When life seems difficult, music can help. These sad songs will provide comforting sounds that echo your own problems – providing something to keep you company when feeling isolated in your apartment.
These songs know just what it takes to bring tears streaming down your cheeks – from R&B ballads and 12-bar blues numbers, all the way through indie sadcore tunes and beyond!
1. Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain”
Adele’s debut single from her mega-selling 21 album is an emotional ballad that highlights her soaring vocals. One of only a few artists that don’t require heavy bass lines or synthesizer beats to stir emotion within their audience; Adele is capable of using only her soulful voice alone to bring tears to people’s eyes.
“Set Fire to the Rain” is an emotive tale of heartbreak. She describes her regret over a failed relationship and her wish that it were over, yet knows it wouldn’t work anyway; therefore she sets fire to rain as an act of suicide in order to kill it off and move on.
Though hearing Adele’s “When We Were Young” can bring tears, the song showcases her incredible talent as an artist and writer. One of the most beloved tracks from her record breaking album, it is no wonder it has earned so many awards.
Production-wise, this song is quite lavish: featuring swelling string arrangements and mid-tempo rhythms that build tension throughout, as well as Adele’s heartbreaking vocals which hit their stride during her Caesar’s Palace residency performance (where rain started falling on stage!). Her rendition was just as moving at that venue too – even more so since Adele even brought an umbrella during this rendition!
2. Billie Joe Armstrong’s “October 1st”
Every October 1st, Billie Joe Armstrong endures a month-long barrage of people reminding him to wake up. This can be particularly annoying given that Green Day frontman wrote his hit “Wake Up!” about his father passing from esophageal cancer when he was only 10. This deeply personal song brings up painful memories for Billie Joe Armstrong; having it mocked doesn’t sit well.
It has now been 13 years since this song first landed, yet its relatively light-hearted meaning still seems to hold a certain zeitgeist weight. Every September, its daily views on YouTube see large increases despite having no connection with September itself – an interesting phenomenon characteristic of millennial generation and its thirst to find meaning everywhere, but also an impressive demonstration of music’s power to connect with a variety of people across demographic boundaries.
Armstrong is an charismatic frontman with an extraordinary gift for songwriting. From songs about depression and grief to songs written about Operation Ivy concerts he was initially turned away from at the door but when one of their band members heard about this incident they came out personally and welcomed him into their show! Armstrong is also renowned for being incredibly nice; once when he tried attending one he was turned away at the door but when word reached them they came out personally to take him in!
3. Inside Llewyn Davis’ “Memory”
Inside Llewyn Davis by the Coen Brothers is an engaging yet engaging tale set in Greenwich Village during 1961 (its title refers to folk singer Dave Van Ronk whose songs Bob Dylan allegedly swiped). Boasting an excellent soundtrack of folk standards performed by actors themselves and an atmosphere-creating soundtrack, Inside Llewyn Davis succeeds at recreating that momentous time period; though some scenes may feel staged.
But the real message of the film lies within its central message – that even if you are an unpleasant person, if at least something positive comes of it all, life might not be all bad after all. Llewyn is an easily likeable tragic figure; his struggle seems real as we watch him fight to understand where his fate will lead him; we feel his agony at having no sense that life had something planned for him all along.
Coen Brothers films often explore the darker sides of human nature and present characters that sometimes border on fairy-tale-esque (such as John Goodman’s jazz musician). Although these works tend towards darkness, Coens excel in this particular area.
4. Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”
Blue was Mitchell’s breakthrough album; unlike its predecessors, which were generally composed with unchanging emotionalism. She found inspiration in her experiences after leaving Graham Nash in the late ’60s and traveling Europe alone (her trip inspired numerous songs such as “Carey” and “California”).
This record does not escape its share of sadness. While sarcasm and high-octave vocals add humor to Mitchell’s broken-heart lyrics in “A Case of You,” her loneliness, guilt, and regret come through strongly on other songs like the soul-crushing “Little Green”.
Blue’s beauty lies in its unfaltering positivity: whether through simple piano melodies or Mitchell’s Appalachian dulcimer playing, each note reminds us that life doesn’t always seem black and white.
Its lasting influence can be best illustrated by the many artists who have covered its tracks – from Prince to Cat Power, Sarah McLachlan and k.d. lang covering “A Case of You”, Mitchell has cemented her position as an influential pioneer among female musicians with this timeless record.
5. Harry Styles’ “Falling”
Harry Styles recently unveiled an immersive music video for his ballad “Falling,” from his second album Fine Line which was released last December. This track marks an unexpected change from previous hits like Lights Up, Watermelons Sugar and Adore You; its deep meaning may refer to his former flame Camille Rowe.
The lyrics describe his struggle to remain himself; he’s no longer who he used to be and fears becoming someone he can no longer tolerate being around. Furthermore, he regrets what he’s done towards her: “I did something unforgivable”.
The music video for Harry’s latest single features him sitting at a piano while slowly being submerged by water, emphasizing its emotional depth. This piece proves Harry not only to be an accomplished singer-songwriter but also one whose works transcend genre boundaries and make an impactful statement about vulnerability, heartbreak and self-discovery–equal themes which made One Direction such a hit! We look forward to more work from this multi-platinum star!
6. “Black Eyed Dog” by The Black Eyed Peas
Anybody who thought Radiohead had reached its darkest depths with OK Computer was likely taken by surprise when Kid A came out three years later and revealed there were still vast oceans of melancholic electronic melancholy to plunder. With its haunting synth drones and spine-chilling strings (recorded at Dorchester Abbey), Kid A seems like an audio document of Thom Yorke’s post-OK Computer mental breakdown.
Nick Drake was an extraordinary talent but deeply troubled individual; this mournful piece from his Time of No Reply posthumous album captures grief vividly with its use of acoustic guitar. One of his final recordings before succumbing to acute depression at 26 and passing away – this song may help those suffering with similar conditions realize they’re not alone or simply making people aware that mental illness can be cripplingly debilitating; either way it has done great work in raising awareness.
Though not specifically about dogs, this song by John Hiatt is an emotional tribute to their human-canine bond. With poetic lyrics and restless acoustic strumming from him as accompaniment, this ballad describes mourning a companion lost too soon – certainly worth giving a listen! This remains one of the more underrated sad songs available and definitely worth your consideration.