Editorials
[Editorial] 9 Great Horror Soundtracks
It’s nearly Halloween. Outside, the wind is howling. The trees are bare, the branches looking like skeleton limbs crudely stuck together. Leaves cover the ground, causing each step to elicit a satisfying crunch. The sky is steel grey, threatening rain, thunder, and lightning. In a simpler way of putting it, it’s the best time of the year.
For me, one of the best ways to celebrate this time of year is by putting on some of the creepiest, eeriest, scariest music that I can get my hands on. There is something deliciously fun about scaring myself with shrieking violins, out-of-tune pianos, otherworldly choirs, and bizarre ambient tones.
And since this time of year is something special to a great many people, I wanted to share some of my favorite horror soundtracks, the ones that make me want to curl up under a blanket and play one horror movie after another, until the saving grace of the sunrise saves me. Join me below for 9 Great Horror Soundtracks!
Note: This list is in no particular order
The Fog
John Carpenter has created many classic scores throughout the years, with the theme to Halloween becoming quite possibly one of the most famous horror themes of all time. But it’s the score for The Fog that always unsettled me more. It’s one of Carpenter’s most atmospheric films and the score had to match that feeling. And it does, with more added on for good effect.
Note: You should definitely get the extended remastered edition here. Very much worth it!
The Shining
C’mon, did you really think this wasn’t going to make it on the list? I’d add this to any similar list simply for the works of Krzysztof Penderecki. But even without them, this soundtrack is quite possibly one of the easiest ways to scare the absolute crap out of me. Put it on and there’s a good chance that I’m going to start looking over my shoulder every few minutes. Scratch that, every few seconds.
Silent Hill 2
While the soundtrack to Silent Hill 1 is more evil, Akira Yamaoka’s score to Silent Hill 2 is far more phantasmagoric, mixing beauty with horror. The end result is one of the most famous and beloved horror video game soundtracks ever released.
Lord Of Illusions
I’m such a fan of this movie to the point that I think it might actually be my favorite Clive Barker film. I know that’s a bold statement but it’s so much fun and has such a unique feel about it. The score by Simon Boswell has this incredible mix of noir jazz and horror that is both erotic and eerie. Probably one of the most under appreciated horror soundtracks.
Suspiria
Another obvious choice, this soundtrack, composed by Goblin has been lauded ever since the film came out in 1977. The electronic score has some of the eeriest tones and patches used on a synthesizer and then laid down on celluloid.
American McGee’s Alice
The second video game to make this list, American McGee’s Alice came out to critical acclaim for its dark, inventive imagery and the twisted take on the Alice In Wonderland mythos. But what might be the most popular aspect of the game is the soundtrack, composed by ex-Nine Inch Nails member Chris Vrenna.
The Omen
“AVE SATANI! SANGUIS BIBIMUS!” The most demonic entry into this list, I can’t help but feel shivers run up and down my spine during this soundtrack. Truly one of Jerry Goldsmith’s crowning achievements, The Omen will always be one of the great classics.
Twin Peaks
Much like Lord Of Illusions, Twin Peaks had a mix of erotic jazz with this eerie atmosphere. The difference is that Twin Peaks had a far more lighthearted approach, making this the perfect entry for those you who can’t stand to be too scared.
The 7th Guest
The final entry into this list is yet another video game. Taking place in a haunted mansion where every horrifying puzzle could leave you stumped for days, the music took the stylings of the 1930’s and mixed it with horror to create a delightfully terrifying soundtrack that haunted me for years as a child.
Alright readers, now that I’ve shared mine, what are some of your favorite horror soundtracks? Let me know in the comments below!
Got any thoughts/questions/concerns for Jonathan Barkan? Shoot him a message on Twitter or on Bloody-Disgusting!
A new month means a new guide as titles are added (and dropped) from streaming services. Let’s unpack the most exciting titles that are available to watch on Tubi in July 2026.
New to Tubi July Horror Films
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
- Premise: Searching for a cure to Alzheimer’s disease, a group of scientists on an isolated research facility become the prey as a trio of intelligent sharks fight back.
- Why Watch It? Let’s be frank: Director Renny Harlin has made some absolute dogs in the last few years (the less said about The Strangers trilogy the better, though this year’s Deep Water was actually ok). Deep Blue Sea remains one of the Finnish director’s best contemporary efforts, though. Between the great cast (Samuel L. Jackson, Saffron Burrows, Stellan Skarsgård, Michael Rapaport, LL Cool J, Thomas Jane, and Jane’s sleeveless wetsuit), the ridiculous premise, and that damn/dumb song (“My hat is like a shark’s fin”), you basically can’t go wrong with Deep Blue Sea. It’s one of two great shark films gliding onto Tubi this month, so why not stay out of the water and watch this instead?
- Streaming: July 1
Exorcist II: Heretic (1977)
- Premise: Reagan (Linda Blair), a girl once possessed by a demon, finds that it still lurks within her. Meanwhile, Father Lamont (Richard Burton) investigates the death of the priest who performed her exorcism.
- Why Watch It? August sees the release of documentary Boorman and the Devil, which is about the troubled production of this sequel. The notoriety surrounding Heretic has undoubtedly kept plenty of horror fans away from the sequel, but this truly is a “seeing is believing” kind of film. Real talk: it’s undeniably a disaster, but the John Boorman film has also become a minor cult film. Don’t you want to see it to make up your own mind?
- Streaming: July 1
Hostel: Part III (2011)
- Premise: Four men attending a bachelor party in Las Vegas fall prey to the Elite Hunting Club, who are hosting a gruesome game show of torture.
- Why Watch It? What does Hostel look like without Eli Roth? Part III kinda answers the question. Technically Roth is still a writer, but he hands over the directorial reins to Scott Spiegel (best known for acting in Evil Dead films). The result is a film with a terrible pedigree; it’s also the first (and last) entry to skip theatres before the franchise was permanently shelved (until that TV show with Paul Giamatti shows up?). For some horror fans, however, there’s something exciting about a bad low-budget sequel. Just bear in mind that the Hostel: Part III‘s biggest star is Kip Pardue…so adjust your expectations accordingly before hitting play.
- Streaming: July 1
Insidious 1-3 (2010/2013/2015)
- Premise: A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.
- Why Watch It? It’s hard to believe that the sixth (!) Insidious movie is coming out in a month and a half, but James Wan and Leigh Whannell‘s other horror franchise has been steadily chugging along for sixteen years. It’s a shame that Tubi doesn’t have all five films available to watch, but in terms of quality, you can do far worse than the original trio. The first film is iconic, and the second is basically an extended coda (with some admittedly problematic stuff going on). I’ll go to bat for Whannell’s 2015 directorial debut, though: there’s a few banger sequences in that film that people slept on.
- Streaming: July 1
Man Finds Tape (2025)
- Premise: After finding mysterious video clips, siblings investigate the strange recordings and uncover a disturbing secret spreading through their Texas town.
- Why Watch It? Writer/directors Paul Gandersman and Peter S. Hall‘s well-received found footage film did an extensive tour of the festival circuit, so now is a great time to check out one of the most contemporary titles debuting on Tubi this month. Surely a title that hails from producers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Spring and The Endless) is worth a free look?
- Streaming: July 2
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
- Premise: A depressed musician Adam (Tom Hiddleston) reunites with his lover Eve (Tilda Swinton). However, their romance, which has already endured several centuries, is disrupted by the arrival of her uncontrollable younger sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska).
- Why Watch It? This beautiful, melancholy vampire film is courtesy of writer/director Jim Jarmusch, who doesn’t often dabble in genre fare. As always, some will quibble if this artsy drama qualifies as horror, but the existential ennui of an eternal life certainly qualifies (bonus: there’s also something inherently sexy about watching Hiddleston and Swinton just lay about). Plus: if Leviticus has you hankering for more Wasikowska, this is an under the radar pick.
- Streaming: July 1
The Shallows (2016)
- Premise:A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy (Blake Lively) is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills.
- Why Watch It? What better time to watch a shark movie than July? The temperatures are soaring and the idea of escaping into the water is so tantalizing. This tight, contained thriller features a great performance by Lively (and that damn seagull!), but it’s the direction from genre fave Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan; the House of Wax remake) that keeps the movie clicking along like clockwork. At 86 minutes, this is a perfect summer flick.
- Streaming: July 1
Vacancy (2007)
- Premise: Stranded in an isolated motel, a couple (Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale) become the unsuspecting subjects of a snuff film.
- Why Watch It? I’m not going to pretend that this Nimród Antal-directed home invasion film is high art, but it is a good time. You’ll likely wish there were deeper characterizations for Wilson and Beckinsale’s David and Amy in Mark L. Smith‘s screenplay, but this mid-aughts thriller is tense, exciting, and just the right amount of grimy. Plus: another short runtime, clocking in at an expeditious 85 minutes!
- Streaming: July 1
July Tubi Originals
The One Next Door (2026)
- Premise: When a mysterious stranger moves in next door to Robert and Tabitha, boundaries are tested, loyalty is questioned, and danger comes for all.
- Streaming: July 10
I Know Where You Live (2026)
- Premise: Sarah thinks she’s found “the one” until his flaws emerge. When she pulls away, chilling threats suggest he’s watching her from inside her own home.
- Streaming: July 24
What’s your favorite from the list above? Will you check out the new Original? Sound off in the comments below
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