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Stations Playing Halloween Music?

M

Mikey Radio

After seeing the multiple threads about Christmas Music it made me wonder if many stations do anything in the month of October for Halloween? At the first few stations I worked at, both of which were ABC affiliates, that network would send a few hours of Halloween-related content via satellite including music with "ghost" or anything remotely Halloween related in the title, song parodies, Halloween-themed celebrity greetings and well-known bits from horror or Halloween-themed movies and I always recorded that feed when they were pushing it to their affiliates. Our morning shows used a few of the song parodies, we did create Halloween-themed drops for all the jocks with several of the the well-known movie bits and would run some celebrity greetings during the instrumentals leading into their songs, but generally only used the stuff for maybe 5 days leading up to the holiday. That said, no station or group I've been at most recently has really paid much attention to Halloween, aside from maybe hosting costume contests at a local bar(s) if it fits with their demographic. Other stations doing anything similar?
 
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If I remember right, my local KUWR played some Halloween music, some spooky, others just fun! If I owned a station, there would be "Monster Mash" on top.
 
The idea for this thread was prompted in part because I sometimes listen to "Music Choice Sounds of the Seasons" from Comcast at my desk. I like the music on "The Pulse" that they play between holidays, but they program Christmas tunes before and during that season, Irish ditties for St. Patrick's day, patriotic stuff near July 4th, etc. and just today they began playing Halloween music. There's actually a lot of stuff that fits within the Halloween theme but would work on many stations if interested.

For instance, they just played the theme from Ghost Busters, then (Don't Fear) The reaper by Blue Oyster Cult, Living Dead Girl from Rob Zombie, Voodoo Doll by Deadbolt, a few of the usual novelties like Flying Purple People Eater and Monster Mash by Boris Pickett before moving on to Superfreak by Rick James, Hell's Bells by AC/DC, Michael Jackson's Thriller, This is Halloween from Nightmare before Christmas, Addam's Family Theme, (I Got a Feeling Like) Somebody's Watching Me. Running With the Devil by Van Halen, Witchy Woman from The Eagles, Devil Went Down to Georgia by Charlie Daniels, Black Magic Woman, The Munsters theme, etc.
 
It used to be beyond my comprehension why Halloween starts in September. But I do understand it is a sales tactic. Doesn’t mean I like it. In my area homes were fully decked out with Halloween decorations in September. Don’t get it, but then again I remember a time when we just go got our costumes a few days before and the only decorations were a pumpkin or two at the front door. Signed, cranky old guy.
 
seatownmedia said:
It used to be beyond my comprehension why Halloween starts in September. But I do understand it is a sales tactic. Doesn’t mean I like it. In my area homes were fully decked out with Halloween decorations in September. Don’t get it, but then again I remember a time when we just go got our costumes a few days before and the only decorations were a pumpkin or two at the front door. Signed, cranky old guy.
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Yeah, marketing for all holidays starts early. Pre-Covid I remember going to Home Depot the 3rd week of August - their Halloween stuff had been up for a while and they were setting up Christmas. Last year, CVS had Valentine's day items out immediately after Christmas and I remember going to another store the week after New Years and they had St. Patty's Day decorations on display. The ones I feel a bit sorry for are the store employees. Many times the Halloween and Christmas stuff plays music, sound effects and can be loud. The cashiers and other employees need to listen to it for weeks on end.
 
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iHeartRadio is heavily advertising their online-only Halloween music channel. But besides "Monster Mash", "Thriller", and "Spooky" how much is there to play? Are they filling it up with the kiddie music and sound effects from old K-Tel records?
 
My wife and I descend from people who lived in Salem Town Massachusetts in 1692. Some were accused and some were accusers in the witch trials.
 
Some stations used to play a load of cringe-worthy '70s songs during Halloween, like "Brand New Key", "Angie Baby", "Lovin' You" (Minnie Ripperton), "You Don't Send Me Flowers Anymore", etc.
 
Many of our ancestors came to North America in the 1600's. Halloween wasn't celebrated here until the 1840's . That's because many of it's traditions come from Samhain, a Celtic event for the Lord of Death-God of Winter. America's early Christion's thought it was honoring the devil.

Christianity arrived in Ireland and Scotland around the time of the decline of the Roman Empire, But 1500 years later, many still believed in elves, magic, witches, and ghosts.
 
kevtronics said:
iHeartRadio is heavily advertising their online-only Halloween music channel. But besides "Monster Mash", "Thriller", and "Spooky" how much is there to play? Are they filling it up with the kiddie music and sound effects from old K-Tel records?
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You can come up with enough for a short playlist. Several versions of "I Put A Spell on You" and "Haunted House" for starters. Hey there's Do the Lurch and "Strange Things Happen in this World".
 
gr8oldies said:
You can come up with enough for a short playlist. Several versions of "I Put A Spell on You" and "Haunted House" for starters. Hey there's Do the Lurch and "Strange Things Happen in this World".
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Strange Things Happen is also called Laurie as linked above. The song was inspired by the famous Chicago ghost legend of Resurrection Mary. Resurrection Mary
 
I love the music that comes out this time of year, but @Mikey Radio is right: The employees end up listening to it for weeks on end with no rest, and IMO, it is torture for them, and they probably even become numb to these songs after a while. There has got to be a better way.
 
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