List of songs about or referencing serial killers

This is a list of songs about or referencing killers. The songs are divided into groups by the last name of the killer the song is about or mentions.

Axeman of New Orleans

 * "Axeman Jazz (Don't Scare Me Papa)" - Squirrel Nut Zippers
 * "Axtmann" - Eisregen
 * The Axeman's Jazz - Beasts of Bourbon
 * "The Mysterious Axman's Jazz (Don't Scare Me Papa)" – Joseph John Davilla

Joe Ball

 * "Joe Ball was his name" – Macabre

Elizabeth Báthory

 * "An Execution" – Siouxsie and the Banshees
 * "Bathe in Blood" – Evile
 * "Báthory Erzsébet" - Sunn O)))
 * "Beauty Through Order" – Slayer
 * "The Bleeding Baroness" – Candlemass
 * "Countess Bathory" - Venom
 * "Countess Erszebeth Nadasdy" – Barathrum
 * Cruelty and the Beast album by Cradle of Filth
 * Die Blutgräfin album by Untoten
 * "Elizabeth" – Aiden
 * "Elizabeth" – Ghost
 * Elizabeth album – Kamelot
 * "Elizabeth Bathory" – Tormentor
 * "Rose of Pain" – X Japan
 * "To the Memory of the Dark Countess" – Mütiilation
 * "Torquemada 71" – Electric Wizard
 * "Woman of Dark Desires" – Bathory
 * "The Wrath of Satan's Whore" – Countess

Robert Berdella

 * "Diary of Torture" – Macabre

David Berkowitz

 * ".44 Magnum Opus" - Exodus
 * "6 Foot 7 Foot" - Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz
 * "Bay of Pigs" – The Acacia Strain
 * "Black Privilege" - Dr. Dre
 * "Cereal Killer" – Green Jellÿ
 * "Death 2" – Flatbush Zombies
 * "Diddy Doo Wop (I Hear The Voices)" – Hall & Oates
 * "Ditty" – Barkmarket
 * "I Hear Black" – Overkill
 * "Hello From the Gutter" – Overkill
 * "Hot Damn" – Ivy Levan
 * "Insane in the Brain" – Cypress Hill
 * "Jumping at Shadows" – Benediction
 * "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun" – Beastie Boys
 * "Mr. 44" – Electric Hellfire Club
 * "Reign In Blood" – Necro
 * "(Sam), Son of Man" – Marilyn Manson and The Spooky Kids
 * "Stay Wide Awake" – Eminem
 * "Son of A Gun (David Berkowitz)" – Church of Misery
 * "Son of Sam" - Chain Gang
 * "Son of Sam" – Dead Boys
 * "Son of Sam" – Elliott Smith
 * "Son of Sam" – Macabre
 * "Son of Sam" – Shinedown
 * "Son of Sam" – Violent Soho
 * "Summer Of Sam" – Lana Del Rey
 * "Unseen Darkness" – Sinister

Paul Bernardo

 * "Choking Games" − Nicole Dollanganger

Kenneth Bianchi & Angelo Buono

 * "Hillside Strangler" – The Destructors
 * "Hillside Strangler" – The Hollywood Squares
 * "The Hillside Stranglers" – Macabre
 * "I Wanna Make You Scream" – Battalion of Saints
 * "Notown Blues" – The Black Lips

Ian Brady & Myra Hindley

 * "Archives of Pain" – Manic Street Preachers
 * "Lambs to the Slaughter" – Church of Misery
 * "Mother Earth" – Crass
 * "No One Is Innocent" – The Sex Pistols
 * "Suffer Little Children" – The Smiths
 * "Very Friendly" – Throbbing Gristle

Jerry Brudos

 * "Fatal Foot Fetish" – Macabre
 * "Truest Shade of Crimson – Through the Eyes of the Dead

Ted Bundy

 * "Anne" – Bloodbath
 * "Black Friday" – Lil' Kim
 * "Blackest Eyes" – Porcupine Tree
 * "Blow" – Tyler, the Creator
 * "Bundy" – Animal Alpha
 * "Bundy's DNA" – Acid Drinkers
 * "Crack" – Slowthai
 * "Death 2" – Flatbush Zombies
 * "The Drifter" – Green on Red
 * "epaR" – Earl Sweatshirt
 * "I, Motherfucker (Ted Bundy)" – Church of Misery
 * “Just another psycho” - Motley Crüe
 * ”Lotta True Crime”- Penelope Scott
 * "Meticulous Invagination" – Aborted
 * "Mr. Gore" – Blitzkid
 * "Murder Dividead" – Edge Of Sanity
 * "Reign In Blood" - Necro
 * "Serial Killer" – Vio-lence
 * "Stay Wide Awake" – Eminem
 * "Stripped, Raped and Strangled" – Cannibal Corpse
 * "Ted Bundy" – Theory of a Deadman
 * "The Ted Bundy Song" – Macabre
 * "Ted Bundy's Thanksgiving Dinner" – A Lot Like Birds
 * "Ted, Just Admit It…" – Jane's Addiction
 * "Till Death" – Lord Infamous
 * "Torch Song Trilogy" - Handsome Boy Modeling School
 * "Video Crimes" - Tin Machine
 * "Warrior" - Swollen Members
 * "We Want Cunt" – Jeffree Star
 * "What Turns You on?" – The Cassandra Complex
 * "The Wheels on the Bug" – Macabre

Richard Chase

 * "Blood Sucking Freaks (Richard Chase)" – Church of Misery
 * "House Sparrow" – Xiu Xiu
 * "Refuse 2 Lose" - Brotha Lynch Hung

Andrei Chikatilo

 * "How Are You, Kid?" – Macabre
 * "Psychopathy Red" – Slayer
 * "Red Ripper Blues (Andrei Chikatilo)" – Church of Misery
 * "Ripper von Rostow" – Eisregen
 * "Rostov Ripper" – Impious
 * "The Butcher of Rostov" – Blood Tsunami

Adolfo Constanzo

 * "El Padrino (Adolfo Constanzo)" – Church of Misery
 * "Sacrifical Shack" – Pain Teens

Dean Corll

 * "Candyman" – Monte Cazazza
 * "Candyman (Dean Corll)" – Church of Misery

Jeffrey Dahmer

 * "213" – Slayer
 * "Arcarsenal" – At The Drive-In
 * "Bagpipes from Baghdad" – Eminem
 * "Bandit" – Juice WRLD ft. NBA YoungBoy
 * "Benz or Beamer" – Outkast
 * "Big Boy’s Neighborhood Freestyle" - Kendrick Lamar
 * "Black Friday"- Lil Kim
 * "Body Parts" – Three 6 Mafia
 * "Brainless" – Eminem
 * "Break the Law"- Mac Miller
 * "Cannibal" – Kesha
 * "Celebrity Cannibalism" – Creaming Jesus
 * "Choklit Factory" – Marilyn Manson
 * "Control" – The Black Dahlia Murder
 * "Da Graveyard" – Big L
 * Dahmer – Macabre
 * "Dahmer and the Limbs" – Nicole Dollanganger
 * "Dahmer Does Hollywood" - Amigo the Devil
 * "Dahmer is Dead" – Violent Femmes
 * "Danger Zone" – Big L
 * "Dark Horse" – Katy Perry ft. Juicy J
 * "Death 2" – Meechy Darko
 * "Dirty Frank" – Pearl Jam
 * "Electric City" – Black Eyed Peas
 * "Freak Like Me" – Brooke Candy ft. TOOPOOR
 * "Freeze Dried Man" – Macabre
 * "God Bless" – Combichrist
 * "I'm On It" – J. Cole
 * "Jeffrey" – Juice WRLD
 * "Jeffrey Dahmer" – Soulfly
 * "Keep it Underground" – Lords of the Underground
 * "KKKill the Fetus" - Esham
 * "Killer" - Phoebe Bridgers
 * "Lift Me Up" - Vince Staples
 * "Lil' Drummer Boy’ "- Lil Kim
 * "Lord Dahmer" - Final Solution
 * "Marlon JD" – Manic Street Preachers
 * "Moonshine" - Swollen Members
 * "Must Be The Ganja" - Eminem
 * "Murder Avenue" - Geto Boys
 * "Nature of the threat" - Ras Kass
 * "Natural Born Killaz - Dr. Dre ft. Ice Cube
 * "Now I'm High, Really High" − Three 6 Mafia
 * "Orange Juice" - EarlWolf
 * "Particle Accelerator" - Tad
 * "Pretty Boy Swag" - Tyga
 * "Psycopath Killer" - Eminem ft Slaughterhouse & Yelawolf
 * "Rage All Over" - Wargasm
 * "Rap, Soda y Bohemia" – Molotov
 * "Reign In Blood" - Necro
 * "Room 213" – Church of Misery
 * "Room 213" – Dead Moon
 * "Room 213" - G.G.F.H.
 * "Said the Spider to the Fly" - the pAper chAse
 * "Sandwitches" - Tyler the Creator
 * "Siccmade" - Brotha Lynch Hung
 * "Sinthasomphone" – Venetian Snares
 * "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream" - Andrew Rannells
 * "Still Born/Still Life" – Christian Death
 * "Straight Boys" - Jeffree Star
 * "The Ballad Of Jeffrey Dahmer" – Pinkard & Bowden
 * "Things Get Worse" - Eminem Ft. B.o.B
 * "Tom Dahmer Mixtape Freestyle" – Necro
 * "Transformer" – Future ft. Nicki Minaj
 * "Trigger Inside" - Therapy?
 * "Usual Suspects" – Hollywood Undead
 * "You're Gonna Love This"- 3OH!3
 * "What's That Smell?" – Macabre
 * "What Will Happen Will Happen"- Lemon Demon

Albert DeSalvo

 * "The Boston Strangler" – Macabre
 * "Boston Strangler (Albert DeSalvo)" – Church of Misery
 * "Dedicated to Albert De Salvo" – Whitehouse
 * "Dirty Water" – The Standells
 * "Midnight Rambler" – The Rolling Stones

Dnepropetrovsk maniacs

 * "Dealers of Fame" - Oh, Sleeper

Mark Essex

 * "Soul Discharge (Mark Essex)" – Church of Misery

Albert Fish

 * "27 Needles" – John 5
 * "Albert Fish/Liverwurst" – Green Jellÿ
 * "Albert Was Worse Than Any Fish In The Sea" – Macabre
 * "Document: Grace Budd" – The Number Twelve Looks Like You
 * "Fish" - Tyler, the Creator
 * "Fishtales" – Macabre
 * "The Gray Man (Albert Fish)" – Church of Misery
 * "Instruments of Hell" – Exhumed
 * "Human Consumption" - Necro
 * "Letter to Mother" - Divine Heresy
 * "Mr. Albert Fish (Was Children Your Favourite Dish?)" – Macabre
 * "Mr Fish" – Sparzanza
 * "Slaughter House" – Macabre
 * "Three Bedrooms in a Good Neighborhood" − Death Grips
 * "The Werewolf of Westeria" – John 5

Lavinia Fisher

 * "Pretty Lavinia" – American Murder Song

Lonnie David Franklin Jr.

 * "Twistin'" – Lil Ugly Mane (featuring Denzel Curry)

John Wayne Gacy

 * "33 Something" – Bathory
 * "Clownin' Around" - Deer Tick
 * "Finger Paintings of The Insane" - Acid Bath
 * "Gacy's Lot" – Macabre
 * "Gacy's Place" - The Mentally Ill
 * "John Wayne Gacy" – SKYND
 * "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." – Sufjan Stevens
 * "Master of Brutality (John Wayne Gacy)" – Church of Misery
 * "Panty Shot" – Mindless Self Indulgence
 * "Pogo The Clown" – Dog Fashion Disco
 * "Pogo The Clown" – Hubert Kah
 * "Reign In Blood" - Necro
 * "Stinky" – Macabre
 * "Suffer Age" – Fear Factory
 * "Three for Flinching (Revenge of the Porno Clowns)" – The Dillinger Escape Plan
 * "Unaccommodating" – Eminem
 * "Under the Floor" – Hail the Sun

Harvey Murray Glatman

 * "Harvey Glatman (Your Soul Will Forever Rot)" – Macabre

Carl Großmann

 * "The Sweet Tender Meat Vendor" - Macabre

Belle Gunness

 * "Bella The Butcher" – Macabre
 * "Belle Gunness" – Cassius
 * "Black Widow of La Porte" – John 5

Fritz Haarmann

 * "Fritz Haarman der Metzger" – Macabre
 * "Fritz Haarman the Butcher" – Macabre
 * "Most Evil (Fritz Harmann)" – Church of Misery
 * "Warte Warte" – Macabre

John George Haigh

 * "Acid Bath Vampire" – Macabre
 * "Make Them Die Slowly (John George Haigh)" – Church of Misery

Robert Hansen

 * "Butcher Baker (Robert Hansen)" – Church of Misery
 * "Robert Hansen" – SKYND

Karla Homolka

 * "Choking Games" − Nicole Dollanganger

Jack the Ripper

 * "Blood Red Sandman" – Lordi
 * "Catch Me If You Can" - Leathermouth
 * "The Death of Jack the Ripper" – The Legendary Pink Dots
 * "Down on Whores" – Benediction
 * "Fall" - Eminem
 * "In the Mind of a Lunatic" – Sigh
 * "Jack" – Iced Earth
 * "Jack the Knife" – The Electric Hellfire Club
 * "Jack the Ripper" – Buckethead
 * "Jack the Ripper" - Hobbs' Angel of Death
 * "Jack the Ripper" – LL Cool J
 * "Jack The Ripper" – Macabre
 * "Jack the Ripper" – Morrissey
 * "Jack the Ripper" – Motörhead
 * "Jack the Ripper" – Nationalteatern
 * "Jack the Ripper" – Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
 * "Jack the Ripper" – Rob Kelly
 * "Jack the Ripper" – Screaming Lord Sutch
 * "Jack The Ripper" – The Horrors
 * "Jack the Ripper" – The Fuzztones
 * "Jack the Ripper in Heaven" – Club Moral
 * "Killer on the Loose" - Thin Lizzy
 * "Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)" – Reunion
 * "London In Terror" - Motionless In White
 * "Maxwell Murder" – Rancid
 * "Music Box" - Eminem
 * "Must be the Ganja" - Eminem
 * "Reconstruction of the Female Anatomy" - Through the Eyes of the Dead
 * "Respite on the Spitalfields" - Ghost
 * "The Ripper" – Judas Priest
 * "Saucy Jack" – Spinal Tap
 * "She Knows" – Ne-Yo Feat. Juicy J
 * The Somatic Defilement – Whitechapel
 * "Tombstone Blues" − Bob Dylan
 * "Unsolved Mysteries" – Animal Collective

Theodore Kaczynski

 * "Body Parts" – Three 6 Mafia
 * "Exploding Octopus" – Ill Bill
 * "FC: The Freedom Club" – Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
 * "I Wanna Be a Unabomber" – Donnas
 * "Killer Kaczynski" – Mando Diao
 * "Militia Song" – Camper Van Beethoven
 * "Unabomber" – J. Cole
 * "The Unabomber" – Macabre
 * "Unabomber" – M.I.R.V.
 * "Unabomber" – The Acacia Strain
 * "Unabomber" – Underground Resistance
 * "What Will Happen Will Happen" - Lemon Demon

Edmund Kemper

 * "Abomination Unseen" – Devourment
 * "Edmund Kemper" – SKYND
 * "Edmund Kemper Had a Terrible Temper" – Macabre
 * "Edmund Temper" – Amigo the Devil
 * "Forever" – The Berzerker
 * "Fortress/Outer Space/Forever" – System of a Down
 * "Killifornia (Ed Kemper)" – Church of Misery
 * "Murder" – Seabound
 * "Severed Head" – Suicide Commando
 * "Temper Temper Mr. Kemper" – The Celibate Rifles
 * "Urge to Kill" – Throbbing Gristle

Randy Kraft

 * "Freeway Madness Boogie (Randy Kraft)" – Church of Misery

Joachim Kroll

 * "Evil Ole Soul" – Macabre

Richard Kuklinski

 * "The Iceman" – Macabre
 * "Lyrical Hitman (Richard Kuklinski)" – Royce Da 5'9" and Marvwon

Peter Kürten

 * Dedicated to Peter Kurten – Whitehouse
 * "Dusseldorf Monster" - Church of Misery
 * "In Germany Before the War" – Randy Newman
 * "Vampire of Düsseldorf" – Macabre

Lawrence Bittaker & Roy Norris

 * "The Murder Mack" – Macabre

Leonard Lake & Charles Ng

 * "The Ballad of Leonard and Charles" – Exodus
 * "The Lake Of Fire" – Macabre
 * "Macerate and Petrify" – Venetian Snares

Leonarda Cianciulli

 * "Teacakes" – Macabre

Henry Lee Lucas & Ottis Toole

 * "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" - Fantômas
 * "Let's Be Bad, Henry" - the pAper chAse
 * "Lucas Toole" - Downthesun
 * "Murder Company" – Church of Misery
 * "Serial Killer" – Macabre
 * "They Like Me, They Love Me" – Jason Hill
 * ”While You Sleep, I Destroy Your World”- Nailbomb

Herman Mudgett (a.k.a. H. H. Holmes)

 * "Dr. Holmes (He Stripped Their Bones)" – Macabre
 * "From the Cradle to the Grave" - Havok
 * "Infecting them with Falsehood" – Deeds of Flesh
 * "Murder Castle Blues (H.H. Holmes)" – Church of Misery
 * "Them Dry Bones" - Macabre
 * "The Torture Doctor"- Alkaline Trio

Herbert Mullin

 * "Megalomania (Herbert Mullin)" – Church of Misery

Dennis Nilsen

 * "Cranley Gardens" (Denis Nilsen) – Church of Misery
 * "Killing for Company" – Swans
 * "Turnabout" — Moth Wranglers
 * "When Lovers Die" – Children on Stun
 * "You're Dying To Be With Me" – Macabre

Carl Panzram

 * "Reminiscences of a Minnesota State Training School Alumni, Class of 1905" – Flare Acoustic Arts League

Christopher Peterson

 * "Shotgun Peterson" – Macabre

Alexander Pichushkin

 * "Sewers" – Torture Killer

Robert Pickton

 * "Fed To The Pigs" – Devourment
 * "Hooker Fortified Pork Products" – The Accüsed
 * "Pigfarm" – Mad Sin

Dorothea Puente

 * "Dorthea's Dead Folks Home" – Macabre

Dennis Rader

 * "Bind, Torture and Kill" – Suicide Commando
 * "Bind Torture Kill" – Suffocation
 * "B.T.K." - Church of Misery
 * "BTK" - Exodus
 * ”Lotta True Crime” - Penelope Scott
 * "Raider II" - Steven Wilson

Gilles de Rais

 * "Barbazul versus el amor letal" - Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota
 * "The Black Knight" – Macabre
 * Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder - Cradle of Filth
 * "Into the Crypts of Rays" – Celtic Frost
 * "Tritt Ein" – Saltatio Mortis
 * "The Window" - The Black Dahlia Murder

Richard Ramirez

 * "Acosador Nocturno" - Soulfly
 * "City of Angels" - Testament
 * "Disappearing Syndrome" – Hail the Sun
 * "Godzilla" - Eminem
 * "Going Going Gone" – Exodus
 * "Kamikaze" - Eminem
 * "Killer" – King Diamond
 * "Knight Stalker" - Shadow Project
 * "Night Crawler" - Judas Priest
 * "Night Crawling" - Miley Cyrus featuring Billy Idol
 * "The Night Stalker" – Bewitched
 * "Night Stalker" – Macabre
 * "Night Stalker" – Super Heroines
 * "Noche Acosador" – John 5
 * "Nocturnal Predator" - Legion of the Damned
 * "Ramirez" - The Acacia Strain
 * "The Reflecting God" - Marilyn Manson
 * "Richard Ramirez" - SKYND
 * "Richard Ramirez Died Today Of Natural Causes" - Sun Kil Moon
 * "Smooth Criminal" - Michael Jackson
 * "Snake Eyes and Sissies" - Marilyn Manson
 * "Where Evil Dwells (Richard Ramirez)" – Church of Misery
 * "Your Window Is Open" – Macabre

Gary Ridgway

 * "Come On Down" - Green River
 * "Deep Red Bells" – Neko Case
 * "Green River" – Church of Misery
 * "The Green River Murderer (He's Still Out There)" – Macabre
 * "I Wanna Know What Love Is" - Julie Ruin
 * "Sane vs. Normal" - Mnemic
 * "You Can't Slip" - Sir Mix A Lot

Danny Rolling

 * "Danny Rolling" – The Murder Junkies

Richard Speck

 * "Born to Raise Hell (Richard Speck)" - Church of Misery
 * "Richard Speck Grew Big Breasts" – Macabre
 * "What the Heck Richard Speck? (Eight Nurses You Wrecked)" – Macabre

Shankill Butchers

 * "Shankill Butchers" – The Decemberists
 * "Shankill Butchers" – Sarah Jarosz

Harold Shipman

 * "Doctor Death ((Harold Shipman))" - Church of Misery
 * "Lips of Ashes" – Porcupine Tree
 * "What About Us?" - The Fall

Peter Stumpp

 * "Werewolf of Bedburg" – Macabre

Peter Sutcliffe

 * "Archives of Pain" - Manic Street Preachers
 * "Leeds Ripper" – Throbbing Gristle
 * "Leeds United" – Luke Haines
 * "Night Shift" – Siouxsie and the Banshees
 * "The Ripper" – Pallas
 * "Ripping Into Pieces (Peter Sutcliffe)" – Church of Misery

Jack Unterweger

 * "Disappearing Syndrome" – Hail the Sun

Joseph Vacher

 * "The Ripper Tramp from France" - Macabre

Dorángel Vargas

 * "El Comegente" - Soulfly

Fred West/Rose West

 * "25 Cromwell St." - Apoptygma Berzerk
 * "Evil" – Interpol
 * "Strip the Soul" - Porcupine Tree

Aileen Wuornos

 * "Aileen" – Willam
 * "Aileen Wuornos" – SKYND
 * "Disease of Men" – Kristin Hayter
 * "Filth Bitch Boogie (Aileen Wuornos)" – Church of Misery
 * "For I Am the Light (And Mine Is the Only Way Now)" - Kristin Hayter
 * "Holy Is the Name (Of My Ruthless Axe)" − Kristin Hayter
 * "If the Poison Won't Take You My Dogs Will" – Kristin Hayter
 * "Poor Aileen" – Superheaven
 * "Sixth Of June" – It Dies Today

Graham Frederick Young

 * "Poison" – Macabre
 * "Taste the Pain (Graham Young)" – Church Of Misery

Zodiac Killer

 * "Dear Editor" – Kamelot
 * "Death 2" – Flatbush Zombies
 * "Gemini" – Slayer
 * "Nostalgia in Lemonade" − Avey Tare
 * "Sick of Living (Zodiac)" – Church of Misery
 * "Venus in Furs" – Electric Wizard
 * "The Zodiac" – Kamelot
 * "Zodiac" – Macabre
 * "Zodiac" – Melvins
 * "Zodiac" - Six Feet Under
 * "Zodiac (He Is Still Out There.....)" – Christian Death
 * "Zodiac Shit" – Flying Lotus

Further listening (recorded compilations)

 * Bloody Ballads: Classic British and American Murder Ballads, Sung by Paul Clayton, Ed. by Kenneth S. Goldstein, Riverside Records, New York, 1956 (includes cover notes)
 * Blood Booze 'n Bones, Sung by Ed McCurdy, banjo accompaniment by Erik Darling, Elektra Records, 1956 (includes 12 page booklet)
 * Murder Ballads, by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Mute Records, 1996
 * Murder Metal, Macabre, 2003 (This band appears to have become known for a death metal variation of the murder ballad)