Halloween music: Five songs to help freshen up your Halloween playlists including Strangers

Halloween has arrived - here are five songs worth adding to your spooky playlists.

With Halloween upon us, decorations will be up, costumes chosen and cupboards fully stocked with sweets.

But one thing that often doesn't feel finished is the Halloween playlist. With tracks such as Michael Jackson's Thriller or Monster Mash by Bobby Pickett & The Crypt Kickers seasonal staples, it can be difficult to find unique songs worthy of being included.

So if you're looking for some inspiration, here are five songs which could be the perfect addition to your Halloween soundtrack.

Psycho Killer by Talking Heads

For a fun beat to dance to, add Psycho Killer by Talking Heads to your Halloween rotation. A song which most people will have heard - and likely included in their own seasonal selection - the song feels fitting, especially with its undeniably catchy chorus.

Fire Leap by Katy J Pearson, Drug Store Romeos, Sarah Meth and Wet Leg

To reference a horror film, add Fire Leap by Katy J Pearson, Drug Store Romeos, Sarah Meth and Wet Leg. This haunting track is Katy J Pearson's reimagining of the same song from The Wicker Man to celebrate the film's 50th Anniversary.

Strangers by Ethel Cain

For a slow burn horror, add Strangers by Ethel Cain. While any song by Ethel Cain is likely to immediately improve a Halloween playlist, Strangers is the haunting conclusion of her album Preacher's Daughter which tells the tale of a young woman who has become the victim of a cannibal. Her song Ptolemaea is also worth an honourable mention for how deeply unsettling it is.

In The Room Where You Sleep by Dead Man’s Bones

For a spooky yet upbeat tune, add In The Room Where You Sleep by Dead Man’s Bones. Included in the soundtrack of The Conjuring, this track from musical duo Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields' is just one appropriately Halloween-themed tracks from their self-titled concept album Dead Man's Bones.

Little Dark Age by MGMT

For a song about a dark secret, add Little Dark Age by MGMT. MGMT are perhaps best known for tracks such as the far more upbeat Electric Feel or Kids, but Little Dark Age's darker tale is a fine addition to any Halloween playlist.