The Best Halloween Songs to Download

Back in the day, you had to dig through all your LPs and CDs to find the perfect Halloween music mix. Now all you have to do is look at this list, then go to your favorite online music store, whether it's of the subscription (Rhapsody, Yahoo! Music Unlimited) or purchase-only variety (iTunes).

Here are a few suggestions to keep your computers, iPods, Sansas, or whatever-other-brand media players buzzing this Halloween. 

The Sonics: The Witch

A funny and raucous tune from the early-'60s, Seattle garage-rock scene.

Bauhaus: Bela Lugosi Is Dead

This highly danceable 1979 goth-rock song by the British post-punk band will get costumed party guests shaking to the beat.

Bobby "Boris” Pickett: Monster Mash

Probably the most famous spooky song ever—at least at elementary-school-era Halloween parties—by a little-known singer who just happened to sound like Boris Karloff.

Iron Maiden: 666 The Number of the Beast

Heavy-metal madness circa 1982 inspired by The Book of Revelation and The Omen (the original and better one).

Geto Boys: Mind Playing Tricks on Me

Bushwick Bill raps a whole verse about something horrible that happens on Halloween.

Carl Orff: Carmina Burana

Though it's actually an ode to drinking and sexual gallivanting based the medieval texts of German monks, this choral piece is often imitated by film composers of movies like The Omen because it sounds devilish and dramatic.

Bernard Herrmann: Theme from "Psycho"

Jabbing violin strokes—the ones from the shower scene—never sounded so scary.

Anything by The Misfits: But especially Skulls, Halloween, and Last Caress.

Metallica: The Thing That Should Not Be

This is the first Halloween that you'll be able to get this one, since Metallica finally dropped its iTunes and other online service holdout last summer.

Alice Cooper: I Love The Dead

Nearly anything by Alice Cooper would work, but this aptly named title is especially apropos.

Richard and Linda Thompson: Did She Jump or Was She Pushed

A creepy song about a wayward lover's broken body being found.

Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells

You can't hear this art-rock tune without thinking of Linda Blair spitting up green-pea soup.

Gravediggaz: Diary of a Madman

Don't miss this nasty, gory hip-hop track.

Blue Oyster Cult (BOC): Don't Fear The Reaper

A favorite at any party, Halloween-themed or otherwise.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins: I Put a Spell on You

Actually, anything by Screamin Jay. His ululations will raise the hackles on any party-goer.

This is what I was able to come up with based on my early career as a music writer, but there must be hundreds of songs I've missed. Care to add any?