Gen Z is likely searching Spotify more for sad music to find relief and connect with others, which could explain their widespread usage of this genre.
Spotify recently made headlines after it deleted music by XXXTentacion following allegations of sexual and domestic assault, prompting debate as to whether technology should remain neutral when applied ethically.
It Can Help You Feel Better
Music can have profoundly positive effects on mood, from uplift and motivation to euphoria and relaxation. People seek out music that elicits their emotions either to help themselves feel better or express those emotions; for instance, sad songs may act as an emotional release that allows people to feel less isolated by sharing similar struggles.
Listening to sad music allows people to access parts of their brain associated with nostalgia, peace and tenderness – this may lead to the release of prolactin which acts as an anxiolytic. Furthermore, listening to sad music allows one to connect with people who share similar experiences, which can be both cathartic and helpful.
Researchers recently conducted a study where they had participants listen to an assortment of songs and report how they felt after listening. Depressed participants tended to prefer melancholy music such as Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings more positively than upbeat tunes; yet they responded less negatively than non-depressed counterparts when exposed to melancholy pieces like Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber; this suggests the effects of sad music can vary depending on individual response.
Gen Z listeners find solace in sad music via Spotify not because they feel depressed but because it resonates with them emotionally. Gen Zers find comfort in its melodies and soothing rhythm, which have a therapeutic effect on their emotional state and allow them to identify with artists they feel share similar experiences of loss and heartache as themselves.
Popular songs demonstrate our enduring desire to process our emotions through technology, such as mood playlists like Spotify’s bummer summer campaign. They offer easy navigation of mood-altering musical content on-the-go while being dynamic, personalized and limitless – but be wary – as overuse can have negative repercussions for our mental wellbeing.
It Can Distract You
Listening to sad music may provide some people with relief from their own problems. They may enjoy its soothing melodies or relaxing rhythms; others may relate to lyrics in songs as an emotional release mechanism; some even find comfort knowing other people share similar sentiments – known as social proof – thus acting as a powerful emotional coping mechanism.
Research indicates that listening to sad songs could actually be beneficial. According to these researchers, music may help distract you from negative thoughts and emotions while simultaneously increasing your mood – as listening to sad music triggers chemical release that makes you happier.
Note, however, that not all coping mechanisms are created equal. Researchers conducting this study discovered that venting and ruminating are linked with depression while distraction and positive reappraisal tend to result in less negative moods.
One study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience examined how different kinds of music affect your mood, using MRIs to monitor how participants’ brain activity changed when listening to certain songs. They discovered that people often use music for seven reasons: Entertainment, Revival, Strong Sensation, Mental Work, Solace Diversion Discharge; solace diversion discharge may all serve to regulate negative feelings through music therapy.
Studies show that when listening to sad music, your brain reacts differently than when listening to upbeat songs. The reason is likely due to activation of parts of your brain associated with sadness and loneliness when listening to sad music.
Gen Z is known for their reflective nature and their search for belonging. Additionally, Gen Zers are more likely to search for “sad” songs on Spotify than any other generation – Sad Boi Detector allows them to input time frames of their Spotify listening history and receive scores based on how sad a track is.
It Can Help You Express Your Feelings
Use music as an outlet to express yourself is an invaluable form of therapy, not only emotional regulation but also as an emotional connection and expression tool. Sad songs in particular often evoke strong memories from their listeners’ own lives – which may help you feel closer to them during difficult times.
Listening to sad songs can also be a cathartic way of releasing emotions you are holding back – this can be especially helpful if you tend to bury them deep within. Listening and singing along to such songs may provide temporary relief from emotional strain.
Grieving can be an emotional struggle, particularly if you are trying to balance work and personal responsibilities while grieving for a loss. While it’s normal to feel sad or upset, expressing them can be more of a challenge – music can provide one way of helping us express these feelings and find comfort during times of difficulty.
No matter what is going on for you – be it grieving over a lost loved one, dealing with illness, or experiencing heartbreak – listening to sad music can help process and express the emotions associated with these issues. Listening can provide comfort knowing other people have felt similarly and provide hope there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Music with slow tempos and soothing melodies often has a soothing effect when listening to sad songs, providing comforting tunes with slow tempos and soothing melodies that may even lift one’s spirits; but this does depend on various factors including situation, type of song and personal preferences.
Bummer summer may cause eyebrows to raise, but Gen Z’s passion for sad music doesn’t indicate they’re depressives; rather, they use it as an outlet to combat stress and anxiety in a fast-paced world, connecting with fellow students who share similar sentiments through meditational music choices.
It Can Help You Connect
Music can be an emotional language that reaches deep within us to express our deepest feelings. Listening to sad songs can feel like having a conversation with ourselves or our best friend, helping to release negative emotions that have built up inside of us and give us relief after experiencing difficulties in life. Catharsis may provide another outlet that allows for relief after facing difficult situations.
Listening to sad music can also help you connect with people experiencing similar emotions. You can empathize with them, show your care for them and thus reduce feelings of loneliness or sadness. This connection between listeners can bring comfort.
Are You Feeling Down Right Now? Listening to Sad Music Can Help
Listening to sad music can help ease your sorrow by diverting your focus away from problems and providing an outlet to connect with other people who share similar experiences. Furthermore, it may provide comfort knowing that others have felt as you have and survived it all.
Though it might seem odd that Gen Z is searching for songs with sad lyrics in the heat of summer, research shows they tend to be quite reflective and seek connection through meaningful expression of emotion. That is why they search out music that reflects their moods – which may include those with sad lyrics.
Spotify has leveraged their knowledge of their audience to craft campaigns like “bummer summer.” This campaign seeks to make people laugh about their sadness while sharing it with others, showing just one way that music helps create emotional connections and drive brand devotion among audiences.