Sad Songs: Cathartic or Cursed?

Whether it’s Phoebe Bridgers or Etta James, we all have our go to songs or artists that know how to hit us where it hurts. Music has the ability to speak to the rawest forms of our emotions so it’s no wonder in times of misery and woe, we turn to playlists for guidance. These songs can help us process, relate and feel heard even though we’re the ones doing all the listening. However, the company can prolong our suffering sometimes rather than carry us through it. 

Makings of Melancholy Music

What gives a song a feeling of sadness? According to the National Library of Medicine, “The musical features generally associated with ‘sadness’ include lower overall pitch, narrow pitch range, slower tempo, use of the minor mode, dull and dark timbres, softer and lower sound levels, legato articulation, and less energetic execution.” 

While this gives us a good overview of the technical side of sound, it can’t explain why some of us will choose Elliott Smith over Radiohead. We know a song is sad when we feel it. There are universally recognized sad songs in our culture, like Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven” about the tragic death of his four-year-old son. 

Despite these pillars of depressing music upholding a society standard, we all have different favorite songs because of what we end up relating to. Sometimes our own interpretations of music even lead us to classify more stereotypically “sad songs” as happy, or feel lively when listening to them. Like OutKast says, “Y’all don’t want to hear me, you just want to dance.”

I See Both Sides Like Chanel

Bad news first — the National Library of Medicine states, “The results, then, are taken to mean that music can alter perception and judgment in a similar way to genuine sadness, even if listening to sad music was reported as more pleasant than recollecting a sad autobiographical memory.”

While sad music cannot send us spiraling into a depressive episode, it can alter our overall outlook, influencing our decisions and responses. This ability is what sometimes leaves us feeling even heavier after listening to too much Mitski rather than a relief. However, the magnitude of these effects boils down to the many variable external and internal influences that impact us day-to-day. 

Don’t turn off The Smiths yet — According to a research study from the University of New South Wales, “82% of participants reported decreased enjoyment of music when the element of sadness was removed, suggesting a direct pleasure from sadness in music.” 

The element of sadness in music can impact our temporary outlook, but even though we recognize these somber overtones doesn’t mean we actually feel sad. Sometimes it really is cathartic to scream/sing your way through Lucy Dacus’ “Night Shift” alone in your car because we still get joy out of the act of listening, singing and all the things we do when we enjoy music.

Listen With Care

Music is a huge uniting force in our culture, yet remains deeply personal. Remember that when you put your headphones in or on, the music you hear isn’t isolating you from the world, but connects you more deeply with life. You don’t have to march along to My Chemical Romance’s “Black Parade” for eternity, instead take note of your feelings and consider shuffling in a little Chappell Roan or Gwen Stefani to fuel your joy as well.   

What’s your go-to sad song? Let us know on X @VALLEYmag! 

Related

https://www.valleymagazinepsu.com/boosting-our-mental-health-with-edm-music/ 

https://www.valleymagazinepsu.com/revel-in-your-sadness/ 

https://www.valleymagazinepsu.com/your-music-is-your-mood-how-songs-influence-our-well-being/