Horror scores are can be both beautiful and haunting. I have put together a playlist of some of my favorite themes and scores from an eclectic mix of scary films I enjoy. This Horror Soundtrack Playlist combines both easily recognizable themes with a couple fun hidden gems.
When I am working at my desk, I love to have background instrumental music to set a spooky atmosphere. For this playlist, I found themes that felt whimsical and fantastic. I pulled from themes that shaped my childhood (like Sleepy Hollow) and modern favorites (like Five Nights at Freddy’s). This playlist is perfect for when I am craving a horror movie night.
Opening this playlist is the first score that truly captured me. Danny Elfman and Tim Burton have collaborated on many films, but the soundtrack to Sleepy Hollow (1999) remains my favorite. I was just 12 when the movie came out, but I saw it in theaters three times. I remember my excitement in getting the soundtrack CD on Christmas and I listened to it on repeat for days. The main themes expertly convey the foreboding atmosphere, fantastical elements, and romance.
My favorite horror soundtracks blend fantasy and horror. “The Encounter and Main Titles” of Mama (2013) does just that. Matching the film’s tone, the piece is dark and whimsical, almost like a child’s lullaby. It frames the film’s fairy-tale like premise: Two little girls disappear into the woods the day that their parents were killed. When they are found 5 years later and begin a new life, they find that someone or something still wants to tuck them in at night.
Continuing the fantasy-horror theme is “Lullaby” from Pan’s Labyrinth (2006). Guillermo del Toro is known for his perfect blending of fantasy and horror (even in the films he only produces, like Mama). Javier Navarrete’s haunting score fits wonderfully with the film’s dark themes and beautifully horrific fairy-tale monsters. This lullaby acts as the little Ofelia’s theme as she navigates the dangerous world of the fae.
Composed by Richard Band, the theme for Puppet Master (1989) has a mystical carnival feel. It blends a sweeping score with quirky cute moments that fit well with the film’s premise about magical murderous puppets. The music makes one feel like something is hiding beneath the surface and nothing is quite what it seems.
A side note, it is quite hard to find the original audio for the theme. I enjoy the cover by Matt Fink, so depending on which app you are listening to the playlist on, you may hear his performance of the theme.
Philip Glass’ “Music Box” theme from Candyman (1992) is enchanting and iconic. According IMDB, when Philip Glass signed up to compose the score for the film he thought it would be “an artful version of Clive Barker’s short story ‘The Forbidden'”, but instead it turned out to be, in his vision, “a low-budget slasher”. Glass was reportedly disappointed in the film and felt that he had been manipulated.
I do not agree that the film is just a low-budget slasher, but Glass’ score certainly helps to elevate the film and create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere.
The Main Titles from Dead Silence (2007) not only remind me of the film, but also a particular haunt. The opening piano notes are very similar to the music used in Knott’s Scary Farm’s The Doll Factory maze (2007 – 2011).
This song fits very well in this playlist, blending childish whimsy with a dark and foreboding score.
Love or hate the film, Bear McCreary’s score for Child’s Play (2019) is unique and innovative. The composer used real children’s toys to add to the score. The song itself is based on a minor-key version of “You are My Sunshine”, twisting a familiar family-friendly tune into something sinister. No stranger to horror, McCreary continues to create phenomenal soundtracks. If you like this one check out his scores for The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Imaginary, Happy Death Day, and 10 Cloverfield Lane.
Charles Bernstein’s tense soundscape for A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) haunts my dreams just as much as Freddy. This is a classic and represents my favorite of the franchise boogeymen. I think it fits well here on the playlist as a momentary pause to create a spooky atmosphere.
A lesser-known 80’s low-budget gem, Waxwork (1988) is about a wax museum owner who uses his horror exhibits to unleash evil onto the world. It stars Zach Galligan (best known for Gremlins), and offers a fun wild ride of a film. I like the mystery and energy of the film’s Main Title. You can’t quite be sure what to expect – just like the film.
Composer Jerry Goldsmith may have scored over 200 productions between 1954 – 2004 – including an Academy Award winning score for The Omen – but one of my favorites will always be his score for Gremlins (1984). It is zany and fun, and matches the chaos those little green creatures bring upon Kingston Falls.
This track from the opening of 28 Weeks Later (2007) continues to stick with me nearly two decades after seeing the film. I love how the repetitive riff continues to build time and time again. It is like a zombie apocalypse – starting with just one case and then multiplying exponentially as time goes on. It was an epic opening score for a heartbreaking opening scene.
I am not alone is loving the score to Us (2019) by Michael Abels. The score won it its respective categories at the World Soundtrack Awards, Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Black Reel Awards, and more.
“Anthem” is the film’s opening track, playing as we see an ever-growing wall of caged rabbits. In an interview with Slate, Abels said that he wanted the song to “sound like an evil march. Like you knew that someone with bad intentions was coming.” In regards to the nonsense lyrics sung by the haunting child chorus, he said, “The reason the lyrics are nonsense has everything to do with Us, which is we want to communicate the message that there’s a group of people who are organizing, but we don’t want the audience to understand their purpose. We want the audience to find that out later, along with the lead characters… You’re forced to listen with your emotions and your instincts rather than your intellect.”
This is a chilling song and certainly conveys that something dreadfully earth-shattering is on its way.
As with most of the songs on this list, I chose ones that personally have meaning to me instead of just popular film themes. As a huge FNAF fan, I was first in line to see Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023) when it came out. The theme by the Newton Brothers was a perfect fit with the feel of the game. It harkened back to old 8-bit game music while using modern instrumentals and beats. The energetic and pulsing beat foreshadows the deadly animatronics and chaos that will ensue.
Did you like it? What horror soundtracks are your favorites? Let me know on Facebook & Instagram.
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Horror scores are can be both beautiful and haunting. I have put together a playlist of some of my favorite themes and scores from an eclectic mix of scary films
As the leaves change color and turn the world a beautiful palette of reds, yellows, and oranges, I think about the quintessential fall song, Autumn Leaves. Autumn Leaves is an
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