Sad music tends to be slower-tempo and darker in tone, with soothing vocals that induce relaxation in its listeners. Listeners of sad music may feel comforted and at peace during listening sessions.
Participants rated their emotions and perceptions after hearing each music excerpt with rating scales such as sad, melancholic, moved, in awe, peacefulness or anxiety. We investigated their underlying factor structure with statistical techniques.
Why do people listen to sad music?
People listen to sad music for different reasons. Some enjoy its emotional resonance; others may find comfort from singing about something painful in their lives; still others find connecting more closely to composers or fellow listeners through such songs is another benefit of listening to such pieces of art.
Many people find solace in sadness as a release from other negative emotions such as anxiety, anger or frustration. If we cannot properly manage certain feelings they can cause great distress and lead to symptoms like fatigue and low self-esteem; thus leading some individuals to seek comfort through sad music as an outlet to manage these negative feelings.
As it’s important to recognize, listening to sad music when dealing with mental health issues can actually be very harmful and should be avoided in favor of seeking professional advice.
A recent qualitative study explored the motivations for people listening to sad music, revealing that some listeners use it to experience grief, melancholia and sweet sorrow – emotions often associated with loss, divorce and relationship difficulties as well as adversity, loneliness and social stigma. Some may bury their emotions and put on an act for others’ benefit instead of showing how sad they truly feel; listening to sad music allows listeners to express these true feelings without the risk of feeling stigmatized by society.
Studies have also revealed that people who enjoy sad music tend to possess high levels of empathy. This may be because they can relate to the feelings being conveyed in each song, connecting with both composer and other listeners – which in turn reduces feelings of isolation while increasing self-esteem by providing a sense of connection – something empathy provides humans. It truly makes humans better people!
It’s a distraction
Listening to sad music with the intention of temporarily diverting one’s thoughts away from problems is often used by those experiencing distress, but this doesn’t always work; sad music may actually worsen your condition depending on how it’s consumed; how you consume the song can have a direct influence on its effects on mood.
When in a bad mood, the last thing anyone wants to think about is their problems. Listening to sad music may provide just enough distraction from these thoughts and help ease tension temporarily – while also stimulating dopamine production which is associated with pleasure and rewards.
Listening to sad music can also spark feelings of nostalgia and connection, providing the tempo is adjusted according to your resting heart rate (ideally 60 BPM) which will ensure it syncs perfectly with emotional energy and rhythm and have an immediate positive effect on mood.
Studies show that people turn to sad music for comfort and acceptance. Such feelings may be brought out by songs with negative themes like loss or failure; or slower-paced ballads or classical pieces, among other styles of music.
Researchers have revealed that people who engage in ruminative or lack Emotional Stability tend to prefer music with similar mood-congruent characteristics (Hunter et al., 2011). Furthermore, participants whose families have become estranged or who experience peer bullying might also prefer listening to more emotional music (Garrido and Eerola, 2015).
Noteworthy is also that adolescent girls and boys tend to be more affected by sadness music than adults, perhaps as a result of social experiences and family climate. Also important to keep in mind is that music’s tempo, musical scale, harmonic progression and timbre can have different impacts on our emotions and moods.
It’s a catharsis
Humankind has long enjoyed art that depicts sadness. From ancient Greek tragedies to contemporary films and novels, depictions of misery and loss continue to attract audiences. Additionally, listening to melancholic music provides its own aesthetic pleasure: melancholy melodies, poetic lyrics and contemplative nature combine for this sensory pleasure.
Music can provide a form of catharsis. Listening to emotional music may help purge negative feelings and restore emotional equilibrium, according to scientific research. Listening to sad music stimulates production of dopamine neurotransmitter which acts like an endorphin for short-term highs as well as lasting feelings of happiness.
One reason some people enjoy sad music is its ability to help us empathize with others’ feelings. Music offers us an easy and accessible way to experience another person’s pain – an invaluable way of processing our own issues.
Some individuals also find comfort in listening to sad music as a form of release from current difficulties, as the music may remind them of times in their past when they felt similarly or act as an affirmation that others too are suffering.
Musical composers understand the significance of using contrast in their compositions. Without such contrasts, songs would quickly become monotonous. A study by musicians revealed that instruments like piano, cello and violin excel at producing moody tones used for sad music composition.
For those reluctant to admit it, it is important to remember that being sad is natural and healthy part of human nature and can provide an outlet for difficult emotions. Be it through movies, books or slow tempo songs by Sufjan Stevens; don’t be scared to allow yourself to feel sadness.
It’s a habit
Researchers at the Free University of Berlin conducted a survey with more than 772 people from Europe and Asia regarding their musical listening habits. Questions focused on what kind of music people were listening to at what times, why and how it made them feel. Researchers also asked participants what emotions music evoked within them.
Researchers found that most people turn to sad music to feel better, often for reasons such as reduced isolation and forgetting problems while providing an opportunity to cry. Other benefits may include distraction, catharsis or mood-congruent music.
The study also compared two versions of the French folk song, “Frere Jacques”. One is set in major key and sounds happy, while the other in minor key and sounds melancholic – reflecting music’s ability to alter our emotions depending on how it’s performed; its tempo also plays a factor – faster tempo songs tend to sound upbeat while slower ones produce somber sounds.
Another element that influences how songs affect us emotionally is the instrument being used to perform it. Pianos for instance have great range and can either sound happy or sad depending on which keys are chosen for playing them, and composers use this knowledge to craft music that elicits specific emotions.
Mozart composed his famous Requiem in D Minor while suffering from an incurable illness and knew that playing it in minor key would make it sound melancholic; his family and friends could take comfort in having music to remember his great talent through. This music became an offering from him to them during this difficult period in their lives.
Music may provide comforting sounds and images; however, listening to sad music should not be used as a coping mechanism if suffering from depression. If feeling down, professional help should be sought immediately.