No matter the genre of music – whether a heartbreak ballad about lost love or an upbeat anthem of hope and strength – music has the ability to touch people like no other medium can. Its soothing melodies and meaningful lyrics can bring out feelings that many of us struggle with daily.
1. “Let Somebody Go” by Coldplay x Selena Gomez
Natalie Taylor’s hit song “Surrender” has become an anthem on TikTok due to its immense popularity on this social media platform. Often paired with videos about heartache and loss, its profound lyrics have struck a chord with millions of users who have experienced similar situations themselves.
This song’s melancholic piano melodies and emotional vocals evoke feelings of grief and longing, making it one of the saddest TikTok songs. But even in its tragic nature, this track offers hope and peace that things will eventually get better.
Gomez joined Coldplay onstage in October 2021 to perform “Right Here Waiting”, in an impressive display of power and grace that captured the heartbreaking pain associated with losing a loved one. Furthermore, their music video was captivating due to its monochromatic style and Escher-inspired visuals.
2. “Lucid Dreams” by Juice WRLD
Juice WRLD made his mark as a pioneer of the SoundCloud rap movement that he helped popularize. Like fellow SoundCloud rappers such as Lil Durk and XXXTENTACION, his music often included dark lyrics about drug use.
“Lucid Dreams,” his heartbreak ballad that became an instant Top 10 hit and propelled his 2018 album Goodbye & Good Ridance into mainstream awareness, showcases his talent for writing introspective rhymes over atmospheric production.
That same year he collaborated with Future on the mixtape WRLD on Drugs and contributed to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack. Additionally he toured with live band performances before releasing Death Race for Love as his second LP in 2019. But on December 8, just days after celebrating his 21st birthday, Chicago rapper suffered a medical emergency at Midway Airport, leading him to tragically pass away at 21 years old.
3. “She Used To Be Mine” by Sara Bareilles
Sara Bareilles is an inspirational singer-songwriter renowned for penning powerful anthems that have moved millions. Recently, this California native released “Brave,” featuring on her upcoming album The Blessed Unrest.
This song explores the emotional turmoil associated with being used and abused by someone you cared for, and the difficulty associated with forgetting this person and moving forward in your life. TikTok users have grown fond of its relatable lyrics and upbeat melody as an emotional release.
Marshmello and Anne-Marie’s “Friends” is an emotive track about being stuck in the friend zone while yearning for more. With its poignant tune and lyrics, this song has become a favorite in the TikTok sad songs subgenre; moreover, its widespread popularity has led to increased production value of TikTok videos featuring this song which have given it further popularity among younger audiences.
4. “Surrender” by Natalie Taylor
Natalie Taylor penned this heart-wrenching tune as a way of healing after her own failed romance, clearly addressing their former flame who has distanced themselves and is asking them back into her life.
Marshmello & Anne-Marie’s “Friends” is another emotionally poignant TikTok song about unrequited love, yet its upbeat tune and relatable lyrics have proven immensely popular with TikTok users.
5. “Before You Go” by Lewis Capaldi
TikTok users have found solace in this song about unrequited love, its catchy rhythm and catchy chorus making it an upbeat feel-good tune despite its melancholic lyrics.
Capaldi’s impressive vocal performance contributes greatly to the song’s success. His skill at delivering an emotionally charged lyric with rhythmic precision is one of the hallmarks of modern Pop singing; to learn this style yourself, study popular singers closely and study their phrasing.
Capaldi says this song’s intimate Singer-Songwriter lyrics (based on personal experience) and its catchy chorus have made it a Pop radio favorite. Furthermore, its four chord song structure provides contrast in pace between sections and helps avoid monotony that plagues many Dance and Pop hits. Although its innovative structure may take practice to master, you’re bound to get there eventually!
6. “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
This song is a modern classic that perfectly expresses the sorrow associated with falling in love and then parting ways. Its relatable message and production quality have made it a favorite choice for TikTok videos with sad themes.
Ed Sheeran has quickly become one of the go-to artists among music enthusiasts due to his captivating vocals and lyrics, especially during 2017 when his song “Perfect” became the best-selling single in America.
Sheeran released the song as part of his third album, Divide, in May 2017; its subject matter focused around gazing back on old memories and melancholic nostalgia of youth. TikTok users loved its mix of youthful exuberance and melancholic reflection; it even topped UK singles chart for five weeks before sheeran shared his duet version with Beyonce later that year.
7. “Someone Like You” by Adele
TikTok users frequently turn to this heartbreak-inducing track as one of their odes of melancholy music, known for its melancholic melody and poignant lyrics of love lost and found. This heartrending tune and its emotive words about heartache has cemented its place within its subgenre.
Adele recorded and co-wrote “21” with Dan Wilson, and had it produced by him.
Musically, this song uses minor notes to create an unsettling melancholy. Meanwhile, its melody begins moderately before slowly increasing in volume and intensity until eventually becoming increasingly intense – likening itself to the voice of someone pleading their lover back. Jake Nava shot its video for this track in Paris where Adele can be seen walking alone along a road singing her song before entering an office where she meets up with an ex-lover.
8. “To Build A Home” by The Cinematic Orchestra
With its combination of young exuberance and melancholy reflection, this song has captured the hearts of many TikTok users. Its relatable message about love’s ups and downs has resonated deeply, offering much inspiration to carry forward on their own paths of journeying.
The song’s soul-stirring melody conjures feelings of melancholy and nostalgia, making it such a poignant piece. Cinematic Orchestra have discussed its meaning, exploring themes such as homelessness and the longing for stability while capturing emotions related to finding identity and belonging – these aspects make this track one of the best options to use when creating sad TikTok videos. Acoustic instrumentation adds another pleasant layer that creates an environment both soothing yet uplifted while its lyrics will leave you craving more!
9. “Friends” by Marshmello & Anne-Marie
This song captures the anguish of being Stuck In The Friend Zone as Anne-Marie longs to develop feelings with Marshmello beyond platonic friendship. TikTok users have taken to this song due to its relatable message and lively rhythm; its popularity continues to grow.
“Without Me” by XXXTENTACION explores the pain of feeling betrayed by someone we loved and the difficulty in moving on from such an experience. With its catchy tune and heartbreaking lyrics, “Without Me” has become an integral component of the sad TikTok songs subgenre.
Shawn Mendes’ “In My Blood” is an inspiring anthem about dealing with mental health issues and persevering during difficult times, offering many TikTok users hope and motivation through its message of self-love and resiliency – many have even adopted it as their personal anthem! Additionally, audiences love its haunting melody and emotionally charged delivery by X.
10. “Left And Right” by Charlie Puth
Charlie Puth is an extremely talented singer-songwriter and producer. His musical works have been recorded by such high-profile pop and urban artists as Lil Wayne, Jason Derulo, Pitbull, Austin Mahone, Trey Songz and Sage the Gemini among many others.
Charlie Puth recently collaborated with Jungkook of BTS on “Left and Right,” an upbeat pop tune about longing for an old flame who got away.
TikTok users love this song because its haunting melody and emotive lyrics easily resonate with them and help express their emotions. Young people in particular have found comfort from its poignant meaning by creating videos about heartbreak and moving on after having been hurt by someone close. TikTok users find this tune easy to relate to and can use it to vent their own sorrows and express them better through videos created around it.