If you’re Falling out with a lover, grieving a loved one, or just having a bad day. We often listen to sad music when we are feeling negative emotions. However, why does sad music seem to ease negative emotions? 

Music has been sad for as long as we have been making it. In Western culture, we are conditioned to hear minor tones as sad. From composer Chopin’s Nocturne to Daniel Powter’s Bad Day. These songs feel sad because of hundreds of years of musical culture. 

But how do these songs help us process negative emotions? First, there is the idea of catharsis. Catharsis is a purge of negative emotions after feeling them for an extended time. Listening to sad music for an extended period can be an excellent way to rapidly reach a cathartic state, a process known as absorption. It’s important to understand how you function emotionally. People who are easily depressed may not benefit from this musical phenomenon and may actually suffer more from listening to sad music. 

While researching this article, one clear thing was that people process emotions differently. We conducted a survey of sad songs within the KZUU DJ group chat and my public Instagram. We received a surprising variety of music. Some slow, somber songs were submitted. Phoebe Bridger’s Smoke Signals was submitted. The slow guitar accentuates the pivotal points of the song. It fits my idea of a sad song perfectly. But then we got songs like The Glow Pt. 2. This song opens with intensely fuzzy guitars and a hard, fast drum beat. The song does mellow out halfway through, but overall, the song contains more major tones throughout. This song doesn’t fit the typical idea of a sad song. This raises a central point. Not everyone turns on a sad song when they are unhappy. Many people listen to loud metal or hip-hop to get over difficult times. It’s the person that fits the music, not the music that fits the person. 

Below, the linked playlist of sad songs contains a generous sprinkling of my favorite artist, Radiohead. 

Source List: https://youtu.be/kzFgoaZ9-VQ?si=etwCs2Oo1n-Gfl_Y, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOc3rBYk_Nc.