Table of Contents

Music has a powerful way of tapping into your feelings—especially when you’re feeling weighed down. And while it seems counterintuitive to listen to sad songs when you’re already down, the truth is, immersing yourself in emotionally charged music can be surprisingly therapeutic.

When the right song hits, it says everything you can’t put into words. It cries with you, it understands you, and it helps you pour out what’s trapped inside. No wonder people nursing heartbreak or loss find comfort in the perfect tear-jerking playlist.

So grab your tissues, settle in, and let’s walk through 66 beautifully depressing tracks to help you feel, release, and maybe—just maybe—start healing

Depressing Pop Songs

Pop music isn’t all sunshine and dance beats—sometimes it hits right where it hurts. If you’re ready for some melodic wallowing with your mainstream favorites, here’s a go-to list for an emotional drive or a solitary cry session.

1. Taylor Swift – You’re Not Sorry

2. Coldplay – Fix You

3. Maroon 5 – Sad

4. Gary Jules – Mad World

5. Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah

6. The Last Goodnight – Return to Me

7. Tracy Chapman – Fast Car

8. Ben Folds Five – Brick

9. Damien Rice – The Blower’s Daughter

10. Bastille – Oblivion

11. Of Monsters and Men – Love Love Love

12. Missy Higgins – Where I Stood

13. David Gray – This Year’s Love

14. Sleeping at Last – Turning Pages

Alternative & Rock Tearjerkers

Not vibing with the pop scene? Rock music—especially alternative—has given us some of the most gut-punching sad tracks of all time.

15. Florence + the Machine – I’m Not Calling You a Liar

16. Snow Patrol – The Only Noise

17. Tom Odell – Another Love

18. City & Colour – Sleeping Sickness

19. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Written Over

20. My Chemical Romance – I Don’t Love You

21. Keane – Somewhere Only We Know

22. The Honorary Title – Far More

23. Our Lady Peace – Bring Back the Sun

24. Mayday Parade – Miserable at Best

25. Death Cab for Cutie – The Ice Is Getting Thinner

26. Matthew Good Band – Strange Days

27. Big Wreck – Under the Lighthouse

28. Paramore – We Are Broken

29. The Smiths – There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

30. The Honorary Title – Only One Week

31. The National – I Should Live in Salt

32. Evanescence – Hello

33. Tom Odell – I Know

34. Acceptance – So Contagious

35. Jimmy Eat World – Drugs or Me

36. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here

37. The Cranberries – Zombie

38. My Chemical Romance – Cemetery Drive

39. The Pretty Reckless – You

40. Our Lady Peace – Are You Sad?

41. Okkervil River – For Real

Country Songs That’ll Break Your Heart

When it comes to sad songs, country music has a master’s degree in heartbreak. Here are some classics and modern hits to tug at your heart.

42. Johnny Cash – Hurt

43. Rascal Flatts – I’m Moving On

44. Little Texas – What Might Have Been

45. George Strait – When Did You Stop Loving Me

46. Bonnie Tyler – It’s a Heartache

Oldies That Still Make You Tear Up

Sadness is timeless, and so are these classics from music’s earlier decades.

47. The Ink Spots – Maybe

48. Ray Charles – I Can’t Stop Loving You

49. Patsy Cline – She’s Got You

50. Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine

51. Billie Holiday – Stormy Weather

52. Louis Armstrong – Moon River

53. Elvis Presley – Love Me Tender

Indie Gems for Quiet Crying Sessions

Indie artists know how to wrap pain in poetic lyrics and haunting melodies—perfect for a late-night emotional purge.

54. Half Moon Run – Un-offerable

55. Bon Iver – Skinny Love

56. X Ambassadors – Litost

57. Said the Whale – The Real of It

58. Civil Twilight – Quiet In My Town

59. Matthew and the Atlas – The Waves

60. The Perishers – Nothing Like You and I

61. PlayRadioPlay! – Madi Don’t Leave

62. Freelance Whales – Broken Horses

63. Bright Eyes – No Lies, Just Love

64. Avalanche City – The Citizens

65. Never Shout Never – I Love You More Than You Will Ever Know

66. Keaton Henson – Small Hands

Why Listening to Sad Songs Can Actually Help You Heal

It’s strange but true: letting yourself sink into a melancholic playlist can actually help you feel better. Music creates a safe space for you to process emotions, revisit memories, and release the tension that’s been bottling up.

So, take this playlist, let the tears fall, and when you’re ready—hit pause, step outside, and start rewriting your own soundtrack.