(July 11, 2023). In announcing this week’s new No. 1 song “Vampire,” by pop starlet Olivia Rodrigo, Billboard magazine noted that it was only the seventh song whose title begins with the letter “V” to reach No. 1 (the other six being Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida,” Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love,” Madonna’s “Vogue,” and three songs named “Venus” by Bananarama, The Shocking Blue and Frankie Avalon).
But there’s an even juicier story the publication could’ve sank its fangs into given the song’s title.
“Vampire” joins an even longer list of macabre song titles that have spooked their way to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Whether they be mythical bloodsucking mammals of the kind Rodrigo scares up (rumored, in her case, to be an ex-boyfriend), or various other references to monsters, ghosts, witches, bats, maneaters, psychopaths, black cats and other spooky characters, pop songs have been exploring the darkest depths of our imaginations—and pushing the fear factor—ever since the beginning of the rock era in 1955.
Djrobblog, with the help of loyal contributor and friend Kv Martin, came up with a list of more than a dozen instances—19 to be exact—where macabre, occult, monstrous, bloody, superstitious, disturbing and downright scary song titles have clawed their way to the top, whether or not the songs’ actual context or intent was to pump fear through our veins.
We’ve opened the curtains to cast bloodcurdling daylight on all of them right here, beginning with Rodrigo’s “Vampire” and working backwards chronologically.
“Vampire” (2023).
Olivia Rodrigo makes a bid to enter pop culture’s terrifying lore with the most famous vampire since Bram Stoker’s Dracula first immortalized them in his 1897 novel. “Vampire” is No. 1 on the latest Hot 100 dated July 15, 2023.
“Psycho” (2018).
The closest singer/rapper Post Malone comes to scaring us in the video for his 2018 No. 1 song “Psycho” is the blowtorch he takes to a snarling werewolf in a post-apocalyptic world. Otherwise, folks of a certain age were able to immediately recall one of the greatest slasher films of all time (Alfred Hitchcock’s 1962 masterpiece) bearing the song’s title.
“Bad Blood” (2015).
With menacing single cover-art and a backstory that made pop rival Katy Perry the purported target of Taylor Swift’s ire, “Bad Blood” revisited an old No. 1 pop title from 40 years earlier (included below) and took it to No. 1 herself in 2015. Tell me, would you want to be in her crosshairs?
“Disturbia” (2008).
Rihanna opens her 2008 No. 1 single (her fourth overall) with a horror-film-like scream before the bouncy uptempo beat takes over. The song was said to be about mental anguish, confusion and fear. And, like “Psycho,” it shares its title with a psycho-thriller film that itself was partially inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s works (2007’s Disturbia film starring Shia LeBeouf was reportedly inspired in part by Hitchcock’s 1954 film Rear Window).
“My Boo” (2004).
The ballad “My Boo” by Usher & Alicia Keys has nothing to do with ghosts and goblins. Instead the duo gave “Boo” its biggest pop culture moment when they immortalized the term of affection in a No. 1 duet in 2004. When you’re alone and need that someone, who you gonna call?
“Creep” (1995).
TLC’s Chili, T-Boz and the late Left Eye didn’t have creepy monsters in mind when they elevated the cheating term “creep” to No. 1 in early 1985, or did they? After all, as the song told it, the guys they were “creeping” on were themselves going outside of the relationship for affection. Call it a case of “an eye for an eye.”
“Black Cat” (1989).
A lot of fear has roots in superstition. And if you believe the ones about black cats, like allowing one to cross your walking path or meeting one early in the morning—both of which purportedly bring bad luck, then Janet Jackson scared up a winner with this No. 1 single (the third of four from her Rhythm Nation 1814 album).
“Batdance” (1989).
The closest thing to a real vampire hitting No. 1 is this reference to bats in Prince’s 1989 No. 1 hit “Batdance,” which was inspired by the film Batman about the DC Comics superhero starring Michael Keaton. But since Batman is supposed to be the good guy here, we’ll also mention the main villain of the movie—“The Joker”—so perfectly played by actor Jack Nicklaus and so memorably captured in Prince’s hit.
“Love Bites” (1988).
While we’re on the subject of bloodsucking mammals, who do you think the members of Def Leppard had in mind when they wrote this metaphorical tune that became their first and only No. 1 single in 1988?
“Ghostbusters” (1984).
Ray Parker, Jr.’s biggest hit was the theme song from the 1984 blockbuster movie starring Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray and Harold Ramis, a film that made no bones what it was about: three guys who believe in ghosts and start a ghost-catching business in New York City. Parker, who was successfully sued by Huey Lewis & the News because the song sounded a little too close to their “I Want A New Drug,” noted that he “ain’t afraid of no ghosts,” adding that he heard “they like the girls.”
“Maniac” (1983).
Borrowing from the “psycho” theme, this No. 1 pop hit by keyboardist and singer Michael Sembello from the 1983 movie Flashdance was the furthest thing from slasher gore, unless you considered the moves that the film’s protagonist made to be slashing up the dance floor. As Sembello sings, you’re in a danger zone when “the dancer becomes the dance,” or more pointedly, “it can cut you like a knife.”
“Maneater” (1982).
Daryl Hall & John Oates became the biggest duo in pop singles history around the time this metaphorical song about New York City—the first single from their H2O album—became their fifth of six career No. 1 hits in 1982-83. Personally, I was more fearful of the man-eating vixen depicted in the album’s third single, “Family Man,” which peaked at No. 6 in ‘83.
“Bad Blood” (1975).
When Neil Sedaka teamed up with record label boss Elton John on this No. 1 song from 1975, they sang of a woman with a “bitch in her smile and a lie on her lips, such an evil child.” Sir Elton then tried to upstage his duet partner with the song that knocked “Bad Blood” out of No. 1–his own “Island Girl”—which told of a dark lady with teeth that “flashed” and nails that “scratched your back just like a rake.” Eeek!
“Dark Lady” (1974).
Cher Bono (at the time) sang this No. 1 tune about a fortune teller with a cat and a black limousine (and some witches brew to boot) whose advice she sought. When she learned that the fortune teller herself had been cheating with her man, Cher had to do what any self-respecting woman would to a monster like that…end her.
“Frankenstein” (1973).
There’s nothing intuitively obvious about why the Edgar Winter Group’s 1973 No. 1 instrumental rocker is called “Frankenstein,” so I looked it up. Apparently, the song got its name due to the arduous editing that went into its creation, with parts of the tape literally being spliced together to form the whole song, not unlike Dr. Frankenstein’s monster itself.
“Superstition” (1973).
Stevie Wonder cautioned us in 1973 that “superstition ain’t the way,” especially when you believe in things you don’t understand. Stevie specifically called out the bad luck that the number 13 purportedly brings, especially if a broken mirror is also involved. “Seven years of bad luck” is almost certain to follow. This cautionary single became his first No. 1 hit in ten years (and his second of ten total including collaborations).
“Monster Mash” (1962).
Everyone was invited to this 1962 No. 1 horror party in which Bobby “Boris” Pickett imitated famed actor Boris Karloff and sang of Dracula, Wolfman, Igor, baying hounds, zombies, coffin-bangers, and of course that rocking group the Crypt-Kicker Five! Easily one of the greatest Halloween party jams ever recorded!
“Running Scared” (1961).
The fear Roy Orbison sang of in this 1961 No. 1 single was not about monsters, but that of a man afraid his lover would want her old flame back when he came a-calling. The protagonist’s fear was manifested when the man returned, but was doused in the song’s happy ending where the love interest turned around and left…with Roy. Aww!
“Witch Doctor” (1958).
If a prescription of “ooo eee, ooh ah ah, ting tang, walla walla, bing bang” delivered in the style of musical chipmunks doesn’t sit well with you, then you might want to stay away from this No. 1 incantation from 1958 by David Seville. Or at least stop seeking romantic advice from the likes of dark ladies and witch doctors.
And those are the nineteen songs we found.
Of course, no story is complete without mentioning some key near-misses that would’ve easily qualified for this list had they peaked a little higher on the charts, like Beelzebub himself in songs like INXS’ “Devil Inside” (No. 2 peak), Charlie Daniels Band’s “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” (No. 3), and Cliff Richard’s “Devil Woman” (No. 6).
And since this article was inspired by a bat-related creature in “Vampire,” we’d be remiss if we didn’t at least acknowledge Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell series of albums.
While the first one from 1978 rose no higher than No. 14 in its original chart run, the official sequel, Bat Out of Hell II, topped the Billboard 200 in 1993, making it a worthy mention.
Then there’s perhaps the most recognizable spooky song (and album) of all—Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”—for which the King of Pop had to add a disclaimer to the credits of the song’s video about not believing in the occult when he unleashed it on the world in 1983.
“Thriller”—as the seventh and final single from its titular album—only peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100, but there’s that thing about the LP being the biggest-selling album of all time worldwide that earns it an honorable mention here.
But, of course, this scream fest of songs may mean nothing to you if you’re the type that’s “Not Afraid,” as Eminem once epitomized in a No. 1 song from 2010.
Either way, I hope you enjoyed this peak through pop’s petrifying past!
DJRob
DJRob (he/him/his), whose article in no way expresses a belief in the occult, is a freelance music blogger from the East Coast who covers R&B, hip-hop, pop, rock and (sometimes) country genres – plus lots of music news and current stuff! You can follow him on Twitter at @djrobblog and on Meta’s Threads.
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