The Saddest Songs of All-Time
33 SONGS
4668 VIEWSThere are few things more cathartic than a good cry. And sometimes, all you need is the perfect song to help you let it all out. If you're looking for the saddest music to help you grieve, mourn, or just plain feel sad, these songs should do the trick. From heart-wrenching ballads to soul-crushing anthems, whatever you're reason to cry, these sad songs may help. From heart-wrenching ballads to soul-crushing anthems, these are the saddest songs to cry to. Sometimes the saddest songs are the ones in which we wouldn't expect, it may be the lyrics, the origin story or simply the feeling of the song that we relate to. So ensure you go through and listen to each of these sad songs and let us know what your favourite saddest song of all time is.
This song is about Cobain's commentary on teenage angst and rebellion. It ignited the grunge phase of angsty dark lyrics, loud guitars. Cobain actually eventually grew tired of this song and removed it from all Nirvana's live sets, after admitting he tried to rip off the Pixies when recording it.
This song was written for the soundtrack of the film Furious 7 as a tribute to actor Paul Walker, who died in 2013. The lyrics are incredibly sad and moving, making it the perfect song to cry to when you're missing someone.
This classic song is about the pain of losing someone you love. The lyrics are not only sad and moving, but extremely relatable. I think everyone can attest to to losing someone - whether it be from simply parting ways or death - and a deep unwavering love remains.
This song is about overcoming your fears and becoming a stronger person. The lyrics are incredibly empowering and motivating, making it the perfect choice for when you need a little boost.
This classic song is about friendship and standing by those you love. The lyrics are incredibly moving and touching, making it the perfect choice for when you need a little reminder that you're not alone. It was also played at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The MTV unplugged version of this song will give you chills. It's often up for debate which Nirvana song is the saddest, but this one takes the cake. Do yourself a favour and watch the unplugged video alongside this hauntingly beautiful song.
This song is about the inevitability of death. The lyrics are dark and depressing, and questions whether this life is worth living and if it would be easier to be dead. In an interview with MTV, the band members James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich had stated they had been obsessed with death at the time of writing this song.
Written by the R.E.M. drummer, Bill Berry, as an antithesis of suicide. Although it's been included here as a sad song, it could perhaps more accurately be described as a song of hope and it has helped to spread awareness of the normalisation of depression. The Nevada state actually commended R.E.M. for this song, for encouraging the prevention of teen suicides.
Eddie Vedder explained that this song is about letting go of either a failed relationship or a death. It has often been debated about it's real meaning, but it's almost irrelevant seeing as the beauty the song has. A popular lyric often screamed at their live concerts goes "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life. I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky".
This song has to be included as it has been played in countless movie and show scenes whenever there is a sad scene of loss, realisation or catastrophe or heartache.
The story of Pink Floyd founding member Sid Barrett and his journey with schizophrenia. This is one of the best sad songs of all time and is a commentary on how people cope by withdrawing emotionally. Roger Waters actually said this was based on a poem he wrote, around the issue of Sid's fall from reality. It's a chaotic album on the whole that touched on many themes, and contains some incredibly sad music.
A dark, heartbreaking song about the emotional baggage Frank Ocean was carrying with him at the time. It's one of the saddest songs in this list and even has a feeling of a farewell song. The tune has a sad and bleak tone depicting the unhappiness and depressive moods of Ocean. His suicidal thoughts and feelings of despair are evident in the lyrics.
A sad song about the ups and downs of relationship at heart, Alex Turner wrote this song for the EP of the movie "Submarine". "PileDriver Waltz" by the Arctic Monkey's frontman Alex Turner reflects on the despair of teenagers and how he struggled with his own heartbreak at the time. While it may not be the saddest song here, it touches on many themes everyone can relate to.
Front man James Murphy wrote this sad song, after his therapist unexpectedly died in his care. He used it as vessel to describe the emptiness which had been left behind. The iconic LCD Soundsystem pulsating synths and electronic flashes remind us that this is a not one one of the best sad songs on this list, but potentially all time.
Inspired by the death of Elizabeth Fraser's close friend, singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley. The trip hop genre was an excellent medium to deliver a weepy, emotive message of sadness. Apparently they received the news of Buckley's death during the recording of this song, so it can be understood why this is one of the saddest songs on this list.
You can't have a list of the saddest songs, without a little bit of Bon Iver. Although the meaning of this song is left ambiguous on purpose, it has themes of cathartic reflection and recovery from anguish and pain. Listeners have speculated it being either a love song, breakup song, suicide song and many others, but you can't help but shake the overwhelming feeling that this song is simply sad at its core.
This song is about the realization that everything comes to an end and has a finite timeline. The lyrics can make you feel a broad range of feelings, including sadness and nostalgia, making it the perfect choice for when you feeling like life is just too hard.
An all-time classic, that constantly reminds us about how quickly life will pass us by. The haunting vocals are easily recognized by all, and remind us to appreciate every moment we have. Although it may not be the saddest song on this list, the music can bring up feelings of sadness.
One of the most well-known sad song origin stories of all time. Eric Clapton wrote this song after the death of his 4-year old son, who fell off a balcony in 1991. It went on to win Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal at the Grammy's in 1993.
The performances by Gaga and Cooper in "A Star is Born" brought this song to whole new emotional level. It's an incredibly sad song, especially within the context of the movie.
Amy Winehouse was remembered under sad circumstances. She had just overcome an intense addiction battle that had seemingly taken over her already fragile writing style. This song was about her relationship break down with her then-boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil. So if your relationship has broken down or you've loved-ones, Back to Black may be a great song to cry to.
Sinead O’Connor had a somewhat difficult and controversial career but she was on a high, following the release of this track. Featuring haunted vocals and synth strings, O'Connor helped renewed this song, which was actually originally written by Price. The music video was praised for the pure emotion O'Connor showed, and she even cried unintentionally during it.
Even on Mondays, Robert Smith's most upbeat and pop music is a bit darker after the lyrics have been played out. The Cure's 1989 album Disintegration is their greatest, worst album. Although it was the singles ‘Pictures of You' and ‘Lullaby' that had air time, the monster that lurked beneath its depths was this title song. It is not only a sad song, but one that reeks of destruction and capitulation.
In its bleakest and most compassionate way The Boss shares much with the great American dramatic artists and songwriters Arthur Miller and Eugene O'Neill. ‘The River' tells a painful working-class tale of two carefree young lovers forced into a marriage during their unplanned pregnancy. It touches on themes of feeling forced into a job, life and situation in which neither of them necessarily wanted. Not only is it one of the top sad songs, it's a great commentary on the American working class.
This memorable song is about hope and longing for a better place. The lyrics are incredibly beautiful and moving, making it the perfect song to listen to when you're feeling sad or lost. The ukulele is not often associated with sad songs, however here it is used perfectly, alongside the songs stripped-down nature, to convey an emotional undertone and message.
This song is about the pain of losing someone you love. The lyrics are incredibly sad and moving, making it the perfect choice for when you're feeling grief-stricken.
Until the 1980s, Tori Amos had a life in pain. Tear in My Hand is a masterpiece within the sad music genre. This sad songs recounts a story about her broken-down marriage as she ponders her future with a dismal outlook.
Considered one of the gloomiest songs of all-time, Williams wrote this to express his feelings at the time regarding his rocky relationship with his first wife. It's incredibly heartbreaking, yet beautiful and nearly impossible to turn off.
Elliott Smith died in an unfortunate way in the early hours. His death from two stab wounds (presumably self-inflicted) cast a shadow over the five albums he had released. If there is a couple of pieces in Smiths catalogue which summarize tensions and lethargy of depression, this is one of them. To say this would be one of the saddest songs would be an understatement. It's a direct link to how Smith must have been feeling at the time.
Released in 1994, once the grunge era had started to gain momentum. This song chronicles the lead singers Layne Staley battle with heroin addiction. Voted as #9 on the Rolling Stones saddest songs of all time.
This song is about the pain of addiction and the struggles of trying to overcome it. The lyrics are incredibly powerful and emotive, making it the perfect choice for when you're feeling down. Johnny Cash later covered this song in 2002. Reznor, the lead singer from Nine Inch Nails, then praised Cash's interpretation of the song for its "sincerity and meaning," going so far as to say "that song isn't mine anymore."