Tearjerkers come in many styles – from bluesy ballads to angsty soft rock; however, all tearjerkers share an intense and emotional quality that draws listeners in.
Sad music often features a less dense arrangement, with fewer instruments playing simultaneously to evoke feelings of isolation and fragility in listeners. Furthermore, sad songs typically use higher vocals with a strong vibrato as well as minor harmonic progressions to heighten emotional distress in listeners.
1. Loneliness
No matter the situation – be it grieving a loss, ending an intimate relationship, or facing major health challenges – at times people can feel isolated. Feelings of loneliness may prompt them to retreat further into themselves and cling onto familiar comforts such as music for relief.
Although listeners of sad music may experience an emotional connection to it, researchers remain unclear why this happens. It could be that their emotional experiences match that of the musician or it simply reminds them of other times when they felt similarly; either way it’s an intriguing discovery given all the ways music affects us personally.
One study, published by Frontiers in Neuroscience, investigated how different emotions are perceived and felt when listening to sad music. Researchers surveyed 772 participants and asked them to rate the intensity of their feelings while listening to it; on average participants reported experiencing seven different sensations: entertainment, revival, strong sensation mental work solace diversion discharge; of these last three feelings solace diversion discharge are ways in which music helps manage negative emotions.
People experience various feelings while listening to music, including sadness and empathy. This is because many sad songs are inspired by real-life events that have been personal to musicians themselves and help listeners relate better with what is going on around them – creating an instantaneous bond between musician and listener that makes sad music pleasurable and validates both parties involved in its creation.
Though not intended as a replacement for seeking professional help, some experts consider sad music an effective tool in helping cope with depression and other mental health conditions. But its effects vary according to various factors such as its tempo, mode, instrument choice and dynamics among others.
2. Guilt
Regret and guilt are universal emotions that everyone experiences at one time or another. From missteps to offenses caused to others, guilt can leave us feeling powerless over our decisions or feelings of responsibility. Music can help express these emotions even if it’s not about an event specifically in your life; using songs about regret and guilt as therapy or helping others understand your experience can be immensely therapeutic – pop tunes to soulful ballads can all feature songs about these emotions that speak directly to us all.
The lyrics to this song are very tragic, and its slow tempo accentuates this emotion perfectly. It touches upon lost love and how deeply it has affected its singer; an emotionally charged track that will leave you heartbroken yet beautiful at once. It will leave you crying tears of sadness!
This country song is about grieving over the loss of someone close. The singer begs them to return home and comfort her; it is both heartbreaking and emotive, making you want to hold tight to those closest to you.
This song stands in contrast to many of the more upbeat tracks on this list; instead it addresses feelings of isolation and losing faith in humanity. A profound song with deep meaning for those experiencing depression or hopelessness.
Linkin Park’s emotive emo classic “Broken World” will have you sobbing as well. It speaks about losing someone close and how their death has left behind an empty world that needs healing.
Though it may seem counter-intuitive, studies have demonstrated that listening to songs about sadness is actually beneficial for your health. Listening to sadness music is very soothing and allows for release of negative emotions – something known as catharsis which dates back centuries in human history. So if you need emotional relief listen to one of these songs about regret, guilt, or mistakes and allow the music take over your emotions!
3. Bruises
Sports-related bruises are all too familiar, often occurring on knees, elbows and shins due to lack of fat cushioning the impact. Blut seeping through broken vessels near the skin often results in the telltale red-to-purple discoloration known as a bruise. Over time, the tissue darkens as enzymes break down coagulated blood and eventually fades to yellow or green as waste products are released into your system. Some individuals tend to bruise more easily depending on factors like their health history or other external circumstances. Genetic disorders or medications which inhibit or stop blood clotting may make people more prone to bruises than usual, while risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) include family history and having low platelet counts due to illness or medication usage.
4. Lonely Feelings
At some point in our lives, most of us will feel alone and isolated. Due to busy lives and limited free time available for relationships or family obligations, many feel isolated. Stress and depression often accompany mental health conditions like depression or bipolar disorder; consequently it comes as no surprise that these feelings of loneliness lead many listeners towards sad music as an antidote.
Studies published in Frontiers in Neuroscience revealed that when listening to music that makes us sad, the brain region associated with self-reflection, known as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), is activated. Researchers further determined this activation correlates with thoughts related to personal experiences and autobiographical memories – supporting theories suggesting people mind wander when listening to sad music.
Researchers also discovered that participants prioritized emotional expression over technical proficiency when selecting their favorite music, choosing more emotive tracks like Adele’s Someone Like You at much higher rates than more technically proficient tracks such as Beethoven nocturnes.
Note, however, that this research does not imply that listening to sad music when experiencing depression or feelings of hopelessness would necessarily help. Instead, seeking professional assistance might prove more effective.
Researchers suggest that while rumination may seem like a maladaptive coping strategy in depression, it can often be part of the healing process. They note that young people in adverse social settings (e.g. bullying or having troubled relationships with parents) tend to listen to sad music more frequently and experience feelings of sadness from this. Therefore these adolescents would likely benefit from learning how to control their emotions and find alternate coping mechanisms; although this task will likely require parents and peers’ assistance with switching up their music diet in favor of less depressing music.