The Best Variety Of Halloween Music (2026 Edition)

This is a variation of a something I posted a few years ago, and it's become something of a tradition to revisit it each year.

I always say that the Sounds of Christmas plays the best variety of Christmas Music, and that's also true for the Sounds of Halloween. But I think the word "variety" has been so over-used these days that it no longer means anything.

So I thought I'd show you what I mean. 

While I probably won't do this again until next year, here's a list of most of the artists we're playing (or we played, depending on when you see this) on the first day of October, when the Sounds of Halloween 2026 began.

220 Volt, 4 Flops, 5 Seconds Of Summer, a-ha, AC/DC, Adam Sandler, AdELA, Aimee Mann, Alan Parsons Project, Alana Davis, Alfie Boe, Alice Cooper, Alixandrea Corvyn, Allan Sherman, Allman Joys, Amanda Brown, Amanda Seyfried, Amber Pacific, Amy Wallace, Andrew Gold, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Andy Williams, Angelina Jordan, the Animals, Anita Baker, Ann Wilson, Annie Lennox, Annie Marie, Archie King, Arnold McCuller, Arthur Brown, 

Ashleigh Murray, Ashton Gardner & Dyke, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Aurelio Voltaire, the Bacarrudas, Bacon Brothers, Baked A La Ska, Barefoot Movement, Barenaked Ladies, Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon, B.B. King, Benny Spellman, Best Coast, Better Than Ezra, Betty Grable, Bettye LaVette, Big Bee Kornegay, Big Bopper, Bill Buchanan, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, Billie Bust Up, Billy Idol, Billy Sheehan, Bing Crosby, bird and the bee, Black Keys, ​

Black Oak Arkansas, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Blackmore's Night, Blenders, Blondie, Blood Sweet & Tears, Blue Öyster Cult,  Blues Brothers, Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan, Bob Malone, Bobby Bare, Bobby "Boris" Pickett, Bobby Caldwell, Bobby Curtola, Bobby Darin, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vee, the Bobs, Bon Temps, Bonzo Dog Band, Boo Radleys, Booboo Stewart, Boots Walker, Bow Wow Wow, Bowling For Soup, Brandi Carlisle, Brave Combo, Brendan O'Malley, 

Brian Setzer, Broken Peach, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Ferry, Buckwheat Zydeco, Burl Ives, Buttondowns, Cab Calloway, Cage the Elephant, Canned Heat, Carl Bonafede, Carmen McRae, Cassandra Wilson, Cast of Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, Chandler Kinney, Charlatans, Charlie Daniels Band, Charlie Musselwhite, Charlie Sexton, Chelsea Wolfe, Cher, Chipmunks, Christine Coleman, Classical Renaissance Symphony, ​

Claypool Lennon Delirium, Cliff Richard, Clovers, Coasters, Combustible Nuts, Conway, Count Lorry and the Biters, Cowboys Junkies, Cramps, Creed, Crossword Smiles, Crypt Keeper, Dandy Warhols, Danny Jacob, Dartmouth Aires, Dave Kennedy and the Ambassadors, David Arkenstone, David Bowie, David Cassidy, David J, David Johansen, DBone and the Remains, DCappella, Dead Milkmen, Dean Gitter, Del-Vikings, Delta Rae, Devo, Dick Cavett, ​

Dick Robinson, Dickie Goodman, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Dokken, Dollyrots, Donovan, the Doors, Dove Cameron, Dr. Hook, Dr. John, Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band, Drugstore Cowboys, Duprees, Duran Duran, Dylan Glatthorne, Eagles, Eddie Money, Eddie Thomas, Elites, Ella Fitzgerald, Elmo, Elvis Costello, Elvis Presley, Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Erutan, Ervinna and the Stylers, Extreme, Fans Of Jimmy Century, Fawn, ​

Feargal Sharkey, Five Man Electrical Band, Flat Five, Flight of the Conchords, Florence + the Machine, Fred Hall, Fuzztones, Gary Brooker, Geoff Castellucci, George Thorogood, Gerald McCann, Ghost, Glass Prism, GLEE Cast, Glenda and Glen, Glenn Page and the Always October Orchestra, Gnarls Barkley, Golden Earring, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Gordon Lightfoot, Groovie Ghoulies, Groovy Ghoulies, Hairy Growlers, Hannah Gill, Happy Fangs, 

Harry Belafonte, Harry Gold, Hawthorne Heights, Hellogoodbye, Henry Hall, Hipwaders, Hollies, Hollywood Vampires, Home Free, Hoodoo Gurus, the Hooters, Hound + the Fox, Hozier, I The Mighty, Imogen Heap, the Incurables, Invader Zim, Iris Has Friends, J. Geils Band, Jack and Jim, Jack Black, Jackson 5, Jan Edwards, Jeff Richmond, Jeff Whitmire, Jennifer Rush, Jeremy Messersmith, Jerry Reed, Jimmy Buffett, Jimmy Cliff, Jingle Punx,   ​

Joe Jackson, Joey Batey, John Fogerty, John Mayall and the Blues Breakers, Johnny Cash, Johnny Otis Show, Johnny Winter, Jonathan Coulton, Joseph Trapanese, JP Ashkar, Judas Priest, Kaia Jette, Kate Bush, Kathryn Hahn, Katie Melua, Kay Starr, Keith David, Kenny Neal, Kesha, Keytones, Kingston Trio, Kip Tyler and the Flips, Kohl, Kitzmiller, Kords, Kris Kristofferson, Kristin Chenoweth, Krokus, Krystina Alabado, Kylie Cantrall, Lady Gaga, Larkin Poe,  ​

Lathums, Laurie Berkner Band, Lennon & Maisey, Levi Stubbs, Lex Land, Librarians With Hickeys, Little Richard, Little River Band, Liz Kennedy, Lone Justice, Lord Luther, Lou Reed, Louis Armstrong, Lucinda Williams, Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats, LVCRFT, Mary Fahl, Matthew Parker, MC Hammer, Meg Donnelly, Men At Work, Michael Burks, Michael Jackson, Michael Schenker Group, Middle Aged Dad Jam Band, Midnight Chimes, Milo Manheim, Misfits, 

Mitchell Hope, Molly Hatchet, Morris Day, Morrissey, Move, Munsters, Murray Schaff, MST3k RiffTrax Guys, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Norma Tanega, North American Hallowe'en Prevention Initiative, Ozzy Osbourne, Paralandra, Pat Godwin, Paul Roland, Paul Williams, Pete Best Combo, Pharrell Williams, Philly Joe Jones, Piney Gir, Pixies, Plain White T's, Red Buttons, Reel Big Fish, Relient K, Revered Horton Heat, RiffTrax, Rihanna, Rob Thomas, Rob Zombie, ​

Robert Johnson, Roky Erickson, Rolling Stones, Rosemary Clooney, Ryan Adams, Saint Chaos, Sci-Fi Romance, Scott Walker, Screamin' Lord Sutch, Seaway, Sesame Street Cast, Sinead O'Connor, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sparkle Jets, Squirrel Nut Zippers, the Stephens, Sterling Holloway, Stileto, Sting, Stonegarth, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Swingin' Neckbreakers, Tag Team, Tigger, Tom Waits, Tommee Profitt, Tony's Monstrosities, Tracey Thorn, ​

Tracy Stafford, Trisha Yearwood, Tuesday Knight, U2, Valerie Broussard, Vampire Lestat, Vincent Price, Vista Blue, Warren Zevon, White Zombie, Whitney Avalon, Willie Bobo, Willie Nelson, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Zig Zag Birds!
​​
Whew!

​Of course, that's not close to everything we'll be playing. Not by a longshot. But it gives you an idea of what we mean when we say we play the best variety of Halloween music!

And if you don't see your favorites here, don't worry. This is just the line-up of most of the artists that we're playing (or we played, depending on when you see this) on the first day of October. There's a lot more to come!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and for sharing this early part of the Halloween season with us!

May you always believe in the Great Pumpkin!

Ken