It’s that time of year where we scare ourselves and hide behind the sofa. Well, some of us do…

We wanted to celebrate spook season today with our favourite horror movie backing tracks. Music that sends shivers down our spines, sound effects that keep us on the edge of our seat, and instruments that make it all possible.

So, let’s begin!

Psycho

Fans all over will always remember the classic quarter note violins from the shower scene of Psycho long after the release of the movie in 1960. So much so, in fact, that almost everyone in the Western hemisphere knows the sound of those violin stabs whether they hear them in another film or in a song.

But it’s not just the music we remember. So many movies feature their own adaptations of the scene – how’s that for making an impression? We couldn’t write an article about our favourite horror movie background music and not include Psycho!

It’s mostly thanks to this movie and the music behind it that horror movies are what they are today. How many of us go to the cinema prepared for a scare, but the hairs on the back of our neck still stand up when the creepy sound of a violin sears through the air into our ears? Not least when the killer makes an appearance!

We can thank Bernard Herrmann and his jumpy innovation for his composition of Psycho!

Jaws

Now let’s move 13 years into the future!

Another iconic soundtrack has to be the Jaws music. Played by tuba player Tommy Johnson and composed by the legendary John Williams, who also composed music for the likes of Star Wars and Indiana Jones, the Jaws soundtrack is unmistakably iconic. Even those that haven’t seen the movie know the music. If you are one of these people, make sure you do watch it on the 31st!

A theme song that heralds the unpredictability of a monstrous great white shark and the paralysing fear of one approaching you at breakneck speeds, the Jaws theme tune is in the hall of fame for great movie soundtracks.

Jaws created a line that movies about sea monsters now hope to ross, but few do. Music that supports movies in the same field nowadays struggles to best the Jaws soundtrack.

The Exorcist

By stepping back by a couple of years to 1973, we can immerse ourselves in the horror movie excellence that is The Exorcist!

The possession of a 12-year-old girl leads the characters down all sorts of dark and twisted paths. Despite having lost its “horror movie” edge in the following 50 years after its release, The Exorcist soundtrack is undeniably creepy.

Composed by Mike Oldfield, Jack Nitzsche & David Borden, this piano piece has inspired countless movies and games to approach their own soundtracks with spooky curiousness.

Take a listen and tell us you’ve not heard either that soundtrack or an adaptation of it somewhere in the past year…

Halloween

A franchise that doesn’t stop coming.

The 1979 soundtrack follows the same path as The Exorcist with its spooky curiousness but adds its own horrific character. It must be good because the movies are still going… despite an upcoming reboot.

A babysitter killer on the loose means no one who sits on babies is safe.

Obviously, that’s not what a babysitter is. But that is the dark plot of the movie. To accompany such a twisted story, John Carpenter composed a fast-paced piano piece with some dark strings attached.

No, really. A cello comes in to add depth to the low end of the theme song, and it’s a depth not out of place in this dark movie.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a pop-culture classic… and for good reason.

Not only did it introduce the world to Johnny Depp, but it brought a story not so unrealistic (except the bit where Krueger comes back from the dead).

Charles Bernstein created a theme song that didn’t follow the melodic traditions of its time. A theme song that utilises atmosphere rather than notes, the magnificently written soundtrack that boasts unpredictability and creepiness accompanies a twisted story.

If you’ve not seen A Nightmare on Elm Street, get it on our watch list.

The Conjuring Soundtrack

Let’s fast forward to the present day. Not only have the movies above, and others like it, created memorable movies… but the music composed for them has left an even bigger trademark.

The Conjuring theme song, composed by Joseph Bishara and Mark Isham, inspires the hairs on the back of our necks to stand up with just the violin introduction. Accompanied by creepy panning shots, ghouls and ghosts at the window and a sinister plot with twisted props… The Conjuring has to be one of the best spooky movies as of late.

But we are cheating. The Conjuring isn’t really a horror movie, it’s more of a jumpy one. But the music is just so delicious that we couldn’t not mention it.

Insidious Soundtrack

And another jumpy movie rather than horror movie… (but we’re not apologising).

If The Conjuring theme track took inspiration from the likes of Psycho, the Insidious theme song took inspiration from A Nightmare on Elm Street.

A theme song that makes use of dark atmospheres and textures, the background music keeps all the focus on the narrative of the movie.

Joseph Bishara, one of the two composers of The Conjuring soundtrack, flipped the script with Insidious. A film that revolves around possession, demons and darkness needed a soundtrack that kept the audience invested in the horror of the screenplay.

It does just that.

Using the right instrument and the right melody will send shivers down the spine of your listeners.

To help you achieve that, we at Mixxed have a plethora of sound effects that will transform your track into music fit for a horror soundtrack, or any seasonal soundtrack for that matter.

As well as seasonal samples, Mixxed have thousands of loops and one-shots that are fit for countless genres from a growing list of contributors.

Our sample library grows day by day, so sign up today to find your sound!