Some of the saddest song lyrics of all time.
There is a trend on Tik Tok where people share absolutely soul-crushing lyrics from their favorite songs or artists. Here are fifteen of the most devastating lyrics from my perspective.
What's better than getting in your bag? Getting in your bag while it's humid and you're covered in bug bites.
Sometimes when you're in a bad mood, the only logical course of action is to put on a depressing playlist so you can fully succumb to the sadness. This state (something my friends and I call "being in your bag") happens to everyone, but not everyone knows the best songs to get the waterworks going.
The best thing about music is that emotions and experiences transcend genre: whether you love country or mumble rap, classical piano or whatever Blueface claims to be, there's a song for you. Here are some of my favorites.
This song's upbeat and catchy melody can be deceiving at first. About being unable to forget about someone no matter where you are or how much you thought you'd moved on, this song addresses post-breakup discomfort and the overwhelming desire to see someone again, even if you know it's best you don't.
Perhaps the most popular "bag song" of my generation, this song's slow beat and fuzzy, dazed vibe reach out to anyone who feels inadequate. Whether you're heartbroken that she's with someone else or you're angry that you feel lonely in a packed room, Drake gets you.
If you miss someone, this song is sure to remind you of their absence for the rest of the night. The swooning vocalist conveys his heartbreak in the mere trembles and breaks of his voice - this, coupled with the simple yet universally relatable lyrics, makes for a dangerously effective bag song.
In seventh grade I thought I was edgy, so I downloaded a bunch of random Eminem songs onto my iPod for the bus ride to school. But this song is a lot more than a pre-teen identity crisis. Over a nursery rhyme-like beat, Eminem raps about how despite the many difficult sacrifices he made raising his daughter, she still suffered far more than she ever deserved to. He reminisces the mistakes he made throughout her childhood as he hopes she can still love and trust him despite all their family had been through.
Lana Del Rey has arguably one of the most beautiful voices of our time, and this song stands testament to her astounding vocal talent. She sings about how even if she has all the wealth and experiences in the world, it isn't enough without the person she loves. She feels unsatisfied with how she has drifted apart from someone she loved when she was young. This slow, nostalgic song shares how she could never fall out of love with this person she misses so dearly.
I know what you're thinking, but trust me. The acoustic version is a different beast than the preppy, colorful regular track. If you ever feel like you missed your chance or didn't fight hard enough for something or someone you wanted, this song is for you.
This classic bag song is about wanting so badly to end up with someone but knowing it could never happen. Whether you're wrestling with unrequited love, a toxic relationship, or simply feeling alone, this ballad is the auditory embodiment of heartbreak.
We've always known and loved Ed Sheeran's amazing lyric-writing abilities, but he reaches a new level with this song. Written about the passing of his beloved grandparent, he sings about what a wonderful life they lived and how lucky he was to be part of it. He struggles to comfort his family members and compares his late relative to an angel. You can feel the genuine grief behind this song in both his strained voice and the chords played.
Who doesn't love a song from the Shrek soundtrack? This song discusses exhaustion, defeat, and loss. Most notably, its beat lulls you into a sad trance - perfect for climbing right into your bag.
If you went to middle school in the 2000s, you've probably cried to this song before. This song is about how much it hurts to remember even the good memories made with someone you aren't close to anymore. Plus, its high school vibe will pull you into nostalgia faster than you think.
Sometimes, summer isn't all fun and games. So, for the days when everything isn't perfect this summer, or you just need some sunburnt nap music, here's 20 songs to cater to your summertime sadness.
If you enjoy listening to sad songs when you're upset to make you even more sad, then here you go.
I like to pride myself on my love of super sad songs. To me, there's nothing better than driving around at night singing songs that rip your heart out... a little weird, yeah I know.
But there's something about feeling like they wrote that song just for you, for this exact moment in time, which is basically how I feel about Taylor Swift. But I won't get into that. Lately, Billie Eilish has been speaking to my soul and I love it. I can basically listen to any one of her songs and feel like she just gets it, even if she's only 17.
I can't guarantee you that you'll feel better after, but I can promise you that you'll feel a little less alone. Music truly heals.
There is definitely a time and a place for these songs, like when you're alone in your room, in the bath, or driving around late at night. If you're bad at communicating your feelings or expressing yourself, songs like this help you process and understand why you're feeling this way.
Here are my top 10 favorite songs to listen to when I'm feeling down.
For when you're doubting your self-worth.
For when you're bad at communicating your feelings.
When you're feeling forgotten.
For when you need a reminder that you're stronger than the storm.
When you remember your support system is incredible and always there for you.
When you're loving someone through their dark times.
For when you know your life is good, but you can't stop focusing on the bad times.
When you're holding onto someone you shouldn't, but you'd rather hurt than feel nothing.
For when the relationships in your life feel one-sided, and you're the only one trying.
When you're missing someone so much, you're living in a haze of the good memories of the past.
Because we've all outgrown "Summertime Sadness" by now.
These should be your glory days—bonfires, pool parties, romance—but so far this summer's looking like another three months of screwing up your sleep schedule and getting vacation envy. Sure, there's plenty of ways to fight the lethargy that comes with increased heat and decreased responsibility. Socializing is an option. Going outside is also, definitely an option, but why would you do that when you can embrace the ennui threatening to consume your body and soul?
Bring in the bops!
Mitski's been on a serious roll lately. Her latest album "Be The Cowboy" will have you balling your eyes out on the dance floor.
A little bit on the nose with this one, but it's a jam.
If you don't shed a tear when Stevie Nicks hits that high note at 0:33, do you even have a heart?
Not a sad song necessarily, but what better way to drown in your emotions than to soak your ears in reverb?
Look, they weren't as cool as the Stones, and they were't as good as the Beatles, but I've got a special place in my heart for the Davies boys. This track especially.
"Snail Mail" was only 16 when this song was released (!!!). I'm 18 and have yet to become an indie music darling, so basically I've already failed at life.
Two minutes and ten seconds of garage-rock gold that will have you cutting your own bangs and buying a pair of Doc Martins before it's over.
What's that? You were expecting "Everybody Hurts"? Don't be basic. Everybody knows "Nightswimming"'s the real tearjerker.
When the seasonal affective disorder wears off, I highly suggest checking out the more upbeat version by Radiator Hospital.
I actually had the chance to see Car Seat Headrest live. I may or may not have burst into tears when they started playing this song.
Sorry, but "there's nowhere left to go but crazy" is a killer line.
You know, I'm still not okay with quite a few britishisms (i.e. biscuts, chips), but 'car park' is a transgression I can forgive. I mean, 'parking lot' is fine, but 'car park' is adorable. It sounds like the cars are at recess or at something.
Every time you play this song, an introvert gets it's wings.
A beautiful tribute to completely giving up.
At some point we've all thought "If I can't be a star I won't get out of bed".
To me there was always something a little melancholy about the harmonies in this track.
A depressing Radiohead song? Yeah, no surprises.
This song slaps. It is a complete and utter bop. Yes, the singer sounds like Kermit the frog. Yes, that is a whole-ass tree branch in his back pocket. Don't @ me.
What? That last song wasn't jangly enough for you?
Adult mom, Soccer Mommy... I'm waiting for a band called "Golf Dad".
"Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World" takes the cake for best soundtrack 100%.
"Boyish" comes off like an Old Hollywood musical number sung from the bottom of a well—and it's beautiful.
Literally anything by Daughter could make this list. They're the Queen/Kings of indie-folk melancholia. Plus the lyric game is on point, as always.
You get one Billie Eilish song, hear me? ONE.
Perfect for dancing alone in your room.
I would like to take this time to posit that Cat Power is the coolest stage name of all time.
This song has been in quite possibly every single TV show/movie since it was released.
If a refrain like "we're all gonna die" isn't an instant mood-killer than I don't know what is.
After a long day of... doing absolutely nothing, "Across The Universe" is a perfect track to, relax, turn off your mind, and float downstream to.
This song always reminds me of that kind of summer you see in movies from the late 1970's. You know—crop tops, baseball, and absolutely no parental supervision.
You are what you listen to.
It's another Tuesday night and I'm at another indie show headlined by whichever underground band I discovered for the first time three days ago. I wait for the set to begin, watching the band unpack their equipment, observing the crowd, calculating the hierarchy of alternativity.
This week, the most popular concertgoers wear mom shorts, cardigans, and chunky white sneakers, though last time it was ugly sweaters and combat boots. A blurry line barely distinguishes audience members from performers.
I stay in my usual spot. I'm not here to talk. I'm not even here to feel better -I'm here to experience the music and to hear that someone else feels the same thing as me.
This seems to be the popular consensus among indie music listeners. We know for a fact that our music won't make us feel better -when we hear a sad indie song, it will provide a sense of comfort in the fact that we are not alone in our feelings, but the feelings will only be magnified after the song ends.
It's midnight and I'm making the 20-minute walk back home. The show was so good and now I'm ruminating; the band's songs hit exactly what I was feeling. It was like they were reading from my diary. In fact, the whole show felt like it was marinating in angst.
I push the pedestrian button. A robotic voice commands, "Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait."
I'm losing patience.
"Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait."
Why don't I feel any better than I did before the show? Why do I embrace music that makes me feel this way?
For many people, listening to sad music provides a feeling of emotional relief and connection to others. "Listeners identify with the emotions expressed by the music or the meaning of the lyrics," wrote Jeannette Bicknell, Ph.D. for Psychology Today. "They seek this kind of identification when they want to re-experience those same emotions."
In this case, the lyrics and underlying messages of sad music encourage listeners to come to terms with their emotions and organize their feelings, improving their mood overall.
However, for some, myself included, listening to sad music only amplifies any existing negative feelings. According to Bicknell, some listeners treat sad music like a "memory trigger" in order to relive past events or remember past people. In this case, sad music actually worsens instead of enhancing listeners' moods.
This shines a light on the power of media consumption on the human brain. Just like TV and books, music drastically affects mood and perspective. Therefore, it's important to monitor your music and its effects on the choices you make, how you view the world, and how you treat others.
These days, I still love my sad indie rock and heartbreak songs, but I listen with caution. I don't allow myself to wallow in negativity and disappointment. I don't listen to a song that I know will have a negative impact on me mentally or spiritually. Music is one of the most powerful influences on me, and I don't let sad songs get the best of me.
