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Mark Nash's avatar

“Subway Song” is such a great one. Even today, after listening to that album for decades, if I have it on in the background it sometimes still gets me.

In terms of horror in music, it often comes down to lyrical themes for me. A good example is Lowest of the Low’s “7th Birthday”. If you weren’t paying attention to the lyrics you might find it a pleasant song with the verse “Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday fun” resonating happy vibes. But once you hear the follow up line “don’t tell anyone”, go back and listen and realize what the song’s about, it’s disturbing: https://youtu.be/XCl7xqz2_Mk?si=LbzWFtw5xMZ5ZV9E

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Catherine Sinow's avatar

Great song, lyrics are well executed and seriously messed up. Thanks for passing this one along, I guess I should pay more attention to Canadian alt-rock~

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Justin Nelson's avatar

No mention of Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 94 in G Major... LOL

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Catherine Sinow's avatar

I didn't flinch whatsoever

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The Blockhead Chronicles's avatar

Does Haydn’s “Surprise” Symphony count?

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mkschoen's avatar

I immediately thought of Eminem's "Stan", when we get to the line about the pregnant girlfriend in the trunk?

Also the drum break in "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins

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Catherine Sinow's avatar

Credit goes to Chris for thinking of that one

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Joseph Harr's avatar

No jump scares in it that I can recall, but Nick Cave's 1996 album Murder Ballads is almost entirely narrative driven horror pieces about, no surprise here, murders. I first heard it in 1997 when I was 12 years old, and the overall mood it created had a similar feel to the mood created by horror movies. I still listen to it from time to time, such a great album.

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Paxton Guy's avatar

The first time I heard Yes' "Owner of a Lonely Heart", this counted as a jump scare for me.

https://youtu.be/X3Za2xF3wAc?si=4UsH_AD9aXRAKuSk&t=862

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Catherine Sinow's avatar

Good startle, I give it a 6/10 scary

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Noah Smits's avatar

I would consider the scream at the start of Lord Only Knows by Beck to be a jump scare. Careful With That Axe Eugene by Pink Floyd has one too

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Brad Carl's avatar

Horror punk is the epitome of “scary” or “horror music.” Predominantly started by Glenn Danzig and the Misfits, it sparked a ton of other bands that I have follows for years and years.

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Catherine Sinow's avatar

You're right I completely overlooked this

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Ian Compton's avatar

There’s a solid jumpscare at 1:10 in this one narrated by Timothy Leary before kicking into a slow 7/4

https://youtu.be/W7bqDDmA7cw?si=Xqz053zSWP1vNwyc

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Catherine Sinow's avatar

That's a pretty good one although Timothy Leary by himself is pretty scary

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