Key Takeaways

• Seasonal Playlist: This article features a curated list of 35 songs perfect for October.
• Variety of Artists: The songs include contributions from various artists, showcasing different genres.
• Not All Titles Mention October: While some songs reference October directly, others capture the essence of the season.
• Perfect for Activities: These tracks are ideal for autumn activities like cooking or preparing for Halloween.

Welcome to October. As the leaves begin to change colors and drop away from branches, candy gets stockpiled for trick-or-treaters and jack-o’-lanterns are lit from within, it’s time for a seasonal playlist.

In the below list, we’ve rounded up 35 songs for exactly that. Not all of them explicitly mention October in their titles or lyrics, but they’re still deserving of a spot here.

So while you’re making squash soup, raking the yard or designing your Halloween costume, here are some tunes to listen to.

1. “Sekret October,” Duran Duran
From: 1983 B-side to “Union of the Snake”

“Sure eyes awake before the dancing is over / Wise or naked in secret Oktober.”

2. “October’s Song,” Skid Row
From: The Gang’s All Here (2022)

“Mother change in the seasons I see / Winter’s on the rise / Autumn still in my eyes / Reborn as daylight dies.”

3. “October the Twelfth,” Roy Harper
From: Sophisticated Beggar (1966)

The lyrics to this song don’t actually mention October, much less a specific date, but for those that don’t know: Roy Harper is an English folk musician who heavily influenced Led Zeppelin, hence their song “Hats Off to (Roy) Harper.”

4. "August October," Robin Gibb
From: Robin’s Reign (1970)

“In August October the grass grew / The sky was blue and I want you / Now as I look out my window / I see the world carry on.”

5. “October,” U2
From: October (1981)

“October and the trees are striped bare / From all they wear / What do I care?”

6. "Harvest Moon," Neil Young
From: Harvest Moon (1992)

Technically, this song doesn’t reference October but we felt it necessary to include as this year’s real-life harvest supermoon will take place on Oct. 6, 2025.

7. “When October Goes,” Barry Manilow
From: 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe (1984)

“And when October goes / The snow begins to fly / Above the smokey roofs / I watch the planes go by.”

8. “October Road,” James Taylor
From: October Road (2002)

“Well I’m-a going back down maybe one more time / Deep down home, October road / And I might like to see that little friend of mine / That I left behind once upon a time.”

9. “Summer Soft,” Stevie Wonder
From: Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

“And so you wait to see what she’ll do / Is it sun or rain for you / But it breaks your heart in two / When you find it’s October / And she’s gone.”

10. “Moondance,” Van Morrison
From: Moondance (1970)

“Well, it’s a marvelous night for a moondance / With the stars up above in your eyes / A fantabulous night to make romance / ‘Neath the cover of October skies.”

11. “Portland Town,” The Kingston Trio
From: Something Special (1962)

“I was born in Portland town / Yes, I was / Oooh, yes, I was / October third, I’m on my way.”

12. "All This Time," Sting
From: The Soul Cages (1991)

“Saw the sad shire horses walking home / In the sodium light / Two priests on a ferry / October geese on a cold winter’s night.”

13. “Peaceful Waters,” Gordon Lightfoot
From: Lightfoot! (1996)

“The dead leaves of autumn / That cling so desperately / Must fly before the cold October wind / Their simple life is ended / Must they be born to die again?”

14. “Leningrad,” Billy Joel
From: Storm Front (1989)

“And in that bright October sun / We knew our childhood days were done / And I watched my friends go off to war / What do they keep on fighting for?”

15. “Tears in the Holston River,” Johnny Cash With the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
From: Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III (2002)

“On October 23rd, 1978 / I lost a loved one and I confess, I cried / In the joyous celebration of the lady and her music / There were tears in the Holston River.”</p