Do you find sad/depressing/dark music to be comforting?

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,617]

One interesting aspect I find about myself, is that when I am feeling down or depressed which tends ot happen often nowadays, instead of listening to uplifting, obviously positive music, I gravitate towards darker music and more depressing songs. While I will listen to these normally anyways because I enjoy the music, these are my go to songs for when my mood is at a low. Bands like Psyclon Nine, Suicide Commando, Sentenced, those kinds of groups are ones I go for when I am feeling depressed. There is a sort of comfort that I get from it. Like the artist knows how I feel and it makes me feel not alone at that moment. It is a surprising way to bring me back up.

 

What about all of you? Do you gravitate towards dark music when your mood is low?

[Unikitty 1,212]

I have a very broad taste in music, and sometimes my preferred genres to listen to don't directly correlate with my mood. For instance, I've been in a pretty good and chill mood today, but I've been listening to some angsty and melancholic hard rock. Back when i was a teen, I'd often shift to darker and edgier music if I was in a foul mood. But now I wonder if that was because the music was dark and befitting my mood, or if it is common knowledge that angry teens listen to angry and dark music.

I feel automatically more comfortable when I manage to find music that perfectly fits my current mood, even if the genre and mood don't necessarily line up.

[Melon Blitz 423]

I used to listen to edgy/angsty music when I was upset, it felt really good. Looking back, some of the songs make me facepalm (like Pain by Three Days Grace, and End of All Hope by Nightwish). I don't listen to that stuff anymore, but I still listen to bands like Flogging Molly and Bad Religion every so often. 

[Guest]

Very. Even when I'm in a good mood - I tend to sing along to some sad songs.

[BlueBrony 388]

There have been times when I was sad that I have listened to very emotional music- usually dark, brooding, or just sad classical music (no words) can really be cathartic for me because I can put my tailored experience inside of it.

music is meant to be an emotional experience, and sometimes I just want to be sad.

[N.W. 3,619]

It does not so much comfort me as get me thinking about why I'm listening to it. How do I relate to the piece such that I enjoy it? What connections can be made, what (if any) lessened are to be learned.  This extends beyond sad/depressing music to include other genres as well.

[Guest]

There have been times when I was sad that I have listened to very emotional music- usually dark, brooding, or just sad classical music (no words) can really be cathartic for me because I can put my tailored experience inside of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL8Y_rklXcs

music is meant to be an emotional experience, and sometimes I just want to be sad.

This song though... The melody is perfect! ; _ ;

[CheeryFox 23,821]

I guess so...no one really wants uplifting music when things are down in the dumps. Low-key/sad/depressing/dark music -- does help and benefits a bit. 

[-Octavia- 1,176]

No. I find it sad, dark, and depressing.

 

Though as a classical musician, I did appreciate this insight:

 

classical music (no words) can really be cathartic for me because I can put my tailored experience inside of it.

[PROJECT: Simon 3,954]

Definitely. I believe it's very calm~  

[FaithDragon 49]

Sad or happy, A Day to Remember is where I go to get my dose of feeling good, no matter what.

[Merion 783]

I used to do that a lot when I was younger, like in my teenage years. It never worked tho, listening to the sad songs felt like trapping myself in the despair... You know what I mean?

Now I'm leaning towards uplifting Disney soundtrack songs... or pony songs! 

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

Not really. When I'm sad I try to do whatever I can not to be sad.

[SquipyCheetah 449]

Whenever I need to relieve stress or anger, I always listen to songs/music about darkness, death, betrayal, revenge, etc. I have no idea why but it just causes me to calm down without breaking something to relieve it otherwise.

[Moony the Cat 3,702]

If im in a sad mood and listen to sad songs...well, i dont have to.

 

Actually, most of the time when im sad, i am sad because im listening to some sad music in my head and sometimes when something sad happends, im also listening to sad music already in my head.

 

And that usually does not help, it makes things even worse. And in really bad situations i even cry. 

 

Thats why i dont want to listen to sad songs, when im sad. I either listen to fun Songs like Eurodance or something inspiring from Enigma.

[Dainbow Rash 80]

I listen to tons of types of music like metal, electronic, classical, and soundtracks. When I'm feeling really sad or angry, I tend to not want to listen to upbeat music, but when I'm happy I'll listen to any music whether its upbeat or sad.

I think sad music is comforting when I'm not feeling well because it makes it seem as though I'm not alone. When I'm in a normal mood though, upbeat music makes me feel much better.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,617]

I listen to tons of types of music like metal, electronic, classical, and soundtracks. When I'm feeling really sad or angry, I tend to not want to listen to upbeat music, but when I'm happy I'll listen to any music whether its upbeat or sad.

I think sad music is comforting when I'm not feeling well because it makes it seem as though I'm not alone. When I'm in a normal mood though, upbeat music makes me feel much better.

This is exactly how I feel. Upbeat music works a lot more for me when my mood is already good or just normal, it can be a nice boost. I also just listen to any kind of music regardless of my mood so there is that too, but when I am feeling down, much more depressing music tends to bring me back up sooner, like a sense of relatability. 

[Biggybrony 244]

If it's a death metal band or something then yes. Listening to super bouncy pop music when I'm genuinely sad just feels patronizing. However, I found that listening to the Silent Hill soundtrack while I was depressed a recipe for disaster.

 

[Omega Centauri 317]

When I'm feeling apathetic and nihilistic, I sometimes listen to sad music, because any emotion, even sadness, is better than apathy.

 

Usually, though, I just listen to whatever I feel like, my mood doesn't really seem to have an effect on what music I find appealing.

[Miles 2,512]

because any emotion, even sadness, is better than apathy.

 

I swear, like, honestly... this is how I feel about that, too.  

 

---

 

I listen to downbeat/sad music when I'm down.  

 

I don't really have a "go to" like I used to, anymore.  But the music I listen to is mostly alternative/grunge/nu-metal anyway, so I'll consider the majority of it as "not upbeat" music hahahaha.  

 

~ Miles

[TheSwooceMaster 72]

I do enjoy some saddening music to accompany a down-trodden mood. Although, even when I am in a more uplifted state of mind, I can't help but wanting to experience a sincere sadness. I like to sit down and think about saddening thoughts all while have the proper instrumentals to merge with the mood. I don't know why, I just enjoy "feeling the feels", as I put it.

[Cimarronboy 248]

My depressed stuff is usually specific a7x songs (nightmare, welcome to the family, buried alive, for the depressed times, and So far away, almost easy, for the grieving/lonely times) and simple plan for the other times (Welcome to my life, Untitled, I'm just a kid, and Perfect). I also listen to two songs when my anger is whats depressing me (Animal I have become, three days grace, and skilet's monster since they are both impossibly spot on (seriously are they written about my temper?)

[Guest]

 

I do actually... sometimes if I'm feeling down and dark... well music to me helps me always.

 

[Sir Hugsalot 9,348]

I often listen to music that is heavy, slow, dark and sad or even depressing (in few cases literally suicidal and related to artist's worst times of his life). I am not even in that kind of mood as I consider mysellf a happy person and times when I feel down are quite rare. I reached the point where I write that kind of music myself as I feel more comfortable sticking to minor rather than major scales. Still even sad music has limits and I have high expectations. Just like with happy songs the sad ones too may sound cheesy with a wrong approach of trying to be "as sad as possible" rather than having specific concept on what the song will be about. That's why when it comes to dark metal I dislike just as many bands as I enjoy. 

 

This music isn't always meant to put people down and make them feel miserable. Sometimes it is a good way to vent off Your own sadness and some lyrics do carry an important message by showing consequences of refusing to stand up. With proper approach it creates good, dreamy atmosphere (Shape of Despair - Night's Dew being a good example of that) and I feel like it gives more artistic freedom, at least to me. 

 

 

...but despite all that I still love happy tunes as well. It's just... sad music will always have its special place in my heart. 

[KatonRyu 1,033]

I listen to a lot of music that isn't exactly positive in nature, but I also listen to euphoric trance. I can use pretty much any music I like to feel better.