We all have our reasons to enjoy sad, heart-wrenching music. If you like these songs in particular, maybe you’d like to hear some advice or words of comfort?
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We listen to sad songs for a myriad of reasons. Grief, breakups, a longing for a person or a time long gone—all valid reasons to hit play on all those sad songs. Did you know listening to sad music can actually help you process your emotions as it influences your mood? Sad music allows us to feel a sense of connectedness and draw out some of those feelings that have been dormant within you for however long. It can also direct us toward a path of healing and fuel a hope for something better. You can make a sad song your own as it intertwines with your very soul and lets you feel, remember, and imagine.
Now, I may not be a wisened old sage with so much life lived, but I’d love to impart some wisdom you may need to hear if you’re listening to these songs over and over. Hopefully you find some semblance of comfort or validation, some good advice or a reality check. Or, if you’re looking for some new sad songs to add to your rotation, you’ll find some here.
RIBS – LORDE
Who isn’t mourning the loss of their youth these days? If Ribs is on your On Repeat playlist like it is on mine, I hope the bittersweet feeling of losing touch with your youth isn’t debilitating, but instead a reminder that what everything you’ve ever loved and learned is what lets you grow and move forward.
LIFETIME – BEN&BEN
Hope is always beautiful to hold on to. And if you’re second-guessing taking the chance of a lifetime, stop. Learn from the person who inspired this Ben&Ben song and take the leap. Getting the opportunity to find happiness or the push to move on is always better than just wondering what if.
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR? – BILLIE EILISH
Did someone say sad songs? If you’re struggling with finding your passions and purpose, don’t ever feel like you have to figure out everything immediately. Reflecting on who you are and what you want to do is always good practice, but take some advice from Billie: you may not know how to feel, but someday, you might.
PAUBAYA – MOIRA DELA TORRE
Thank you for your service, martyr. I hope you end up as happy as they are—or even happier. And may you, like Moira said herself, come out of the darkness free and ready to love again.
SHE’S IN THE RAIN – THE ROSE
South Korean band The Rose reminds us in this gorgeous ballad that no matter how much it feels like you’re drowning, you are not alone. “It’s better to be held than holding on,” so don’t be afraid to rely on the people that love and support you.
SA NGALAN NG PAG-IBIG – DECEMBER AVENUE
One of the most sawi sad songs out there. this track teaches us that, as much as love is worth waiting for, you shouldn’t let your life stand still because of someone who doesn’t love you back.
THIS IS ME TRYING – TAYLOR SWIFT
I feel like we as a society severely underestimate the value of just trying. You don’t have to do everything perfectly immediately, but, like Taylor Swift herself, taking the initiative to try—to try to do better, try to heal, try to forgive—is always better than the alternative.
MINSAN – MUNIMUNI
This cover of an Eraserheads original is sentimental and wistful as it looks back at a history of a friendship long gone. Time is unintentionally cruel sometimes, and some friendships can never be the way they were before. But hold on to the memories. They’re lovely, and they’re yours to keep.
HOMESICK – DUA LIPA
It’s difficult to be in a new place—literally or metaphorically. This vulnerable ballad allows you to recognize that which gives you strength, a reason, and something to believe in. It doesn’t have to be romantic, but just a reminder: people are there and will always be there for you, no matter how far away you feel.
DOWNPOUR – I.O.I
This ballad written by Woozi and performed by disbanded girl group I.O.I is a great reminder to let yourself feel whatever it is that you feel about the artists you love. Contrary to popular belief, they really aren’t just celebrities or artists to the people that support them. Whether it’s I.O.I or One Direction, I’m sorry your favorite group didn’t last forever. But the memories, along with the love and joy that radiated throughout the time they were together and the music and magic they created will live on.
USED TO BE YOUNG – MILEY CYRUS
Miley paints an emotional portrait of her past in this song, and those of of us who grew up with her on our screens understand all too well how differently life turns out when we grow up. Time finds us shifting and changing, and we look back with a jumbled mess of emotions. We all used to be young, and it’s easy to cling on to regrets, but it would prove a kindness to yourself if you celebrate how much you’ve changed and how far you’ve come.
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