Whether you’re feeling low, heartbroken or just in need of some soothing music to lift your spirits, there are numerous songs out there to help. We have put together a list of 62 tunes that are guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes and leave you wanting a good old cry fest with some tissues nearby.
1. The Scientist by Coldplay
Coldplay’s song The Scientist describes a man searching for someone special to share his life with. Like an expert scientist, he examines every situation to understand what works for him personally.
This song first made its debut on A Rush of Blood to the Head’s 2002 studio album release and was well received by critics and audiences alike, featuring piano riffs and Chris Martin’s falsetto vocals. Additionally, it became an overnight success in Britain reaching number 10 on their singles chart.
One of the great strengths of music lies in its ability to help people express what they’re experiencing emotionally and emote appropriately, such as when someone hears an interpretation that speaks directly to their situation and circumstances.
Another thing that’s really crucial in interpreting any song is its words and meaning. Words often offer insights and ideas into life events for listeners; thus making this song such a hit among many listeners.
The Scientist is a love song that tackles the difficulty of relationships that keep changing over time, breaking up and then reconciling again. The lyrics can be quite sad as they describe how one relationship can go back and forth without much change taking place in between. Though sad in tone, The Scientist can be easily relatable and understood.
2. The Rain by Avril Lavigne
Music can often serve as an effective therapy tool to ease our sorrow and emotional discomfort. Music can help us through some of life’s hardest moments while also recalling fond memories from days gone by; you could even use it to ease a heartbreak.
When choosing sad music, it’s essential that songs will be meaningful and relatable – this means selecting songs with strong lyrics, melody and vocal performance that bring comfort and make us feel good. Selecting meaningful, relatable sad songs will bring relief and create positive associations between listeners and the songs they hear.
Avril Lavigne is an iconic Canadian singer-songwriter known for creating some of the best and most moving songs ever written. Her songs often address difficult experiences through sad and heartfelt lyrics – offering those in need an escape during times of difficulty a musical solution to get through their tough times.
Under My Skin was her debut adult album and featured candid gothic lyrics tempered with carefully crafted country-tinged pop writing, but The Best Damn Thing barely changed from its teenaged aesthetic.
Later that same year (2007) she made a comeback with The Rain and it proved to be an extraordinary success in many respects. A return to punk music while maintaining its earnestness rather than sensationalism made this an instant classic.
The Rain, Lavigne’s collaboration with Mod Sun and Machine Gun Kelly, features catchy lyrics about an ending relationship and features her unforgettable singing voice: “I’m staying young forever so I can fuck you.”
Sad songs have an inherent beauty that draws listeners in quickly; many cover such profound topics and some even refer to past tragedies, which only compounds their sorrowful message further.
3. Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap
Original released in 2005, “Hide and Seek” is an a cappella ballad written and performed by Heap that uses self-harmonized harmony with an altered keyboard synth sound to capture his vocal dexterity as it illustrates the pain associated with breakup or divorce.
Since its release, this song has been used on several television programs including Saturday Night Live and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child musical play – it even featured on Jason Derulo’s cover version! However, its placement in Normal People has really generated buzz about it.
Marianne and Connell share one of the most emotional scenes on the series as they discuss how much they miss each other after breaking up. When asked by Vulture why Abramson chose this particular song for this scene, Abramson answered that she was attracted by its “era of time”.
Songs often capture moments in our lives that mark a turning point, such as mourning a death of someone close or leaving home to start fresh somewhere new. But it takes special music to convey exactly the emotions felt in such moments on repeat listens.
Heap considers this song her crowning achievement and has consistently hailed it as her finest work, giving the song its status of career highlight. Furthermore, its success serves as proof of her talent when using technology and voice synthesisers like Vocoder to bend, twist and flip notes in ways that create an original and captivating piece like no other song can do.
4. Running Up That Hill by Bush
Running Up That Hill by British singer-songwriter Kate Bush became one of her signature tracks when released in 1985 and quickly rose to the top of the charts both domestically and internationally upon its initial release, becoming an instant pop classic and fan favorite over time.
If you’ve watched Netflix’s popular sci-fi series Stranger Things, chances are you are familiar with their nod to one of Kate’s songs: it was featured as a talismanic moment during season 4’s opening episode and is one of its most striking pieces; playing throughout season four it depicts Max’s journey from grieving his death in Season 1 to finding peace now.
CBS News reported that Running Up That Hill has become one of the most-streamed videos on Spotify in both Australia and the UK, garnering an estimated $2.3 million in streaming royalties for Kate Bush. Furthermore, this song made Billboard’s list of top most-streamed songs in both countries.
5. What if by Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper is a pop icon who has made it clear she intends to make more than hits; she wants to change the world. Over the course of a decade-long career that boasts several number-one singles and two Grammy awards nominations as well as fierce support of women rights advocacy she has become one of music’s leading feminist figures and advocates for sexual rights advocacy.
Lauper may have taken an entirely different path if she had grown up in a smaller town. Instead of attending high school herself, Lauper dropped out early and found work doing low-skilled jobs to make ends meet. Wearing thrift store clothes even before punk rock became popularized, Lauper dyed her hair many different hues as an unconventional teenager.
She was also an exceptional singer, though her vocal chord damage required years for it to fully recover. Additionally, she battled stage fright and must sing through pain to reach her full potential as an artist.
Her 1983 solo effort, She’s So Unusual, was an overwhelming success; its single “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” reached #1 on the charts with its accompanying music video featuring cameo appearances by both her mother and then-partner Lou Albano as well as an array of dancing girls.
Lauper’s second single, “Time After Time,” wasn’t as successful, though it did become an impressive hit in the US; however, its international performance wasn’t as stellar; nevertheless it remains one of Lauper’s signature songs and still holds up today.
It’s hard not to enjoy this song from the ’80s, especially if you appreciate music with an acoustic guitar. Lauper has an incredible vocal performance with an emotional delivery; her guitar licks are fitting as are its faux-folk-sounding strumming in the background.