One could say that Edgar Allan Poe was the original "Goth". His macabre poetry and short stories are timeless literary classics and his life was not much more upbeat than his writing. Both his parents died when he was a child, he suffered from depression and drug addiction, his wife/cousin died after two years of marriage and he himself died at the young age of 40.
Poe continues to be a muse for all things horror. Many artists, writers, filmmakers and musicians that lean to the dark side of the human condition count Poe as a major influence.
Legendary composers like Debussy and Rachmaninoff sited Edgar Allan Poe as an influence, but for this playlist I wanted for focus on modern music that has been inspired by the work of Poe.
You'll find rock, alternative, hip hop, folk and metal in the list, but no matter how diverse the genres most of the songs work to capture the eerie undercurrent that transformed Edgar Allan Poe into legend.
Songs Inspired By The Writings of Edgar Allan Poe
3. William Wilson - The Smithereens
5. (The System Of) Doctor Tarr And Professor Fether - The Alan Parsons Project
6. Murders In The Rue Morgue - Iron Maiden
7. Ol' Evil Eye - Insane Clown Posse
10. I Wanna Know (The Pit And The Pendulum) - Lou Reed
11. House Of Usher - Icarus Witch
12. The Masque Of The Red Death - Mad Puppet
14. The Tell-Tale Heart - The Alan Parsons Project
15. Buried Alive - Creature Feature
16. My Bloody Valentine - Good Charlotte
17. Lady Madeline In Her Coffin - I Am Ghost
18. Carry Stress In The Jaw - Mr. Bungle
19. King Of Terrors - Symphony X
20. Of Unsound Mind - Metal Church
22. The Poet And The Pendulum - Nightwish
23. HLA - Diorama