Playlist of the Damned

by Jess Landry (Editor), Willow Dawn Becker (Editor), Tim Waggoner

Music soothes the savage beast...or so they say. But in this tome of terror, music is more than just a placebo for the masses. It is the dark divination of witches, the motivation for revenge, and the power to change the mind, soul, and body of every creature unlucky enough to hear it.

In this anthology, you'll find possessed rock stars, killer radio stations, and concerts from the depths of hell. A macabre musical feast, it includes 300 pages of terrifying, bizarre stories about the hypnotic power of music...and what happens when it gets into the wrong hands.

Featuring new stories and poems from award-winning authors and poets like Gemma Files, Philip Fracassi, Lisa Morton, Tim Waggoner, Linda D. Addison, V. Castro, Hailey Piper, and many more, these songs will entrance, infect, and transport you to a dimension where music is more than sound...it's a language spoken by the unspeakable.

Featuring:

"Tears Like Rain," by Tim Waggoner
"The Brazen Bull," by Sofia Ajram
"Oil of Angels," by Gemma Files
"This Loaded Gun of a Song Stuck in My Head," by Paul Michael Anderson
"Everybody Loves My Baby," by Mercedes M. Yardley
"Pack Up Your Sins and Go To the Devil," by Elis Montgomery
"The Lung of Orpheus," by Jonathan Duckworth
"I am He," by Premee Mohamed
"Pied Piper," by Carol Edwards
"Mixtape," by V. Castro
"To The River," by Corey Farrenkopf
"The Prodigy," by Philip Fracassi
"Red, Black, and Blue" by Linda D. Addison
"Instruments of Harm," by Julia Lafond
"Electric Muse," by Virginia Kathryn
"Ambient," by L.B. Waltz
"Vinyl Remains," by Chad Stroup
"Goddess," by Lisa Morton
"Her Only Single," by Devan Barlow
"I Will Not Scream," by John Palisano
"Lovely Piano of Rich Mahogany," by A.J. Bartholomew
"A Concert in Merzgau," by R.L. Clore
"Sing to the God of Slugs," by Maxwell I. Gold
"Song of the Guqin," by Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito
"The Men Who Play," by Jangar Tokpa
"Whalesong," by Shannon Brady
"The Devil Went Down to the Subway," by A.J. Rocca
"Possession No. 239 in E Major, Op. 1," by Hailey Piper
"Slow Head Karaoke," by Robert Beveridge

Praise for Weird Little Worlds Anthologies:

"If you are a fan of dark and weird fiction this anthology is for you.” (Mother: Tales of Love and Terror)

“Another anthology from Weird Little Worlds (the same press that did Humans are the Problem, also an excellent anthology.) This time it’s mom in all her glory and gore – good moms, bad moms, absent ones, and ones maybe you wish were gone. This is a fantastic exploration of moms and motherhood from all angles, with a cast of amazing writers and poets.” (Mother: Tales of Love and Terror)

“Where do I start?! They did such an amazing job selecting the stories that went into this book. Every single one was a joy (or terror) to read. I love how it was broken up into 5 different themes to group the stories. I definitely have a few new authors I need to read more from.” (Mother: Tales of Love and Terror)

“This is a powerful anthology, and discussion was fierce as to which story to include in the showcase. Plenty of familiar and new (to us) authors here, and everything glows.” (Mother: Tales of Love and Terror)

Genres: Horror

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 8, 2023

Reviews

[David Swisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology brings together an impressive range of horror voices and ideas. The theme of how music can invite darkness has plenty of potential, and a few stories really deliver with sharp writing, memorable scenes, and unsettling twists.

That said, the sheer number of stories makes the collection feel uneven. Moving from one story to the next can be jarring, and the pacing suffers because there isn’t a consistent mood or rhythm. Also with a larger number of stories you are just bound to have some not so good ones. A tighter selection would have helped the strongest entries stand out instead of getting lost in the shuffle, and lessen the lows of moving to a story you didn't enjoy

Still, for readers who like sampling a variety of horror styles, there’s plenty here to discover. It may not flow like a perfect album, but it offers flashes of creativity and some memorable chills.

[Sydney S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I plan to read this slowly, but I'm going to go ahead and write my notes for the stories I've read. I'll update as I read. Don't expect summaries of the stories though. I mostly use this to remember how I felt about each story. Plus I think you should go in blind, only knowing they involve music.

I Am He by Premee Mohamed: 5 stars. I backed this kickstarter because I saw Premee Mohamed has a story in here, so obviously I read her story first. I've read and loved two of her novellas, and now I can say I loved a short story by her too. Her writing speaks to me. It's strange and feels familiar in a way I can't describe. Loved the old-timey Western-ish setting, loved the poetic-but-not-purple prose, loved the weirdness.

Tears Like Rain by Tim Waggoner: 5 stars. Wow. What a great story to start off the collection. Weird and sad and a little creepy. I was so intrigued so quickly, and it just got better and better.

Oil of Angels by Gemma Files: Another 5 stars! I swear I'm not just giving everything 5 stars for the hell of it, I'm pretty picky when it comes to star-ratings. This story has been my favorite of the three so far, so much so that I'm now listening to Gemma Files' collection of short storiesIn That Endlessness, Our End. I also bugged my partner until he read this story too, and he loved it so much that he's been reading this collection on my kindle when I'm busy doing other things.

Possession No. 239 in E Major, Op. I by Hailey Piper: 3.5 stars. Interesting, but hard to visualize and a bit too vague. I think I would've enjoyed this more a few years ago.

[Tomasz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded down, because it's weighed down by too much padding. There are good stories here, at least one is very good, but, too, at least one should not be printed in the present shape (and, preferably, ever), and the "Secret Track" at the end is just... twee. So, yeah, I'm letting my disappointment show, I guess. (Also, the "poetry").

[Anastacia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of stories, but my Kickstarter hardback edition, "The Goddesses" cuts off abruptly. 😞

[Mercedes Yardley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are varied and well-edited. Each one has a different feel and I'm enjoying going through them one at a time.

[Nathaniel Darkish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really wish I had been able to think of a good story to submit to this anthology.