Any music lover has their own playlist for every mood or situation: workout songs for workout sessions; party tunes to jazz up any celebration; sad music tracks when feeling down.
Be it mourning an ex or undergoing significant life changes, these songs will bring out all your tears. So grab yourself some tissues and prepare yourself for an emotional ride!
1. Mac DeMarco – Vancouver 2
Mac DeMarco is an immensely gifted musician with the power to turn any melody into something mesmerizingly melodic. His uncanny slide guitar lines take his music to new heights; yet recent releases such as Rock and Roll Night Club 2 seem more subdued and less joyful than previous efforts from him.
Not to say he no longer explores lighter elements of music, but his more recent albums have focused more on melancholia and loss than their more whimsical predecessors. There’s an unexpected depth within his songs despite their seemingly simple structures.
DeMarco had been experiencing something of a creative slump since his last album release; however, with One Wayne G he has finally broken free from that slump. Recorded at Vancouver’s Lobe Studio which specialises in spatial audio recording techniques; each instrument in the mix was assigned its own path and level of volume, creating an entirely unique listening experience when listening to One Wayne G. Tracks tend to recall Makeout Videotape or Another One albums, with Mac often transitioning into his signature distorted alto voice during vocal performances.
2. Lana Del Rey – You’re Gonna Miss Me
Lana Del Rey often employs clever hidden meanings in her music, often recycling lines and melodies from earlier songs without making their inclusion too obvious to distract from the new material. For instance, in “You’re Gonna Miss Me”, she sings about taking a truck for a midnight drive reminiscent of “West Coast”, while references to candy necklaces mirrors “Video Games”.
Lana Del Rey has long been one of the most talked-about figures in pop music. Her music explores themes such as tragic romance, glamour and melancholia inspired by 1950s-70s Americana music. Additionally, she studied metaphysics at college and remains fascinated with topics like God, love and mortality.
In the past, she’s been heavily criticized for alleged fetishization of women and using her platform to spread racist ideologies. Most recently, she caused shockwaves when she posted an offensive social media post criticizing several female artists such as Doja Cat, Camila Cabello, Cardi B and Kehlani who received critical acclaim; such optics were mortifying, with many criticizing her dismissive response rather than engaging with feedback on these artists’ performance acclaim; since then her music has taken an intimate turn – Blue Banisters and Ocean Blvd exploring deeper into her dark sides than before.
3. Tyla – Water
Tyla’s seductive blend of amapiano and pop has created waves worldwide. Her debut track began life organically on TikTok before rapidly climbing the charts with Travis Scott and Marshmello remixes proving popular along the way. Additionally, it became a radio hit this week, rising up the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart from No. 35 thanks to an explosion in streaming, sales, and radio airplay activity.
Water’s production choices make it truly memorable, creating an immersive musical experience that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, leaving listeners feeling every word and note of every song.
Tyla stands out as an artist by using storytelling on this track to bring it full circle – weaving an emotive tale of love and exploration for her listeners, inviting them into experience the emotions that shape life’s most significant relationships. Her prowess in telling a compelling tale sets her apart from other artists while showing the power of music to connect audiences on an intimate level.
4. Omar Apollo – Is It Easy Getting Over You
The lyrics in this song capture the emotional pain associated with grieving for a lost loved one. If you’ve experienced death of an intimate loved one, this song will resonate deeply. Luke Benward stars in a heartbreaking music video which completes this tribute to your loss.
Omar Apollo is an immensely gifted singer-songwriter and performer. Known for his crystalline voice and melancholic, poetic lyrics that draw comparisons to iconic musicians like Prince and D’Angelo, Omar’s musical talents have drawn comparisons from critics as far-flung as Los Angeles Times to Grammy winners like D’Angelo.
He is an emerging star in the music industry with millions of fans following him across social media and streaming platforms. He has performed at major music festivals around the globe and collaborated with industry titans.
His musical journey started with a stolen guitar. A self-taught musician quickly traded it for an acoustic model at a pawn shop and taught himself through watching YouTube cover videos to play it himself – now touring across the United States performing to packed crowds!
Omar Apollo was born to Mexican immigrants and raised in Hobart, Indiana. He attended Indiana University Northwest before leaving to focus on his music full-time. Since leaving university to focus on his music career full-time, Omar Apollo has gained both fans and critical acclaim; whether singing about romance, hardship or broken relationships his music resounds with depth and honesty.
5. Daughter – Be On Your Way
Sinead O’Connor takes Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” one step further with her moving rendition. With raw, vulnerable vocals and layers of weeping synth strings combining into an emotional tearjerker that will remain with you long after hearing it for yourself, this song will surely leave its mark in your heart for years.
Daughter, an indie rock folk band signed to 4AD/Glassnote Records, released their seventh studio album this April under Stereo Mind Game. Following 2016’s Not to Disappear and 2017’s Music from Before the Storm soundtrack for video game Music From Before the Storm; frontwoman Elena Tonra along with co-writers Igor Haefeli and Remi Aguilella have created what they describe as their most optimistic record yet: Be On Your Way is an uplifting daydream that recognizes value in fleeting connections – something they’ve done beautifully on Stereo Mind Game as well as Not to Disappear.
Tonra’s voice can be heard over scenes of nature that capture time passing: birds flying past and flowers blossoming. It serves as a poignant reminder that even though their connection may have come to an end now, something special between them remains and they were meant to be together – providing the ideal antidote for grieving a broken heart or simply dealing with new chapters of life.
6. Gloria Kim – Was It Easy Getting Over Me
Are You Grieve Over Someone Or Just Feel Sad? Sad music can help amplify all your feelings and provide the ideal backdrop to shed tears over. Find something appropriate, curl up on the couch with someone close, and weep until your tears run dry.
Gloria Kim’s song explores the pain of heartbreak and wondering where everything went wrong, with slow and simple vocal harmonies, moody saxophones, relaxing strings and guitars and Gloria’s soft yet intimate voice perfectly fitting the track’s laidback sound.
Sam Smith is no stranger to creating emotive music, but with Gloria they take an unconventional approach from their typical image as the crooner-next-door. Filled with R&B, dancehall and electronic elements along with lyrics that explore themes of self-love, growth and queerness in popular culture – Gloria stands out as their fourth studio release and provides something different than its predecessors.
How to Cry is an exceptional example of both artistry and lyricism from this album, exploring relationships where emotions go unmanaged by either party and how these suppressed feelings affect those close to them. Not just a sad break-up song but relatable for anyone watching loved ones struggle through difficult times.
7. Etta Marcus – Heart-Shaped Bruise
After releasing multiple EPs over the course of 2018, London-based Etta Marcus makes her major label debut with her remarkable vocal abilities and emotive lyrics that capture complex emotions ranging from “Crown” to the luridly poetic “Nosebleed”. These powerful yet poignant tracks showcase her talent which encapsulates both melancholy and beautiful sides to her talent.
Marcus proves her worth with her major-label debut. Her music captures an undercurrent of cultural anxiety often overlooked. Her debut was titled Dark and Captivating and features six tracks, making for an engaging listen.
Marcus gained widespread praise after she released her EP View from the Bridge in 2021, garnering critical acclaim and quickly amassing an enthusiastic following with each acclaimed single she released – quickly becoming one of chamber pop’s leading voices with her blend of Lana Del Rey romance and Phoebe Bridgers’ raw vulnerability. Marcus quickly earned herself a cult-like following. Her latest project Heart-Shaped Bruise continues this momentum by offering up dark yet emotive tracks such as Theatre and Little Wing; truly embodying everything chamber pop is meant to offer.