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Spooky season is my favorite season, no bones about it. I love the tasty treats, the cult classic movies TV specials, and seeing friends embrace their silly sides as they plan their costumes for the year.

In the midst of it all, there is one crucial aspect of Halloween that lives near and dear to my heart: the soundtrack.

Over the years, I’ve learned a little something about The Monster Mash. It was a graveyard smash. It caught on in a flash. It’s a party song staple and is played no less than 500 times throughout the month of October.

Raise the Roof (and the Dead) with this Spooky Alt Rock Mix

Now don’t get me wrong—I love the Transylvania twist as much as the next ghoul, but I think there’s room for some variety in our cauldron of creepy cacophonies. Some days I want to embrace the eerie aesthetic without throwing down to the Ghostbusters or Addams Family theme songs. You know?

If you’re looking to spice up your séance or update your pumpkin carving backtrack, don’t worry. I’ve dug up some scary fresh alt rock tracks for all of your happy haunting needs! The playlist is full of recent alternative releases with a villainous vibe, and you can listen to the mix below.

Raise the Roof (and the Dead) with this Spooky Alt Rock Mix

Halloween Unwrapped

Since we’re on the topic of Halloween, let’s talk CANDY. We all have our favorites . . . Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats, and Butterfingers are usually top contenders. But what about the candies that are more trick than a treat to receive? You know the ones: they live in the communal kitchen candy bowl until someone is desperate for a sugar high or they become too old to safely consume.

This might cost me some friendships, but the truth needs to be told and it’s a risk I’m willing to take.

I’m throwing down the ghostly gauntlet and ranking the ten grossest candies to receive on Halloween. Let me know if you agree or disagree in the comments below!

10 HALLOWEEN CANDIES THAT SHOULD JUST BE THROWN AWAY (or given to your friends who like them I guess)

10. LAFFY TAFFY

Laffy Taffy

The only saving grace to receiving a Laffy Taffy is getting to read the joke on the wrapper. And you can do that without eating it.

9. DOUBLE BUBBLE BUBBLE GUM

Dubble Bubble Gum

You unwrap a piece, you chew it for ten seconds, it loses its flavor and you spit it out. WHAT IS THE POINT!?

8. ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS

Assorted Wrapped Candies

Thank you, Grandma! We’ll all pretend that you remembered it was Halloween and didn’t just give us leftover Christmas candies.

7. WARHEADS

WarHeads Candy

Listen, I know this candy has a big fan following. Why do you do this to yourselves? You deserve happiness! Eat a snickers or something!

6. TOOTSIE ROLLS

Tootsie Roll candy

I overdosed on tootsie rolls when I was a child and have never been able to face them since. A personal grudge, but it still counts—they’re on the list.

5. ALMOND JOY / MOUNDS

Almond Joy Candy

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t. I don’t feel like either, to be honest.

4. MILK DUDS

Milk Duds Candy

Ah, the dentist’s nemesis. Milk Duds: 1, dental fillings: 0

3. DOTS

Dots Candy

Same issues as Milk Duds, now with gross fruit flavors!

2. GOOD AND PLENTY

Good & Plenty Candy

Black licorice is disgusting; how dare you try to disguise this evil taste with a thin candy shell? Get out of my house.

1. RAISINS

Raisins

You don’t want to be known as the person that gives out raisins on Halloween. There’s no coming back from that.

There’s some good candy in this world Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for

Whew, I’m glad I got that off my chest! All of this gross candy talk makes me want to eat a chocolate bar . . . you know, to remind myself that good candy still exists.

Did your favorites or least favorites make my list? Let me know your candy hot takes in the comments below!

And don’t forget—you can make your spooky season a little sweeter with this Halloween alt mix. All treats, no tricks! Boo-ya!

You can dance if you want to, you can leave your friends behind. It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine. When I’m not with you I lose my mind. Same as it ever was… same as it ever was…

No, this isn’t an ultimate medley for the great quarantine of 2020. But it is a sneak peek into the playlist I’ve put together to help us get through these uncertain times!

With most of the United States under “stay at home” orders to help lower the impact of COVID-19, it can be challenging not to go stir crazy from being cooped up at home, being unable to see friends and loved ones, and dealing with the general state of worldly affairs.

Music always makes things a bit easier for me to manage, so I put together a mix that made me want to sing, dance and laugh as I continue taking things day by day.

There are plenty of “quarantine classics” to be found within this mix, but I’ve also included some hidden gems that you should know about.

Here are 5 new songs that will make you want to stay home and dance — check them out here and find them in my end of the world playlist below, along with a plethora of other apocalyptic hits!

5 New songs that will make you want to stay home and dance:

1. Level of Concern, Twenty One Pilots

“Tell me we’re alright, tell me we’re okay.”

The newest release from alt-rock duo Twenty One Pilots brings an upbeat reminder that we’re going to be okay. The single comes (metaphorically) hand in hand with a fun-filled music video shot from the band members’ respective homes, complete with homemade light shows and glow in the dark star stickers. Way to practice those social distancing guidelines by supporting the postal service, guys! Somebody should tell Josh about letter openers, though.

2. Disaster Party, Magic Giant

“Maybe the world is broken, but our house is always open.”

Magic Giant released Disaster Party back in 2019, but it has quickly become an anthem for 2020 as the year has progressed. This band brings a bit of chaotic energy to everything they do, and I absolutely love them for it (their live shows are a blast)!

Check out this spontaneous acoustic performance of their most recent single, which takes place in the back of a pedicab from a time when we could safely hang out outside with friends!

3. The Apartment, Foreign Air

“I needed some time alone, needed some time to grow, this will be better for us both.”

Foreign Air keeps putting out one solid release after another and The Apartment is no exception. I’ve had this single on loop since its release and it hasn’t gotten old yet, so I had to include it in this list! Forgetting how to function like a normal human being is a big quarantine mood, and I love the unexpected drops in the song’s electronic instrumentals. You’ll definitely want to get up and dance to this one—give it a listen!

4. Good News, K.Flay

“I could use some good news to pull me through, couldn’t you?”

Now more than ever, I’m finding it helpful to look for pieces of good news. This song by K.Flay is a great reminder to do so! The beat and bass of this track has me frequently bouncing around my house and singing along, and it instantly puts me in a better mood. Check out this live performance of Good News from a recent clubhouse session that took place in Austen.

5. Confetti, DOUBLECAMP

“I thought I’d watch it all go up in flames, but it all falls down like confetti.”

With a “que sera, sera” mentality, this song by DOUBLECAMP reminds us that good things can happen even when we least expect them to. It’s a message that resonates closely with me right now and is encouraging me to keep things in perspective. Listen to the fun guitar melody and catchy lyrics in this single, and maybe you’ll find some symbolic confetti falling around you!

Social Distance Playlist Gif

Stay home. Wash your hands. Get your groove on.

Now that I’ve shared some of my favorite quarantine themed songs, it’s time to throw yourself a dance party with the full playlist!

You could create your own light show for a bit of ambiance if you feel like getting creative, or put it on in the background while you work on a project. Whatever the case, turn up the volume and have fun with it!

What are some of your favorite quarantine tunes? Share them in the comments below!