Today is World UFO Day, and if you think that just means little green men and shiny saucers, think again. Music has always been obsessed with what’s out there—across the stars, inside the unknown, and hovering just above the cornfields. Whether it’s aliens, abductions, or spacey vibes, these 10 songs are the perfect soundtrack for scanning the skies and wondering what’s real.
“Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” – Klaatu
This Canadian cult favorite imagined a musical message to extraterrestrials—and actually inspired the real-life World Contact Day. Covered famously by The Carpenters, but Klaatu’s original is eerie, heartfelt, and full of cosmic curiosity.
“Come Sail Away” – Styx
It starts as a ballad about dreams and oceans—and ends with a spaceship taking you away. Styx slipped a whole alien abduction into one of the most beloved soft rock anthems of all time.
“Life on Mars?” – David Bowie
Bowie’s surreal masterpiece is less about space and more about Earth’s absurdity, but the question mark in the title says it all. It’s theatrical, strange, and timeless—like the best alien stories.
“Mr. Spaceman” – The Byrds
This jangly ‘60s tune is basically a friendly request to aliens: stop by Earth for a visit. It’s short, sweet, and totally sincere, capturing the wonder of a UFO sighting at dawn.
“Major Tom (Coming Home)” – Peter Schilling
A sequel to Bowie’s iconic astronaut, this ‘80s synth-pop hit follows Major Tom as he floats further into space—and possibly into alien contact. Melancholic, soaring, and strangely comforting, it’s the sound of someone never quite coming back.
“Planet Claire” – The B-52’s
Armed with retro sci-fi effects and a pulsing surf-rock beat, this track is a campy, chaotic celebration of a planet that may or may not exist. It’s weird, wonderful, and completely irresistible.
“Spaceman” – The Killers
Brandon Flowers recounts an alien abduction with hooks so big they might actually reach outer space. It’s catchy, cryptic, and somehow makes extraterrestrial confusion sound anthemic.
“Starlight” – Muse
Muse delivers a space rock epic filled with longing and cosmic escape. The pounding piano and soaring chorus make it feel like a transmission to someone (or something) far away.
“Subterranean Homesick Alien” – Radiohead
In true OK Computer fashion, Thom Yorke imagines being taken away by aliens just to escape human indifference. It’s dreamy, disillusioned, and captures that late-night longing to belong somewhere else.
“The Flying Saucer” – Buchanan and Goodman
One of the first-ever mashups, this 1956 novelty hit splices together rock ‘n’ roll clips to tell the story of a UFO invasion. It’s goofy, groundbreaking, and a reminder that alien hysteria has always had a beat.
Happy World UFO Day. Keep your eyes on the sky—and your playlist beaming.