PhillyPOP #5 | Silly, Spooky, Scary: 101+ Years of Halloween Music

PhillyPOP is a meetup group for discussing popular music–it’s like a book club for playlists. We meet roughly once a month and every meeting has a playlist of songs on a given theme (see below). Participants listen to the playlist in advance and discuss it at the meeting. It's a great way to connect with local music superfans and hear stuff you wouldn't have otherwise. You can find more info about us here. If you'd like to be notified about future PhillyPOP events, make sure to check the box marked "Keep me updated on more events and news from this event organizer" when you RSVP, or follow us on our profile page.

NEXT EVENT: The season of the witch is upon us and you know what that means--costumes, candy, and West Philly's biggest multi-block party since Porchfest. PhillyPOP is getting things poppin' a little early this year with a discussion about Halloween music over the past century-plus. Rather than arranging our starter playlist in chronological order as I usually do, I've done it in rough descending order of campiness. The idea is to start with the corny stuff they play at kids' parties--your "Monster Mashes" and such--and then, slowly, song by song, progress towards more horror-oriented sounds. Of course this only applies through track 31, after which your submissions will start.

At the meeting we'll cover such spine-tingling topics as:

• What are your favorite Halloween hits and deep cuts, and why?
• What are some notable memories you associate with Halloween music?
• What musical elements make a song "scary"?
• What are the most and least scary instruments?
• Are certain musical genres inherently scarier or more Halloween-y than others?

The starter playlist features Michael Jackson (how could it not? 🧟), MC Hammer, Dusty Springfield, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Remember: these are only my personal picks and are definitely up for debate. Think I've missed something essential? Please send up to five Halloween-appropriate songs to me via the "Contact" link below (under the "Organized by" header) or email them to [email protected] and I'll add them to the playlist. Also note that we are continuing our exploration of various West Philly venues and will be holding this meeting at Renata's Kitchen at 40th & Baltimore.

FUTURE EVENTS:

• Early Dec -> 2025: The Year in Music/Best 2025 Discoveries
• Late Jan 2026 -> PhillyPOP Goes to the Grammys: Record x Song of the Year

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