Halloween Songs for ESL Students: 10 Picks Your Class Will Actually Like

Halloween week is chaos. Costumes, candy, a sugar crash by fifth period. You want something festive that still counts as English class, and you don't want to spend Sunday night building it.

These 10 songs are all on Roxxem, so each one already comes with a lesson you can open and play. We grouped them by level and noted what each song is good for, so you can pick in two minutes and get back to your weekend.

Beginner (A1 to A2)

1. Monster Mash, Bobby Pickett (G)

The classic. It tells a story in the past simple about a scientist whose monster becomes the hit of a graveyard party. Students pick up spooky vocabulary (lab, graveyard, Dracula) and hear regular and irregular past forms in context. Want a full plan? See our Monster Mash lesson plan.

2. Black Magic, Little Mix (G)

A pop song about a love potion. It's upbeat, easy to follow, and full of magic words students love: spell, potion, magic. A good warm-up for younger or shy groups.

3. Talking to the Moon, Bruno Mars (G)

Slow, clear vocals and a lot of present continuous. A gentle pick for classes that prefer moody over scary, and a nice way to bring in moon and night vocabulary.

Intermediate (B1 to B2)

4. Radioactive, Imagine Dragons (G)

Big, dramatic, and teen approved. The lyrics paint an end of the world scene, so it works well for descriptive vocabulary and the present continuous.

5. Hunter's Moon, Ghost (G)

A rock song connected to the Halloween horror film series. Great for older students who think Halloween songs are for little kids.

6. bury a friend, Billie Eilish (PG-13)

Sung from the point of view of the monster under the bed. The song leans on direct questions, which makes it a natural fit for practicing question forms. Preview it first for younger groups.

7. Zombie, YUNGBLUD (PG-13)

Uses the zombie image to talk about feeling worn out and disconnected. A good discussion starter for teens about feelings, with Halloween as the hook.

8. Abracadabra, Lady Gaga (PG-13)

A recent dance hit built around a magic word. Use it for a quick listening challenge or a vocabulary race. Preview for maturity before class.

Advanced (B2 and up)

9. Psycho Killer, Talking Heads (PG-13)

A tense, quirky classic with a short section in French, which makes for a fun conversation about code switching. Best for older, advanced groups.

10. Twin Skeleton's, Fall Out Boy (PG-13)

Dense, fast lyrics for students who want a real challenge. Use it for gap fills or for spotting figurative language.

How to Use These Songs in One Class Period

1. Pick one song that matches your level and grammar point.
2. Pre-teach five spooky words before you press play.
3. Play the song once just for fun. No worksheets.
4. Play it again with the Roxxem lesson: gap fills, vocabulary, and comprehension questions are already built.
5. Finish with a live game so students compete with the vocabulary they just learned.

Looking for more ideas for this week? Try our Halloween ESL activities for middle and high school.

FAQ

What are good Halloween songs for ESL beginners?

Monster Mash, Black Magic, and Talking to the Moon work well for A1 to A2 students. They have clear vocals, repeated phrases, and simple themes.

Are these Halloween songs school appropriate?

Each song has a maturity rating on Roxxem. The G songs are safe picks for most classrooms. We'd recommend previewing anything rated PG-13 before playing it for younger students.

How long does a Halloween song lesson take?

Most Roxxem song lessons run 15 to 30 minutes, so you can use one as a warm-up or build a full period around it.

Ready for Halloween? All 10 songs are waiting in Roxxem with lessons already built. Start teaching for free.