From snuggly, drizzly Sunday mornings to lively Friday nights, here are your fall essentials playlists, for whatever autumn or spooky vibe you’re feeling.
Fall
POV: It’s raining, the candles are lit and it’s cozy
Move over summer, it’s Bon Iver season. “Roslyn” by Bon Iver and St.Vincent, used in the Twilight saga, is a soothing and relaxing tune that pairs perfectly with chilly weather.
Yoke Lore’s “Beige” is an upbeat yet mellow song that’s perfect for a crisp morning stroll among the falling leaves with a hot pumpkin spice latte in hand.
“Blue Light” by Mazzy Star is a classic indie song that’s as smooth as velvet and perfect for studying, also serving as a great reminder to wear your blue light glasses when looking at your screen.
Looking for something mellow, yet upbeat? “We Fell in Love in October” by Girl in Red is a pop-y tune that is sure to help you romanticize the feelings autumn brings.
Transcend and tune out the stress of the fall semester with “Space Song” by Beach House.
With smooth indie instrumentals, “Sunset Canyon” by Foxwarren is nothing short of cozy and relaxing.
An oldie but a goodie, “Spooky” by Dusty Springfield alludes to Halloween and the nostalgia that the season brings.
“Unknown/Nth” by Hozier is an amorous song with a tranquil electric guitar, perfect for sipping on a hot mug of tea wrapped in a blanket.
Autumn soireé
“Back on 74” by Jungle carries a groovy beat that will leave you dancing around your kitchen, no matter what mood you’re in.
“Music Sounds Better With You” by Neil Frances is perfect to listen to while getting ready for a night out, or having a fun night in with your friends.
As we head into Libra and Scorpio season, “Asc. Scorpio” by Oracle Sisters provides a splendid beat that can perk up your commute to school or drive down Esplanade to see the colorful trees.
“Blutooth” by Blu DeTiger and Chromeo is a dreamy song with a funky bassline that will bring warmth to your day or night.
“Half Full Glass of Wine,” one of Tame Impala’s hidden gems, is a funky and trippy song with heavy influence from the ‘60s rock scene.
Having a hard time getting up on those chilly mornings? Lil’ Yachty’s “Drive Me Crazy!” will make getting up on the wrong side of the bed a thing of the past with its uplifting beat.
‘Tis the season to get in your feels. The song “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” comes in two variations: one that’s rosy by Caroline Polacheck and another by Squirrel Flower that will trigger the waterworks.
Spooky season is in full effect, “Season of the Witch” by Lana Del Rey is a take on the classic by Donovan and is a great song to bring in the Halloween spirit while remaining versatile for any time of the year.
Halloween
While fall and Halloween may not be fully synonymous, it would be remiss if we didn’t add some more spookiness to the playlist in honor of Samhain.
Chillin’ like a villain
While Halloween is often linked with rock ‘n’ roll and other similar genres, not every spooky song is as such, some are a little gentler.
Novo Amor’s “Halloween” is a nostalgic bop perfect for walking between classes while gazing at the changing leaves.
In contrast, JP Ashkar’s “Halloween” has a more spooky undertone with its catchy lyrics about ghosts, witches and other spooky creatures, as well as a bouncing beat you can’t help but dance to.
Other songs with an intense spooky undertone would include Billie Eilish’s “Bury a Friend” — influenced by horror-genre media such as “The Babadook” and “American Horror Story.”
Others like “In My Head” by Mike Shinoda and Kailee Morgue — recorded for the sixth installment of the popular horror-comedy franchise “Scream” — put you in the mindset of a serial killer.
Additionally, Muse’s “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” provides an electronica-feeling Halloween party essential that references horror-genre films such as “The Shining” and “Poltergeist.”
Spooky covers
There’s a fine line between enhancing a classic and bastardizing a classic, but these spooky covers walk this line perfectly.
Type O Negative’s cover of “Summer Breeze” turns Seals and Crofts’ soft rock original into a grunge-punk fall anthem with haunting vocals. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” fans may recognize it as the film’s opening song.
Another cover with haunting vocals is Marilyn Manson’s cover of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This),” originally by Eurythmics. Manson’s instrumentals truly reflect the song’s deeper meaning.
A Halloween without Tim Burton’s films and Danny Elfman’s scores would not be Halloween. Izzy Reign, Cody Jamison, Ryan Ridley, Christian Koo and RandAlive’s cover of “This is Halloween” from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” gives you something to fear.
Lana Del Rey’s cover of “Once Upon a Dream” — recorded for “Maleficent” — also gives you something to fear. Rey’s haunting rendition of this Disney classic song may make you rethink your childhood.
Ice Nine Kills’ cover of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” both completely changes, yet also enhances the Halloween classic.
Bloody rock
Get ready to headbang to these spooky and bloody rock ‘n’ roll and metal songs.
Ice Nine Kills, the Horrorwood band themselves, has released numerous songs based on popular horror films, and one of their best ones is “Assault and Batteries” — based on the 1988 film “Child’s Play.” This song is sure to leave you headbanging and laughing for those familiar and unfamiliar with the film classic.
To get a little more macabre, Tardigrade Inferno’s “Execution is Fun!” is a hilariously dark metal song perfect for a Halloween party.
On a slightly less dark note, Falling In Reverse’s “I’m Not A Vampire (Revamped)” and Evanescence’s “Haunted” may not be as macabre as anything by Ice Nine Kills or Tardigrade Inferno, but leaves a spooky aftertaste and demonstrates the frailty of humanity.
The Ramones’ bop “I Wanna Be Sedated” is great for whatever fall activity you’re engaging in.
Spooky classics
To get a bit more classic, it would be just as remiss to not include songs such as The Cranberries’ “Zombie,” which aside from its monster-tastic title, has spooky, drawling chord progressions and vocals that causes deep thought and reflection.
Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” and Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” are two classics that need to be in your Halloween party playlist. You just can’t help but dance to and sing along with these spooky bops.
Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and Bow Wow Wow’s “I Want Candy” are a couple more Halloween party playlist essentials that will undoubtedly bring some smiles of recognition to costumed party goers.
This full fall, spooky playlist will be released on The Orion YouTube account in the near future.
Juliet Perry can be reached at [email protected].
Ariana Powell can also be reached at [email protected], as well as [email protected].
