When you are feeling down, listening to sad music can sometimes help. We have compiled a list of music to assist you the next time things don’t go your way.
- Mr. Gaunt PT 1000 by Soap&Skin
With a fragile yet eerie melody, this delicate composition recalls long-lost memories. The soft, hard-to-make-out lyrics give the illusion of confusion, while the lilting piano and strings remind us of childhood. Although short, this song packs a powerful, devastating punch.
- Frogs by Alice in Chains
If you want to feel like you are actively being lowered into your grave, we recommend this song for you. A layered, eerie atmosphere is achieved through slow, mournful guitar riffs, hypnotic bass, steady but rolling percussion, and dissonant harmonies. Frontman Layne Staley laments, “What does friend mean to you?/Word so wrongfully abused,” and “It comes this way/To drown this ache/To reinstate(everyone’s dead, everyone)…” while a jarring, siren-like whistle embodies an intense anger at life. This over seven-minute experience is sure to leave you in tears.
- Hate Myself by NF
If you have trouble putting your anxiety and depression into words, this song will be your anthem. A fast-paced beat is offset by emotional piano, representative of the many feelings that come with poor mental health. While NF raps many hard hitting lines, some that especially stand out are “Suicide thoughts come and go like a guest to me/But I don’t wanna die, I just wanna get relief…” and “Come across like it’s so easy/But I feel like you don’t need me/When I feel like you don’t need me/Then I feel like you don’t see me/And my life has no meaning…”.
- I Bet On Losing Dogs by Mitski
This song has a feeling of affection and that someone truly cares about you, but that every time you try, you get shot down. “I know they’re losing and I’ll pay for my place by the ring/ Where I’ll be looking in their eyes when they’re down/ I’ll be there on their side/ I’m losing by their side.” Mitski makes you feel loved and lost all at once in this short but sweet song.
- Space Song by Beach House
A combination of melancholic background with beautiful lyrics gives the listener a break from reality, combining a catchy yet slow tempo with light piano and soft vocals. Although it has few lyrics, they stand out by capturing a deep feeling of sadness. “Who will fry your eyes when it falls apart/ What makes this fragile world go round/ Were you ever lost, was she ever found?”
- Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls
While this song may be “overplayed,” we feel it still stands the test of time. It is impossible to listen to this song without picturing yourself as a “Y/N” in the rain, watching someone you love get ripped away from you. In our opinion, it embodies the raw vulnerability of young love, making it one of the perfect breakup songs.
- Cry by Cigarettes After Sex
You can tell by the title of this song that it will inevitably make you cry! This song has a slow bass with light acoustic guitar and soft vocals, making for a blended, spatial sound. “I swear I’ll only make you cry/ Maybe I’d change for you someday.”
- All Human Beings by Max Richter
This song is actually split into 4 parts. Richter’s blended, deeply moving instrumentals that have become his signature accompany an emotional spoken word style reading of the Declaration of Independence by multiple artists. Released in 2020, it serves as a strong political statement that is sure to shed a tear. Part 4 features a layering of voices speaking different languages, representing the need for us to come together. “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person…”
- Reckoner by Radiohead
Regarded by some as the “heart” of the famous “In Rainbows” album, this song is sure to make you examine the value of your life. To us, it paints a story of where, at the end of your time on Earth, you assess human nature’s proclivity to sin and suffering against what happiness you have gained from the gift of life. Reminiscent of a funeral dirge, Thom Yorke soothes “You are not to blame for bittersweet distractor…dedicated to all you, all human beings” and “Reckoner, take me with you” while an echoed percussive backbone gives the feeling of reaching for something in the distance, yet right at your fingertips.
- Lazarus by David Bowie
With a somber and reclusive sound, this song is your jam when you need to retreat into your room for some alone time. An urban but lonely vibe reminds you of lying awake at night, sinking in regrets, while a heavy bass with lots of jazz influence through saxophone and melancholy vocals makes for an emotional experience.
