My Spotify playlists are packed with smooth syllables of pain and hope amidst delicate ballads. Many of my favorite songs have themes of mental illness, getting older, or the death of relationships. Truly, it’s rare that the music I listen to has fast-paced tempos with radiant words. Rather, the place I find happiness is amongst the songs screaming the names of internal injuries that could never be repaired in the real world.
People who know me wouldn’t say I’m a negative person. Instead, many of my family members ask me if it makes me sad to listen to “depressing” music all the time. My answer to their questions is “sad music” gives me comfort. Furthermore, those sounds act as a place where I’m able to feel less alone in my teenage years. As my favorite artists write of social anxiety or finding their sense of self, those musicians are the people that are constantly shouting that it will be okay; those are the musicians who grant me everyday, free therapy.
Many might say music is narrowly for hard goodbyes or crying sessions in their car, but, in reality, sad music is actually proven to be beneficial by science. According to Everyday Health, sad music is a tool to “help people get in touch with clearer, more rational thinking because it makes them feel reflective in the absence of any real-life tragic events.” Moreover, listening to tearful sounds may serve as a solution to unpacking stressors or anxieties a person may be experiencing in their life.
It was with my CD player that first allowed me to discover the voices and conclusions I connected with. Arriving amidst Taylor Swift’s “Red” and Radiohead’s “High and Dry” at a young age, I slowly found more artists and styles that called out to me. Today, as an eighteen year old, I’m still finding solemn sounds that appeal to me as I get older.
If you’re looking for new music, artists, or are just curious about what I enjoy listening to, here is a list of some of my favorite songs and artists at the moment!
| “Is There Something in the Movies?” | Samia |
| “Forget Her” | Girl in Red |
| “If You Say I’m Special” | Olivia Barton |
| “Waiting Room” | Phoebe Bridgers |
| “Bloom” | Matilda Mann |
| “Alright” | Gracie Abrams |
| “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore” | Lucy Dacus |
| “Blue” | Laura Elliot |
| “Again” | Rachel Bobbit |
| “Slugs” | Slow Pulp |
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