Favorite of: Nepo babies.
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Bobby Brown, “On Our Own (From ‘Ghostbusters II’)”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 2
Peak Date: 8/5/89
The Vibe: Boisterous, fresh.
A Favorite of: Vigo the Carpathian.
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Duran Duran, “Hungry Like the Wolf”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 3
Peak Date: 3/26/1983
The Vibe: Seductive, swaggering.
A Favorite of: Team Edward. And the Glee Cast was lycan it back in 2012.
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Eminem feat. Rihanna, “The Monster”
Hot 100 Peak: No 1
Peak Date: 12/21/13
The Vibe: Harrowing, haunted.
A Favorite of: Sulley and Mike.
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The Edgar Winter Group, “Frankenstein”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 1
Peak Date: 5/26/73
The Vibe: Head-banging, psychedelic.
A Favorite of: Frankenstein’s Monsters young and old.
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Ray Parker Jr., “Ghostbusters”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 1
Peak Date: 8/11/84
The Vibe: Party-starting, campy.
A Favorite of: The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.
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Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers, “Monster Mash”
Hot 100 Peak: No. 1
Peak Date: 10/20/1962
The Vibe: Goofy, endearing.
A Favorite of: Monsters of easy virtue.