Horror is in the eye of the beholder. What makes one person shudder might make another laugh, or simply lean in with curiosity. Whether truly terrifying or just deliciously macabre, this year’s batch of must-watch horror music videos dance along the edge of fear and fun.
Now in its twelfth year, my annual roundup of the best horror music videos highlights some of the most creative and spine-tingling visuals from artists we love to play on the radio. From Die Spitz’s video that feels like a carnivalesque cousin of Children of the Corn, to Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s controversial 70s/80s inspired ode to Italian horror, there’s no shortage of chilling creativity on display.
Celebrate this spooktacular season with us at our Halloween edition of the Local 303 Meetup on Oct. 27 at the Skylark Lounge! We’ll host our third annual costume contest where you could win tickets to see DEVO or David Byrne. Plus locals DESTINO x Bunny Blake will perform their new single “Iconic” and they may just be in a costume too!
Florence + The Machine - "Everybody Scream"
When I heard Florence + The Machine would be releasing their new album on Halloween, I knew we’d get at least one “horror” music video leading up to it. “Everybody Scream” delivers in full: Florence and her coven of witches wander the countryside, crossing paths with villagers seemingly possessed by an unknown force. Equal parts folk horror and high art, it’s a gorgeously haunting vision.
Tame Impala - "Dracula"
Australian hitmaker Tame Impala returns with Deadbeat, out October 17, and the video for “Dracula” feels like it was filmed deep in the outback. A semi-truck hauls an old house to a zombie-ish dance party, while frontman Kevin Parker searches for his lost love under the moonlight. Fun fact: former Coloradan and friend of the Local 303, GRVNT, appears as one of the zombified dancers!
Jack White – "Archbishop Harold Holmes"
Get a jolt out of this horror-comedy fever dream directed by Jack White for his song “Archbishop Harold Holmes.” Starring the incomparable John C. Reilly, he delivers electrifying sermons to an unhinged congregation! White’s bizarre and humorous video takes us to church… or is it a mental institution? You’ll have to watch until the very end to find out.
Die Spitz - "Punishers"
In honor of their sold-out Denver show at the Marquis this month, here’s Die Spitz with their delightfully eerie video for “Punishers.” Set in a world that feels like Gatlin, Nebraska aka the town from Children of the Corn, the kids are all grown up and their "sideshow" at the local fair is just a deadly ruse. Will she make it through the cornfield and out of the barn alive?
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "BOYS WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WOLVES"
I love the vintage aesthetic of Ruban Nielson’s self-directed video for “BOYS WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WOLVES.” Inspired by 70s and 80s Italian horror, he used generative AI to create the visuals, much to the mixed reactions of fans. Upon first watch, I honestly thought it was unearthed footage from obscure genre film I hadn’t yet seen.
Lord Huron - “Who Laughs Last”
Actress Kristen Stewart stars in this noir-inspired video for Lord Huron’s “Who Laughs Last.” We follow her through a hallucinatory road trip across ghost towns and painted deserts, though it’s never clear whether she’s on Earth, an alien world, or somewhere in between. And what, exactly, is in the trunk?
Doechii - "Anxiety"
This Easter egg-filled video for Doechii’s “Anxiety” explores everything that triggers unease like fires, break-ins, and eerie twins in blue dresses (a nod to The Shining). As Doechii moves through these surreal scenes, you can’t help but wonder are these fears from horror movies, or her own anxieties come to life?
Tyler Childers - "Eatin' Big Time"
Tyler Childers’ Snipe Hunter album includes this meta, tongue-in-cheek, and gloriously gluttonous horror short for “Eatin’ Big Time.” The film-within-a-video twists in on itself with Childers’ signature sense of humor. The phrase “eatin’ big time,” he’s said, is band slang for making enough from a gig to afford a decent meal. Bonus: Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath plays the goddess, fittingly so, as her husband Nick Sanborn co-produced the album with Rick Rubin.
Thundercat - "I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time"
Bizarre, twisted, and hilariously grotesque; that's exactly what we get from the musical polymath Thundercat's new video. “I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time” dives into his eccentric psyche, mixing absurd humor with squirm-like visuals. It feels straight out of Adult Swim at 2 a.m. and I mean that as the highest compliment. Catch Thundercat in Denver on Nov. 11 at the Fillmore!
Kid Cudi - "Grave"
Kid Cudi’s return to music finds him exploring new sounds on Free, released in August. The video for “Grave,” directed by Samuel Bayer of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” fame, blends gritty realism with symbolism. Its message is clear: choose happiness, and don’t let the grave darkness consume you.
Samia - "Carousel"
At first, I planned to feature the title track from Samia’s Bovine Excision, a beautifully chilling video about isolation and self-discovery. But then she released “Carousel!” This one starts serene before going full-on slasher film, incorporating every high school horror trope imaginable. Who gets the last slash...or splash?
Perfume Genius - "No Front Teeth (feat. Aldous Harding)"
The video for “No Front Teeth,” from Perfume Genius’ latest album, feels like a surreal dream sequence directed by the late David Lynch. Mike Hadreas and New Zealand artist Aldous Harding star together in this seductively chaotic duet. While it’s one of the album’s most moving songs, the visuals somehow leave me craving waffles—watch and you’ll understand.
